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"α кιηg σηℓу вσωѕ ∂σωη тσ нιѕ qυєєη"

"Louis, darling, would you come downstairs for a moment, please?" his mother asks, hovering in the morsel of his doorway.

Drowsily comprehending her words, Louis feels his dead weight sink into the mattress. Now? He stirs sluggishly in the sea of his bedsheets, long limbs spreading and stretching out sore, weary muscles subconsciously. He mutters, spilling incoherent words into his fluffy pillow.

"Pardon?" comes his mother's nasal voice. It's not actually nasal, but it's the morning, and Louis' senses are still ripe.

Louis grumbles. You chose now to want my attention... He feels his tired mind reel with bitterness suddenly. "'M gon' ge' up...," he tells her, remiss.

"'Get up'?" his mother snips, an intolerace gaining in her tone. "You will get up, you mean. Non of this dopey talk." It's freaking six 'o' clock in the morning; what'd you expect? "I'll expect you downstairs, showered, dressed, and ready by six thirty."

SIX THIRTY?! Louis almost squawks. He does react though, nearly giving himself a headache in the process as he whips his head up, craning to gawk at the insanity that was his mother. She is unaffected; she actually might've just smirked in her pride. Louis clenches his teeth, teetering on the edge of derision.

"Downstairs. Six-thirty," she reminds him. "Be there." She glides on her heel as she turns, but then halts, sylphlike fingers lingering on the edge of the door. "You are a prince after all, so best start acting like one, Louis." Then she's gone with a clamp of the door.

Awakened now, Louis tears his pillow from underneath him and launches it, watching disappointedly as the bag of fluff pats against the door and simply flops onto the carpet with a soft thump. Unsatisfied, Louis launches his second pillow - the one he only uses when he's emotional, though he won't ever never admit this. He also won't ever admit that this royalty thing -him being the prince of the ever-so-famous royal Tomlinson family and everything- absolutely drives him mad.

~*~*~*~

'Course Louis showers and dresses his best; 'course he complies to his parents. That's all the prince ever does. He wakes up, endures the same gruelling routine, then endures the day and all its suffocating expecttions piled up for him to fulfill, then he rests - the only time of the day he looks forward to. Sleep was his heaven; waking up was his hell. Unfortunately, Louis' become so accustomed to it he often forgets how aggravated he is ninety-nine percent of the time. The red seemed to have faded while ago; now, his wonted mind has simply lost the urge to care anymore.

Louis staggers, tired, as he attempts at the buttons on his jacket. Stupid small things. After that, he looks up to his reflection in the mirror. His hair's a mess. By instinct, and abide his fiesty frustration, he fixes the soggy mat of umber-brown just enough so he doesn't look horrendous. Louis drops his hand, then sighs. Another day of my life... great. He tries his breathing, applying the classic technique that soothes his blistering anger. In... out. In... out. He tries not to think; it only makes it worse.

After a few minutes, Louis has drowned out the unwanted emotion - and by unwanted, he means his parents would probably lose the sanity they have left in them on him if he lashed out to them. Defiance of any kind is an offence to his royal, I-am-better-than-everyone-else parents, so Louis (as much as it ires him) tries to limit the flooding emotions that provokes this - AKA anger.

He sighs again, absorbing his reflected image again. It's fine. He turns to the clock nesting on his nightstand. It reads six twenty-seven. Shoot. Louis brushes aside his obscuring fringe as he ambles downstairs, feeling the dread boil under his skin.

~*~*~*~

"... not that it's important. I mean, these guys have been out at sea most of their lives. They're ought to be delusional- oh! Er, Louis!"

Louis blinks up at his father who has words struggling on his lips. In a thin flicker of chagrin, his father composes himself, recovering his authority by using his stance of confidence to distract from the unprofessional inattentiveness of his only son. As if he cares, Louis snarls, the feeling burning and writhing inside him.

Louis smiles tightly. His father mimes him then gestures to the long, mahogany dining table - the one that's always empty, even during supper (Louis always hibernated in his room). The only times when life accompanied the table was during meetings or serious times... Great.

Louis nods ceremoniously to the gesture and takes a seat at the table, keeping his posture (because he's a prince). He stares blankly at the surface of the polished wood as he observes from the corner of his eyes as his father seats himself in the 'boss chair'; it's the most privileged chair that is plonked at the end of the table - a seat designed only for the King. His mother sits across from Louis.

Suddenly, Louis feels nervous. His sisters are not here, so obviously whatever his parents have planned is meant solely for him. He feels his chest burn and his stomach tingles with restlessness.

"Louis," his father starts, rumbling in that almighty, gravelly, low King tone, "as you know, you're an Omega."

Don't remind me. The prince has always felt a rather inappropriate resent towards his Inner Wolf -the Omega- ever since his Presenting. He'd always been a recalcitrant child -unbending to the rules- so it only made sense he'd assumed he'd turn out as Alpha - the dominant Second Gender. Unfortunately, his biology disagreed, and the revelation of the identity of his Inner Wolf became the biggest bash to Louis' dignity.

So, yeah, he was greatly insulted to find out what destiny had sought out for him - to be a submissive, insignificant, puny Omega. Don't get him wrong - Louis respect Omegas... he was just bitter about the fact that he was one. He wasn't supposed to be; Louis was meant to be the dominant one - not the pliant one. It didn't feel right in his heart, so therefore he acted out, trying to prove the worth of his true Alpha title.

Louis grumbles darkly, "Yeah." He refuses to look at them still and continues to stare at the table with blank eyes.

His father continues. "And as a royal Omega, it is tradition that you are to be married off by your eighteenth birthday."

Louis grits his teeth.

"And it's come to our attention that your eighteenth birthday is in a week."

Louis' head snaps up. It is?! Geez, he'd been so preoccupied and distracted with the busy schedule that he'd completely forgot about his own freaking birthday!

Louis' hands slip subconsciously to grip the edge of the table. No, that can't be, but he knows he's only lying to himself; Louis knows his birthday is next week. Christmas is next week, and Christmas Eve is his birthday - it's obvious.

The prince doesn't realize his breath catching until his mother's voice tears into his consternation, trying to sooth him with reassuring, motherly-friendly words; that, or it was the painfully growing coiling in his lungs, cutting his airflow.

Somewhere, Louis hears his father's distant, impassive voice comment flatly in the background, "He's having a panic-attack."

No, this can't be happening - they're gonna marry me off! That's what this is all about! They wanna get rid of me! They want me to be a petty little Omega househusband! That's what they want, isn't it?!

Warm, comforting arms envelop him suddenly, though he refuses the care, thrashing against it. He's upset - why don't they see that? Can't they just leave him alone? They do it all the time; why is it that the only time Louis despises their attention is now when they give it to him?

Then he feels the presence of a hand clamp over his shoulder. The simple touch is familiar and paralyzes Louis. I know that... His body and mind are still blazing with the effects of anxiety, buzzing loudly in his blood, but there's an abrupt soothing sensation that materializes from the touch of the one warm hand on his shoulder, and he gyrates towards it, wanting more.

Louis' conscious mind does not register that his Omega mentality -his Inner Wolf- has started governing his thoughts, so he's unable to resist the desire of being close to the solacing warmth. In this state of mind, all he can process is the strong want to be near it - with it. His Inner Wolf had sensed the distress in Louis' current condition and has decided to take over, thus his true (and despised) instincts had overrided Louis' mind. This is what Louis hates most: the inability to resist submission - his Wolf. No matter how hard he fights against the "demon inside him" (as he calls it), his Wolf always ends in triumph while leaving Louis in his own miserable dust.

The warmth surrounds Louis, veiling him as he hugs it closer to him. More... His desire stews him his belly, hot and begging. Distantly, Louis hears a small "Take him upstairs, Zayn...", but doesn't quite comprehend it (nor care frankly); he just continues to burrow further in to the warmth, nuzzling and sighing contently as it pools over his face. He hums contently, soaking up the delicious heat.

Another voice comes, the voice he finds most interesting - the voice that makes him go boneless with dutiful desires. "C'mon, Lou, let's go upstairs."

Louis hums fondly. "M'kay...," he mumbles, inebriated with adoration. "

I got you, sweetheart." They're moving... like on clouds...

"Mmm... okay..." Louis rests his head, feeling like a happy kitten lying on his favourite soft blankie. The sudden strange urge to giggle dopily skips inside him, and he complies, releasing little flutters of befuddled laughter. Mmm... Louis drifts further, eventually into an idyllic sleep consisting of fluffy sheep, cute puppies, and carrots. Lots and lots of yummy carrots.

~*~*~*~

Waking up, Louis flitters his eyes open, his dark lashes brushing agast his sharp cheekbones. There's screen of wet in his vision. He blinks his eyes tightly, oozing out the hot tears, and repeats. Like the lens of a camera, his vision clears, focusing. He comprehends a few seconds later that he's... in his room...? Why's he in his room?... not that he minds.

A hum suddenly escapes him - a hum of bliss. Why bliss? An uneasy suspicious feeling churns in Louis. Why am I feeling so... dopey? He knows he woke up this morning, so it can't be that he's sleepy. Then, as Louis squirms, he registers that he's nestled in somebody's lap.

His comprehension snaps into horror immediately. His head whirls up, nearing knocking into a chin as he comes face-to-face with a familiar friend.

"Z-Zayn?" Louis chokes out, then in the alarm of his realization, his eyes widen owlishly and his limbs buck and flail in attempt to flee. "ZAYN!!" The name rips out between his peachy lips, wracked with appall. NonoNONO!! Louis continues to squirm aggressively, desperate in his futile attempt to escape the iron (yet warm and soothing) hold of his Alpha friend.

God, he can't stand this! The need to heal the wound of his embarrasment fuels his aggression and determination as he thrashes in the strong, strapping arms (and yes, Louis is very jealous of this - the one aspect he can never obtain in this useless body and yet everday he has to relive the sight of his friend living in Louis' dream body). Immediately, soft "shh"s and attempted soothing words are thrown at Louis. Well, actually, they more like glide to Louis and burst lightly on his cheeks like a blown cartoon heart. The way Zayn handles Louis is always very gentle (much to Louis' indignation) and benevolent.

As an Alpha, it's built into Zayn's DNA to want to adore and shower an Omega with love and affection (also much to Louis' indignation). Louis has wanted to -on more than one occassion- have a very clear and assertive talk with Zayn regarding this issue (issue for Louis, that is), but -to his despondancy- Louis knows it's not Zayn's fault. The worst thing for Louis is to drink in the sight of a pouting, upset Zayn, so he tries not to press anything on the topic.... too much.

Louis' eyes scorch with hot, incoming tears; he, however, denies them entry and continues to fight abide the heat of his chagrin. His Wolf wants him to whimper, but Louis denies that too. Not this time. Then there's the inevitable plea from his Wolf to submit. No! I don't want to! Not again! But, sadly, once again, Louis is at a dead case. By instinct -though still in his right mind- Louis is forced to cease his defiant efforts and submit. He hisses under his breath, detesting himself as he allows Zayn to curl his body against his lean, yet muscular torso.

That's when the water gates are opened.

Louis pours out onto Zayn's shirt. The shame is overwhelming. To makes matters worst, Louis feels so lithe against his friend. Zayn isn't the most beefy Alpha (he's just very tall compared to Louis, and is also much more muscular; he's very fit), but Louis' entire frame is still able to fit like a puzzle piece into his chest.

Zayn isn't even as dominant as Louis! Why did he get to be Alpha and not Louis?

Louis continues to bawl into the fabric of his friend's black T-shirt for god knows how many minutes. Louis cares, but he doesn't care at the same time about his ridiculous sobbing playing out live in front of Zayn. Thing is, Louis wants to hear more - he wants to be bathed in the plentiful praises... and he hates that.

"It's okay, Lou... it's okay, you're alright... Shh..." Zayn whispers in a train of soft, pacifying words, using the strong hand cradling Louis' back to rub slow, calming gyrates on the clothed torso.

Louis drowns into tranquility rather quickly after that. His breathing evens and his instincts evaporate, yet the urge to linger against Zayn is still sticky and present... and irksome. Louis feels pathetic -no doubt- so he decides to just sit on Zayn's lap, desperately trying to fight off the hot chagrin itching at his burning cheeks and face.

"You okay?" Zayn asks quietly, craning his head to view Louis. Such the concerned friend...

"Yeah," Louis grits out. He's miserable. Zayn must've identified that as Louis -within seconds- begins to feels Zayn's chest vibrate as a low, placating hum fills his ears. Oh, for the love of God... Louis scoffs under his breath. "A lullaby, Zayn?"

Zayn ignores him and continues to drone out an unrecognizable song to Louis, yet with the same calming effect as one Louis would know.

"Zayn, I'm not a pup," Louis growls.... or he tries to anyway. It doesn't work, and Louis is starting to feel his melatonin levels rise under the command of the melody. His lids turn heavy, but he fights with the little bit he still has in him. "No," he grumbles, trying to sound hostile, but it merely resembles one that a baby kitten would resonate.

Sleep claims Louis again, but just before he fades he hears Zayn whisper humourously: "Hush, Little Louis, don't say a word... Zaynie's gonna buy you a mockingbird.."

Tosser, Louis thinks just before slumping in unconsciousness.

~*~*~*~

"Never do that again," Louis snaps after he wakes up a second time. As if the first wasn't hard enough...

Zayn chuckles from behind him. "Nonsense. I find your baby side to be cuter than a box full of puppies." He creeps up next to Louis, perching by his side as he gazes down at the prince.

Louis grumbles darkly, tightening the folded arms across his chest in protest. So humiliating... "'M not cute," he tells his deluded friend.

Zayn simply hums out another amused chuckle. "Yes," he states, wrapping arm around his friend in an affectionate sort of way - no hint of romance (yeah, this was normal), "you are - very much."

Louis nearly whines as he wriggles out of Zayn's grip, which is somehow butterly and easy; however, as soon as Louis moves to stand from his bed, he feels powerful arms around him again, yanking him backwards into a bell flop on the expensive, super-comfortable bed. A startled yelp rips out as Louis is launched by the Alpha.

Then something happens that doesn't usually happen: Louis giggles - genuinely giggles.

It's a joyous, elated laugh from the prince that promises his true glee. People and Wolves often only come across this a few times in their life, even if their whole life has been spend being with or being around Louis. It's something few manage to inaugerate from Louis, so Zayn considers himself a proud Wolf when he is effortlessly able to make his friend happy for just a few seconds - or minutes (preferably minutes).

You see, or in case you haven't already figured out, Louis is a sad Wolf. Ever since Presenting, his life has spiraled into sand; a heap of dryness and very dull light. He hasn't been the same ever since Presenting, and everybody is aware of this and are dejected by it.

Zayn rolls, facing his front to Louis. Louis notices, feeling the cloak of Zayn's toasty body heat lick at him as the chortles continue to spill out the prince's mouth. Louis smiles -for once, happy, and heedless of the possible embarrassment of breaking his I'm-an-Alpha-and-not-an-Omega persona- and unconsciously preens as a kind knuckle begins to stroke the cheek that's not smushed into the duvet.

.... Maybe it was Zayn; maybe it was this -and only this- Alpha whom Louis felt a comfort in - a comfort where you feel at peace of being judged.

"Hi," Louis mumbles.

"Hey, Little Bear," Zayn replies, and Louis grins.

The nickname Zayn invented for Louis referred to both the prince's small height and nasty temper - like a bear. Louis doesn't mind the nickname too much; at least his defiant nature had been anknowledged by someone. Because Louis isn't Alpha, others often see his pertinacious attitude as "snotty" or "rude" - solely because he isn't Alpha.

"You okay now?" Zayn asks, his hovering knuckle leading south down Louis' neck, delicately caressing the artery.

Louis simply hums. Zayn is okay with the answer.

The Alpha sniggers. "Does that mean you're okay to go back downstairs?"

The atmosphere suddenly seems to change. Louis' eyes pop open and his bliss vanishes, replaced by the feeling of dread. Go back? He remembers - 'course he remembers. He remembers his parents heading down the path of "you're eighteen now and therefore we're going to wed you off". Though it's not exactly what they said, Louis knows that was basically what they were saying. The same thing happened to his friend, Eleanor, of a different kingdom who was also an Omega. Even though his parents are different, both families shared something in common: they valued tradition.

The panic sprinkles, bursting in sharp tingles in his bloodstream. Louis does not want to be married off. Not necessarily for the reason that he'll be initiating a family of his own, or that his husband might possibly be barbarous and vile, but because he'll be reminded of wo he is: an Omega.

Louis'd always felt sympathetic about Omegas that were not offered a choice, but he'd never considered the fact that this could happen to him. He viewed it as a cruel, selfish, sadistic act of the family's way of fashioning an alliance. If Louis had the choice, he'd marry an Omega. It sounds repulsive, yes, but it exists. Unfortunately, due to his royal status and hard, traditional family, that future hope is nothing but a black void of impossibility.

"Louis?"

The prince shuddered at the startle of his friend's intruding voice. He wants an answer. Louis nips his bottom lip, mind stewing with a gross concoction of thoughts. I don't know... I mean I don't want to... "I-I..." Louis smushes his face into the cushiony duvet, concealing his shame.

The knowing knuckle, however, continues to draw along Louis' planes, etching in persuasive comforting gestures.

"I, um... d-don't- I don't want t-to..."

"Lou, it's fine."

Louis ignores him. "No- I can't! It's.... th-they want to- want to marry me off!" The tortured words rush out in a frenzy.

Louis sniffs. Is he crying? No, he can't be; he'd know if he was, and if he was, he wouldn't've hoisted his head, revealing his pinkish-red, frustrated face like he does. He cogitates. He knows he despises this fate that's apparently in store for him, but he's fearful about the possible consequences of his defying statement that's tugging and urging on his lips. He goes with his heart.

"I don't want to get married."

He studies Zayn's reaction. The Alpha's expression is unchanged -unaffected- yet there's a slight alter that suggests Zayn's empathy with his friend.

Louis blinks at him. Zayn is unmarried (though he has a mate, Perrie), but his sister is. Louis remembers now: Zayn's sister had been struck in the same situation as Louis before. Yes, she has an Alpha husband now, but she was indignant about the idea at first. During that time -as Zayn had told Louis- he had talked in comisseration and spent long hours with his despondent sister, and based on what she might've apprised to her brother, Zayn must understand how Louis feels right now.

Zayn watches him as he discards his fist, tucking both unclenched hands under his chin as he weighs his head on them, worming closer to Louis. "I know, Little Bear." The words as like a quiet wisp that carries between them in the silent, tense room.

Louis purses his lips, lolling his eyes away from his friend, blinking wetly. He doesn't say anything.

"But you know," Zayn continues, sounding like a parent giving advice to his/her child, "this could turn out to be something good if you let it."

Louis snaps his head at him, his brows knitting together. "'Something good'?" he says, lathering Zayn's words with his venom. He plonks his face back into the duvet. "There's nothing good about being throw away and given to some stranger... not to mention that my parents will probably expect me to serve that stranger." His last sentence is dark and bitter.

"Now, Louis," Zayn begins, asserting yet kind, "you're parents aren't 'throwing you away'; they're giving you someone to fall in love with."

"By force," Louis corrects sharply.

Zayn sighs. "You're parents aren't throwing you away," he repeats. "You're looking at it wrong 'cause you're mad."

Louis fumes, but then realizes with distain that Zayn's only trying to help him - not provoke him.

The prince huffs and slumps into the spongy bed morosely. Unfortunately, Louis' still angry. "But I won't fall in love with this... this...!"

"Alpha?"

Louis growls. "Yeah. That."

A sudden dense silence solidifies in the air. "What's wrong with Alphas?" Zayn questions, offended now.

A mixture of irritation and guilt simmers in Louis. He hadn't fathomed the consequences of his impulsive statement, and is now rewarded with a miffed Zayn - what can he say for himself? He wringles his fingers together underneath him in the super tight space between his belly and the mattress. His nails scrap -dangerously tempting- against the skin of his hands/fingers; his Wolf is disappointed in him for upsetting the Alpha and is now imploring for a self-punishment. Louis resists, coming to his senses - finally.

"Nothing," Louis answers, "I just... I don't want to be with one." He's being honest.

Zayn seems to notice this as his eyebrows flitter upward inquisitively. Then, in a splash of comprehension, he sighs, and -to Louis' disappointment- no advising words leave Zayn's mouth. Obviously this is a situation that cannot be undone, so there's nothing much Zayn can do other than slap in the "deal with it" topic. Louis' thankful he doesn't.

"C'mon, Louis," Zayn ends up saying, "you'll be okay."

"Really?" Louis mutters, muffled by the duvet.

A pause. "Yeah. Of course. Don't be afraid of your future, Lou."

Future? Louis' mood dips into a slimy melancholy. This... mess is my future. His heart feels like it's been shredded, but Louis doesn't care. Don't really need it anymore anyway...

Louis isn't given a choice (not the first time...) as muscular arms curve underneath him, sliding across his tummy and lifting the the prince with ease. Ugh. Louis groans as he's brought into his friend's sturdy arms. His conscious mind glowers; his Wolf prances in the glee of being wrapped in Alpha care. Louis ignores both and just lays, slouching and curling slightly against Zayn's clothed chest as he's carried like a sleepy child downstairs to his doom. Let's get this over with. And even though he thought this, Louis was not going down without a fight.

~*~*~*~

Louis tries to convince himself that he's been in worser situations, but there's just one problem: it's just not the truth. This is the turning point of his life -his crisis- and to compare this to other hapless moments in his life is like... like throwing a rubber ball at a forbidding concrete wall; it has no effect.

"Son, are you going to be okay now?" his father asks, and if Louis had actually analyzed those words, he would've thought his father was genuinely concerned about him.

"Yes," Louis lies, almost sourly, yet he bites his defying tongue.

His father grunts in approval. "Good." He shifts back, roosting himself comfortably in his throne-like chair. "Now we can discuss important matters with you."

Yeah, because me having a panic attack is less important than marrying me off to some random Wolf. Louis surreptitiously sneers at his impudent father through the curtain of his drooping brown fringe. He hopes and dreads that his father sees his distain; hopes so that his father will know his son despises him, but dread because Louis knows his father wouldn't hesitate to compel Louis into submission with the malicious Alpha Voice. Louis knows this; it's happened once before... he'll never forget the demonic timbre in his father's voice - the one that gave him traumatizing nightmares for a whole week.

"Anyway, as you know, Louis," his father begins (again), "you're turning eighteen in a week." Don't remind me. "As you already know, once an Omega reaches this age of independence, they are required to spend the rest of their life with an Alp-"

"Required?" Louis blurts, disgusted.

The irk of having been cut off rudely by his Omega son inscribes on his father's face. "Yes, Louis, required. Do not interrupt me again."

Louis fidgets, uncomfortable as his Wolf wails. Shut up! He clenches his teeth to prevent any non-profanities from manumitting, even as much as he wants to explode on his father. He hates this already.

His father continues, his annoyance still lingering slightly. "As I was saying, an Omega of eighteen years of age must spend the rest of his/her life with an Alpha..."

Louis gnaws his teeth, vexed. He feels Zayn's rough palm press into his shoulder, silently telling Louis to "calm down". Louis ignores him; he's unruly livid.

"... have contacted the Styles family. For some reason they've chosen to reside in Ireland for the summer, perhaps to spend time with close friends or family for the summer... but anway, we've arranged for an alliance, and we've both agreed for a marriage between our children, and it's also been agreed that the marriage will take place in Ireland. I've been informed it's quite beautiful out there."

You can't just sell me off like this! Louis wants to scream so badly, but his Wolf shushes him; also, he prefers to keep his free will instead of having it torn away from him. Louis'd much rather willingly be silent than to forcefully be silent.

"We have met their Alpha son, Louis," his mother suddenly chirps. "He's a lovely boy - perfect for you! You will love him!"

"Why can't I choose this for myself?" Louis asks brusquely.

