Chapter 30 - Mates

                                        

                                              
Published: 6/20/2025
Artist: PunkerLazer

Wolf Harry growled as the humans opened the door. He was guarding his mate, and he barred his teeth as the humans looked in. 
"See... they're fine!" the man said.
"They're in the same cell! Draco was worried!" the woman responded.
"Well, we aren't going to do anything about it, now."
Harry growled, staring at them until they closed the door. His mate had been so exhausted he slept right through it. His mate had been so fretful that it hurt him. Harry licked his small, human-like mate. He didn't care about his mate's form... his mate was beautiful no matter what. He licked the angry mark that caused his mate pain and the bond mark that wasn't his. The smell of the old rival was nearly gone. Harry wanted him gone and licked harder.
His mate stirred and whined. Wolf Harry nuzzled his cheek to put his mate at ease. He couldn't, wouldn't hurt his mate. 
His mate exposed his own throat and wolf-him put his nose right into it. It was the same spot where his bondmark was on his neck. His mate wanted him to bite him, and his wolf wanted to bite him.
Memories of his angry human mate stayed in his mind. Permission. Consent. His wolf wouldn't assume anything. His human-half had promised to protect his mate, too. He licked the spot his mate presented. This meant something. It was instinctual to bite there, though his mate was a wolf already... or not.
Mate... he thought as he lick-bathed his mate again, trying to make sure that his scent was on his mate as much as possible and no one else's. Everything but those areas his mate had nipped at him not to. He respected his mate... his pack leader....
When his mate rose up, he lowered his body respectfully, wagging his tail in hopes of pleasing his mate. His pack leader looked up at the ceiling, sniffing. Trying to find the moon. It was time... the change was coming. Wolf-him whined, and his mate rubbed his head against him, calming him. His mate pressed on his side and nudged him to the ground as the change started, crippling him.
He could see his mate go down, whining and spasming from the pain, too. He wanted to help his mate but couldn't as the pain took him. His mate crawled to him, and wolf-him grabbed his mate's hand as he went unconscious.

***

Harry woke up on the cement floor, covered in a blanket. "Fucking hell."
"Oh, morning, Harry," Ron said from a chair outside the cage.
He sat up, aching from sleeping on the floor as the Cushioning Charm had worn off. He found Draco, dressed and inspecting the bars, thoughtfully.
"Here's your clothes. Hermione went home to check on everything. They didn't find us this time. But... Fred and George said that there were some reports of werewolf sightings. No attacks, though."
Harry looked at him and then to Draco. Memories came back: Draco frightened and cowering in terror from him, Harry breaking through the bars and showing that he meant no harm, Draco examining him, and then Harry licking and claiming his mate. Mate?! Oh, holy fuck! Oh Merlin... he licked nearly all of Draco... twice! He sucked in a breath.
Draco turned to look at him. "Do calm down, Harry. I reassured Ron and Hermione that nothing untoward happened. It's okay, Harry."
"But... but I...."