Free Web NovelChapter 67: Chapter 67
Louis hadn’t forgotten that Henri was an Omega but he had never seemed to be much different, except perhaps for his physique but that was all there was to it. Now, however, there was no missing his sweet scent that was typical of Omegas.
He cleared his throat nervously as they got closer to the campsite. "Henri, do you think you smell any different?" He blurted out, deciding to just go for it.
Henri turned to look at him, his expression going blank. "What do you mean?"
Louis immediately started stumbling over his words. "I ah... I mean that you kind of smell a little bit different."
Henri slowed to a stop, he had noticed something odd ever since it started getting hotter and he started sweating but he had paid no attention to it. Now that his attention was brought back to it, he became painfully aware. "That’s me?" He spluttered, frantically sniffing his wrists.
"It’s fine!" Louis quickly reassured him. "I just..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say.
Henri’s nose wrinkled when an odd scent drifted his way. "What’s that?" He grimaced, sniffing around, only to lean closer to Louis and immediately lean back. "It’s you!" He said in an accusatory tone. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
"Henri, it’s just raw fish," Louis said dryly.
"Sorry." Henri muttered, continuing their journey. Why was he the only one with an odd scent, did he get bitten by an insect?
"Do you think it’s because you’re an Omega?" Louis pointed out.
Henri shot him a look. "What has that got to do with anything?"
"You know how an Omega smells, right?"
Henri frowned, trying to bring up a nonexistent memory. "Like everyone else?"
Louis went silent for a few beats like he was trying to put some things together. Omegas scents ran a little sweet so it was common for them to use scent blockers while working or while at an event, which were the only two places that Henri had met them so it added up.
It was also common knowledge that it would be a bit redundant for something that basic to be put in textbooks.
"You know about scent blockers then?" He tried again.
A bulb went off behind Henri’s grey eyes. "Of course, I do but I don’t need them because I smell fine." He went on, sounding more unsure as he went on.
They had gotten to the campsite at this point so Louis got comfortable on one of the tree trunks arranged around the fire. "Are you sure?" He asked lightly.
An old memory about his maids panicking because there was a delay on his special brand of toiletries popped up in his mind’s eye, dismay filling him. "Oh no! I left them back at the dorms."
"It’s fine, Henri, you had no obligation to bring it with you. Do you want to take a nap now?" Louis added, looking in the direction of the lake.
Henri rose to his feet and headed for his tent, his response to Louis a noncommittal sound.
"You can take a dip in the lake in the evening... if you want." He tacked on carefully.
Henri turned around at this, his expression softening. "Thanks, wake me up when the grilled fish is ready." He waved off Louis, disappearing inside his tent.
Louis watched his tent for a few seconds before turning around to head for the loud yelling coming from the lakeside.
...
Henri sighed when he got inside his tent, it was surprisingly cooler inside it. If he knew, he would have left the lake a long time ago.
The campsite wasn’t directly in the path of bright sunlight like the lake was, leafy branches protecting the open space from the heat. It would explain why his tent was so cool.
Henri took off his shirt now that he was in the privacy of his tent. He thought it was ridiculous that he couldn’t do something as simple as dipping in the lake with the others but then he was reminded again that he was different and it wasn’t his fault.
It didn’t matter that he was sweating, his scent was still sweet, and it only got stronger. It would explain why scent blockers had to be used, it was quite distracting even to him.
He would take Louis up on his offer to take a private dip in the lake, in the evening. It would provide some sort of cover and didn’t make him feel dread at the mere thought of it.
A cool breeze swept through the branches and leaves, making them rustle softly. In no time, Henri was comfortable enough to doze off, a small hand fisting his discarded shirt.
-*-
"Is Henri okay?" Errol asked as soon as Louis returned, walking out of the lake to meet him. Seton was with them at the lake so he wasn’t worried about Henri being left alone. "And why do you smell odd?"
"Henri is fine and are you sure it’s not just the fish?" Louis replied in a dry voice, unimpressed with all the comments he had been receiving.
"No, fishes don’t smell sweet." Errol raised a brow.
Louis immediately became sheepish. "Ah, that should be Henri..."
"Lou! Fish!" Dio’s raspy voice interrupted him, making him leave his conversation with Errol to dive into the lake.
"Henri?" Errol repeated with a frown, wondering what Louis was going on about.
"Errol, let’s race." Nael drifted closer to the edge of the lake to say, a big smile on his face.
Errol’s attention was immediately divided, his conversation with Louis quickly forgotten as he got back in the lake.
"Nael! No fair!" Audie called from the deep end. "We’ve been begging to do a race with you in the water..."
Nael just ignored them, slicking his wet hair back. "What do you say?"
Errol’s response was interrupted by a splash of water that Audie had aimed at Nael, some of it getting on Errol. Without hesitation, Nael turned around to return fire, Audie ducking just in time, the water hitting Cedric instead.
This quickly erupted into a water splash fight, Errol laughing at the fringes of it.
Meanwhile, Louis, Dio, Valentin, and Jann were busy catching fish with their hands and releasing it. They had fishing rods but they didn’t want to hurt the fish.
And somewhere, at the far edge of the lake was Seton peacefully floating in the water. The ultimate visage of calmness although there was literal chaos happening just a few feet away from him.