He watches as his parents' faces mortify and twist with puzzlement at their son's random question. Louis nearly hisses as the hand locked on his shoulder squeezes warningly, though Louis knows he's already stepped over the warning line.

His father turns his head back to Louis, though his expression is different than from Louis' mother's. His bushy eyebrows are digging into his skin, hatching some angry wrinkles on his forehead. He's unimpressed - very unimpressed. It's obvious he hadn't expected the particular question -hadn't anticipated for his son to divulge such a defiant question- due to the astonishment hiding in the creases.

"We have already chosen a lovely mate for you, Louis," his father tells him, his authority manifesting. "I don't see why you would want to choose for yourself."

"But it's my life!" Louis snaps mutinously, his legs tensing to stand, and he would've if it weren't for the forbidding hand of his friend imprisoning him down. Louis -regardless of his awareness of the consequences of his action- has decided for himself that he's adamant with this; he will not tolerate this - any of this. He doesn't care if his parents-

A descending fists thunders on the table, causing both Louis and his mother to leap in startle. Zayn, however, remains poised. Alphas are not skittish; they choose whether or not to resign to submission (which is not very often at all). Even though Louis' father is the royal King and an Alpha, biologically speaking, he still does not have power over other Alphas. 'Course, there's the role of respect, and Zayn does respect Louis' father, but he will not be swayed by peevish supremacy. As a servant, he will comply to the King in order to keep his job, but some cases are different than others. Louis' father is aware of this, and as a good King, he does not push his dominance on other Alpha; however, when it comes to Omegas and Betas -his underlings- he will not hesitate to sharpen his superiority.

Louis hates that. His father is one of the many reasons he wishes he was bestowed with the life of an Alpha instead of... this; forced to submit and be the bitch everyone thinks he is. Jesus Christ! - he can't even make his own choices without being yelled at or accused of being rude! What kind of sick life is this?

Ignoring his crying Wolf, Louis raises his chin defiantly, quivering helplessly in the process. He's struggling - struggling to not submit. He doesn't care if this will hurt him (because by flouting his Wolf's wishes, this shards the relationship and ultimately hurts Louis in the process; not just mentally, but physically, too); he's made it clear he doesn't want this, and he won't back down. It's his life.

Suddenly, just as his father arises exasperated from his chair, Louis is yanked from his spot and twirled roughly, clamping into his friends chest as Zayn's arms lace protectively around the prince. Louis, in his riled state, immediately tries to push away. I can handle this myself! I don't need protection! Then, he feels his Wolf cry and -instantaneously- he feels an imaginary knife chew into his shoulder.

Louis bites his lips to keep himself from yelping in pain, then, as his eyes float over Zayn's shoulder to his father, he suddenly huddles closer to the Alpha holding him, terrified by the one two feet away. A change in atmosphere for Louis is definitely evident.

"I set certain rules, Louis Tomlinson," his father seethes, voice itching with his Wolf's echo, "and I expect those rules to be obeyed."

Louis can't help but sink deeper into his Wolf's inviting embrace, unconscious of his defeat as he whines in distress silently into Zayn's shirt and he despairs under the wrath of his father's authority.

"You will not try to alter my decision," the royal Alpha states firmly, disregarding Zayn's presence as he speaks directly to his son. "We will not cease this tradition simply because one Omega was too selfish to do as he was told!"

"Troy," Louis hears his mother whisper to his father. She then murmurs something to the King that is incoherent to Louis, though he frankly doesn't care; he just continues to burrow himself into Zayn's -the Alpha's- chest.

His father's voice rumbles through the room again. "We won't be discussing this anymore, Louis," he says, steamed down slightly as he starts to follow his calm, professional tone. "You will be packed and ready by tomorrow morning to board the ship that will lead you to Ireland to meet and stay with your future husband."

"You can't be serious!" Zayn suddenly bellows, scandalized by the royal Alpha's decision.

Louis whimpers, nosing and shoving his heated face closer into Zayn's chest, woefully demanding comfort from the Alpha. In reaction, Zayn pets Louis' head, raking fingers through the tousled hair that's been soused with Louis' sweat (Omegas often sweat when they reject their Wolf; it's a sign of stress). He nearly missing the mousy "please don't intervene, Zayn" from his mother as Louis purrs low in his throat, loving the attention. Obviously he's going to regret this once he awakes from the Omega Space, as this temporary condition is called (this is what happened earlier too, yes).

"As I said," his father growls, "we will not be discussing this anymore." There's a dense, stressful pause before the King mutters out a "you are free to leave" dismiss and Zayn hauls his Omega friend into the bathroom and away from danger.

~*~*~*~

Louis bobs back into reality after a few minutes of Zayn' love and Alpha-y care in the bathroom. He wasn't pleased at all with himself and how he'd opened the gates to allow his Wolf in and capture his mind again. Again!

"That's two times in one day!" Louis had cried to Zayn, the belief of his worthlessness creeping up on him; however, Zayn had sensed this and had adorned his friend with promising care and consolation, thus aiding Louis' gloom and misery (he's good at that).

"I'll always look after you, Lou," Zayn whispered to Louis after the prince had been soothed and they were enfolding in a friendly embrace.

They spent the rest of the day together, pursuing and completing Louis' list of chores (Zayn found it strange that Louis was even given chores considering he was leaving his family tomorrow morning); however, in accordance to Louis' humiliation and chagrin from the day's events, he refused to allow Zayn to embrace him for comfort purposes during his slumber. Zayn understood, but still told Louis he was "just down the hall", and left.

Even though he tried so damn hard, Louis could not sleep that night. The prince shuffled and wormed in the blanket as discomforting thoughts raced and battled in his head. His alpha-y instincts (if that's what you wanna call it) battled with his Omega-y instincts (or basically it was him vs his Wolf), trying to claim victory over the implying submissiveness that raged like wildfires in his aching mind... but -like always- Louis lost and his Wolf ended the mental war in triumph.

Louis cried to sleep that night, wroth with himself for being born this way. His conscience tried to comfort him that this wasn't his fault, but Louis had already figured out where the fault was: this body; he'd been born into the wrong body.

~*~*~*~

The sound of running water hushes as Louis twists the tab and steps out of the shower into the steam of the room. He grabs and drapes a large purple towel snug around his shivering body. Even as the bathroom is misty with the heated excess from the sprinkling shower water, Louis is still affected by the chill of lingering air. He knows why, too: an Omega's body temperature is low - much more than both a Beta's or Alpha's. Sigh. Even human females aren't this fragile...

After drying off, Louis drones on the clothes that'd generously been laid out for him by a castle servant, but with a thick gloominess that's unavoidable. He's leaving. He's actually leaving, and to live with some stranger that -as far as Louis' concerned- will be just as grossly traditional as his parents. It makes sense; his parents would only ally with those who met the same bias as them, and that's their tradition. Never has Louis felt so isolated before in his life.

Exiting the bathroom, Louis ignores the colder crisp air that immediately nips at his skin as he packs his stuff. The resent of the situation is like hot coals weighing in his stomach as he complies to his parents' wishes. The thing is, he doesn't care about leaving (nothing better than to not be around Wolves who only believe in Second Gender norms), but that he's most likely being sent off to a place where the implacable beliefs are unchanged. Nothing's really going to change... but that it'll probably get worse. Yeah. Sadly, it most likely will. Here, Louis' will is only deterred by his Alpha father, but where he's heading now Louis will have someone who is expecting a feeble, dependant little mate to serve under his reign and... be coaxed into doing other things that Louis dares not to even deliberate.

... Unfortunately, Louis does (stupid impulse!), and he starts to sob in self-disgust and unfightable dread. He hates this - he hates this. And in case he hasn't already made this clear, he absoltely hates this!

A rapping on the door arouses the prince from his reverie. He panics and quickly smears his fists across his wet face, removing the evidence. "C-Come in!" he hiccups. Oh, great. Hiccups...

His bedroom door squeaks open and Zayn appears. Louis tries to smile, but the knowing concern is already etched on his friend's face before he emerges into the room. The fake smile melts away as the trepidation returns with a vengeance, and Zayn's arms wrap around Louis' frame before the smaller boy releases the first weep.

Louis weakly struggles in protest. "N-No, Zayn!... Y-you- you can't see me like this!"

"It's fine, Lou," Zayn simply replies. "Everyone cries. You have reason to."

That only provokes Louis' crying mess even further. They stay like that, glued to each other for nearly three minutes. Then, Louis detaches himself and tries to continue packing, but an arm barricades him from his suitcase.

"Let me," Zayn offers.

Louis shakes his head, but still allows his friend to assist him anyway. He's leaving Zayn. He wants to spend as much time with his best friend as he possibly can before he departs. He will only have limited time left with Zayn... that is unless...

"Will you come with me, Zayn?"

The lanky Alpha is startled by the question - only startled though. He halts, blinking at Louis, though does not show any evidence of his spurn to the idea. Maybe... just maybe-

"I don't know." Well, that's a letdown.

Louis frowns, despondent again. "Oh... okay."

"But I could ask the King for... permission." The last word is squeezed out in a hiss. Alphas don't appreciate the idea of having to obtain permission in order to do something. Apparently it's like a rotting feeling that directly targets their pride.

Louis perks up. "You will?!" He will?! And for the first time that morning, Louis actually feels a sense of glee wash over him. His friend could go with him; Zayn could be there with him!

But then Louis becomes conscious of his child-like gaiety. No. Stop acting like one, he reminds himself. Only Omegas have a habit for acting cherub and childish when they're happy; Betas and especially alphas are much more composed and cool. Once again, he ignores the pleading Wolf that's been betraying since day one of the Presenting and he hoists his chin (the gesture of an Alpha! his Wolf shrieks in horror) and persumes packing.

~*~*~*~

The good-byes are quick and empty.

The entire staff of the Tomlinson castle is consisted of the same traditional views as of his parents, and haven't treated Louis with the respect he yearns for simply because he was -and is- a "disobey" or "rude" Omega. So in return, Louis has built a rather scrutured indignation towards them and therefore could care less about their 'tears' for him leaving.

"Get me out of here. I think I'm gonna be sick," Louis mutters to Zayn.

The tanned Alpha blinks at his friend, surprised and a little addled by the statement, but brushes it off and follows Louis to the front door, heedlessly leaving a list of people whom Louis had not yet said good-bye to out of regards. Unfortunately, Louis' mother is unavoidable as she waits patiently for her son at the front door. When she registers him ambling towards her, she immediately erupts into tears. Louis is repulsed but forces a small smile anyway and allows his mother to hug him.

Louis loves his parents... but sometimes -most of the time- they can be insufferable.

"Oh, hon!" his mother weeps happily and proudly with a hint of saddness, "you're going to be such a beautiful and perfect husband." As if. "Your father and I are very proud of you!" As if I had a freaking choice.

She reels away from him to look him in the eyes, tear tracks sheen on her cheeks and her eyes pinkish-red. "We'll both come to your wedding in the next few months-" MONTHS!? "-and we'll come visit every so often after that to check in on your two."

Yeah, okay. Louis nods, face stony with his lips pressed in a thin line. His mother gives him once last embrace before smiling to him and stepping aside, allowing him to access his father.

Louis feels his insides turn cold as his father swathes his arms around Louis. Louis lightly hugs back, then he's released, and that's it. For once, Louis' actually thankful of something from his father: the fact that he doesn't push his fake love for his son.

Zayn abruptly clears his scratchy throat from behind Louis, drawing attention. "Sir Tomlinson," Zayn says, "I was wondering if I could accompany your son on his voyage to the castle." He swallows. "And also to, um, stay with him during his time in the kingdom."

Butterflies drone hastily in Louis' stomach. This is it. He's asked. He turns to his father, plastering a pleading look on his face. Only this one time, he growls toward his pleased Wolf.

His father curls his lips, comtemplating. "You are asking for my permission, servant?" he addresses Zayn.

"Yes, sir." Louis can almost hear the feistiness in Zayn's voice. His Wolf must be getting anxious.

"You are aware I cannot allow you as free pass into someone's else's kingdom, right?"

Zayn nods (practically bows) ceremoniously. "Yes, sir, I am."

Louis' father debates sourly. His roam assiduously around the room before he sighs and returns to Zayn, pargeting a smile. No freaking way. "Sure," he answers.

Louis can't contain his elation as he turns and practically leaps into Zayn's arms. Zayn snickers and squeezes back lightly (always cautious of his more fragile friend). The smirk on the Alpha's face shares both the joy of being granted this opportunity and making his sad friend smile twice in two days (that's big for Louis).

"Be conscious I am only able to guarentee your trip on the voyage," the King reminds the Alpha servant. "You will need to ask the King of Cheshire himself before you may enter the castle. If he concurs, you may stay, but if he refuses, we wil be expecting you back here."

Louis feels Zayn tense just before the Alpha replies with a respectful "yes, sir".

Louis unhooks himself from Zayn and forces a small smile to both his parents (if it weren't for both of you I wouldn't have to be doing this) and grips the handle of one of his many suitcases and lugs it through the kindly opened door from a servant. The rolling of wheels echos behind Louis as helpful servants assist in helping him with his hefty luggage.

The sun pours down on him as he wrestles to pull his suitcase, yanking on it fiercely as the frustrating weight of it hinders his task while he simultaneously tries to make it appear as if he's experiencing no troubles at all.

A blur appears to his right. Louis peers, watching jealously as Zayn tows two suitcases at the same time down the gravel path with ease. Louis feels a heavy drop in his mood when he realizes both the suitcases Zayn is contributing to are both twice the size of the one Louis is currently struggling with.

He forgot: Alphas are not only stronger than both Betas and Omegas, but also possess a supernatural strength. The extra pinch of magical hunkiness as been said by scientists who study their peculiar species that it's meant for the sole purpose of helping or protecting an Omega. It makes sense too because this special ability is apparently only enkindled during these times. However, instead of feeling flattered by this, Louis feels his heart being stabbed and wrenched with the pitiful detection of his dark envy.

~*~*~*~

Two hours later, Louis finds himself plopped on the ship designating for hell. He sighs into his pillow, spilling his worry and anxiety into the fluffed fabric. He'd been given a room to lounge in (well, obviously; he's bloody royalty after all) shortly after they'd boarded. He'd hoped to have helped with the luggage, but the crew was adamant that Louis rests in his room. "Please, sir, you are an Omega prince. Let us carry your luggage for you." Louis had appreciated the man's thoughtfulness, but he really did not have to include the "Omega" part in his sentence.

Unfortunately, now he was still bored, and sought out for something to heal the colourless feeling inside him. The food's bar seemed promising.

The room was mostly empty aside the few who cleaned and/or were on break and had helped themselves to the ostentatious array of food and beverages being offered. The room was equisite; a place meant for only the rich, and yet Louis is accustomed to it. The walls are a lovely baby blue -like the sea! (go figure)- with splashes of alabaster to represent the clouds and heaven above. The carpet is a smooth beige - like sand, but with a lighter hue. The tables are draped with pearly-white sheets and assisted by four chairs each, all of which are also white.

The room has a beach theme to it, and on occassions it would make the average person happy, but Louis doesn't seem to have that decency today... or ever again. So, the prince strolls over to the attractive long row of rich nourishment and pauses to debate his endless choices; however, when he reaches for one of the many already-served goblet glasses containing pink liquid, another (larger) hand forbids him.

"My prince, th-that is champagne." The new voice is concerned and direful.

Louis peers up, viewing the young blonde male. Beta - must be. "Okay." He attempts to snatch one again but the Beta is persistent.

"Sir! Forgive me for speaking freely, but you are underage," he tells Louis firmly, implying the law of youth and drinking. The same rules for humans apply for Wolves too.

Shit. Right. Louis combs a hand through his hair and turns to leave. But wait, the UK law for Wolves  states they may drink when or after the age of sixteen! Louis spins back to the anemic bartender and glowers a you're-wrong-and-I'm-right pride. "I am seventeen," Louis states, directly entailing that he is -as a matter of fact- of age.

To his worry though, the bartender is unfixed by the statement. In fact, he actually looks even more sympathetic than before, and maybe a little troubled. "Sir... but you are an Omega." Then, before Louis has a chance to sharply retort, the bartender adds, "Omegas must be eighteen to have their first drink."

Damn. Louis growls, not done yet.

"But I am turning eighteen in a week," he tells him, trying.

The bartender sighs, expressing his genuine compassion for Louis. "I am sorry, sir." And that's all he says.

Louis grunts. He can't seem to get anything he wants. He sighs grudgingly. Why does the world hate me?

"Don't get cross with Gavin. He's just doing his job."

Louis jerks to face the source of the new voice. Alpha. He blinks up at the colossal man, unsure (due to the absent crew outfit) whether he's part of the crew or... well, considering this voyage is private, this man would have to be a crew member..... where's his uniform though? Is he getting it washed? Is he on break? Either way, Louis hates how this male is currently intimidating him right now. He is of no means trying to, but the fact that he towering over and casts a light shadow over Louis and completely consumes his frame is wearing a despair in the prince.

Louis surreptitiously peers. Yup, beefy and dangerous. This is definitely a perfect example of the average hulky Alpha Wolf. Louis starts to feel the prickling sensation of his Wolf's dolor with the sense of imminent danger radiating from the huge Wolf in front of him. Louis may be dominant and stubborn, but he's not stupid (not entirely, anyway). He steps sideways, leaning away from the parlous one. Then his blood spikes as the Alpha actually steps closer to Louis.

"You are the prince of the Tomlinson family, yes?" he asks, his voice low and foul.

Louis swallows thickly. "Yes?" the answer scratches out, insinuating his dread.

Louis folds his arms across his chest as the beastly Wolf emerges into his space bubble - so close, Louis can hear the bear-like breathes and low growls reverberating in his chest. He can even smell his cologne -spicy, treacherous... nauseating- wisping off his skin, burning Louis' nose.

Immediately, Louis knows what has to be done: he needs to get away from this Wolf, and he needs to do it now.

When a rough, unwelcomed hand touches Louis' waist, he snaps, "don't touch me!" and reels away in disgust (and fear).

The repulsive creature grins (what does he think this is? A game?) and moves to advance Louis when the familiar nasily voice of the bartender intrudes (saves) him.

"M-Mr. Alpha, sir, yo-you are not allowed to p-pusue Lo- the prince!"

The Alpha wrenches his head to the Beta, hissing. "Stay out of this, Gavin."

"I can't- I c-can't!" the Beta presses, and Louis realizes just how hard this must be for him to defy an Alpha's order. "If- If you..." He inhales, trying to calm his shakiness. "If you touch him again, I- I'll have to consult the Captain."

A growl thunders throughout the room. Louis whines, unable to resist, but quickly attempts to compose himself and forces back his submission. His Wolf threatens him to yield, but Louis ignores the wailing and defies the authority ringing through the room, reflecting the presence of pure Alpha. It's harder than it looks. Thankfully, Louis has years of practise to back him up.

Unfortunately, as the Alpha senses the defiance of the lower Second Gender, he whips his head to face Louis and peels his lips back in a snarl, persuading Louis otherwise. Louis flinches, squeezing his eyes shut in effort, then -with as much pride and strength as he can muster- lifts his chin to the higher gender, disrespect on full blast.

The Alpha expresses his aversion for Louis' choice to stand up to him by gnashing his teeth, bristling his burly arms and arising even higher above Louis, demonstrating and pushing his Alpha-y authority on the little prince. Louis sees it coming. The temptation is too overwhelming and he can already feeling himself rapidly slipping deeper and deeper into the abyss of his Omega Space. Three times in two days! he nearly cries. The condition though is rather common to Louis as the unhealthy act of defying his Omega has become part of his daily routine, and the Omega Space is an instinctive way of preventing the string of him and his Omega's relationsip from tearing apart completely. Louis hates it. It just reminds him of who he really is.

"STOP."

Louis whimpers, now drowning in the Space. He doesn't seem to full comprehend the rescue of the new voice from behind him until the tone registers and he nearly cries as he realizes it's Zayn.

The Alpha in front of him growls possessively and Louis is suddenly being torn away and plastered to a huge chest with a grisly-large arm chaining around his back, prohibiting his escape. Louis gags, repulsed by the ghastly scent of this Alpha. This isn't right.

"Back off," the wrong Alpha warns. "He's mine."

"Quite contrary, mate," Zayn replies, teetering on the edge of bellicose. "He's going to be marrying the prince of the Royal Styles family, so unless you want to serve the punishments of stealing a King-to-be's husband, I suggest you let him go." However, there is no suggestion in Zayn's tone; he's demanding the other Alpha to release Louis.

Louis whimpers, calling for Zayn. The Alpha snarls, not about to go down in defeat but also not about to accept the punishments of tainting a prince that is already scheduled to be mated to someone else - a King-to-be, that is.

It is probably the harshest punishment in the Wolf world to be honest. If an Alpha, aware or not, robs an Omega's innocence or in any way touches the Omega invasively when the particular Omega is already destined to be a royal Alpha's mate, the punishments for this crime can be lethal, but usually it is preferred the Alpha (or Beta) survives so that they can feel the agony of the lashes, the burning scars, the chopped-off limbs, and the deadly singes of the heated irons every day for the rest of their life. So, in a way, it's not intended to necessarily be lethal - just incredibly torturous, and in times make you wish you were dead instead.

Abruptly, Louis is shoved roughly away from the repugnant Alpha and brought into the securing arms of a different Alpha. Zayn! Louis stuffs his face into the chest, deeply inhaling the safety and love that Zayn's scent offered. He misses the last words of the fierce quarreling between the two Alphas and just focuses on smothering himself in and soaking up as much of Zayn's solacing scent as possible. Louis doesn't realize he's being carried or ushered out of the room until he's finally calmed down and beginning to emerge out of his Space.

He blinks lazily as he raises his head from Zayn's shoulder, receiving a full view of the ship's deck. He surveys it, but then is untangled from his friend and placed on his staggering feet. Zayn balances him (thankfully) until Louis gets a grip on reality and stands upright on his own.

"Thank-you," he murmurs, still partially in Space. It hadn't been Louis whom had said that though - it was his Wolf.

Zayn smiles anyway. "Your welcome." He huffs, glaring out to sea. "That guy should be euthanized for his deliberate animal-like behaviour."

Louis gives a dopey smile. "Don't say horrible things like that." Then, before Zayn can reply, Louis adds, "you're starting to sound like him."

Zayn cogitates, then sighs, giving in. "Yeah. Guess you're right, Lou, even if you're currently light-headed from the Space."

"'M not," Louis argues, "'m almost out."

"That's good, Lou," Zayn snickers. "I'll be waiting for you here."

"Thanks, Zaynie."

It'd been all very mellow, just Louis resting dazedly against Zayn while listening to the waves splash down below. Zayn hums lowly and Louis can feel the pleasant vibrations against his head as he simultaneously concentrates on the soft thumping of Zayn's heart.

Then the ship shudders violently.

Shrieks wail from all corners of the ship as several crew members tumble and trip over tangled feet. Zayn instinctively holds Louis in a secured embrace as he desperately tries to maintain his stance, even gripping onto the ship's edge with the hand not occupying Louis' safety to make sure he doesn't topple over into the malevolent salt water.

"What's happening?" Louis squawks, breaking free of his Space. He looks at Zayn, searching. His friend's expression is twisted and dismayed, and his brownish-black eyes are wild and dilated. He doesn't know either, but whatever it is it must not be part of the schedule.

Louis watches past Zayn as the crew members gallop and panic. There's boisterous commotion swarming the deck and ship, and the scene almost reminds Louis of an army of mad, incessant bees whos' hive had just been attacked. What's going on? What're they so...

Then Louis sees it.

On the other side of the ship is another ship -a bigger ship- yet it's malevolent vibe suggests it's not a royal ship, nor a friend to this one.

"Louis, I need to you to go to your room and hide," Zayn tells him urgently. When Louis doesn't react, the dired Alpha grabs the prince's chin and lifts to face him and repeats the order to Louis.

Fazed, Louis repels the question and asks Zayn, "what's going on?!"

Zayn heaves a shaky breath. He's panicking too. "Louis, please, you have to listen to me. Just this once. Please."

