A/N: So, this is my first real attempt to become more detailed about pack life.. Let me know what you think please!
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Harry Potter books belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Harry rolled into Fenrir's hip as the mattress dipped under the man's weight as he sat up. Fenrir stood slowly, trying not to wake his submissive's restful sleep, but as he moved to put on a pair of frayed shorts his mate's green flecked amber eyes popped open.
"Go back to sleep. It's very early." Fenrir whispered as he zipped up his pants. "I'm just making sure that the guard is changing smoothly; probably have to roll Kaleb out of bed."
As the door closed silently behind his mate Harry closed his eyes in an attempt to get more sleep, but the longer he lay there the more cold and lonely the bed began to feel. After a restless amount of time that seemed to last for hours Harry gave up his pursuit and decided that he would be more useful helping in the kitchen. He sat up with a long sigh and slowly got dressed; he would rather do any other chore than work in the kitchen early in the morning, but it had to be done.
He had to quietly slip past the sleeping areas on the other floors, where most of the pack still blissfully slept. He had learned quickly that the pack were light sleepers, even in the comfortable settings of their home, when Blithe tripped on her way to breakfast. The noise woke the children, who woke the submissives, and the dominants' sleep was disturbed by the rising commotion. No one was able to get back to the much needed sleep; people spent the day snapping at each other and fighting with one another over small disputes until they were satisfied by blood being drawn.
Ack, Why can't our room be closer to the first floor? One heavy footfall down these steps and everyone's awake and cranky the rest of the day. He watched his feet until he reached the ground floor where the sound of pots banging against each other reached his ears and the smell of cooking meat caused his nostrils to flare.
Harry tried to stop his muscles from tensing as he approached the kitchen, but old fears were stronger than his own knowledge that he was in a safe environment that was nothing like the one from his memories.
"Harry! Wasn't expecting to see you this early!" Sinicae said happily when he turned from the cabinet and saw Harry. "You can go on and mix up some biscuits."
Layla, the other submissive that was working, handed a big bowl to him and mumbled, "Morning, Harry."
"Morning, Layla." Harry moved stiffly to the table that held a big bag of four. "You both sleep well?"
"I had a wonderful night." Sinicae wore a bright smile, but Harry noticed dark smudges under his eyes that showed the man had not slept much.
Layla looked at them over her shoulder with a slight smile on her wide red lips. "I slept fine, just hate these early mornings."
"Ah, don't be like that," Sinicae threw his arm around the petite woman. "Oh, I bet Jonas was on guard last night!"
Harry shook his head as he poured flour into the bowl, knowing by his playful tone that Sinicae was just starting.
Lyla shrugged Sinicae's arm off and started pouring scrambled eggs into a skillet over the fire. "The longer you talk the more we fall behind on breakfast."
"Make some of that tea quick; you need caffeine, grouchy." Sinicae pouted as he pulled on her light brown hair. "Then a nice afternoon break with your mate."
"Hurry up, first group's coming and I don't wanna be the one to explain to our alpha why there's no food."
Harry watched Sinicae open his mouth for another retort and quickly interrupted before the woman started flashing her claws. "She's right; we don't want everyone to have to wait forever for their food, especially Fenrir."
Layla nodded her head to Harry in thanks. "Check the ham, if it's done slice it. If it's not, you need to slice some fruit."
"I feel like you don't trust me with actually cooking."
Layla snorted. "I'm letting you check on the meat and I hope that's not too much."
Harry snorted at her comment as he mixed the ingredients as quickly as possible. The first shift of guards will come down any minute and we have nothing ready, great. This could throw off the entire schedule for the guard and Fenrir. I should have stayed in bed.
The sound of the oven door closing drew his attention and as he took the dough out of the bowl he turned to see Sinicae quietly checking the meat. Harry moved on to the task of rolling out the large amount of dough across the wax paper that had already been laid out on the table.
"I think it's... done." Sinicae's voice reflected uncertainty, which worried him.
"Hold on, let me finish this batch of eggs and I'll check."
Harry looked down at his task, which could be left easier than the cooking eggs, and sighed. "Coming."
He moved over to inspect the ham and found it to be perfectly done. "Good job, Sinicae, you're getting better at this kitchen thing!"
"Thank you, Harry, it's nice to be appreciated."
Layla looked at Harry and exaggeratedly rolled her eyes. "Don't let him full you, the ham just had to be warmed. We pulled it from the cooling cabinet; it was cooked yesterday. He just needed to not serve it cold and not let it burn."
"And it is neither, so," Sinicae laughed. "I am doing much better."
Harry patted Sinicae's back as he moved back to his project at the table. "Much better."
"Right... Wait! Was that an insult?"
"Don't you think it's too early for hidden insults?"