Then Louis knows it's serious; Alphas don't beg unless it's urgently serious.

The prince nods and moves to steers to exit Zayn's hold when another blast sends the ships into dismay as it trembles unevenly and harshly.

"GO!!" Zayn roars, and Louis hastily scrambles in the direction of his room. The last thing he hears before he enters below the deck is the unfastened holler of a horrified crew member...

"PIRATES!!!"

~*~*~*~

Hyperventilation creeps up on Louis as he slams the door shut, locks every single bolt and wedges a chair underneath the knob, complicating anyone's entry. He grabs his hair and tugs. What to do, what to do! His panicked eyes smear over the room as his head whips in a dazed frenzy. Pirates! Bloody pirates are taking over our ship!!

Choosing the closet (because the bed is way too obvious), Louis hurriedly snatches a knife laying on his dresser (a servant had entered earlier and had generously sliced up an apple for Louis, but had forgotten her knife on the dresser in the process) and races into the dark closet area. He shuts the door, concealing himself from the outside completely. As he backs up and flattens himself against the cold wall, his fingers come in contact with thin fluff. He grips it -a blanket!- and then impulsively veils himself with it draped over him. It completely swallows him, and he hopes this might help hide him even more, even if the consequences are humiliating. Being embarrassed doesn't matter in a setting like this where your survival is on the line.

Louis listens as footfalls dance and slam harshly on the deck. The loud multiple thuds are assisted by the blood-curtling screams of innocent crew members as the unwelcomed crashing of new thuds of feet parade onto the ship. Pirates. As Louis listens to the commotion upstairs, he can't help but think: this is what a World War must sound like.

The screams are followed by gurgling, perhaps by crew members choking on their own blood. Louis bites his lip harshly, worried and guilt-stricken, but Zayn had used his Voice on him: Louis had no alternation. With a Beta, there comes a choice to obey the raspy constriction of an Alpha Voice, but with an Omega, there is no choice; an Omega -by nature- is forced to defer to the Alpha wishes. Alphas who use the Voice on Omegas for the purpose of sex are terminated immediately by the Wolf Council, so it's not entirely something to be fearful of... Well, unless you're Louis who absolutely detests submitting in any way, yet he's the one most influenced by the Voice.

Louis refuses to cry, even as his Wolf is distressed and yearning for the comfort of an Alpha. The saltiness of tears can be smelt by any Wolf, and that's not what Louis wants.

Louis heart skips in his chest as the sound of his bedroom door splintering from incessant hard pounds outside. They're coming. Oh God. Then, with one final strike, the door and chains snap. The squeaking of the door lingering on its hinges reachs Louis' ears just before the thumping of feet from hefty forms intrudes into the room. Oh, God...

Louis' bloods rushes hot and fast through his veins and his heart beats fiercely in his ribcage, following the rhythm of his adrenaline. He listens to the malicious intruders outside as they exchange words in their rough, scurvy accents.

"So, this where the prince sleeps?"

"I don't know, asshat. Why don't 'cha sniff the bed sheets?"

"Gladly." There's shuffling then a deep inhales and a lustful groan. "Mmm... yes, this is where the prince sleeps.... and he's Omega."

Louis shivers with disgust and resent.

"Move aside!" Shuffling, grunting, inhaling, humming approvingly. "For once, you're actually right. This is definitely the prince -I can smell the filthy royalty on him- and he's definitely an ass-leaker."

"You can't go wrong with that succulent scent."

There's a snicker and the room quiets dreadfully. Louis feels pain knot in his chest; he's undecided whether to feel apprehensive or exasperated by the abhorrence of these pirates. He hates they can determine his Second Gender just from a measly sniff where Louis previously had lain, and he just hates how they define him. He's an Alpha - not an Omega!

Stop lying to yourself, his Wolf hisses, and -for once- actually mad at Louis instead of easy and calm. It most likely has something to do with the agitation governing Louis' mind.

Then the prince feels his body writhe with fear as the pirates speak again.

"He's here... 'ya smell that?"

A loud, prolonged sniff, then a grunt. "Yeah. I do. 'Bloody all I can comprehend."

A pause. "You do know the Captain will rip off your testicles if he finds out you hid the Omega prince from him, right?"

"Yeah, yeah.... I know how much he likes his sweet, sweet Omegas."

"But this guy's a prince - a prince! We ought to make good money out of him."

"Right after everyone's had a turn with him, that is..."

They both snigger dirtily amonst themselves, and Louis is immensely repulsed. If he thought they were digusting before, he's unintentionally lied to himself.

Then suddenly their attention redirects and Louis can feel his heart in his throat.

"... We know you're here, little one." He's speaking to me... damn pirate.

"Mm... if you come out now we promise we won't be too rough..." The lie is filthy in his lechery voice.

There's a thud, then shuffling as he arises. "Not under the bed," the one pirate whispers. Knew it was too obvious, Louis mentally snickers.

The other pirate grumbles in annoyance. "Not there, 'ya dimwad!" Shuffling footsteps... approaching footsteps. "Here." The pirate's gruff voice is literally clearer and just outside the closet door. "Can't you smell it? It's like festering out from in here."

It's seems like Louis' life is coming to a close when the closet door creaks open, leaking the yellow light from the room through the thin fabric of the blanket. He squeezes his eyes shut, unwilling to behold the sight when the pirate removes -more like rips- the blanket off, exposing Louis. His blood runs cold.

"LUKE, COME OVER HERE! HE'S SEXY!"

The other pirate laughs huskily, elated as he trudges over. With vision cut and the only thing he sees is black, Louis relies on his hearing and shivers when other pirate comments in his strange British-coated accent, "he is" before shuffling down, whispering, "Hi, little one."

Louis doesn't answer.

".... You've scared him, Ashton," the same pirate who spoke to Louis says.

"Don't get 'yer panties in a knicker. I got this."

Suddenly, chilled fingers are feathering across his forehead, moving to push away his draped fringe when Louis yelps and yanks away, quivering. His Wolf is taking over again...

"Ash, are you sure this is how you're supposed to handle things with an Omega because he's kinda shaking a lot- "

"Shut up! I told you: I got this."

The unwanted fingers return to his head and Louis wails.

"Stop! Just- STOP!" A harsh shove and a collapsing thud. "I got this..... Hey, sweetie."

Louis gulps, shambling into the corner of the closet, away from the pirates. He coils into himself, hugging his knees to his chest and trembling th his tail tucked between his thighs (figure of speech).

".... I won't hurt you, darling, I promise." His voice isn't as nasty and clogged with concupiscence as the other's was, but he's still a pirate and therefore cannot be trusted. "Please, sweetie, can you open your eyes? We won't judge you. Promise." He's making a lot of promises...

Figuring there'll be no harm done, Louis reluctantly pries his eyes open. Light leaks in -it stings- and immediately the prince is bestowed with the sight of a face staring optimistically down at him... and the other leering from around the closet's edge.

Then he nearly gasps when he discovers both pirates are boys - no older than eighteen. Their skin is youthful and tanned (obviously from endless hours working out in the beating sun), and they both have baby faces, but something about them (perhaps it's their low hygiene or raggy clothes) promises that their scurvy soul-ruiners who roam the seven seas.

The first boy in front of Louis -tall, thin, dusty-blonde hair, bottom lip piercing, pale skin- grins passionately down at Louis. "Hello, little prince." He jerks his head to the other pirate. "Ashton, come see!"

Ashton?

The other pirate boy -short, sinewy, golden-brown hair, sharp jaw- slithers over and leers over Louis, tempted eyes lathering over his frame. "Little is right," he muses.

The two continue to ogle Louis (actually it's just Ashton) until the sound of the bedroom door squeaks, signaling another entry. "Luke, Ashton! We're blowing this royal piece of trash! Take all the values you can find and hurry your asses back on board!" The fading marching of boots identifies his departure.

Luke narrows at Ashton who appears to be in a trance as he basically undresses Louis with his eyes. "Ash, you search the room for values. I'll be taking the prince."

Ashton shoots his pirate mate a look of disincline. "You?! That's not- !"

"Ashton."

The sexually frustrated pirate huffs. "Fine." He ascends and goes to scour the room for any values.

Louis peeps when Luke grabs his elbow and hauls him up. The prince is quick to wrestle the pirate, but to no avail. "L-Let me go!"

"Hush, little prince," Luke simply says and begins to half-drag Louis out the room.

The pirate's haste is urgent as he tows Louis -fist tightly (yet gently) locked around the prince's elbow- up the stairs onto the deck. There, Louis ceases his struggles as he's met with the horrendous sight of Wolves he'd just seen this morning -blissful smiles on their faces- strewn across the wooden floor. Some of the pirates had begun stacking the bloody corpses into a pile near the mast as one in particular dusted black powder over the deceased bodies and floorboards. The smell of death serpants Louis' senses and he gags, choking back his breakfast.

Luke continues to tug him and, before Louis knows it, a cloth is being wrapped around his head, blackening his vision. His wrists are also bound by a thick, prickly rope. Louis feels the disgust in himself as he forces back the itch to struggle and freely allows Luke to hoist him into his arms and carry him somewhere. By the time Luke stops and plops Louis down on the hard, wooden ground, boisterous jeers float in the air as pirates return and an explosion booms close by. The pirates celebrate deridingly. Louis' mind fills with cloudy spots and dizzying ringing. Unable to take it anymore, the prince collapses.

~*~*~*~

Louis grunts as someone grips his hair imprudently and wrenches him up so he's on his knees. He's lightheaded from the haste of waking up, but he tries to ignore the throbbing and focus on more important matters - like staying alive.

His wrists are still bound and are already palpitating and raw underneath the harsh snare of the rope; albeit, he is thankful for being blinded because at least he doesn't have to see the ugly faces of his burglars. Pirates. Despicable.

The prince wrinkles his nose as the hot sun bites at his face. He can hear the footfalls of the pirates' boots on the floorboards and their distant chatter flutter in the air. He'd only concluded the worst: he's on a pirate ship. Definitely not part of the plan..... what will his parents think about this - if they find out?

Someone -another unfortunate hostage- shifts, nudging Louis in the shoulder. Louis wonders dreadfully what these pirates want with these particular hostages; he wonders why they were taken hostage. He really hopes it's not just because they look pretty....

Even though Louis had no particular bond with the crew, he'd hate for anyone to suffer from what these callous lowlifes had stored stored in that grubby mind of theirs. He remembers with gritted teeth the exact words from the two impostors who'd found him: "But this guy's a prince - a prince! We ought to make good money out of him." He feels his stomach roll when he remembers the insensitive reply that followed: "Right after everyone's had a turn with him, that is...".

It all feels so wrong, and Louis feels like he's trapped in a costume without a zipper and everyone believes the deceiving appearance of this costume is actually him. Well, he can assure you he's not; he can assure anyone he's not... this.

Louis doesn't realize he's been distracted by his reverie until he comprehends the unusual silence of the ship. Nobody is talking anymore, and Louis would be convinced he's gone deaf if it weren't for the crackling of the remorseless fire finishing off its desolation in the distance. Mourn immediately washes over Louis at the cruel reminder of the misfortune souls now lost to Davy Jones's locker, but his attention is quickly altered when low thuds emerge, breaking while simultaneously filling the silence.

The silence among the pirates (if they're still here; remember, Louis can't see anything right now) is uncomfortably dense; in fact, Louis'd much rather be listening to their annoying chirps than the slow, steady falls of boots easing on the floorboards of the deck that seem to be building a horrifying tension that kneads through Louis' blood. He gulps as the mysterious stranger beckons closer to the hostages and him, leisuring at his own pace - lethargic and predator-like. Who is this? Why's he/she automatically so important? But then Louis fits the pieces together. Sea, ship, pirates.... obviously there must be somebody in charge of these savages........ although, considering someone probably ordered these savages to rob and drown Louis' ship conjectures this leader is obviously no better than his crew.

But, wait, you don't refer to someone governing a ship as a "leader"; it's Captain. The Captain. The bloody Captain of this godforsaken ship of scallywags is approaching... not that Louis has respect for this Captain-of-the-savages guy.

There is a lot of scents mingling on this ship, but it seems the incoming scent suggestively emitting from the Captain (because he's literally just a few feet away from Louis) overlaps all of these other, less significant scents, making the pirate crew's scents seem thin and dull - weak. Compared to the Captain's dark, zesty scent that wafts thickly and dominantly through the salty air, theirs is nothing.

Alpha. Huh. Go figure.

Then, he stops. Not far from Louis, but also pretty damn close. The silence stretches for nearly ten seconds, pulsing thickly before the process begins again.

Thump. Thud. Thump. Thud. Louis repeats the rhythm of the boots in his head in hopes to distract himself from the imminent foreboding he'll face when the Captain reaches him.

Thump. Thud. Thump. Thud. Louis' eyes tighten behind the dark cloth. His hands wringle in the rope's tourniquet, testing for feeling. His fingertips tingle, cringing with low circulation. He tries to push the balls of his palm together, spreading the ropes just a tiny bits to allow some blood to flow, but freezes when the tempo of the boots ceases right in front of him.

Louis gulps, his nerves galloping.

The scent is so potent now that it's burning Louis' nose. The prince wrinkles his nose, breathing in through his mouth instead. Big mistake. Immediately, the spicy taste of the Captain's Alpha-y scent sticks to Louis' tongue. There's something so... discrete -and maybe even mesmerizing- in the Alpha's scent. There's definitely the evident odour of an Alpha (so evident it almost reeks), but there's also a pungent, anomalous odour that's intertwining, emphasizing distinctiveness.

... It reminds Louis of something dangerous.

It surprises Louis when the Captain nonchalantly continues on by without uttering a single word. Relief gushes inside Louis, but he's also puzzled; why did the Captain stop in front of him? Did he stop to watch a bird fly by or did the matter actually concern Louis?

When Louis assumes the Captain has reached the end of the hostage line, he hears a rumbling, "is this it?" Louis trembles instinctively at the pitch of the voice. Gravelly and sticky.... intimidating. The tone itself could probably make a grizzly bear despair. Louis automatically knows it's the Captain's voice, too. Thing is, the Captain's not even trying to sound Alpha-y and yet the harsh, unforgiving tone slides right out like thin gravy - like it's actually part of his ordinary voice.

Louis tries to keep his composure as the effects of the Captain's Alpha-y voice tingle sharply through his system, persuading submissiveness.

Another voice -Beta, must be- responds coolly: "Yes, sir."

There's a low hum as if pressing the one Wolf to add on. Louis inwardly shivers; tremours nearly break his spine in the process of his resisting.

The Beta continues. "We found these royal filths in the kitchen; figured they be of some use for us; could hopefully replace Liam who's always burnin' things."

"Hey!" came an offended protest. That must be Liam.

"Well, is' true!"

"Quiet," slithers in a calm, subduing hiss. It seems to reverberate in the air -so dominant- like the distant echo of a lion's roar.

A involuntary whine threatens in Louis' throat but he chokes it back as tremours continue to envelop his body.

After the area seems stilled and compliant, the Captain continues. "No Alphas, Niall?"

"No, s-sir." He's Beta; he must've been affected by the Alpha's dominance too. "We burned them all."

"Mm. I prefer not to have that filth in my crew anyway." He's referring to royals.

Louis had assumed pirates had a distaste in royals, but these ones have no remorse once-o-ever. Well, go figure;Royals are the ones who hunt pirates and kill them. Royals also forbid anyone having been or been associated with pirates from entering their land; that, or the royals just kill them on sight. Obviously there's been some resentful rivalry between these two for a long time.

"Where did you find the Omega?" the Captain asks, yet all Louis hears is Alpha.

Then the prince realizes... the Captain just referred to him. Louis' heart stutters in his chest.

"Erm, I don't know, sir," the Beta answers. "Ashton and Luke found 'im."

Immediately, Luke's voice chirps from somewhere. "Ashton and I found him in the closet of his quarters, sir."

"He's a prince, my Captain," Ashton's slimy, mischievous voice adds in. Thanks...

There's a pause before: "A prince?" There's an interested growl in the rocky timbre.

Irritation suddenly prickles at Louis' skin. You can stop talking about me like I'm not here listening to every word you say.

Thump, thud, thump, thud. The tempo of the Captain's boots repeat with a sprinkle of haste in the step; which, in this guy's case, would be the equivalent of an average person walking. Thump, thud... The rhythm stops when the boots are right in front of Louis. Louis shudders (his whole body won't stop quaking, which is really annoying) when rugged fingers dive into the feathers of his hair near his ear, linger for a fraction of a second before tearing off the blindfold.

Light sears into Louis' eyes, and he closes them instinctively, ducking his head. He waits, slowly letting his vulnerablle eyes adjust to the aggressive sun as conversation floats behind the Captain and one of his crew members (Louis doesn't care to listen). His vision is almost recovers when the familiar fingers return, belligerently grasping his right jaw and roughly lifts, forcing Louis to face him.

Then Louis sees him for the first time.

The Captain -as Louis soon discovers- is the epitome of something so beguiling. Louis' eyes trace over the warm features, noticing the sharp square of his jaw, the soft curve of dark, thin brows above mirrors to the soul, which hold irises of green lava. His hair is long, like a mane as it flows down the slope of his neck and tickles his shoulders. It doesn't look beastly though; if anything, it actually compliments his darkly alluring appearance.

A tricorn hat with a flame-like feather stuck in is planted atop his matted head; it is a sign to identify to others that he is the Captain (if it isn't already clear). He's also... young. Why's he so young? He must be twenty - at max.

He's.... not at all what Louis had anticipated. He's actually... pleasant-looking; attractive... well, if you were an Omega, anyway. Louis is not Omega, so therefore he is not attracted to this Alpha (or any Alpha as a matter of fact); however, like anyone else in this world, he is able to detect the rare, winsome appearance that would potentially bewitch any Omega with a simply whooshing flick of his fringe.

The Captain's finger discards from Louis' jaw and and Louis watches as the Captain (Jesus Christ he's tall!) arises and wheels over to a blond Beta (most likely the one he'd been asking questions) and whispers something incoherent to him. The Beta snickers when the Captain finishes and ambles to someone else. The blond gives Louis a I-know-something-and-you-don't glance just before commanding two other Betas and an Alpha to "take the little prince to the Captain's quarters."

Wait, WHAT?

In a second, Louis moves hastily to stand, forcing his rusty legs to cooperate. His abrupt action unintentionally demands the attention from several crew members, including the blond and two other Betas and one Alpha, and their reaction is instantaneous. Immediately, one of the Betas lunges towards Louis who (luckily) dances out of the way; however, the prince consequently tumbles into the large, bulky chest of an Alpha.

His head snaps up to see cheeky smirk and dark stubble and quickly attempts to break away, but the Alpha has already locked him in. Shit! "Not so fast, little one," the Alpha muses, unaffected by Louis' struggles.

A familiar, Irish-y voice emerges, glittering with amused humour. "Knock 'im out; he's too fiesty right now."

Suddenly, Louis is manumitted from the Alpha's hold. He stumbles forward, stirred and disconcerted. He twists his head to try and register something, but he barely comprehends the faces staring at him before something hard smites the back of his head. The pain is sharp and lasts for half a second, then disappears, replaced by Louis' unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

"So, we got five betas, two alphas, and... one omega, is that right?" Liam asks his pirate comrade, Luke, as he reads from a list of the hostages they stole from the royal ship an hour ago.

"Yeah, I mean, you're the one with the list, right?" Luke says sarcastically as he trails beside the beta on the ship deck.

The sun is dying in the sky, yet crew members still labor at work, controlled under the authority of their Captain hovering constantly in the air. Their minds have been altered and designed to obey precisely and quickly without command to do so as though they were actual drones. The Captain allows his crew to confabulate as they work, but not enough to distract themselves from their duties.

Luke and Liam, betas strictly loyal to their Captain, saunter along the deck, apparently on break as they discuss the duties to assign to the hostages. The Captain trusts them to appoint interesting jobs to their royal captives, and by interesting it could either mean gratifying humiliation to the filthy royals, or useful things that could be taken advantage of from their educated such as cooking or cleaning or whatever else they did to serve their previous money bag masters.

"Miss... Calder, maid of the Tomlinson household," Liam reads, hope and intrigue symbolizing his brown eyes. "That could be useful. No one else here likes to clean, and no one is good at cleaning, so..."

"The Captain will be pleased with this information," Luke replies formally, "and I'm sure Miss Calder will be, too, because now we have reason not to kill her."

"I don't think we'll be killing any of these hostages, Luke," Liam fixes. "The choosings we made were actually pretty impressive." He sighs contently, seeing now a bright future for the pirates. "Give this place a week and I guarentee it'll be spotless. Those royals train their maids to aim for perfection."

"What if they don't obey us?" Luke implies. "I mean, we are pirates, and the royals despise us."

"They do," Liam concurs, "but are you forgetting who our Captain is?"

"Oh, yes."

"He's not the typical everyday-alpha," Liam explains, or in Luke's case, reminds him, "he's the top order - top of the Wolf list."

Luke hums in understanding, eyeing a fellow pirate, silently congradulating him on the hard work before passing by. "But what about the prince?" the beta suddenly brings up, shot with interest on the plans for the royal prince - the omega prince.

Liam glances at his pirate friend, his face skeptical upon the abrupt topic swap. "The prince?" It took him a moment. "Oh, the prince! What do you mean to ask about him?"

"Like..." Luke gestures and rolls his hand through the air, trying to unwrap the words he wants to use, "what are we going to do with him? There must be something special planned for the highest royalty we captured."

"Yes, yes," Liam says, gazing down at nothing as mischievous thoughts buzzed in his head, "we do have something special for him... actually, the Captain originally thought of it."

"Oh. Well, where is he now?"

"In his quarters- "

"No, no, no," Luke hurries, a wisp of embarrassment overriding him for not specifying, "I meant, um, the prince - Louis."

"Oh," the beta replies, though he remains composed, and ever-so humorous as the knowledge of the prince's imminent adventures on this ship skips through his mind, "well, right now, he's in his chambers - you know, the one nobody uses because it's only for special occasions. It's quite clean, adorned with a bed, dresser, and a nightstand - everything an omega would need," he explains.

"But... but who is watching him? You realize we cannot trust this omega; you saw when he tried to fight back, right?" Luke reminds him insistently, the idea of the potential the omega possess sprinkling trepidation into his mind.

Obviously an omega can't do that much harm, especially to a beta or an alpha, but this defiancy of his demonstrated the imminent future of how difficult it would be to work with this little thing. Not many omegas are fiesty, so it came across badly to the crew when he restaliated instead of submitting. It was a shock... yet it was sexy. Too bad the crew would never have the opportunity to get a taste of this prince while he was here; all omegas belong to the Captain.

"Oh, I left that to Niall and Josh," Liam answers. "Those two are good workers - they'll be sure to get the job done correctly. Besides," he says, sighing, "it's an omega prince. He can't possible be that much of a hassle. I'm sure by now he's learned his place in this ship."

~*~

"NO!!"

The bleached-blond pirate, Niall, grunts as he tries to restrain the struggling prince who's lain on his back on the guest bed. The pirate had honestly not predicted for it to be this hard -not to mention frustrating- to manage the damn prince; after all, he is an omega - an omega! It's amazing how such a tiny thing could harbour such an extroadinary amount of anger and audaciousness.

"Come on, Josh, grab his -shit!- grab his freakin'... DAMMIT, hold still, you little- !"

A foot to the face cuts Niall off sharply, and only adds to his anger. The thwarted beta fumes as he tries again to grab the omega.

"Louis, for god's sakes- SHIT!" he hisses suddenly, reeling back to inspect his stinging hand. "Damn basterd bitme!" he bellows to his friend, Josh, who's just as done as Niall is.

Josh grumbles hatred under his breath. "Quit your whining, Niall; I've been bit three times already... ferious kitten this one is." He attempts again to yank Louis of the bed, but the prince squirms -yet again- like a wriggling piglet out of his grasp. "Come ON, Louis! It's just a bath! What're you so scared about?"

"NOO!!" Louis wails again as intrusive hands slither and rope all over his body, grabbing, tugging, and prying. He doesn't comprehend their words; the prince is just focused solely on getting the hell away from these pirates.

"It's a bath, Louis," Josh tells him for the thirteenth time during this encounter, with every time his frustration increases. "What's so horrifying about a bloody bath, huh?"

The two were informed not to be too rough with the prince, but those words have long since flown out the window of their concerns. Now, they're just focused on getting this prince to cooperate. They get it: they've realized that the prince one-hundred percent does not trust them, but come on - they're trying to do something nice for the tiny boy (well, actually, it was Captain's orders, but... still) and all he's giving them in return is a bagful of kittenish rage and teeth marks.

Josh huffs, turning to his friend. "Perhaps we should try harder."

"No, really?" Niall says, bitter and sarcastic. "I thought we were treating him like a delicate porcelain."

Josh rolls his eyes. "No, I mean, actually exert some strength."

Niall's belligerent eyes switch to Josh. "Because we totally haven't been doing that this entire time, Josh. Gee, your advice is legendary."

"Wow," Josh marvels, "now I know why people say it's hard to talk to you."

"Stop squirming, stubborn prince!" Niall suddenly yells at Louis he attempts to reach and lock his grip somewhere, only to have it swatted away - again! "Why are you fighting us, Louis? We're only trying to help you!"

"Perhaps try to console with him," Josh suggests.

Niall gawks at the pirate. "You're not serious... are you?"

"Just try it!" Josh urges, desperation crawling throughout his sore, exhausted body.

"Fine," Niall gives in, just as desperate as Josh. He puts an endearing mask on his face as he speaks softly and empathetically (well, he tries to be empathetic) to the prince. "Come on, Lou, we're not trying to hurt you. Just... please? Please, just let us take you to the bathroom. We promise we'll leave right after- OWW!! STOP BITING ME, YOU LITTLE CUNT!!"

Josh hangs his head. Well, at least it was worth a shot.

"That's it," Niall seethes, releasing Louis as the prince worms away from them to the corner of the bed and curls into himself protectively. "I give up. This is bullshit."

Josh cogitates. "Well... we could get the Captain."

Niall is appalled. "The Captain? But... But we can't- he's in his office right now! How do you expect this to happen?" he bellows, "to just walk in la-de-da and ask the Captain to help us with a little angry omega problem."

"Yes," Josh answers simply.

Niall is taken aback, but admires his friend's straightforwardness. "Oh... okay. Are you sure? I mean, the Captain, he's- "

"Do you have any other plans?"

Niall doesn't need to think about it. "No." He sighs, raking a calloused hand through his strewn, sweat-infested hair. "Fine. Yeah, okay. We'll get him." He glares at Louis, then looks back to Josh. "Kay, let's go."

~*~

The Captain is a very intimidating alpha. Louis knows this - he's experienced it, and he doesn't think he even wants to lay eye-contact on that brute ever again... but that's inevitable. There's no where else to go on this godforsaken ship - just a variety of blue, salty sea water as far as the eye can see. And if they were to ever dock on an island, what are the chances of Louis' escape? His hinderances would be too great to overcome, especially after he'd laid eyes on the several heavily-built and masculine crew.

He'd never seen so many alphas all in one place in his life... the fact that he could smell their potent, ready-to-mate hormones wafting through the air was driving his senses mad. On more than occassion Louis had felt his bottom twitch and yearn to be lifted and presented into the air... like HELL that was happening.

Louis groans as he flops onto the bed, feeling overwhelemd by the concoction of stress and the sticky masculinity invading his senses. He feels gross - disgusted with himself. Well, okay, he feels disgusted with himself everyday simply due to the fact of who he is, but now he feels even more disgusted. Never had he so desperately wanted to have his bum in the air.

Louis whimpers when he hears approaching footsteps in the hallway. They're coming... he's coming. Louis feels his stomach roll with self-loathing upon the desperation that sparkles in his blood, pleaing for the comfort and solace of an alpha. He doesn't even understand what his wolf wants. A knot? Comfort? It seems it doesn't matter as long as it comes from an alpha. Pathetic, Louis castigates, trying to free himself from the clouding lust that keeps trying to override his thoughts.

The suspenseful rhythm of the footsteps ceases by the door, and Louis could've swore his heart just skipped a beat. Conversation carries behind the wooden walls, muffled, though recognizable. It's those two, Niall and Josh - they're back... though they're not alone. Oh, shit. Louis is close to tears as he watches the knob of the door twist. His eyes burn with traitor tears, and -to conceal his weakness- he rolls onto his side, curls, and faces the wall - away from them when they enter.

A low squeaking signals that the door has been opened. Footfalls follow, along with the gust of the conversation becoming coherent now that the barrier has been unlatched. Louis bites his lips to prevent himself from crying, but it's no use. He's so scared he could agree to an alpha's hug right now. The adrenaline stings, stealing the blood and leaving a frosty kiss that hugs around his fingers and toes. His chest is hot and his heart burns, exhausted, in his chest as it pumps solely for survival. Perhaps if you submit, he'll be less violent, his wolf suggests, and even in this state, Louis is still pig-headed, and immediately declines the insistent offer to bow down like a bitch.

"... won't listen to us, Captain," Louis hears Niall inform, formal and dignified, yet with a hint of lingering anger.

There's a moment of silence, and Louis squirms as he feels eyes lather over his caterpillar form.

"He seems okay now," comes the familiar low and sticky and dominant voice that makes his Wolf whine.

It feels so strange to Louis, but there's definitely something off about this alpha. He's not like the typical everyday alpha; like, just hearing his voice seethes a hot pool in Louis' belly. It feels similar to pleasure -that familar fizzle that drones through his blood- but it's peculiar - indescribable. He also feels powerless, but in a way where he likes it... and he can't control it; he can't control himself. Louis fears what might happen if the Captain pulls out his actual Alpha Voice. It'd probably send Louis spiraling into a seizure - that's the prince's guess, anyway.

The bed dips suddenly by a strong weight and Louis barely misses blocking the whimper that knocks on his lips. He curls even closer to himself, creating a small sense of security. His eyes water and burn, the first whimper escaping as that scent enters his nostrils. It's intoxicating - so very, very overwhelming, but good. It smells good, like fine spices and something very addictive.

When Louis breathes in through his mouth (bad idea!), the scent sticks to his tongue and lays its dark pheromones, and even invades up and out his nose, giving a pleasant, harmless burn in the process. And suddenly... Louis is relaxed. He can barely comprehend the background discussion (which sounds gooey and blurry to Louis) as the alpha's scent swathes his senses. The feeling is similar to the smell of a lit, scented candle...

Large, rough (yet caring) hands are suddenly scooping underneath Louis' body and carrying him across the blankets. In his conscious state, Louis would've fought back -hot tears and scratchy peals- but his conscious has currently been sedated by the alpha's scent. He can't even think properly. Everything he sees and comprehends is simply a world of bliss and faces. But it feels so nice, so why complain?

Words carry to Louis like little, whispering fairies. Though, there's one voice that always cracks through the prince's illusional barrier, and that's the alpha's.

"There we go," the alpha says.

There's mumbling in the background.

"No, it's fine," he says, unaffected by anger or resent, "I didn't expect this one to cooperate very well anyway."

Louis simply hums in response even though the words may not be directed to him, and nuzzles closer to the warm, broad chest.

There's more murmurs in the background.

"No, this usually happens," the alpha says. "I just assume it's my pheromones that relaxes them."

Louis hums again.

The alpha releases a breathless chuckle. "Okay, well, just leave me to take him. I'm sure my crew is smart enough now to realize there's no fooling off on this ship, even when I'm not around."

And mumbles again...

Louis suddenly feels himself being lifted... into the clouds maybe...? Who knows, but he's just glad he doesn't have to leave this solace.

~*~

Harry really had anticipated for the prince to not cooperate with his betas. After witnessing his not-so-submissive act of retaliation an hour ago, Harry had prepared for the moment the two betas would waltz into his quarters with a disappointing confession on their tongues. So, in the end, he really isn't angry - not even a tad frustrated. The omega is just frightened... though, it was a consequence Harry was willing to make when he first spotted the royal ship. Louis' status is valuable, and would earn Harry a delicious amount of dough when he holds the prince up for ransom.

Right now though, he couldn't have the little ball of fiesty energy to be squalling and having the peals of his resent carry throughout the ship. The best option (and perhaps the only option) is to calm him down, and a hot bath is (usually) always the answer.

Harry knew Louis would lower his steam once he absorbed Harry's scent. It's not arrogance, but a fact that Harry's scent has the ability to pacify the omega mind. It's happened to every omega he's encountered... which is why he refuses to have omegas on his ship (and also the fact that omegas would be a distraction to his crew of betas and alphas).

Louis drones peacefully against Harry's clothed chest as the alpha carries him down the torch-illuminated hallway. Harry marvels at how small the prince feels in his arms. Well, it's to be expected considering he's an omega, but he just feels so fragile it almost scares Harry. It's like carrying a glass doll almost, except with the bodily weight (which Harry is not bothered by in the least).

The wood features a bloody colour where the orange light touches it. If it weren't for the torches, it'd be nearly impossible to see in here, even in the daytime (there's no windows, so...). The smell of sea water and oak wood seems to trap in these hallways of the ship. Even as Harry has been on this ship for a long time, the distinct smell never seems to parish.

Harry nudges the door of the bathroom open with his hip and saunters in, closing the door with his back. He proceeds to the bathtub and -where a soft, thin blanket lays- he delicately places the prince down on his bum.

Confused, Louis whines and looks up at Harry through his lashes. Not only is Louis' mind fuzzy, but so are his eyes. The irises are a powdery, baby-blue - dull, weak of colour. And they seem almost foggy, like there's a cloud trapped inside and is floating on top of his colours, obscuring them; even the ebony pupil is affected, taking on a lighter, slightly greyish tone.

Harry sighs. Yup, he's dropped, and he's deep. As a matter of fact, cloudy eyes are a sign that the omega has reached the deepest part of their headspace. It's important that Harry is very gentle with handling Louis since the omega's senses are fully dilated now. Louis is also one-hundred percent dependant on Harry, which means he won't do anything unless he receives Harry's word for it.

Harry discards his tricorn hat on the sink counter and moves to twist the tub handles and to get the bath started. The gush of water startles Louis and the tiny boy snaps his head towards the sound, but only lasts a second before his dopey face returns.

Louis doesn't move from his spot all the while Harry is running the bath; he just rolls his head around from side-to-side, soaking in the room as if it were the most beautiful thing ever. He especially couldn't stop staring at the little occasionally-moving fish in a tank occupying a spare shelf on the towels dresser. If Louis were in anything other situations, he would've passed for being baked.

Harry's hand twitches as he turns off the tap. He sighs, breathing deeply. He hands soon stop quivering, but Harry can still feel his blood rushing hot and quick under his skin. He stands and gazes down at the prince who's still planted on the blanket, unmoved.

"Louis," he directs.

The omega's head snaps up obediently, his misty eyes glossy with anticipation.

"Take your clothes off," Harry tells him.

Harry's intention isn't to be rude in saying that, but because Louis is practically buried in headspace, the message will be more clear to him if Harry speaks in a firm, straightforward voice. It's also a relief that Louis -in the state that he's in- won't be able to recognize the potentially mistaken sexual reference in the command. The only thing Louis comprehends is to take his clothes off - nothing else.

As expected, Louis immediately hurries to peeling the dirty clothes off his body. Harry quickly turns around in a manner of respect for Louis' privacy. Louis is beautifully obedient and succeeds his mission in less than a minute. Harry takes a moment before turning back around to focus himself.

Harry had caught the texture of Louis' sweet scent previously, but now that the prince is nothing but skin, his scent has doubled, becoming thicker and much more... tempting. Harry's practised mind hurries to erase the voluptuous thoughts before they can adapt. He knows Louis is patient and immune to annoyance in headspace, so he's calm as he takes his time readjusting his gears.

Feeling good about himself now, Harry wheels around and stares down at the prince. "Louis," he says like a strict parent.

Louis blinks up at the powerful alpha.

"Get in the tub."

Louis briskly stands and turns to face the tub (for which Harry hastily turns his sights away from because, for the love of God, the alpha has seen how those tight jeans were capable of emphasizing the contours of the prince's plump, delectable bum, so to witness the gorgeous thing in real life would potentially end Harry's resilience from jumping onto this boy and having his way with him). The tiny boy impulsively dips his feets into the warm water and... turns around to face the alpha. He only told him to get in the tub. Harry doesn't see the boy, but after a few empty seconds, he assumes the boy must've stopped and realized he didn't receive the full command.

"Louis, sit down," Harry tells him, and just the seconds after does he hear the sloshing of water identifying that Louis has nested himself into the tub.

Harry kneels beside the tub, bath supplies in hand. He places them in line on the surface of the tub side. He selects the shampoo bottle and squeezes out a glob of orange, gummy shampoo (yet it's still good quality; must be - they stole it from the royals' ship) onto the palm of his hand. He grabs Louis' and slimes the shampoo onto Louis' palm. The prince stares at him with knitted brows and an adorably puzzled expression.

"Wash your hair with that," Harry tells him, but, upon the reminder given from the prince's dry hair, Harry halts him, scooping water from the bath with a small bucket and dunking it on Louis' head, now soaking the hair to a satisfying drench. "Now wash your hair with that," he tells Louis, pointing to the shampoo (which miraculously survived the waterfall).

Louis blinks at Harry once before going to work at his hair, slopping the orange substance through his wet mat of hair. The bath goes on like this: Harry instructing Louis what to do, except Harry never once lays a finger on the prince; he's already going to wake up from the headspace upset and indignant as it is.... Harry actually (surreptitiously) can't wait to see these results.

~*~

"Sir?"

After given the order to "check up on the prince," Liam now finds himself at his door, hesitant to knock. Liam had learned from Niall's harangue ten minutes ago how it'd been the nastiest hassle trying to round up the omega - so nasty, him and Josh were "forced" to report to the Captain as a last resort. Liam's not fearful about the omega, yet he is a little unsure. He's never encountered one as... gutsy and extremely unwilling to comply as this one. And he's a prince - a prince! You would think an omega prince would know his manners and submissive place.

Apparently not.

The whole ship is in an inquistive uproar about the prince (actually everyone's just murmuring and snickering to each other). Liam obviously is not the only one staggered (yet curious) about the omega's appalling energy.

"Prince... Louis?" Liam asks, unsure, and with a hesitant hand, he brushes the door ajar, peering surreptitiously inside.

The little prince is perched on the bed criss-cross-applesauce with his head dipping in the shadow of shame. Liam can only see his clothed back and drooling-wet hair. He must've just gotten out of the bath, Liam assumes. The beta wonders then what could've possibly happened to have crossed this omega; then again, it could also be the fact that he's being held hostage on a pirate ship. Not many people (especially royals) enjoy being ensnared on the confines of a dirty (though it's decently clean here), smelly (okay, that's partially true; not many crew members are fond of cleansing themselves), parlous (some of the pirates are welcoming...) pirate ship.

Liam sucks in his dignity and begins pushing the door open fully. "Prince Louis, I- "

"Go away."

Ooh. Okay, that was to be expected.

Liam pauses, stirred slightly. "Prince Louis, I'm not here to- "

"Don't," Louis hisses, twisting his head to the side, then inhales sharply, "don't call me 'prince'."

Liam is instantly puzzled. "But... you are a prince, my.... prince."

Louis' eyes are electric as he glares, prejudiced, at the beta. "I don't want you to call me prince because... it means nothing to you anyway. You'll show me disrespect anywhere I go."

"Actually," Liam revises, "you being a prince is the whole reason we captured you." He bites his chapped lips, glancing downward for a short deliberate moment. "And... do you really think I am showing disrespect to you right now?"

Louis turns away swiftly, his hair spitting remains of the tub water in the process. "Yes," he answers, "you're showing disrespect to me by not leaving right now."

"I'm sorry, pr- I mean, sir," Liam says, "but I've received orders from my Captain that I must obey."

Louis scoffs and mutters a snide, "betas," under his breath.

"Sorry?" Liam asks, offended. What did he mean by that? What's wrong with betas? He really is obeying his Captain's orders!

Louis eases around, an amused smile on his face that teeters on the edge of derision. "Betas," he repeats himself, emphasizing it sarcastically. "You betas - so typical. Always obeying your alpha's orders."

"Yes, of course," Liam replies, unfazed by the hidden insult in Louis' words. "Why wouldn't we obey our alpha? He's the boss around here."

"You're just- " Louis sighs, "you're just so...," he gestures with his hands, "easily manipulated."

Liam blinks at the prince. "Being respectful does not mean we're easily manipulated," he retorts artfully, "and besides; it's in our genes to obey an alpha... just like it's in yours."

Louis immediately turns bitter. "Not mine - never mine."

Liam suddenly feels like he's found the beginning of the tunnel of Louis' dark mind - the start of how he'll uncover the reasons behind Louis' dark and unnatural behaviour as an omega.

"Why do you say that?" Liam presses.

Louis snips, "It's non of your buisness. You're just a pirate - and a beta. I know what you'll do if I tell you anything: you'll immediately report it back to your alpha, won't you?"

Liam can't deny that his brain has been programmed to divulge important facts he learns to his authority... but, then again, it's all about respect. Besides, if Liam didn't report to the Captain and the Captain found out about it, Liam would be in huge trouble. Any information found to be concealed from the Captain on purpose is a one-way ticket to... well, let's just say.

Louis scoffs after Liam doesn't reply. "I'm sorry, sir," Liam says, "but he is my Captain and I have been told to report any significant information to him. I have to obey orders."

Louis sighs. "You're ridiculous," he deduces. "I can't believe how right I was about you."

"I do not wish to continue this topic, my prince," Liam announces. "Come," he then says, stepping aside to allow a clear view of the open door to Louis, "you've been requested by the Captain."

"I have to see him again?" Louis growls, obviously not very fond of the idea.

Yet, he cogitates about it, then as the seconds stretch, he finally swings his legs off the edge of the bed and stands, the borrowed shirt he's wearing hanging loosely off his shoulders, revealing sunkissed skin. The first thing Liam notices is how thin and tiny Louis is; the second thing he notices is how tired Louis looks upon the wooden expression and the tousled, soggy hair that appears as though he just rolled out of bed; the third thing he realizes is what all the alphas have been talking about (filthy dogs some of them are). The only two times anyone on this ship ever talked about Louis is when it was regarding his rebelliousness or the sexual objectification of his body.

"Fine," Louis grumbles, folding his tiny arms over his tiny chest in the form of defiance, though in reality it looks like a hedgehog trying to act tough, but failing.

Liam leads Louis down the hallway, the opposite way from the bathroom. Footfalls patter behind Liam, telling the beta that Louis must be in bare feet. It's not so much of a problem as Liam anticipated it to be; afterall, the majority of the crew prefers to trudge around naked, so...

Er... hopefully that's not a problem with the prince. And knowing the alphas' maliciously dirty fantasies about Louis, it's very possible the broad boys will be flashing their junk more than once around the omega. In the real, posh world, that would be viewed as crude and simply just disgusting; however, when it comes to instincts, alphas are trying to impress the omega. It's also an obvious way of saying: "I fine you attractive and I want to mate with you."

... But there's a reason those alpha's plans for Louis are called fantasies. All omegas belong to the Captain - no exceptions. They can flaunt themselves in front of Louis (that's unavoidable), but they're forbidden from actually touching him inappropriately without the Captain's consent.

Liam glances over his shoulder out of curiosity. Thankfully Louis isn't looking forward; he's rather intrigued by the lanturns stuccoing the walls of the hallway on either side, spaced out enough so it's possible to see, yet at the same time so it's not blinding. Without the hostile mask on, Louis looks like a helpless child; small, dainty... powerless. Liam immediately feels sorry for him, and mentally prays for the omega that he doesn't encounter any of his predators lurking throughout the ship.

Liam raps his fist twice on the Captain's door when they arrive. A small, muffled "come in" echoes from inside the room. Liam immediately pries open the door, allows Louis in, then shuts it behind them.

The Captain is sat at his desk, neck arched as he hovers over an open book. Liam -out of the blue- decides to peek at Louis. The prince looks startled as he stares at the Captain, perhaps surprised at the knowledge that the Captain reads. Liam nearly scoffs. Of course - he is a royal. Most of them automatically assume pirates are dunderheads. Contrary to what he believes, most of the pirates on this ship can read and write. Some can even speak several languages.

"Captain," Liam addresses, hands tied behind his back as he stands respectfully in front of his alpha. The Captain's eyes snap up and, upon remembering he has guests, he bookmarks and shuts his book and stuffs it into one his desk's drawers.

"Yes?" he says, giving Liam permission to speak.

"I brought you the prince," Liam tells him.

"Ah, good, now we can- "

"OI! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME CAPTIVE HERE!!" Louis suddenly bellows. "I AM THE FOOKING PRINCE OF FOOKING DONCASTER!! I AM TO BE RELEASED AT ONCE FROM THIS FILTHY SHIP AND YOUR FILTHY PIRATE CREW!!"

Liam gapes, gawking at the livid omega. It's not that he's surprised that Louis would say that, but that he was able to say it. When Liam is around the Captain, he feels 'plugged', unless of course the Captain gives him permission. And Liam's a beta! Liam's not sure whether to feel like he has a broken wire for not being able to achieve what the omega could, or fearful of what horrors lie in front of the omega for disregarding respect and talking out freely - not to mention swearing, too!

The Captain arises from his chair, unfazed, and bounds around his desk, standing in front of the scornful omega. What amazes Liam everytime he sees the Captain is how there is zero trace of resent or infuriation evident in his expression. The reddened emotions don't even touch his face. In Liam's opinion, Captain Styles has got to be the least readable person on this planet, and that's probably why he's one of the scariest Wolves known throughout the lands and sea; he's impossible to anticipate.

"Louis," the Captain says, sighing, "you are obviously not aware of the rules we set here on this ship."

"And what is that?" Louis pushes, crossing his arms boldly.

Liam noticed his voice momentarily crack. His Wolf must be resisting, Liam assumes, it must be. Louis may be trying to plaster the brave, I-do-what-I-want image, but really everyone here is smart enough to know that Louis' actually terrified and trying to cover it up by acting Macho.... as if that'd deter anyone here. However, this is the first time Liam has actually witnessed an omega bestowing rebellion to his own nature. The beta is suddenly skeptical and intrigued a little bit more about this peculiar Wolf...

The Captain's eyes are hard as he leans an inch closer to Louis' (he more so lowers himself down to Louis' level considering the laughable height difference of the two). He whispers with a hint of sinisterly illusion, "Speak when spoken to."

Louis visibly swallows thickly and his legs twitch with his Wolf's desire to drop onto his knees (a submissive position), but Louis persists and stands firm - though, in Liam's eyes, it looks more like a scrawny kitten trying to stands its ground against a rugged Rottweiler.

The Captain straightens out again, but remains planted in the same spot. "Anyway, as I was saying, now we can discuss what has transpired over the past few hours. I believe some information on the prince's friends' whereabouts would surely comfort him."

It's then Liam notices that Louis is shaking. The Captain catches the direction of Liam's eyes, but is not surprised to see the results of the omega. He's in despair, yet he's somehow resisting. Liam has seen his Captain's good luck with the omegas. He seems to understand them, and knows exactly what to do in order to calm them. 'Course, he's only witnessed it very few times, but it's the only proof he's got, so it's pretty much better than nothing.

"NO!! NO, I will NOT be your bitch again!" the prince wails when the Captain wraps him into his embrace.

Liam is suddenly very curious now -and confused- but traps the yearning words in his mouth. Liam watches as the prince struggles, clawing and squirming earnestly against the Captain, yet to no avail. It lasts for about ten seconds before Louis' face melts to bliss, and it's obvious to Liam that the omega has just dropped.