When there was a long stretch of silence Harry looked back to find Sinicae holding a knife and intently focusing on slicing the ham. The rest of the meal preparation was completed in relative silence and the first round of guards came in just as one tray of biscuits were being pulled out of the oven. They sat a pile of plates and utensils on the end of the table not covered in dough for the men to take as they sat down. Then they grabbed the large bowls that had hurriedly been filled with eggs, fruit, and biscuits as one of the dominant men grabbed the large platter piled high with sliced ham. The ham was the first dish to be picked over by the ravenous men before they piled their plates high with the other offerings. Fenrir and Luther walked into the kitchen as the men were stuffing their faces and the submissives were finishing the preparations for the second round of eaters.
"You're eating like dogs, stop before you ruin my breakfast." Fenrir growled as he took his seat at the end of the table and Luther sat at his side.
The men immediatly began to eat more slowly.
"Sorry, it's just so good." Kaleb said.
"And we're always so hungry in the morning." His twin, Conor, agreed before taking a large bite of eggs.
Harry carried a tall glass of orange juice and a smaller platter filled with the choicest pieces of ham which only Fenrir, Luther, Harry, and the children would choose from over to the alpha. As he sat the items in front of the his mate, Fenrir pulled his slight body onto his lap and wrapped a large hand around his head. Harry pressed his nose further into the man's warm neck and took a long breath of air that carried the wild scent of his mate as well as the morning dew that coated everything outside.
"Could you not sleep well, pup?" Fenrir's words created a smooth and comforting vibration where Harry's head rested.
"Bed was too big."
Sinicae laughed. "Such is the life of a submissive werewolf; our mate's only want us to have the biggest and best, but when left alone we feel all kinds of lonely and.. empty."
Harry was unsure why the other man was smirking, but when Kaleb answered with a quick comment he realized that this was just one more conversation between the older wolves that he was lost in.
"Yeah, I'm sure Phil doesn't give you much time to feel empty, the randy old wolf."
Conor chimed in. "Must be hard for Phil to live up to those biggest and best expectations of yours, though."
"Obviously you're understanding of big and small has been confused by all those lies women have told you in bed... Here's a hint, when they laugh a little or speak in a flattering tone as they say you're the biggest they ever had, it's a lie." Sinicae held his hand in front of Conor's face with his finger and thumb a few centimeters apart.
The other men laughed at the submissive's fiery defense of his mate. Even Alec, who was normally a quite and somber man, began to chuckle as Conor knocked Sinicae's hand away. Sinicae smiled slightly when there was no reply to his comment and moved to the other side of the table to finish cutting out biscuits. Fenrir poked Harry's shoulder to direct his attention to the plate that had twice the amount of food than the others and handed him a fork.
"Go ahead and eat your breakfast so you have enough energy to keep up with that one." As Fenrir spoke Laya sat a glass of milk in front of Harry.
She laughed at Harry's disgruntled look. "We don't want you to be the same height as me you're whole life, better start working on growing now."
The rest of breakfast went by smoothly. Harry finished his meal, sat with Fenrir until the dominants left, and then began clearing off the table to ready it for the next group. The second group consisted of the guard from the night before. Layla joined her mate, Jonas, sitting next to him while sharing happy glances and constant touches. Right before the third group of early risers came down Bella and Storm, who had become constant working companions in order to keep track of the devious woman, joined their small group by taking over the chore of cleaning the dishes.
By the time the fourth group, containing the rest of the pack and the children, had finished eating Harry was on edge. The small biting comments from Bella, which would lead to the other submissives tersely defending him, had added on to the stress he already suffered from when working in the kitchen. As soon as the last plate had been collected Harry walked outside to enjoy the open space and cool breeze.
Remus had noticed the tense atmosphere in the kitchen and had watched Harry almost run out of the kitchen worriedly. He gave the boy a few moments to collect himself before approaching him. He slowly walked behind Harry and put a comforting hand on his small shoulders before speaking softly.
"I know I am supposed to teach you some defense against the dark arts this morning, but I really wanted to meet with Zareth and discuss your progress."
"Oh, Remus, sorry about not making it to lessons yesterday and I am willing to stay in classes an hour longer if needed." Harry looked as if that was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Harry, you have continued your lessons along with your new adult responsibilities, even suggesting to split up your class schedule so that you don't become over taxed, instead of just stopping them as some other people your age might. You don't get holidays and you're already ahead of Hogwart's students." Remus sighed. "Take an hour or two to yourself every now and then. You may be learning to be an adult werewolf, but your still a kid."
Harry looked up at the older man and smiled before giving him a quick hug and running off to find Fenrir, he was feeling in the mood for a run.
Now I just have to convince Zareth to teach Herbology late. Remus turned to the tree house to find the man that did not like to have his schedule thrown off.