"He will awaken shortly," the Captain tells his second-in-command. "His mind is just trying to reconnect the relationship to his Wolf and his conscious."

"Oh," Liam anknowledges, appealed by the new information. Liam is not very educated on the subject of omegas, yet he's like a sponge when it comes to learning new things.

It takes four minutes - four minutes of silence and tiny mumurs of sweet nothingness as Harry eases Louis into reality at a safe, slow rate. Liam sits in the guest chair while it waits, watching with maze as the Captain coachs Louis "back to the surface." Louis stirs letharigcally in Harry's arms when he's come to.

"Nhh..... mhf....." Louis moans, his words unintelligible and slurred.

He's almost there. Liam notices Louis' arms bend and his palm press against the Captain's chest, and if the beta isn't mistaken, Louis' pushing against Harry - a silent protest. Liam suddeny fears the reaction Louis will present after he's recovered.

"Nh.... Nohh...," Louis mumbles, his little muscles trying to reel away from the Captain as he worms around weakly.

The Captain guides Louis to the other chair in front of his desk and plops Louis down on it. The boy wobbles at first, still dazed, before steadying himself by leaning his weight against the cushion of the chair's back. His head is bend down and his tangled, drippy hair droops over his face, concealing it. Occassionally, Louis emits tiny moans as his conscious wrestles its way to the surface.

"Wha...," Louis drawls, hoisting his head finally.

"You dropped," the Captain informs the prince, who is now sat at his desk chair.

Louis gives the Captain a dopey glare. "You... you made me..."

"No, I didn't, Louis," the Captain says, calm yet assured, "you were already falling before then." He sighs, sitting back. "The connection to you and your Wolf was in danger of being torn apart, so, as a matter of fact, I saved you."

"No.... No, you didn't...," Louis presses.

The Captain stares at Louis impassively. "Anyway, I don't want to linger on this topic. We have more important matters to discuss - the original ones for which is the reason I've summoned you to my quarters, prince."

Louis huffs, uninterested.

The Captain continues anyway. "As you probably already know, we have spared some of your friends, and so I thought it'd be respectful if I only told you what we've done with them."

Louis' eyes suddenly harden coldly; however, Liam records the way Louis' body inches closer to the Captain, a small yet significant signal indicating his newly-adapted interest in the subject. He's angered, yet intrigued nontheless, and that's all Liam and Harry ask for.

The Captain reads from the list he received from Liam earlier this morning, identifying the duties allocated to the few captives they spared. "Miss Calder and Miss Perrie will be the ship's maids," he reads, easy and phlegmatic, "and the other three betas will be cleaning the ship - polishing it just like they do in the greasy royal houses they've worked in previously."

Louis twitches, a sudden yearn to hit the bossy alpha with something overcoming him, yet he's thwarted by Liam who hastily sticks a barricading arm out in front of Louis, staring at him with hard, don't-do-it eyes. Louis sighs angrily, persisting for a few extra seconds before falling back against the chairs; however, to alleviate his chagrin, he crosses his arms over his chest in the form of mild protest. His pout becomes the cherry on top.

"Your alpha friends will be useful in other duties around the ship, such as lugging materials from place-to-place and assisting the crew with heavy lifting and pulling - all that jazz. Donny and Zayn will be helping and obeying orders from my crew whenever- "

"Zayn?!" Louis spouts, abruptly agitated; however, two seconds later, thrill haunts his face, igniting a small -yet ever-so visible- smile itching on the corner of his mouth.

"Is that a friend of yours?" the Captains asks, his eyes lathering over the rest of the list while subconsciously carrying a conversation with the prince.

"Close friend," Louis concurs, trying to fix his face so he looks emotionless, yet the happiness is too evident and seeks through the crack in his mood.

The Captain hums. "Then perhaps you would like to know where he is, yes?"

"Yes," Louis answers earnestly.

The Captain lifts his gaze to the prince. "Just not right now."

Louis' small joy disappears, replaced by the familiar dark indignation. "Uhm, actually, right now would be lovely, Captain." He sneers the last words, purposefully lacing it with disrespect.

The Captain remains composed. "He is asleep right now, my prince."

Louis grumbles darkly. It's not because of the fact that he's now not allowed to visit Zayn, but that the Captain has just silenced his quarrelling. He sinks into his chair, his arms tightening resentfully.

"For now, you shall stay with me here."

"What?" Louis blurts, shooting forward in his seat, eyes ablaze and appalled.

Liam reaches out to soothe the prince back into his chair, but is shooed away immediately like a pest.

"Liam is only trying to help you, Louis," the Captain tells him. "He doesn't mean you harm... it's the others that make me concerned about leaving you alone in a bedroom at night."

"Do you not trust your own crew or something?"

"I do trust them," the Captain answers coolly, "but as you see, the majority of my crew does not have very much experience with omegas, and so when they catch the scent of an omega of mating age, their self restraint gets tossed out the window."

"Then what makes you so different?"

Liam sighs and rubs his temples. Does Louis not have his own limits? Does he push until he's wavering on the edge of headspace?

"I grew up with omegas," the Captain says after a brief pause. "I'm accustomed to their scent."

"Is that even possible?" Louis snickers. "I mean, for an alpha to be accustomed to an omega's scent?"

"Yes," the Captain answers, then -with a steady turn of his head- he looks to his beta. "Liam, I appreciate your help at this time of night. You may go rest now."

Liam nods solemnly. "Thank-you, sir."

Liam arises from his chair and turns to leave. He is two steps from the door when he's suddenly startled by an assertive, "not you." Liam -out of sheer curiosity- peers over his shoulder. Prince Louis appears to have swallowed the idea that he was leaving too (even as the Captain told him he was to stay) as he squats, bum hovering just above the cushion of the seat, back hunched and tense, probably feverish about the notion of leaving only to be thwarted. Nobody can resist the Captain's timbre, yet this petite, dainty omega prince seems to surprise Liam everytime he sees him with the level of self-restraint he possesses - and to resist Captain Styles!...

That's unheard of, especially from an omega. Not even an alpha can restrain from the Captain's supernatural authority, so for Louis to be able to find a loophole is something one would only dream of happening.

With an indignant huff, Louis lowers back down to his seat. Of course, the prince isn't just about to hand over his pride; he folds his arms across his chest and grumbles unhappily, announcing his disapproval of the situation - challenging authority. There it is.

Liam twists the knob and leaves, escorting himself to the crew's dormitory.

~*~

Louis glowers at the alpha in front of him, whom so casually is stuffing items littered on his desk away in their proper drawers... it infuriates Louis. How dare he straddle Louis against his will! How dare he hypnotize the prince into taking a bath!

The bath.... the memory swathes Louis with vex.

It's not a normal memory -it's rather blurry and tipsy- but it's still there, and Louis remembers the gerenal events of what happened. It's pretty straightforward: the Captain bewitched Louis' mind - brought out his Inner Wolf and allowed it to govern Louis' every choice and movement. His conscience had been as sane as a drunk during that time, yet from the moment he started to regain power over his instincts, pictures of what happened in the bathroom rolled into his mind and filled him with a new-found hatred.

Suddenly, as the Captain stows away his last items, his eyes connect with Louis'. Louis takes this opportunity to sneer unforgivingly at him, yet the alpha remains unfazed, and docilely says, "Louis..."

"No," the prince hisses, turning his head away like an obstinate toddler, "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

The Captain sighs. "Louis, in all maturity, I insist having you understand why I did what I did."

"You're pushy and controlling. The end," Louis says - snarky.

The alpha's shady-green eyes turn hard for a moment, but then he recomposes quickly and his expression soothes to a passive state. "Very well," he says. "I'll respect your answer then." He arisies from his throne (actually it's just a casual, yet very comfy-looking swivel chair) and proceeds over to his giant book shelf, leaving Louis in the dust.

And Louis is in the dust (not literally). He blinks, twice. Just like that? Wait... did this pirate actually just give up like that? Aren't they supposed to be, you know, super stubborn? Louis' mind blisters with perplex. This can't just end like this.

"So... you respect my answer?" Louis asks, pushing his limits in hopes to score a satisfying reaction.

He doesn't.

"Yes," is the tall one's irritably simple answer.

Louis watches as the pads of the Captain's fingers feather over the spines of the many thick books in his collection (Obviously stolen, no doubt, Louis figures snidely). Louis wonders... is there something he's looking for, or does he just want to face his back to Louis just for the sake of riling him up?

Louis fishes for a reply - preferably a nice sassy one. "What, and so that's it then?"

The Captain slides out a book and cradles it-open-in his balancing hands. "What else would you like to hear, my prince?"

Louis sputters, irked. "I- I am not your prince!"

He looks to Louis, suddenly puzzled. "How does it go then?"

"What?"

"How does the whole royalty thing go then?" His brows furrow as he glances down to the carpet for a moment, deliberating. "I just... assumed that a prince was a prince to everyone just as are a king and queen."

Louis' fazed. "What'd you- ?"

"Well, you just said that you're not a prince to me... so are you just a prince to your people then?"

"No," Louis says, "I am a prince to everyone - just not to people like you."

The Captain's face smolders an even more intense confusion than from before; his eyebrows push together, hatching wrinkles on his forehead as he stares at his prisoner, desperately trying to decipher him. "What do you mean by that?" There's no accusation in his voice - just merely questioning out of pure curiosity.

Louis tightens his face. "You know no respect," he says. "You take what you want, come when you want, and do what you want without mercy."

"You think I've disrespected you, Louis?"

Louis' eyes are electric as he glares hostility and prejudice at the beta. "I don't want you to call me prince because... it means nothing to you anyway. You'll show me disrespect anywhere I go."

"Actually," Liam revises, "you being a prince is the whole reason we captured you." He bites his chapped lips, glancing downward for a short deliberate moment. "And... do you really think I'm showing disrespect to you right now?"

Louis bites his lip, quickly burrowing the fragments of his conversation with Liam and swiftly (and sassily) shakes the obscuring line of brown hair from his face. "Yes," he answers smoothly, "you have." He savours the juices of his imminent victory with a concluding statement. "You abducted me. Not only that, but you abducted several others, too! Not only that, but you killed more than half our voyage crew!"

As he's just about to rejoice in the victory of the battle of wits, the Captain's reaction catches him off guard, forcing back the oncoming wave of excitement with the solid wall of dread.

He smiles. It's a humorous smile, the one where dimples indent on either side of his cheeks, pushing up the skin that pools underneath his eyes and creates that amused, upward curve that connects to the corners. He... he actually think this is funny!

"That comes with being a pirate, my prince," he says, sauntering back to his desk and planting himself back onto his chair. He huffs, amused. "That's actually the first chapter in How To Be A Pirate."

There's a book? Louis shakes his head. Hm. Thinks he's funny, does he? "I don't care about the rules of piracy," he snaps. "It's still a crime, and it's a pretty dirty way of getting things."

"People choose their own paths in life, my prince," the Captain says. "My crew and I have chosen ours."

"And it seems you've chosen mine," Louis replies artfully.

The Captain remains unfazed. "That's chapter two in How To Be A Pirate."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong," Louis continues, "but didn't you say I was supposed to stay here? Like, for the night? Doesn't that mean I need somewhere to sleep?" There's a snippy, challenging tone to his sassy voice; it fits together like the perfect puzzle piece.

"Yes." The alpha points a slender finger towards a brown sugar-coloured couch laying idly by the side wall with a black, fluffy blanket folded neatly and draping over the edge of the top of the cushions, along with two pillows on either side of the arms. "It extends out, and I can lend you an extra blanket, my prince."

"Prince," Louis remainds him bitterly, "stop with the 'my prince'... please."

"Sorry," he says, "it just felt less rude than using your actual name."

"You've used it before - not even five minutes ago did you use the L.O.U.I.S."

"I needed you to take me seriously." The Captain seeks through the pages of the thick book. "I find that people take me more seriously when I use their real name."

"I thought you barely needed to try," Louis mutters, his mind-to-mouth wire snipped. And upon the questioning look from the alpha, Louis hurries to explain himself. "I mean, on our last encounter, you seemed to compel me to do what you want and- wait... why am I not falling victim to your hypnosis right now?"

The Captain breathes a snicker. "I took an Awemist Super Strength pill after I left the bathroom with you."

Louis is taken aback. "But those are not legal!" Then, upon some serious cogitation, Louis reevaluates his words. "Well, not that that matters to a pirate like yourself, but... those pills are a threat to any alpha's body. It masks the scent for like seven or eight hours. The strongest medication for alphas that's safe lasts for only three or four hours."

"Yes, well, I only last thirty minutes when I take the seven or eight pills," the Captain says.

Louis' eyes widen. His knowledge of the world seems to dissipate suddenly in those few seconds, turning to sand and piling up his dubiety because what the hell?! He only lasts half an hour from the most dangerously known medication to alphas around the world? So, basically, is he took the average safe dose, it'd have absolutely no effect, right? Uhm. What?

To Louis' disappointment (and aggrieved frustration), he's not given the chance to question because right afterwards he finds the alpha extending the couch into a bed and layering it with two blankets, sure enough to keep Louis warm, and places the two pillows at the head of the bed-couch, perfecting it. Louis watches in the meantime, running the calculations through his head and realizing...

No, it's not possible for an alpha's body to possibly operate like that.

"I will explain later," he tells Louis, "but for now you must be tired... and if you're hungry there is food in the cupboards right there." He gestures to it, showing Louis. "My apologizes. I just realized we haven't given you food since... well, we haven't given you food yet."

At that moment, Louis realizes just how hungry he is. He also hadn't been keeping track of his eating habits, but that's understandable considering how focused he's been on others things for the duration of his beginning stay here.

Beginning...

"Okay?" he says.

Louis nods vagely. "Yup."

"I will be in this room until then." He ambles over to a door carved into the wall behind his desk. "I would offer you to sleep there instead of the couch, but... as I've noticed, it seems you prefer the conscious mind instead of head space, and I will tell you honestly that I am the only one to enter my room, so, in that meaning, my scent is the only scent to exist in there." He places a hand on the knob. "I'm sure you can put two-and-two together, and take it also as a warning before entering my room." He looks to Louis. "And, please, don't leave this room."

Then he opens the doors, hustles in, and is gone.

~*~

When Louis wakes up at half-past-midnight, he's not hungry - he's gotta pee.

He worms out of the blankets cocooning him, groaning when he feels the painful twinge in his full bladder as he moves, and scurries to the door. His fingers barely brush the knob when his Wolf reminds him of the alpha's words: "And, please, don't leave this room." Louis hisses, shooing away the thought because, God-dammit, the only thing that's important to him right now is emptying his straining bladder.

Louis -even in the rush that he's in- makes sure his departure is stealth and hushed. Definitely don't want to be waking the sleeping alpha in the other room. 'Course, if he had any remorse left in that pirate-y brain of his, he'd understand Louis' situation and not force him to pee on the bed just so he can stay in the room. That's just... abuse! It's prince abuse!

... Then again, he's a Pirate Captain. He's read the How To Be A Pirate book - he's obviously deadly (actually, you just have to look at him to know he's deadly... he's just got that parlous, Joseph Stalin vibe, you know?).

The hallways are intimidating - as if Louis would admit that though. He journeys through the slightly swaying, dark wood tunnels, eyes pealing for.... the bathroom!

He found it!

The prince scuttles to the door marked "BATHROOM" like a mouse who just found its hole-home in the wall, meanwhile trying to emit as close to no noise as possible. Huh. That wasn't so hard - it wasn't too far either. At this pace, Louis will be back at the Captain's quarters in no time, and nothing will be suspected.

After Louis' done relieving himself, he hurries out of the toilets and is greeted again by the ghastly looming of the hallway. Just keep going left, he reminds himself. Louis inhales and continues back down the hall. He tries to find ease in the illuminating lanturns adorning the walls - the only light source available. But it's too quiet; like, it's deathly quiet. The only audible sound is the distant creaking and whining of the oscillating ship.

Then he hears a thud. Then another. And within the few passing seconds of focus and terror does Louis hear the unmistakable sound of breathing.

Someone's here.

Louis picks up his feet and scampers hastily down the hall. His hurrying feet drum across the floorboards, drowning out the other's, though the feeling that he's being followed lingers stickily in Louis' mind. He glances momentarily over his shoulder to identify their distance... but sees nothing. Where- ?

Louis gasps when he collides with another body. For a full second, the two of them are just standing there; Louis staring at a broad, clothed chest, and the presence of dangerous eyes burning a hole through the prince's head above him. It's then that Louis is suddenly shoved up against the hard, cold wall, pancaked between the barrier and the robust man who undeniably screams "ALPHA."

Louis' poor heart lurches in his ribcage and his respiring sharpens into shallow, quick breaths. Great. This is just great.

"My prince," is the first thing that purrs out of the stranger's mouth.

Then something frizzles from inside Louis - that familiar defiance that burns wrathfully in the dark depths of his mind. And when a foreign hand begins to carnally touch and grope his exposed shoulder (Curse this baggy sweater!), Louis -as one may say- snaps.

"No!" the prince exclaims firmly, tearing the stranger's hand from his skin, then quickly covers his shoulder, fisting a chunk of the loose-fitting sweater to make sure it doesn't droop again.

A growl reverberates low in the alpha's throat, signaling his disapproval of the skin-concealing. Louis then makes the mistake of looking at his face. Definitely not someone Louis has seen on this ship, though if he had a guess on this guy's job here as a crewmember, he'd say this guy -based on the hideously muscled biceps and torso- carries and drops things off.

There's an abrupt stab of fear in Louis as he calculates the possibilities of this man's capabilities. Even though Louis hates to admit, he knows this man has a dangerous amount of advantage over Louis physically. Louis also feels an essence of jealousy writhing in the pit of his stomach when he realizes how unfair it is for this guy to be exeptionally muscular while Louis is... nothing - a shrimp - a glass doll - the list goes on.

The alpha murmurs incoherent things under his salty breath as his hands attempt to explore Louis, but the prince is adamant about the hands-off policy just as he's established. Still, it seems the alpha is not in his right mindset and continues to touch Louis - introducing unwelcomed advances.

Louis persists on fighting off this libidinous brute, yet he somehow manages to catch the strings of words training off this stranger's tongue: "Omega, omega, omega..." The Captain was right. Their self-control really does fly out the window.

Ugh.

Louis hisses when the alpha shoves his nose into his mop of hair, inhaling deeply. Louis struggles, desperately trying to prove his strength and fend off the harrassing Wolf, but to no avail. It's just as useless as pushing a solid brick wall. The alpha hums in satisfaction, soon shredding into a raspy, venereal growl. Louis continues to wrestle, even when the alpha presses forward, introducing his.... lower region to Louis' clothes leg.

The prince gasps sharply, biting his lip nervously. Yup, this guy's aroused - very aroused.

Louis squirms uncomfortably (and dreadfully) under the slow movements of the rock-hard thing feeling up his thigh. "NO! Stop!" he shrieks, all ideals of proving himself erased. Now, he just wants to survive the imminence of this alpha's fantasies. Actually, fix that: not survive this, but to escape this.

If that's even possible.

Shit.

The alpha just manages to twist Louis forcefully towards the other end of the hallway (probably to drag him into a lone bedroom) when another voice halts him.

"Jimmy."

Louis shudders instinctively at the grisly dominant tone. Contrary to his defiance, Louis attempts to push away the jittery feeling adapting inside him, but is immediately thwarted. His muscles tighen, tethering him in place - forbidding him from standing up straight and showing defiance. It's only when Louis feels the familiar tickling sensation in his belly does he cease his efforts completely. The tickling is a warning that he'll be drowned into headspace if he continues doing whatever he's doing that's injuring the bond between him and his Wolf.

The alpha stops and jerks his head around. Louis takes a look, too, though he wishes he didn't.

"What are you doing here?" the Captain asks casually - or so it seems casual.

There seems to be an immediate change in the alpha in front of Louis. His dilated pupils return to normal size and his taut muscles loosen. "Captain Styles," he says, his malign timbre quashed and replaced with a normal-sounding voice. It's startling, yet relieving. "I'm sorry to have awoken you, sir. I was just getting a glass of water from... from the... kitchen."

He notices his arms bent around a certain small figure, then, upon realizing it's Louis, he unravels himself from the boy and steps back, startled. "Prince Louis. Erm..." He scratches the back of his head sheepishly, "apologies, my prince. I was unaware."

"It's okay, Jimmy," the Captain says, forgiving. "You may head back to your dormitory now."

He nods. "Thank-you, Captain."

Louis watches the conversation unfold with bemused eyes. They're speaking so... politely to each other, Louis realizes. It doesn't make any sense to him though; they're pirates! They're supposed to be greedy, up-front, and just plain rude - not well-mannered and tranquil! The calculations don't seem to add up in Louis' mind. It's like adding two and two together and getting five; it just doesn't compute. He's been told story upon story about how pirates would rob a land and leave no survivors, and he received truth to that earlier today when they abducted his ship, but now all he's seeing is the opposite.

Maybe they're only like this to their Captain... but that still doesn't explain why Liam was being so benevolent towards the prince earlier. One would think pirates wouldn't give two shits about their prisoners - much less a royal one; yet, they still seem to possess the audacity to apologize and call Louis by his title instead of using his actual name. If Louis wasn't so suspicious, he might've actually considered appreciating these pirates' strangely good manners.

Louis doesn't comprehend the abscence of the alpha-Jimmy-until he's just passing by the Captain in the hallway, presumably heading back to his dormitory. It's when Louis realizes that it's just him and the Captain left and he starts to get that familiar cloudy sensation swamping through his body. Spices and something relaxing... it's the Captain's scent again. The pills must've wore off.

"I did tell you," Louis hears him say.

No, Louis tries to protest, not to the Captain but to himself, disgusted about being incarcerated in headspace for the bloody third time today. He also starts to feel a new twinge of sickness lacing in with the hypnotizing dizziness and spacey dopiness. It's all too familiar. If Louis drops too many times in one day, it's a common occurance that he receives the consequence of queasiness. It's the same feeling one gets when too much food is consumed all at once - when there's too much of one thing to handle.

And so it's not a surprise when the Captain catches Louis mid-fall. He quickly (yet gently) balances the prince in his arms. The last thing Louis remembers is the all-too-familiar feeling of self-loathe weighing like hot coals in his belly before he fades into headspace, one of the many reasons for why he hates himself.

Chapter Text

It's morning -about five A.M- when Louis wakes up. It stirs groggily in the blankets, dog-tired, and very provocative about the idea of getting up. He comprehends the sound of movement a few feet away from him, and by the occassional shuffling of boots, it occurs to Louis that someone must be getting dressed. And there's only one person who Louis has seen wearing boots on this ship, so the estimate on who it could be is a dead case.

Hoping he's not noticed, Louis lays silently as if actually asleep in the burrito of blankets. Unfortunately, luck isn't on the prince's side today.

"So I am to call you by your first name, yes?" the Captain asks.

Louis is tempted to ignore him, push the unconciousness-feigning further, but something about the idea ruptures worry in Louis. This pirate seems awfully intelligent (there, Louis said) for... someone like himself, and lying to him seems almost scary. Scratch that: it's terrifying. This man screams power and dominance, and to deceive him would be like calling the Devil an idiot.

Basically, Louis doesn't trust the idea that this Captain is stupid enough to actually believe Louis' fake act. So, consequently, he finds himself muttering a replying, "Yes," to the question, then sinking back into the pooling blankets, dreading what might happen next.

"Okay," the super powerful alpha drawls, his low voice crusty from just waking up, "well, Louis, I'm sorry for waking you-" You should be! "-but I needed to know what your plans were for today."

Plans? Uh, to escape! But, obviously, that isn't going to happen. There are eyes everywhere, and since no doubt these vermins are gonna hold him up for ransom, it's obvious he's gonna have a babysitter everywhere he goes.

Reluctantly pushing back his defiance, Louis asks, "What are my options?" God, he hates asking for permission... it's so omega-y.

"Well," the Captain says, "you may stay in my office and relax for the day, or you may explore the ship's dark secrets." Is he using... humour?

Nevertheless, a mischievous thrill jolts through Louis' system. "You mean... I can go anywhere I want to?"

"No," is the Captain's instant answer, "I will be locking some doors for obvious reasons, and the top deck will be off limits."

Louis swiftly rolls onto his other side to face the Captain, who is wearing a different outfit from yesterday. Same pirate-y appeal and (obviously) the same feathered tricorn hat atop his curly head, but it seems to Louis that this man must carry a wardrobe. 'Course, he stole these things (it's all pirates ever do), but it just surprises Louis that a pirate actually (apparently) has a fashion sense. From Louis' previous knowledge, they all dressed in the same clothes everyday, heedless of the grime and smelly juices they carried.

... Then again, these pirates have suprised Louis in more than one way since his abduction.

"Why can't I go on the deck?" Louis inevitably asks.

"I thought you would've figured out that answer on your own, Louis," the Captain says, "especially after last night's incident."

Oh, yeah. Louis remembers that... how could he not? It's not that he wants to remember (geez, his whining and useless attempts to escape are the last thing the prince wants to remember), but it seems that the pictures have automatically nailed themselves into his brain, haunting him like a bad bruise.

"Speaking of which," the Captain says, "why did you leave?"

Oh, I'll tell you. "I had to use the bathroom."

"Then why didn't you use the one here?"

"What?"

The Captain ambles over to a door for which Louis had not seen before and gestures to it. "The bathroom."

"You never said there was a bathroom," Louis answers as-a-matter-'o-fact.

The Captain's face molds a quite the contrary look. "But I did, Louis. I was setting up the couch when I told you where the bathroom was in case you had to go in the middle of the night."

What? No, he...

"I will explain later," he tells Louis, "but for now you must be tired... and if you're hungry there is food in the cupboards right there." He gestures to it, showing Louis. "My apologizes. I just realized we haven't given you food since... well, we haven't given you food yet." After finishing turning the couch into a comfortable bed-like setting, the Captain looks to the bathroom door before gesturing to it, pointing it out to the prince. "The bathroom is right there. I don't think I need to say more than that.... Okay?"

Louis blinks, then nods vagely. "Yup."

Oh.

Louis frowns, gearing his head away from the alpha, too proud to look into the eyes of someone who'd just proved him wrong. His Wolf whimpers, irritated by Louis' lack of modesty, but then -of course- Louis shoves the imaginative creature away.

"Anyway," the Captain sighs, "to answer your original question about being on deck... as shown from last night, Louis, you witnessed what happens when my alphas smell an omega. They have little experience with omegas, thus they're unable to restrain themselves from their mating urge because, well, they barely even know what a mating urge is."

Mating urge... Louis stares darkly at nothing, resenting that word, thus it reflects what he solely is. Mating... ugh. Couldn't the Captain have used a more... less-direct-to-the-point word? Louis would rather not know what those alphas think about him, for it crawls a repulsed tickle across his skin.

"So," Louis mutters, "I'm basically stuck here then?"

"Yes."

Louis frowns, folding his tiny arms across his tiny chest indignantly, staring away from the Captain as a sign of I'm-gonna-do-what-I-want (and also so that he's not swayed by the stern eyes on this man). "What if I don't want to?"

The Captain pauses. "Royalty does not grant you privileges on this ship," he tells him. "And as much as you'd like to think otherwise, as long as your on this ship... " He approaches Louis, his presence intimidating and ghastly, "you belong to me."

Louis bites his lips. Shit. He fumes, his biceps tightening with vex. He scrunches his nose and his forehead marks with aggravated crease lines, yet he still refuses to face the alpha. Belong to him? the prince seethes, in his bloody dreams! I belong to no one!

"I belong to no one," Louis says aloud - venomous. He ignores also as his Wolf cringes, whining for Louis' cooperation to stop putting up such a fuss and just listen to him. But Louis cannot, and always, he obstinately refuses to back down to his subconscious.

Then Louis feels the warmth of the alpha getting closer, his face inching slowly and surly towards Louis'. The prince can practically feel his energy: hard, dour, humorless... he's obviously not messing around. Louis squirms under the intensity of the alpha's scrutiny, yearning for something witty to say that will hopefully deter the Captain - convince him so that Louis can also play this game very well.

... Can he?

As Louis mentally stomps his foot, still refusing to back down, his eyes heat with scorn, and a single tear manages to trek down Louis' cheek.

Tears are another sign of clashing with instincts, though it doesn't happen often with Louis. He figures it's perhaps due to the grossly stewing concoction of frustration and sadness - the sadness a result of feeling... insufficient. He's insufficient... Louis feels his throat swell at the thought.

Louis doesn't even realize the Captain had stepped away for a moment until he feels the softness of a tissue wiping away at the sticky tear track on his cheek. He allows it, too focused on not completely breaking down at the moment.

"Why do you put up such a fight, Louis?" he asks, disposing the used tissue into the small garbage by his desk. The soft question is so genuine, as if the Captain has never seen this before and truly is perplexed by the odd behaviour. "Where in your mind does it feels worth it to fight so vigorously against your Wolf?"

Louis clenches his teeth. "Because I'm not some pathetic omega, okay?"

There's unnecessary hostility in the prince's tone, yet he gives it no heed. He finds the anger a useful tool in turning his focus away from softening up - from becoming an omega. If he remains red and belligerent, he won't be drawn to that 'lower' state of mind. It's the only thing that's ever really helped him out over these past few years, and it's the only thing that's ever worked.

"Whoever said being an omega is pathetic?"

And...

...

... Louis doesn't really know how to answer that. It just is. Louis just feels useless - all the freaking time. Ever since he presented as an omega, it defied his hopes and dreams of being an alpha, and he's viewed himself as pathetic ever since - required to rebel and be hateful in order to prove that he's not what his biology states.

"You just seem so angry all the time, and I'm not sure what it's for, or what it's even supposed to prove here," the Captain says.

Louis growls, "It's non of you buisness."

The Captain huffs. "You're right," he says, standing up straight, "it's not. I'm just a scurvy pirate, yes?"

For once in his life there's nothing artful on the tip of the prince's tongue. "Yes...," he mutters.

The Captain sighs, strolling over to the door. "I'll be coming back to check on you." There's a pause as he deliberately turns around from where he stands at the entrance. "And if you do do something stupid, you really will be stuck in here, my prince." Then the door locks shut, signaling his leave. And that's when Louis lets out the first sob.

~*~

The prince obviously isn't a fan of crying, but since he's not crying in front of others, it lessens the embarrassment and self-loathing. He knows if he doesn't 'let it all out' now, it'll just keep building and he will end up humiliating himself in front of someone, and consequently ruin his image.

... Louis doesn't really know what kind of image he's made here for himself on this God-forsaken ship, but as far as he's concerned, the crew has only seen the truculent side of his personality (he's not sure what the other side is, though he's never really thought about it, but whatever), and Louis' hoping to keep it that way. He never wants these malicious men to believe he's just another docile omega willing to bend over for any of them; no, he wants them to know that that's definitely (and irrevocably) not the case. He's an alpha at heart, an it'll stay that way.

... Though, as Louis' crying slows, he unconsciously recalls back to the Captain's words: "Whoever said being an omega is pathetic?" Louis wishes he could answer that. Like, Louis doesn't believe other omegas he's met or seen are in any way pathetic; it's just been him all his life that he's referred to as "pathetic." The omegas he's met actually work very hard and are very friendly, so, obviously, Louis can't bash them like that.

Louis suddenly shakes his head. No, he can't be thinking about what that pirate has to say. Louis has always been stubborn and vicious.. 'course it was only mild before his presenting, like if he wanted something but couldn't get it, he acted out. That's typical for a prince though, right? He's fussy and was brought up receiving whatever he wanted, so when the presenting rolled along, it was then Louis realized that he doesn't get whatever he wants. And throughout the years, the frustration has only developed.

Louis' suddenly startled when his belly bays indignantly, demanding attention. It's then Louis realizes that he hasn't eaten anything, not at all since he was abducted... not even that; he hasn't anything since he departed from his home.

Home...

Louis shakes off the thought and focuses on food for now, which really isn't that difficult considering his stomach Has been painfully neglected. He heaves himself up and tries to remember where the food is. The prince turns to the mahogany cupboard and eases it open, finding an assortment of snacks. He suddenly wonders where the kitchen might be, but the thought thins as his stomach tugs, demanding it now. So, the prince decides to snag the potato chips and Ritz crackers and plops back down on the bed-couch, finally pacifying his angry stomach.

Two minutes pass, and that's when Louis starts hearing footsteps spooking the hallways outside. The prince halts, chip poising just before his mouth as he listens to the string of footfalls. And they're... approaching. Louis instinctively steers his head to face the door, feeling his nerves sparkle with anticipation. Is someone gonna come in here? Has the Captain finally come to his senses and decided to allow Louis on deck? Nevertheless, Louis arises from the couch, leaving the snacks as his hunger is forgotten and begins to search for a weapon in the room, or at least a substitute for a weapon.

His eyes scurry over the objects. A book maybe?... no, that's stupid... but perhaps...

Louis quickly decides upon a thick book. It plunges heavy in Louis' grasp, and the prince huffs, lifting it. He shrouds against the wall, waiting, and if this guy is a creep, he'll be sure to get a taste of a five-hundred-page book. The knob rolls, and Louis captures his breath as the door skates open and-

"Hey- ! Whoowhoowhoo! Hold it!"

The hefty object brushes Louis' knees as he slumps his arms down, realizing with a sigh that's it's just that Liam guy. It's only Liam... guess that's better than any of the other filthy bandits here.

"Wha- ? What're you... doing exactly with that book?" Liam asks, seemingly feeling safer now that Louis hasn't smite him as he straightens up.

Louis shakes his head. "Thought you were someone else." He trudges over to the bookcase and returns the anicient one back in his spot.

"Well, rest-assured, my prince," the pirate says, "I have no intentions of... doing bad things to you." He chuckles. "I am a beta after all... not exactly interested in omegas in that way."

"Right," Louis replies, then upon the crashing curiosity, he turns back to the pirate and asks, "Why did you come in here?"

Liam opens his mouth, then halts -mouth gaping- as if his air had been cut, and clamps his mouth shut. He purses his lips and gazes down, deliberating. He looks like someone who just caught his dark secret on his tongue before it could slip out. Louis is instantly curious.

"Liam?"

"Uhm..." The beta scratches the back of his head - red-faced, "errands. And no offence, my prince, but it's really non of your business."

The simple fact that Liam calls Louis "prince" strangely does not unnerve him; it was when the Captain spoke it that gnawed at Louis' dark side. Even as Liam may say something that normally would pester Louis, his friendly, love-caring vibe wisps away any harrying jaundice Louis may pronounce. It irritates the prince, yet it makes him feel a little more relaxed around the beta - comfortable even.

"Kay," Louis drawls awkwardly, "I won't ask then."

Louis watches as the beta scavengers for something behind the Captain's desk. He looks like a detective forging through someone's belongings surreptitiously, yet Louis knows due to previous conversations with the beta that he requires permission from the alpha dickwad himself in order to do something like pickle his dirty pirate fingers through his master's precious valuables.

"Where are you going after this?" Louis randomly asks.

Liam raises a sparkly expression. "Back on deck." His brows knit suspiciously. "Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering if..." Somehow, Louis actually feels nervous, "I could come with you...?"

The answer is immediate. "No."

Louis blinks, suddenly aggrieved. "Why not?"

Liam stops scurrying to give the prince a 'really?' look. "Just because I'm a prisoner doesn't mean..." Delicate features scrunch on Louis' face as a frustrated glare molds - frustrated at his inability to automatically fairy-poof a witty comment, and, "doesn't mean," Louis snaps fussily, "that I'm not- !"

"Going to escape?" Liam guesses, though his smarty face recommends the idea that he's confident in those small three words.

Louis steels a recalcitrant frown on his face. "Yeah. That."

"Well, my prince," Liam rebounds, "how do we know you're not going to try and escape?"

Louis huffs sarcastically, shrugging like a snotty adolescent. "Trust me...?"

Liam snorts, returning to his objective behind the desk. "Trust is earned," Louis hears him mutter.

"I thought all you bandits believed in was betrayal and selfishness," Louis snips, insisting on a continuation of the quarrel.

"Not really." Liam grunts as a wooden thud emits, suggesting he just banged his head off the underside of the desk. He hisses a groaning "ouch..." just as he arises, hand cushioning the back of his head, massaging where it wounded, then looks up to Louis, his puppy face twisted with hurt. "You'd actually be surprised."

"Enlighten me then," Louis presses.

Liam shakes his head, his practised eyes searching the contents of the desk's surface -his hands assisting, carefully spreading things around- as he simultaneously holds the conversation with Louis. "The only reason we're so successful is because we rely on trust here."

Louis blinks. He's not yet convinced, but the mere thought of pirates applying the honourable tool of trust to accomplish things has Louis' beliefs in a knot - a very messy knot.

With the beta's eyes shining upon an item he plucks from underneath the layers of papers, Louis assumes he must've just found what he had been looking for. And it's... a piece of paper?- No: a map. A bloody map.

"Why didn't he just take that with him before he went out?" Louis asks, alluding to the map.

"He forgot it," Liam simply answers, walking around the desk and back towards the door.

Then, in the spur of desperation, Louis spouts, "I, uh-- I need some fresh air."

The beta halts by the door, hand grazing the brass knob. He wheels his head to face Louis, his unsure expression pressing concern on behalf of the prince's request.

"Please, Liam," Louis says, storing the wave of self-shame for later for freaking begging as he focuses on fishing for the beta's loophole. "Surely you've lived on this ship for a while, you know how stuffy it gets in here."

Liam's face remains unpurchased.

"I won't escape or do anything bad," Louis bargains, though honestly the whole reason he wants to go outside is not to escape (somewhat), but to defy that know-it-all Captain who tried to embarrass him a few minutes ago.

Liam's face sponges with sympathy. "My prince, I can't possibly- "

"If anyone will get in trouble, it'll be me," Louis pushes. Like, what's the worse that could happen? They cast him overboard? As if; by not killing Louis already, obviously they've scheduled a ransom plan for him or something.

Liam sighs, flagging his eyes away as he mulls over the thought by himself. Louis waits, his patience burning with anticipation. Obviously he's not one to get permission from others, but there was something ominuous about the way the Captain looked at him that has Louis extremely hesitant about journeying up onto the deck by himself. There's also the visual picture of everyone's suffocating scrutiny that bugs Louis... but with the other picture where Louis' with Liam, it settles some comfort in him. Nobody will question if Louis' with the second-in-command, right?

"No, my prince," Liam ends up saying.

Louis clenches his teeth - bitter.

"I'm sorry," the beta sympathizes, "but I can't - not without my Captain's permission."

Louis mutters darkly, "Of course," as he turns away back to the couch.

"Prince Louis," Liam pleads, "I really am sorry."

"Yeah, whatever."

The beta frowns, but decides that the prince needs his space, and leaves out the door, closing it behind him softly. Louis sulks pathetically on the couch like a grumpy five-year-old, and does not say or do anything for the rest of the morning.

~*~

"My... prince?"

Louis groans, his bones aching with the weighing tiredness as he hoists his head, steering to view... Liam...? What's he doing here? The beta hangs over Louis, and his face looks almost apologetic - guilty for waking Louis. Huh. He should be. The hell is his reasoning for this exactly?

"I, uhm..." Liam turns his head to the side, sights coasting off to something in the background before returning to Louis, smiling sheepishly, "I brought you lunch."

Lunch? Louis nearly balks at the innocent reasoning. He wasn't anticpating (nor exactly hoping for) that... then again, this is Liam. He's got to be the least spiteful of any of the pirates on this ship. He doesn't even look like he can rob a fruit off the shelf of a store, and that's quite ironic considering he's in the infamous business of crooks... for which Louis wonders how exactly Liam gets by. Does he really steal stuff, or does he follow behind these guys like a lingering shadow? Maybe Liam was abducted, too!

Louis arouses from his little reverie when a silver platter of food sits in front of him. He blinks at him, unconsciously reviewing his offerings. Chicken soup... Grilled Cheese on the side... and a bottle of water.

"I'm sorry that it's not much, sir," Liam says, "but I wasn't sure what you liked."

"No, no," Louis tells him, dismissing the silly apology, "it's fine. It's okay."

Liam nods shallowly. "Okay," he whispers, arising.

Louis is quick to catch him though. "Are you leaving?" The question is a plea - gloomy and lonesome. He didn't even intend for the question to betide, but it's just.... he's been so lonely today. Sure, he's been snoozing half the day, but with the abscence of his friends and family (people he used to confabulate with) it's been greying up his sense of mind. And everyone he has talked to (aside Liam) since he arrived has been an asshole. Can he just... have someone decently human to talk to, please?

Suddenly ashamed for pleaing, Louis stares down, his face darkening as the light casts, his delicate features shading over. He shouldn't of said that... now Liam's gonna believe he's soft - a whiney omega. And warm company is exactly what the omega gene craves, which is not what Louis wants to be.

"I can stay if you'd like, my prince," Liam says, his voice velvety and kind.

Startled (and frankly still a little humiliated), Louis peers up skeptically through the siege of his dark lashes at the beta. A question strings on Louis' tongue, but the prince's air catches as he remembers his embarrassment, and decides not to ask the imminent, "But don't you have better things to do?" Talking at all at this point seems like the worst thing he could do.

Then, the couch dips beside Louis as Liam sits. And it seems the sudden movement had roused Louis' stomach as the familiar, punching growl inaugerates, reminding Louis how hungry he still is. Louis instantly perches up on his bum, ignoring his rusty muscles as he launches into the lunch. The soup is warm, and somehow doesn't taste like toilet water. It's actually... good!

"I'm glad you like it," Liam says, a slight frown in his stale voice, "not many people do."

Wait...

"We found tese royal filths in the kitchen; figured tey be of some use fer us; 'could hopefully replace Liam who's always burnin' things."

"Hey!" came an offended protest. That must be Liam.

"Well, is' true!"

Louis stops to look at Liam, a suspicious glint in his eyes. "You're the chef here, aren't you?"

"I am," Liam confirms, then frowns despondently, "though apparently I'm not a very good one."

"But... this is good," Louis says honestly, geuinely surprised by the news. What's wrong with his cooking? Seriously, it's-

"I'm only good with soups and beverages." He grins sheepishly. "I'm, er... not very skillful in the other departments though - 'specially when it comes to the stovetop."

Louis blinks, turning back to the dish. He takes one of the Grilled Cheeses between his fingers and... shit. Uhm... Louis stares awkwardly at the chared edges of the toast, setting it back down on the plate. Now he sees. He turns back to Liam pitifully.

"Uh..." Liam chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... Harry was fortunate enough to catch that, too."

"Harry?"

Liam eyes widen.

"Who's that?"

Liam's face furies red. "Uh... about that... that wasn't supposed to happen..."

Louis' frustration sharpens. "Who is Harry, Liam?" You already mentioned him; might as well just tell me who the hell he is, the prince thinks.

"Fine," the beta gives, "it's... Harry's the Captain's first name."

"Harry?" Louis feels the newly-learned name roll off his tongue. So... that's his name. The prince suddenly wonders why Liam had acted so paranoid about it. Did the Captain not want Louis to know this? Was he so buttoned-up that he didn't even like people using his own name? It was always Mr. Captain, huh? "What's his deal anyway?" he adds as he sips the soup, it immediately sedating his vacant stomach.

"Deal?" Liam repeats ingenuously.

"Yeah."

"Uhm... you mean, like... problem?"

"What is he?" Louis clears up, "like," Louis says, swallowing, "is he a super-powerful alpha or something? Does he takes drugs- ?"

"No, no," Liam quickly affirms, "he, uh... he is an alpha, but not totally an alpha."

Louis' insides wrench, and he slowly turns to face the beta. "What the hell does that mean? 'Not totally alpha'? You're either an alpha, or you're not an alpha." The prince nips his lip at a manifesting side-thought of himself. In Louis' mind, he is an alpha, but when faced with reality, he's not. He's not delusional (okay, maybe a little); he's aware of where his genes have been written, but where his mind has been positioned, it's not exactly in a comfortable spot.

"Well, have you ever heard of the Pyramid of Wolves?" Liam starts, "you know, where it goes omega, beta, then alpha?"

Louis nods.

"Well, Ha- er, the Captain goes beyond the alpha; his ranking sits just above."

Louis -bemused beyond all means- demands, "If that even possible?"

"Apparently," Liam shrugs. "I never believed anybody could cross above the alpha, but apparently the Captain is living proof that it is possible." He pauses, then adds, "Have you ever heard of a king alpha?"

Unknowing where Liam's train is heading exactly, Louis says, "My father...? He's an alpha - and a king."

"No," Liam replies, "not that. Like- " He gestures at nothing, as if trying to gear the words out, "as a status. Have you ever heard a king alpha as a status?"

"No."

"Okay." Liam sighs. "Suppose I have to explain it then..." He rakes a calloused hand through his groovy, tousled hair. "Okay, so, basically the Captain... Ugh!" The beta's face falls guiltly into his hands. "I feel like I shouldn't be telling you this."

"He won't ever know," Louis negotiates. "I mean, it's not like I'm gonna talk to him about it, and if it ever does slip, I just won't tell him it was you- "

"No, you can't," Liam says flatly, his words muffled, "that's the thing... he's a king alpha." He detaches his hands and looks to the prince. "He can make you admit something without even using the Alpha Voice."

As much as Louis may be baffled right now, he can't deny that he believes that. Just his scent alone was enough to inject an Alpha Voice-like effect on Louis; he can't imagine the outcome when Louis is astounded with the Captain's Alpha Voice.

"You believe me," Liam divulges.

Louis shakes his head like a bothered old elephant. "I can't believe that I do. Stuff like this just doesn't happen... not in the ordinary world."

Liam monotonously drums his fingers along his jean-clothed thigh. "I felt the same as you when I first met him." He stares deliberately down at his knees, as if looking back on old memories. "My family ship had been destroyed by lightning while out at sea, and sunk down to Davy Jone's Locker along with the rest of my family, leaving me the only survivor." His face droops sadly. "Harry... had found me - thankfully before a shark could." He chuckles lightly. "I'd been here ever since."

"How long?"

Liam cogitates, counting the years as his lips flutter with the pantomiming of soundless numbers. "Four...? Four years?"

"Shit," Louis cusses empathetically, "and you haven't even tried to escape?"

"What's the use? My family's gone. Where else am I supposed to go?"

"So, you just reduced yourself to piracy?"

Liam stares at him. "Omegas reduce themselves to prostitution. And besides, not all of us are gifted with money like you, my prince."

Ouch. It is true though. Louis grew up basically bathed in money. His parents always granted all his wishes and only gave him the best they could... until of course he presented as omega. The arranged marriage was completely uncalled for. "Can you tell me more about Harry's status?" Louis asks, hoping to redirect the topic.

Liam fidgets. "Okay, okay, but please, just don't... don't mention anything to the Captain, please?"

"You're only telling me about his status - not his life," Louis implies.

"Still," Liam applies firmly, "talking to you about him is dangerous on its own."

Louis shakes his head at the crazily-loyal beta. "Just tell me."

"Kay, uhm... the king alpha rests at the top of the pyramid, as you already know, which means he resides power over everyone else... including alphas." Liam's brows twitch anxiously. "From what I've heard, that's like the main purpose of his life: to reign over alphas - keep them under control, I guess. He's like the alpha of alphas, you know? He's definitely the last person you want angry."

"Does he get angry often?"

Liam shakes his head. "No. He's surprisingly calm most of the time... but, to be honest, I can see a struggle writhing in him when he does want to be angry. Like, when someone spills something in the kitchen, I can see the muscles under his eye twitching; or when someone talks back to him, I can sometimes see his lips tugging. It's the little things, you know?"

"Yeah... has he ever been mad at you?"

"Uh..." Liam's face tightens with the memory, "yeah... once. It wasn't bad though," he quickly assures, but seem doubtful even in himself. "It was when I first started here. I tripped and accidentally pushed someone off the edge of the ship." He flinches guiltly. "They managed to get him back, but I got my price of consequence."

"What'd he do?"

Liam's brows raised as if he were no longer affected by the culpability of his past. He looks to Louis and answers, "Nothing."

Louis is immediately puzzled. "Wait- then how- ?"

"He gave me a warning, though I had a feeling from that day on that if I were to ever make another mistake that the Captain would not tolerate it like he did four years ago."

"Then what was so bad about it?" Louis inquires.

Liam smiles slightly, though it's merely a shadow upon his lips. "Him." Then, before Louis can press, Liam explains, "Just looking at him had me in a terrible despair. He stood over me and just stared at me... it felt like my soul was being pierced - literally. I don't know, just..." He shrugs, "the Captain in general was just overwhelmingly intimidating. It was like he was telling me not to do something like that ever again by only using his body language, and, I mean, it must be a good method because it's worked, right?"

"Scary," Louis comments.

Liam gives him a sharp, scolding glare. "I'd advise you not to take my warning lightly. The Captain may be tolerant of your misbehaving tactics for now, but he's a thin thread; eventually he will punish you."

"Punish me!" Louis barks - farcical, "and how exactly will he do that?" The prince's question teeters off the edge of derision, though he does not seem to care how offensive he may sound.

"I don't know," Liam answers honestly, "we've only ever had betas and alphas on this ship, though I'm sure he could come up with something for you."

Louis grumbles, "I'd rather take the alpha one..." than the omega one.

Liam is shocked. "You do realize the punishment for an alpha is usually whiplashings to the bare back, right? Also while everyone is watching? No offence, my prince, but- "

"What, you don't thint I'd be able to survive it?" Louis challenges bitterly.

Liam's smile is sympathetic. "Well, it's only because you're so... tiny, my prince."

Louis rolls his eyes as Liam continues.

"The alphas we have here are slightly more protected by their coating of muscles, so it hinders the damage and pain from the whippings."

"I'm not that tiny," Louis mutters sourly.

Liam is dubbed curious. "Do you not like your physique?"

Louis waves it away. "I don't wanna talk about it." He shudders, a cold tingle crawling up his spine. It's getting cold in here...

Liam nods in understanding. "Okay." He drags his palms down his thighs to his knees, rubbing his caps there assiduously. "Are you done with your lunch?"

"Yeah." Louis hands the beta back the tray as Liam stands to take it vigilantly.

Liam turns to face the door, then back to Louis as if to gesture meaningfully. "I'm gonna go now; need to wash the dishes. I'm sure everyone else made a mess anyway."

A sudden morose feeling lodges inside Louis at the information of others eating without him, and it's strange. It's not that Louis would want to be with them, but the fact that he was excluded draws a gloomy feeling in him - unwanted almost. And he gets it; he understands why he's not invited. It's because the crew would find him "distracting" as the Captain puts it. The thought alone chews him up, like it's his fault he's stuck like this (not that he wants to be). Bottom line: it's making Louis feel worser than he already was.

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

Liam's frowns-concerned-down at the prince. "Are you okay, my prince?"

Louis gulps thickly. Oh, uhm. "Yeah," he answers blandly, "I'm fine."

Liam nods solemnly. "Okay."

"Okay."

"I'll go now," the beta tells him, then with a lingering foot, he wheels around and ambles carefully over to the door, cautious not to drop the tray and consequently break everything on it.

Although, just before Liam exits, a little voice halts him: "Wait!"

The beta obeys, looking over his shoulder questioningly.

"Uh..." Louis murmurs sheepishly, assembling the words. "I just wanted to... apologize for earlier. You know, when I was being a little bratty to you when you wouldn't tell me..."

"Yeah," Liam says, brightening, "I remember what you mean... and thank-you."

Louis nods, feeling an ounce better for getting that out of his system.

Liam leaves the room without another word, though it becomes a comfortable silence, especially as Louis flops back down onto the couch tiredly.

~*~

It's weird. Louis doesn't understand why he's so tired... he just is. All afternoon, he's just felt so sluggish and weary. He emerged a few times to go to the bathroom, and maybe snack from time-to-time, but that was mainly it, then he'd zip right back to bed (or the couch). He'd wanted to venture the ship a few times, but everytime his eyes met the door, the reminding trauma from last night peeked into his thoughts, and he sunk right back into the couch. It was frustrating actually; being thwarted from doing something due to some stupid fear. The prince felt weak-inadequate-, but by the time he'd actually built the courage to go outside, the frosty air nipped his skin - a warning of the coldness that awaited him if he still chose to go.

Jesus Christ... and to think it was only a mild chill a few hours ago; it's bloody freezing now. The hell happened to the temperature?

Louis scurries desperately into the blanket, yearning for warmth; however, the blanket on him barely suffices to conceal his own body heat. He shivers, his jaw becoming sore with the incessant chattering he's been doing for over ten minutes now. Why's it so damn cold? Is it raining outside? If they're still working outside, they must be nuts 'cause Louis is practically catching hypothermia here.

... Then again, the crew consists of alphas and betas, for which's body heat is significantly different than from omegas. Alphas -on average- have a body temperature of one-hundred-and-ten degrees Fahrenheit, while betas only compare by a slight difference of one-hundred-and-seven degrees Fahrenheit. This is meanwhile omegas posses the equivalent average human body temperature of ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit; perfectly vulnerable to the cold. And as Louis is too busy on trying not to freeze to death, he doesn't even hear the shuddering of the door opening, nor the footfalls that follow.

Louis' blood pressure sharpens when something lightly pats on the blanket, and he backs away instinctively. He gawks up, eyes vigilant and startled at the culprit, then sighs when he realizes who it is. Drenched to the bone (so it is raining outside), the Captain motions with a pointed finger to the bathroom, perhaps telling Louis silently that he's going to take a shower. He doesn't seem at all bothered by the soakage as he casually strolls through the doors and disappears... which is not surprising. Again, an alpha's body is like a living oven; the Captain obviously does not care for the icy water clinging to him since he probably doesn't even notice it.

Louis shudders under the blanket, suffering as he listens jaggedly (his hearing is stirred by the chattering of his teeth) to the shower running in the backroom. Five minutes seems like one to the prince, even as he barely notices the hydro switching off. It's odd, yet it makes sense how this ship has hydro, yet it doesn't have heating; the heating is unnecessary due to the warm bodies on this ship, yet with a clan of alphas and betas who work incessantly under the pour of the hot sun, showers seem like a delicacy to wipe away all that gross sweat and body odours. Louis doesn't understand how a ship could possibly have hydro, but frankly he doesn't really care.

"Louis."

The prince jumps-startled-at the noise. He doesn't even comprehend that his name was mentioned until afterwards when his head clears slightly. He sees the Captain staring down on him, sported in a white T-shirt and jeans. The alpha's expression -arched brows and curious eyes- is in question. He nudges his head towards the bathroom in gesture, but Louis does not heed it because a feverish chill rips through his body, causing him to withdraw back into the blanket, shuddering sickly.

Louis squeaks when large hands are suddenly grabbing him and swiftly hoisting him into the air. And even through the haze of the cold, Louis still manages to feel that spark of resent. "L-L-Let m-me d-d-down," he growls, "I'm n-n-ot a d-d-doll!"

The threat is taken as a grain of salt as Louis is carried through door into... warmth. The steam and exhaust from the previous shower is like walking into Heaven as Louis purrs immediately at the soft touch of the toasty warmth. He seems to relax in the Captain's arms, melting blissfully. Louis is startled slightly again when his feet touch smooth, puddly tiles. Finally opening his eyes, Louis curiously peers down, realizing he is in fact standing on tiny, white tiles. Balancing himself, he starts to become conscious of his surroundings. It's foggy in here... and- wait.

Louis nearly balks when he realizes who exactly is supporting him upright, and gives a small fitful struggle in his first response.

"Louis, you're going to slip and fall," comes the gravelly alpha warning, influencing Louis to stop grumpily.

Pouting, Louis crosses his arms over his chest and drops his head, letting his hair conceal over his face, but in the consequence ends up brushing against the Captain's chest. Startled slightly (Geez, he's really jumpy right now), Louis rips his head away, and his eyes accidentally snare onto the sight in front of him.

Louis had figured this man was strong, but up-close, he's realizing just now what Liam meant by "intimidating." Through the shirt, Louis notices as the fabric slightly stretches upon the buldging skin underneath - the muscles underneath. He doesn't look ridiculously wrecked, but he's pretty damn close. And looking to his arms, Louis sees two mountains of biceps; mean and lean and dangerous enough to break Louis like a toothpick.

"I'll let you get undressed," the Captain softly tells him, though his voice is adamantly gruff... but Louis barely recognizes the comment, too caught up in his tangling insecurities.

The Captain seems to notice this and gently pats Louis on the arm to surface him from the reverie. "Louis."

The prince looks up through his lashes.

"I'm going to leave to give you privacy. This is the knob to make it hot or cold," he tells the prince as he leans forward to demonstrate, hand ghosting as over the knob as he pretends to turn it. Louis only half-listens to the small lesson; he watches more-so (though not voluntarily) as the muscles flex under the Captain's shirt.

Louis sighs.

After showing him where the shampoo, hair conditioner, etc is located, the Captain makes his leave, and locks the door behind him (presumably for two reasons: one, so that Louis won't try to escape; and two, so that no horny alpha tries to infiltrate while Louis naked and exposed). Louis stands in the stall of the transparent glass container for about a minute before shaking his head and getting to the task of peeling off his clothes. He does so despondelty and slowly, then colourlessly drops the clothes onto the floor outside, and lethargically steps back into the shower stall and closes it behind him. Louis twists on the shower and immediately he's bestowed with the sprinkles of heated water droplets, and it would seem like pure bliss if it weren't for the pictures of the Captain's robust body coursing through the prince's mind - reminding him.

To any ordinary omega, Louis' ogles would've seemed like admirations... but with Louis' case, that wasn't admiration - it was jealousy.

Chapter Text

Somewhere in Ireland...

A man in a black suit carries a sinister vibe as he walks deftly down the ostentatious hallway of a royal building, his strong, brute muscles relaxed under the stiff clothing. Surely he is a bodyguard, but today his assignment is not to protect, but to deliver a message.

His jet-black Oxford shoes seem to glide across the red carpet as he enters the large, mahogany doors that lead to the most important room. He's sure to nod respectfully to the two bodyguards standing amiss the frame of the door, and continues on, unfazed as the doors growl to a close behind him. The room is large, and contains only the most expensive, luxurious things known to mankind, yet space is what occupies the majority of the room. The room has a rather creamy, beige colour to it; rich, solitary, and simply just beautiful. Nobody would expect that this place has only been rented for the summer.

The air is smooth and has a faint trace of vanilla. It's a solacing atmosphere, yet somehow the man is slightly drawn. And for good reason: he's about to speak to one of the most important people in the world.

And there, sat perfectly angled with his leg perched heel-first on the edge of one of the enormous windows in the room is him. Sunlight is welcomed to the room; pale, yet sets as a decorative shine to the room, coming second to the exquisite chandelier reigning overheard in the center of the concaving ceiling. Only the man's leg and arm is visible. A cigarette balances between the man's two fingers, a wisp of ashy, grey smoke slithering away from the head. He appears also to be wearing a suit; though, obviously, it's far more expensive than anyone else's.

The messenger halts before the man's desk, arms curved behind his back - dignified. Standing poised and prosperous, he says in his low, bearish tone, "Sir, I've been given news on behalf of the Tomlinson's delivery ship." He sighs. "It was... abducted about halfway across the course line by bandits."

The dark leather chair for which the powerful man sits in stirs slightly as if he were interested - as if to tell his empoyee to explain the matter further. Details are more significant to white-collar men like him than the blunt, general stuff.

The messenger continues. "The helicopter crew you sent apparently discovered the ship wrecked and almost sunk into the sea. They found no survivors, and could not locate who could've caused the incident."

The man's voice is buttery, yet low and masculine. "How do you know it was bandits?"

The messanger grunts gruffly. "Sir, there is no one else who could've possibly been responsible for the sabotage. Nobody else roams the seas and could've succeeded in taking down a royal ship like that. There were many alphas a part of the group that was sent, and it was reported that their bodies had been seen deceased and burned on fragments of the ship."

There's a deliberate pause. "Were any of the bodies recognized?"

"No, sir."

The man sighs. His arm bends toward his concealed face, disappearing behind the back of the chair as he breathes in the cigarette, exhaling a snake of greyish gas and toxins that curl in the air. His arm leans back slowly and steadily on his elbow-reappearing-, and he casually flicks the cigarette stick, ash crums descending immediately.

The messenger speaks again. "We are currently trying to locate the people responsible."

"Good," the man replies, "then you will be able to locate my future husband."

The messenger is muddled. "You believe whoever caused the shipwreck is also in possession of Prince Louis?"

"Yes," the man answers easily. "The captain would be a fool as to not carry along the royal blood as a tool for ransom." He hums a smirk. "Interfering with my plans... nothing is new."

Boldly, the messenger asks, "Do you know who this 'captain' is, sir?"

"Of course," the man says, his dark eyes gearing to the side of the room as if he were looking at his employee's face, yet he does not stir his head nor body as he responds, "he is my brother."

~*~*~*~

Louis emerges out of the bathroom, a white towel bound around his slender waist. The steam in the room calms after it's source cuts off, and retreats through the opening of the entrance - diminishing. Louis savours the last grains of warmth from the steam, and begins to take teady steps away from the bathroom door, his jelly-like legs wobbly and his sensitive feet pressing into the spongy carpet (or so it seems spongy right now).

Prince Louis may not admit it, but he is very thin; not anorexic, but twink-like. Twink... even the touch of the word grips at him. He hates it, though due to the hairless, lean, and youthful body he possesses, he can understand why someone would have the audacity to use it to refer to him as. He's only been called a "twink" a few times when he'd been alone in his house, and (go figure!) it'd only started after he presented. It seemed many of the alphas working staff had heard the news and sought for their opportunity to bed the prince (disgusting...) as working close to him had become an advantaging weapon in their favour. Fortunately, Louis' father had noticed the hungry looks Louis received from the alpha workers, and banned them all, only keeping alphas he trusted in his home with him. It was proclaimed then that Louis would never have any contact with an alpha (only ones that his father didn't know of) until Louis had been wedded off.

Ugh... Louis sighs, staring down at his form and grimacing. He truly despises his body. Yes, it's better than being grossly fat, but it's demeaning. It insults him. It... it's the body of a submissive. And like anybody who's met Louis would know - he is not submissive. However, this body seems to suggest otherwise, and that's why Louis hates it.

Steeling a grip on the towel with his one hand, he uses the other to investigate the contents on the Captain's desk. He's not here... so why not? Let's see what you're hiding, Louis thinks mischievously. He ponders around for a moment, just learning what is there, and then he finds himself surreptitiously flipping over a small, silver-framed portrait that'd been knocked over (probably by Liam when he banged his head off the desk). Louis stares at the photo behind the glass, and nearly falls over.

There's TWO?! he cries mentally in horror. He drops the portrait, heedless as it clatters onto the hard desk surface and reaches up to harshly grip his hair, nearly ripping the roots in his racing emotions. Two? he thinks again, bewildered, why is there two?!

"That's my brother," comes a cool, velvety voice. That voice - the one that already seems to grate at the prince's nerves; however, this time, it's fear that takes its place, twisting and yanking in his guts.

Louis releases his hair and looks up to see the Captain bare-chested in black jeans. Jealousy soon concocts with fear. Louis stares (while simultaneously trying not to look conspicuous doing so) at the Captain's golden skin, though his skin is far from the reason why Louis is seething; it's the pack of muscle under the skin that taunts him. He wants that, but not for the reason why most omegas would, but to have on his own body. He yearns for that kind of strength -that power- yet he knows (due to his betraying biology) he will never, ever have it.

But wait a second... rattling his thoughts, Louis comprehends what exactly the Captain had just said. "That's my brother." Brother? Louis imediately peers at the portrait lying crooked on a few papers. The photgraph seems to haunt him - the eyes of the two boys staring straight through him; one Harry and the other...

Louis furrows his brows when he looks up to the Captain. "You... have a twin?" he balks, obviously impacted by the revelation. He glances back to the photo. They look so younger though, he amazes, not yet convinced that this is the Captain who's featured in the photo... whichever one he is, that is. He looks so different now from then; strong jaw, tarzan hair, darker expression (simply just overall darker in appearance), weeded height, and wider, brutish shoulders.

... This must be him though. Even through the evident changes, the face sticks with Louis. It's unmistakable - that is him in the photograph. Also, it's treasured on his desk. It obviously must mean something of importance or else he wouldn't have; consequently, it must mean he still cares for his "brother."

... A sudden worry statics through Louis at the thought of two different men acting as one. Had Louis been played as a fool this entire time? Is the Captain's twin also residing on this ship?... Is Louis speaking to his twin right now?

Immediately, Louis takes a step back. He gawks up at the "Captain" with a troubled expression, as though to warn him not to come closer. The Captain seems to notice. His eyes flicker up to Louis, and immediately a chilling draft jolts through Louis. He's nervous... Shit, why is he being so nervous? Even as the prince tries to recompose himself, he's quickly dragged back down by those dark, benevolent eyes.

Breathing a snicker, the Captain says, "Don't be silly. My brother does not stay here with me." He glances down to the portrait, eyeing it with an unreadable expression. His gaze lingers deliberately before he brings his attention back to Louis. "He is far away actually." He pauses, a cold misture of zero remorse and gloom running across his face. "And I have no intentions of seeing him."

Hm. So they're not close. Louis relaxes (slightly) and feels his feet sink into the carpet. Though it's great there's not a dublicate on this ship, and even though Louis hates the Captain's guts, he is still sympathetic about the news. Not having a solid relationsip with your sibling... that's just discomforting to Louis as he's stringed with six others in his family.

The prince frowns mourningly. No, don't think about that right now, he tells himself sternly, forcing his attention back on the present as he raises his face to look into the Captain's eyes.

With a resting dour face, it seems the Captain has not recuperated from the frost that swathes his heart. Dark memories lie behind those mysterious eyes, and Louis plans on discovering what exactly they stand for.

"Who is he?" Louis asks, mustering his most pronounced 'serious' figure; AKA, he crosses his arms. Hey, all the cool kids are doing it anyway... even though Louis' not a kid. He's turning eighteen soon - he's basically an adult.

The Captain surprisingly answers with little hinderance. "He is the prince of the UK."

The prince of... Louis steels a solemn expression again, and presses, "What's his name?"

This time, the Captain lifts his gaze to Louis and it's heavy. It would seem there's a warning, but Louis receives non. It's just those solid intimidating eyes watching him - stalking him. And once again, he startles Louis with an answer: "William Styles. That's his name."

Styles?!

"... have contacted the Styles family. For some reason they've chosen to reside in Ireland for the summer, perhaps to spend time with close friends or family for the summer... but anway, we've arranged for an alliance, and we've both agreed for a marriage between our children, and it's also been agreed that the marriage will take place in Ireland. I've been informed it's quite beautiful out there."

You can't just sell me off like this! Louis wants to scream so badly, but his Wolf shushes him; also, he prefers to keep his free will instead of having it torn away from him. Louis'd much rather willingly be silent than to forcefully be silent. "We have met their Alpha son, Louis," his mother suddenly chirps. "He's a lovely boy - perfect for you! You will love him!"

It seems in that one moment, Louis is astounded beyond reason - all else withstanding loosely. His mind swirls and the connection to his legs detaches, rolling him off balance as he staggers. He steps back wearily, only two needed before the revelation becomes too much weight for him and he tips to the floor. Then -history repeating- he's caught, saved by strong arms as the Captain curls his one arm around the prince's back.

Eyes closed and draining from consciousness, Louis' head droops heedlessly, his neck arching back and the end strands of his bronze hair barely brushing at the buds of the carpet. No! he protests just before losing consciousness.

~*~*~*~

The Captain carefully and slowly sets the prince on his back, laying him flat and gentle. The prince head rolls to the side, and his hair follows, concealing over the delicate features of his face. The Captain stares, consumed by the thought, and reaches forward, his long fingers tenderly wiping away the fringe. The pads of his fingers brush the prince's soft skin, and he pulls back when the prince's face is clear.

With something so fragile on his ship, Harry can't help but feel troubled. It's just... the prince is so... even though he acts fiercely and more strongly than his small appearance would recommend, he's still so easily breakable. There's not just one reason why Harry disallows omegas from being on his ship; the fact they're so dainty does not settle well with him. He actually feels an unease when he's around Louis, like he might just accidentally hold him too hard and snap a bone, or say something that might spiral the prince right into Heat. Even with twenty year of practising control in his favour, Harry still feels the untrusting surges of power abduct his body, threatening to do some malice.

Unlike an alpha, Harry needs to have concentration when around the prince or else something that he'll surely regret later on might just happen. Yes, any normal alpha is a strapping threat to an omega, but Harry is the epitome of a monster. One wrong move and Harry won't even realize he's broken the prince's bone until he hears the first scream.

The prince's lashes flutter over his cheekbones as he dreams. The Captain cages his power for the millionth time and tucks his arms underneath the prince's dainty body, carrying him over to the couch-bed. He's suddenly relieved he remembered to remake it while Louis was in the shower as he sets the boy down on his back.

A small, light groan passes through the prince's thin lips as he lies, and his eyelids wrinkle. Then, noticing the exposed sun-kissed skin of the prince's waist from the corner of his eyes, Harry realizes-ah, shit-he forgot the towel. Quickly peeling his eyes away, Harry folds the blanket over the prince's body - concealing. He breathes calmly upon the covered sight. The prince almost looks like he's the main content in a fluffy taco, and the Captain's lip twitches at the passing humorous thought.

A foot bucks out from the one end of the blanket and a louder groan follows. The prince suddenly curls in on himself, his eyes squeezing shut and his forehead crinkling with anxious lines and knits. A nightmare? Harry guesses as he watches the small boy writhe in the shell of the blanket.

Reluctantly, Harry perches on the edge of the extended couch. The prince is now emitting kittenish whimpers, and his toes are curling. Harry -suddenly sympathetic- continues to watch the prince reflect the horrors within his mind, suggesting that maybe whatever caused him to fall unconscious has something to do with a dark chapter in his life. Harry reaches out again towards the boy's face. The prince shifts unconsciously, his face wrinkling more harshly now than before as he simultaneously starts to stir more frantically. Harry promises himself to be gentle as he rests the back of his hand against the prince's cheek, the gesture solely meant to soothe and console.

Louis whines upon the touch, but soon results start to show as Harry lightly and slowly drags the back of his hand across the side of prince's face in comforting repetition. His skin is softer than Harry imagined it'd be.

Louis' fitful behaviour lasts for another minute, then descends as a tranquility is welcomed to his system. Evidently, the wrinkles on his face start to clear, becoming less and less with each passing second, and Harry can even feel it. He feels the prince's skin smooth out-relaxing-under his light touch. It's a relieving sight to see, especially as the prince has been so uptight since his arrival.

Huh. Of course he'd be. Harry wasn't planning on feeling sympathetic for the prince when he'd been informed of a royal ship in the distance a two days ago, but he's still an omega, and Harry's alpha brain is still not yet (nor ever will be) comfortable with the sight of an omega is distress.

It takes six minutes for the prince to completely relax. His body ceases and just lays, soaking into the couch. Beads of sweat dot his face, but the skin no longer stresses, and his body no longer fidgets nor moves in the least. Realizing this, Harry stands to retrieve a napkin from his desk and returns to wipe away the sweat. Immediately, a purr ensues. It's quiet and faint, but surely that small vibration was not just Harry's imagination. This is the boy's omega showing, something Harry never sees in Louis' conscious form, and suddenly wonders how such a small, lithe body can harbour so much anger and defiance.

Standing again, Harry tosses away the used napkin and enters his room, pictures of the prince's alarmed eyes stuccoing in his mind just before the boy fell, surely intending to haunt Harry tonight in his dreams.

~*~*~*~

The door to the Captain's quarters opens the next morning, and a tall, stalwart man enters, presumably one of the Captain's henchmen. His black, straw hair is worn as if he'd just woken up (though honestly who has the decency to comb their hair here?). He's wearing shady jeans, and his torso is naked, exposing the contours and bulges of his muscular body. He's definitely alpha, though there's a fair line of different crosses between him and the Captain; the Captain is far more dragooning, whereas this normal alpha is simply just muscle. He could be intimidating if he tried, though the Captain's aura and appearance is enough to make even the proudest alpha shrink back.

The alpha stealths into the room, leaving the door a smidge open (he's gonna be in-and-out anyway). He courses through the bookshelf's contents, his fingers feathering over the spines until he yanks one out victoriously. The Captain had been loquacious about this particular book, and even offered to lend it to him for a while; 'course, that was on one of his rare happy days, though the alpha is remotely sure the Captain won't be too cross with him when he finds out since he's smart enough to remember that he....

Entranced suddenly, the alpha is struck with little bolts of excitement when he realizes who exactly is sleeping on the couch. So this is where he keeps the prince..., the alpha thinks as he ghosts closer to get a better view.

Up close, the omega prince truly is stunning. It's not often an omega ventures onto this ship, and to be honest, with the widespread knowledge of a fucking omega being on board somewhere on this ship's wood has been chipping at the crew's sanity. Though it was faint, the deck reeked with arousel yesterday. Even though the prince's scent is invisible due to the fact that he's been holed up in this small room for the last two days, the simple comprehension of his presence looming around here has lust engineering the alphas' systems.

But now the alpha can smell him, and it's like a breath of fresh air; sweet, youthful air, with a hint of challenge. Yes, he remembers how the prince fought on his first day, battling vigorously as if he actually could win against an alpha. He was so cute, and with this kind of rebellious energy fueling his veins, it only adds to arduous fire burning inside the alpha.

The alpha sits on the bed and just watches the prince sleep. He looks so small; not child-like, but just dainty and weak - a beautifully submissive body. Though, it's obvious this boy does not reflect that kind of ideology, and-again-that's just what plops the cherry right on top.

The alpha smirks as the boy before him shuffles kittenishly in his slumber. If the boy is smart, he'll listen to the Captain and avoid the alphas who wait patiently on this dark, sailing place because he should very well know that every single one of them wants to completely and utterly wreck him.

~*~*~*~

An ominous feeling hushes over the cool air of the room when Louis awakens. He shifts and immediately a sticky, overheated feeling overcomes him. He groans, worming away from the blanket and into the curing crispness of the room's atmosphere. It nips wonderfully at his pasty skin as he plops on top of the blanket, soaking in the coolness with relieved, content purrs.

The fact that he's buck-naked doesn't really pass into his concerns department until he realizes that the Captain could walk in at any second, and he moves sluggishly to curtain his waist-below with the same blanket, cringing slightly upon how grossly warm it feels. Louis ends up switching the blanket for the towel. Sure it's still damp from last night, but it's better than having a super long tail of fabric (uncomfortably hot fabric, that is) lagging behind while carrying the hazard of tripping over it. Besides, he'll just finds something to wear!... Hm... he suddenly wonders where his clothes could've went off to.

Well, shit. He's stuck on a ship full of bandits. His clothes have probably been stolen by now. Louis rakes a hand through his hair. Well... eh. It's not like the clothes were special anyway; he's got lots at home anyway...

Geez, he's really gotta stop thinking about home! It's not doing anything good for him; it just submerges a sick feeling in his belly. He's home-sick. Ugh. Even though his family did arrange an unwanted marriage for him, home sounds like a way better place to be in than here. Who knows what these pirates have planned for him.

A whip-in-the-face reminder suddenly pops into Louis on what happened before he fell asleep - passed out, that is (ugh, so embarrassing...). Styles. Styles. He was supposed to marry a Styles, and a Styles is apparently the Captain's twin brother. Does that mean...? No, it can't. Who in their right mind would pass up royalty (money, luxury, satisfaction...) for something like this? A pirate? If the Captain really is brothers with a royal, then why and how did he land himself here? It's probably the lowest thing to do in this world; stealing and fighting while casually roaming the seas almost everyday.

... But, also, if it really is true -that the Captain is the twin brother of the alpha Louis was ordered to marry- then that must mean Louis' supposed "alpha" (the thought ruptures a hot indignation inside the prince) looks exactly like the Captain. They were identical as teenagers in the photograph; nothing could've changed. The revelation still fizzles in Louis' blood. This might take a while before he can fully swallow the fact that... huh?

Jiggling the knob of the bathroom door ('cause he's gotta take a piss), the knob halts, refusing to unlock. Louis' face scrunches in frustration. The hell? Did it just develop a mind of its own over night? he thinks angrily as he's continuously thwarted. This sucks. What, is he supposed to find a bucket or something now? It's not like he's just gonna walk all dilly-dally down the hallway to the other bathroom...

The thought tempts him with every pulse of his achy bladder. Louis turns to look towards the door. He contemplates, netted between staying and holding it in or taking the risk of being molested again and having his pride scraped away like it wasn't even his to begin with.

...

... Er, he'll be quick.

Louis saunters to the door and -with a hesitant hand- pushes it open. He peeks first, peering both ways like he'd do when about to cross a road. When he realizes no 'cars' are coming, he sashays out. He lingers one last look into the room he's been confined in, then leaves, praying that the Captain won't wake up before he returns.

As much as Louis tries to ward off the apprehension that mocks him, Liam's words about how the Captain doesn't take second mistakes hovers like an annoying bug in his mind. "I'd advise you not to take my warning lightly. The Captain may be tolerant of your misbehaving tactics, but he's a thin thread; eventually he will punish you."

The hallway's air is sharp and chilly, most likely from the air outside that's licked off the cold sea and has creeped inside the ship. The nips quickly turn into bites, and Louis hurries to take a piss and get back to the room. Suddenly, he's craving the blanket, and detesting himself for trading it in for this wet, stinkin' towel.

Louis -still focused on being quiet- enters the bathrooms with hushed steps and soft movements. Thankfully nobody is in here, so Louis helps himself to the urinal, unworried of ogling eyes.

... You know, if Louis was an alpha, he wouldn't have to deal with all this shit. He could've fought off the pirates when they invaded - fought back. He also wouldn't have to deal with the idea that he'd be a "distraction" for the alphas here, and could actually do someting productive and being outside, like searching for ways to escape. Hell, Louis wouldn't even have had to leave his home in the first place. If he was alpha, everything would be different - better.

Angry tears sting at his eyes. And this is where Louis realizes there's no one to blame for this. It's simply biology. He can't stick it on his mother; she had no control over what he presented for (huh, she probably wanted him to be alpha, too). The exact same goes for his father; he had no control over the situation either. So, basically, all the anger is directed towards himself. Who else? He's the one complaining. It's nobody's fault that this is what it is. Yes, Louis' preference was out of the question, but he's the only one closest to a blame for the situation than anyone else.

Louis freezes when the bathroom doors creak and thuds can be heard across the wooden floor. His face renders a petrified expression, and with his body still as a rock, he looks almost like a deer caught in headlights. Fortunately, he recovers from the reaction and hurriedly retrieves the towel and conceals himself, turning to face whoever stepped in here with him.

It's an alpha (of course it is); however, it's not one Louis recognizes. But with powerful arms and a burly body, Louis knows immediately he's not one to get involved with. Too bad he's fucking blocking the only exit though, forcing Louis to just stand there helpless as the man watches him. Louis can practically feel those hunger eyes on him, burning his skin.

He shifts uncomfortably, trying to cover himself while also holding the towel to his waist. Now would've been a really good time to have had the blanket; it's longer and could've shrouded more of his exposing body. It's awful because Louis knows that's where the alpha's attention is directed - at his bare chest.

Composing himself (though he remains tense), Louis asks, "Wh-What 'r you doing?" Surely if this guy needs to use the bathroom stall, he'd go right ahead. Why isn't he moving? It's not like he's hypnotized; Louis can clearly perceive consciousness still reigning in those watchful eyes.

The alpha does not say anything for a moment; instead, a dangerous smirk strings at his lips, curving at the one side. He looks so smug, as if he'd just captured something after trying so hard to get it. Louis swallows thickly. Did he... plan for Louis to be here? Was this a trap? But... how then would he know that Louis would come here? He's been on this ship much longer than Louis has; he should probably know that there's a bathroom in the Captain's quarters. But it was locked- Oh.

Did he- ?

Louis shudders, gasping sharply as the alpha stalks closer. He locked the bathroom door on purpose assuming Louis would come here instead. It must be. And even though Louis would love to deny that this brute had snaked his way into the room where Louis was sleeping, he can't contradict - not with the evidence clearly written all over the alpha's conceited little face.

When Louis' back brushes against solid surface, his fight-or-flight instincts begin to jab at him. When his eyes snap up at the alpha's malicious face, dark memories trample through his head. This had been the exact position the prince was in when the 'incident' had happened. It had been a close call, but there's no guarentee what transpired before will result the same now.

His feet suddenly take flight as Louis attempts to bolt towards the exit, but an arm shoots out and forbids him. The smacking impact of the alpha's palm on the wall startles Louis, and the fear of being imminently raped is like vicious electricity in Louis' veins.

Paths of indignation forge in the pasty skin of Louis' forehead. Raped. There, he said it. An alpha is caging an... omega in one spot while he ogles him harshly with lust that seems to bleed from his eyes. Unless the guy is messing around with Louis, then it's pretty damn obvious what's about to happen, and Louis' not prepared for that kind of trauma at all (then again, who is?).

And when prurient fingers press into Louis' side, he snaps. "'M not interested," the firm statement pushes through the prince's tight teeth. Additionally, he raises a spurning hand to the alpha's large chest, resting it and applying pressure where he slightly shoves away the advancer; although, it's miserably obvious that this guy isn't asking for permission.

Louis refuses to look at the man. He keeps his eyes casted onto the dark-wood floor with knitted brows that suggest frustration. Why couldn't he just go to the bathroom in peace? That's all he wanted!

It seems, however, that his adversary disapproves of the gesture, and suddenly Louis' insides are jumping at the rough touch of two longer fingers ducking underneath his chin, urging to hoist it. Louis (thankfully) bites back an embarrassing squeak, and instantaneously objects to the alpha's command, yanking his head away viciously. His head nearly slams into the wall upon the cruciality and quickness of the turn.

A frustrated growl immediately settles into the space between them, and the alpha aggressively grabs the prince's jaw, angling it harshly towards him. This time the squeak does escape Louis, and a current of chagrin is quick to nest a dark feeling of self-loathe in him. Even as his jaw cringes from the force of the alpha's yanking, Louis' immediate reaction is to avenge his pride, and right away a struggle of bucking legs and assaultng arms ensues.

It's futile. Of course it is.

The alpha simply pins the boy's wrists to the wall all the while pressing himself against Louis' smaller frame, suspending his legs in a tight space - forbidding him. Louis convulses, attempting desperately to worm himself out from the hard grips, but to no avail. He's trapped.

Louis' face burns at the impending realization that this really is going to happen. He's gonna be forced back into the uncomfortable truth that is his body; forced to submit; forced to be an omega.

Louis feels another wave of self-hatred rip through him. He suddenly thinks of home again, desperately wishing he was there right now instead of here, prompting his eyes sting with hot mourning, and his blinks rapidly, keeping the evidence of his weakness at bay.

Louis' cheek burns at the abrupt, unwanted sensation of the alpha's fingers gliding down it. Louis tugs relentlessly, but stills stiffly when his wrists sparkle with pain as the alpha gives a warning squeeze to them. Weak, Louis castigates himself, you're so weak.

"You're very pretty, my prince." The compliment is filthy with lechery - nothing else. It's not even a compliment. This guy isn't implying that Louis' beautiful; he's only thinking about what his lower region wants (and, shit, it feels horrid and disgusting as it presses against Louis' thigh).

Louis' only response is a low-toned whine - a whine for help. He wiggles uncomfortably, feeling his body heat with discomfort. The alpha simply brings closer to the smaller boy, and Louis' throat scrapes with another impotent whine.

"Always weak."

Louis instantly peers up, staring past the alpha's brawny shoulders to... himself..? He inhales sharply, stupified for a moment. A duplicate of himself stands cross-armed and unimpressed two feet away from him, and it's as if his true emotions have materialized right before him. Louis frowns, feeling himself drain as rough lips from the alpha suddenly begin a path on Louis' neck... and he lets him. His belly tugs with that same response from his Wolf.

"Obey. Listen." The words are robbed from his mind, and seem to transfer right through his doppelganger's sneering mouth. Louis watches as the illusion's lips curl in disdain and disappointment as the alpha continues to molest Louis. "But it's what you're born to do, isn't it?"

The words echo right back to Louis - a stab right to his scornful heart. Louis' eyes scorch with threatening tears and he blinks incessantly to blockade them, whimpering in the process. A lump grows in his throat as the seconds pass like blood under a bruise. He's feels pathetic again - pathetic for being this way. This man obviously never has to deal with this internal struggle; he's free to do whatever he wants - unbound to nature. And Louis' scarily jealous.

"Can't even do anything yourself without an alpha," his double taunts, pushing the derision further. "Bet your parents were so disappointed when they heard the news about how their son presented as a weak, dependant little omega." The words are like venom. "Bet they were thrilled to finally get rid of you."

Louis squeezes his eyes shut, cussing silently as a single tear manumits, burning his cheek. The empty-meaning kisses continue down to Louis' collarbone, and suddenly nips start to ensue, causing his blood to rise and his body to heat even more. It's fear; fear fuels his blood rush, and it seems to only grow further the closer the alpha gets to eventually-

And then he's gone, and a hard thud occurs not a second following. Louis freezes for a moment-confused-but then quickly whips his head up at whatever could've caused that to happen. The alpha couldn't have just tripped like that, nor could he have flung himself backwards like that. So, Louis' curious; he's scared, but curious.

And it's like history repeating all over again. It takes Louis a few seconds to absorb the Captain's true, solid presence in the room, and also the fact that he was just saved - again.

"Remember your place," the Captain tells the alpha, and Louis surprised at how calm he is.

Louis stares up at the Captain, trying to decipher him. Liam had said that this man was basically a super-powerful, all-mighty alpha - the top alpha... so why wasn't he getting livid? If he's twice the alpha, that must mean he has twice the testosterone supply, which would indicate-in sense-that he'd be more vulnerable to red emotions. Yet, there's nothing in his placid face that immediately yells "RAGE." He looks almost professional, handling the situation with a tranquil attitude, and that's what scares Louis the most. It's like a beast hiding its true identity. Also, perhaps he's saving his hostility for Louis.

The prince shudders, suddenly fearful again. The alpha on the floor lingers his hard gaze on the Captain for a moment, but eventually stands with poise, nods to the Captain respectfully, muttering, "Yes, sir." Louis is once again astonished by the behaviour of an alpha responding to another alpha so submissively as the man exits the bathroom without another word; no protests, no nothing. He just left. Like that. It's almost like... the Captain is his king.

In nature he is, anyway.

Louis immediately feels a sense of despair when the Captain looks to him; however, yet again, there's no anger - nothing. His face is just deadpanned - emotionless. It's almost hard to even read what he's thinking. It still terrifies Louis though because something eventually has to happen. He broke his rule for the second time, and Liam had said that the Captain doesn't tolerate second chances.

With an easing backwards step, the Captain gives Louis full view of the door. It's gesture - a non-verbal command to return back to the quarters. Louis' trepidation does not quell as he passes by the powerful man and out the door, heading back.

~*~*~*~

Louis' mind is empty as he enters the Captain's quarters and plonks down on the couch-bed. He's still in a towel... ugh. Could this get any more humiliating?

The Captain walks in not five seconds after, and shuts the door behind him. Even though the gesture is only done out of habit, Louis still gets tense. And when the man stands in front of Louis, the prince can hear his heart pulsate in his ears. The fear of something imminently happening creeps up on Louis, and he stares down at the ground, refusing to look at the large alpha before him.

"Why are you scared?" asks the alpha Captain, his voice soft and understanding, yet with the same gravelly timbre that reminds Louis of why he is so scared.

The prince fidgets. "I, uhm..." He tries to yank out the words, but they come out choppy and unnerved instead, "the, uh- the door was... l-locked." He turns his head shortly towards the bathroom door in gesticulation, but he never looks to see if the Captain noticed; he just stares right back at the ground.

Apparently he did though as footfalls are resounded as they near towards the bathroom door. There's a quiet jingle, presumably from him testing the knob, then there's a small shuffling, followed by the sound of the door crying out. Louis rips his head up, seeing if it's true. The door is open, and in the Captain's hand in a bundle of golden keys, all looped to the same silver ring.

"I always have a set of keys with me," inputs the Captain, storing the key back into his pocket.

Louis watches with muddled eyes as the man gives him one steady look before disappearing into his room. The prince sits, waiting for the alpha to return with a torture device of some sorts, but instead emerges with a full set of comfy, folded clothes in his hands as he casually moves to set them down on the couch's arm. Louis peers to the clothes and realizes in one simple look that those are his clothes - the ones he wore two days ago. The Captain had cleaned them for him? Why? Stealing and selling the clothes would've been the obvious answer for a pirate.

"You may go get changed in the bathroom now," the Captain simply says, turning to go back into his room.

No- wait, what? Just like that? And like a small child, Louis blurts, "Am... am I not in trouble?"

The alpha halts, and steers around. He smiles slightly, which is another startle to Louis' frightend heart. And when he answers with a sure, "No," Louis is immediately caught between feeling relieved and perplexed.

Inevitably, Louis asks, "Why not?" The question is pure omega, but Louis' too clouded in his confusion to realize it. Surely if he had he would've dosed it with a saucy, sarcastic remark.

The Captain turns fully to face the prince and answers, "It wasn't your fault, Louis. That's why."

Louis' peers up through his lashes, and if he'd been looking into a mirror, he most likely would've squawked horrifically at how innocent he looked. He looked like a lonely child who'd just been picked on and rescued by a friend. 'Course, he never notices it, and therefore remains passive.

"But..."

"Jake purposely locked the door hoping he could have his way with you," the Captain says straightforward. So it was true. "Obviously, you were never a part of that, yes?"

Louis nods slowly.

"See?"

The prince winds his fingers together sheepishly. "So... you won't... punish me?"

The Captain's brow push together questioningly. "Punish you? Where'd you hear that from?"

Louis' system spikes with dread, and he hastily fishes for a fake answer. Shit. Don't say anything about Liam... don't say anything about Liam... He tucks his hand in his hair, assiduously playing with the strands as he drones with a hint of peccant. His eyes remain down, and though he's apprehensive about what the Captain looks like, he's also chilled about the idea of even looking up to see. Okay, how about... "I just thought that since you, uhm, told me not to go out there before and... I-I did that you'd be... mad."

Louis' muscles tense involuntarily, as if expecting a sudden swat to be made, just like a student bracing for the teacher's smack of the discipline stick. But nothing comes, and instead of reacting in an appalled manner, Louis hears the soft thuds of boots approaching, and then the couch dips beside him, and he knows the alpha has just sat beside him.

Louis squirms uncomfortably and reels his head away, not even allowing himself to be able to see the Captain from the corner of his eye. He feels his face burn with more embarrassment, and he's not exactly sure why he's feeling that way; with every second further into the conversation, it seems Louis' agitation levels arise further up the meter.

"I'm not mad," the Captain tells him.

This time, Louis forces himself to look. He's bestowed by a neutral face, and for a moment Louis believes that the man is being honest, but then he catches a slight disturbance in the Captain's eyebrow. It twitches - only for a second, yet it's enough to persuade Louis that there's a small lie where the Captain's words are set.

"Are you?" Louis says, the force of his tone teetering on the edge of something challenging.

And yet again, anger (nor any resemblance to it) makes an appearance on the Captain's face. He simply sighs and sweeps the curly fringe of obscuring hair from his forehead. Louis becomes even more flustered when he notices how the man's finger's shudder against his thigh. It's as if the muscles are spasming, yet as the same hand wraps into a fist, Louis quickly assumes that he's hiding something.

Liam had spoken about this same case, Louis remembers, recalling back to the beta's words: "He's surprisingly calm most of the time... but, to be honest, I can see a struggle writhing in him when he does want to be angry. Like, when someone spills something in the kitchen, I can the muscle under his eye twitching; or when someone talks back to him, I can sometimes see his lips tugging. It's the little things, you know?" Can it be true though? Is the Captain really locking away his anger? What for? We all get a little angry sometimes... is his anger deadly or something? What happens when he can't cage the beast anymore?

And then the alpha tells him this: "I'm always angry, Louis."

Obviously it's not something Louis can comprehend easily at first. The meaning of the words muffle and scatter messily in his head as he tries to grasp at it. Some people get angry a lot, but it's impossible to be angry all the time... is it? It just doesn't make proper sense. Is it because the Captain is constantly stressed with the way his crew acts?... But wait, didn't Liam say also that everyone acts on their best behaviour here? Ugh.

"How- ? I don't understand," Louis says - complete and utterly bemused.

The Captain shakes his head. "It's too long of a story to explain. It's just- " He groans, standing up abruptly, " -forget about it. It's not something you know about anyway."

"Ah- ! Hey, wait!" Louis exclaims, ripping away from the couch and standing firmly.

His boisterous spill catches the alpha's attention, and he stops as if waiting to listen to whatever rambling the prince has to offer.

"You- ! You can't just leave something like that to linger!" Louis snarls, "at least tell me how long you've been... fighting this."

Emotion splats on the Captain's face as he stirs his head slightly, revealing a face that's questioning how Louis would assume that he's "fighting" this and also of concern upon the level of determination Louis' manifesting. The tense eye-contact rests for a while, though in actuality it just takes six seconds before the Captain answers with a subtle, "Twenty years."

Twenty? Louis blinks twice. Did he hear that correctly? Twenty years? So basically this guy has been fighting an extreme anger disorder (or whatever he has) for twenty freaking years? What bewilders Louis most is that this guy -man or not- looks exactly twenty. The prince hasn't exactly had the precious time to dig up why the Captain of a pirate ship looks like he could be in College right about now, but inevitably the question pops up, "How old are you?"

"That is non of your concern." The Captain turns away, ambling back towards his room. "If that is all you have to say, then- "

Frustrated, Louis blurts, "Harry, just tell- !" And then he realizes what he'd just let slip.

Louis doesn't know what's more scary; the fact that the Captain froze so suddenly, or the dark face he possesses when he turns to look at the prince. Now you're so shit-faced, Louis hears himself think, and the prince takes a despairing step back when he sees the Captain take a menacing one forward. I'm so sorry, Liam, Louis thinks guiltily as he watches the man before him survey his form, as if trying to find evidence on Louis' body. Louis knows, however, that the man is only contemplating how a prisoner who's been here for two days (not even) would know that information.

"How did you know?" the Captain presses, venom biting on his tone.

Louis swallows thickly. There's the anger.

"Erm, uh... " Louis tugs nervously on the towel dressing his waist-down, desperately wishing for something to happen right about now so he wouldn't have to deal with this. "Uhm... " He strangles his grip on the towel, injecting his anxiety into the thing; unfortunately, it doesn't alleviate the masses weighing down on him, "I, uh..."

"You know what, my prince?" the Captain suddenly says, his voice casual, yet very intimidating, "I agree with you. You shouldn't leave something to linger." He advances closer to the prince, even as the smaller boy edges himself away apprehensively. The alpha stops dangerously close to the prince, and the anxious breathing in the room carries from Louis alone. A snake-like expression addresses to the Captain's face as he smiles cheekily, saying, "Why don't I start first, yeah?" His face suddenly turns dark and he takes a malicious step closer to the prince, who's heart can almost be heard in the air. "Who's telling you secrets behind my back?"