Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations the characters find themselves in. Thanks so much for continuing to read and giving me feedback on my work. It's muchly appreciated and I do read every review you send me!

Discovering Something

Surfacing in the form of a man Harry immediately lifted a hand to slick back his hair while scanning for Eggsy. Who, it seemed, was opting not to surface just yet. Most likely for some nefarious reason, Harry was willing to bet, and was braced to be yanked under the cool water at any moment. Eggsy really was such a pup still. Though Harry had to admit that after the whole mud spraying thing he was a tad tempted to do some dunking of his own and-and just how long could Egssy hold his breath for? Surely Taron wouldn't have allowed large rocks or anything that could injure someone jumping in so close to shore. They couldn't be the only ones to see it as a lovely way to cool off, weather permitting. Though Addison probably wouldn't-

Eggsy's head popped up about three meters away from him, suggesting that he'd spent his time underwater changing forms and then swimming. Away from him. And was now stretched out on his back and floating, ignoring Harry completely.

Excuse me? Had Eggsy not just asked him if-oh. Right.

Harry was going to go out on a limb and assume that Eggsy had just remembered, like Harry, that he had kept the boy waiting hours for his answer. Not a good way to start a courtship, especially since he hadn't even asked Eggsy for time to think. He'd basically dropped that task in Taron's lap like he couldn't be bothered to do it himself.

Accepting the blame Harry blew out a calming breath and made a mental note to scold himself quite thoroughly later. He'd earned it.

Slipping into the breaststroke, his specialty back in his school days, Harry made his way over to Eggsy while idly thinking that if he could have chosen the setting this would not be it. Especially due to a particularly loud frog off to the right who was making his presence known quite vocally.

It was a nice pond though, the scents of natural decay mixing in with that of the plants and animals that called it home. The smells of rain were still heavy in the air as well, suggesting that this lull wouldn't last much longer before the skies opened up again.

Making his way to Eggsy's left side Harry looked towards Eggsy's face even though the angles meant he really couldn't get a sense of it. He could both smell and sense the fact that Eggsy wasn't a hundred percent thrilled to see him just yet though.

"I owe you an apology for how long it took me to get back here." Harry began softly. "I had a bunch of excuses ready and they're all legitimate, to some degree...but at the end of the day they're still excuses and you deserve better than that. Even if you did run off like that rabbit you were chasing, not giving me a chance to reply before."

That made Eggsy's shoulders twitch a bit.

"I wanted time to think. It's been nearly two decades since someone asked to court me, Eggsy. On dates, yes, I still get those. But courting...no. I'd rather resigned myself to being on the shelf and was comfortable enough staying there until you pushed me off it. I didn't see you or your request coming and that-nevermind. The important thing is that I know your uncles would have explained what courting means to me, to our kind, and if you're serious about this than I-I accept your courtship."

A small, very quiet voice Harry would have never associated with Eggsy asked him, "Yeah?"

"Yes."

Eggsy remained where he was for a moment and then rolled and rightened himself so that he was treading water and facing Harry, a wary look on his face. "Ya ain't just sayin that cause my uncles are makin ya or cause you's is humoring me?"

"Despite what they might tell you I'm more than capable of going toe to toe with your uncles." Harry was fairly sure the damage to his body would be significant but he stood a fighting chance of coming out the victor. "As for humoring you,if I wasn't interested I'd say so. Drawing such things out only makes the fallout worse."

"Truth. I've seen it loads of times where the couple should have just split already but they cling ta what was like it's a matter of life or death." Eggsy shook his head, mock shivering over the memories of those past follies. Then he was looking at Harry with something a lot closer to a smile as he moved a little bit nearer. "So ya ain't gonna lecture me none about the age difference and all that shite?"

"As you're well aware of our respective ages, and people just spent hours reminding me of that fact and their opinions on it...no."

"And ya liked your presents?"

"I loved my presents. Though your deviousness does worry me a tad."

Eggsy broke out in a wide smile at that.

Sighing, he was in for one hell of a ride regardless of where they ended up, Harry shook his head. "You know it would have made more sense for you to wait until after this month is over before trying to court me. You have rather a lot on your plate already and I wasn't going anywhere."

Face shifting into an expression that suggested Eggsy was mulling something over, the pup was quiet for a minute or so before shrugging. "The uncles said I better tell ya before ya figured it out."

"Figured what out?"

Looking amused, Eggsy asked Harry if he knew Lauren Hobbs.

"Yes." Harry said slowly, not sure where this was going but sensing it should worry him. Lauren was about Eggsy's age if he remembered correctly, a submissive whose family lives adjacent to the Egerton estate. He'd known the girl better as a child when he'd used to help watch the young ones in the nursery, as opposed to recently. A beautiful girl, he recalled, and quite popular with the male members of their pack. But why would Eggsy be asking...

"I take it you met her recently?"

"Yup. Came by ta welcome me ta the neighborhood. And vamp me a little."

"Oh, really." Eyes narrowing Harry couldn't help but react, even knowing that Eggsy was probably only telling him this to prove how desirable he was to the other wolves in the pack. Wolves who were a great deal younger than Harry.

"Mhm. Uncle Taron figures King or her family put her up ta it on account of her bein in heat and all."

What! They'd sent that little redheaded tart to act as some sort of femme fatale against Eggsy? Of all the lowdown, dirty tricks they could have-he didn't smell the girl on Eggsy at all. The only people to transfer their scents onto Eggsy's skin were Harry, Taron and Daisy. And if the bitch was in heat her scent would have definitely-Taron must have run interference. It was the only logical assumption. He owed the man a drink at the very least.

And now the question remained, why had Eggsy brought this up in the-

"Are you trying to make us official so that I won't be upset that she almost seduced you?" Because if that was the case Harry had serious words for both Eggsy and Taron.

"No. I'm sayin she didn't have any effect on me."

"Didn't have any..."

Eggsy's meaning and why he was telling him this hit Harry like a ton of bricks.

"That's why I didn't wait. The uncles said you'd be right pissed if I didn't ask afor ya figured it out."

He was opening and closing his mouth like a landed fish but bugger if Harry could help it or make words come out as several puzzling things Eggsy had told him about himself suddenly came together to form a picture that explained everything. The fact that Eggsy had pursued him so ardently when they'd met and had trusted him so quickly with himself and Daisy. The things Eggsy had said about his wolf and his poor luck when he'd attempted to date and have sex with others. Why Eggsy could be around a submissive in heat without feeling the effects and most importantly...why Eggsy had decided to court him.

"Your wolf thinks I'm your mate."

"So they tell me."

Sputtering as he suddenly found himself underwater-he'd forgotten in his shock to keep treading water-Harry appreciated Eggsy hauling him back up again by grabbing him under his armpits. He was having a hard time remembering how to work his limbs at the moment.

"Thank you." He managed to choke out.

"Care ta continue this on dry land?"

"Yes, that would probably be for the best."

"Want I should swim ya over? I learned ow ta do that in the army."

"Just give me a minute and then I think I'll be able to make it under my own steam. Thank you for the offer though."

"Any time, Bruv."

"That's Harry to you." He reminded the wolf who wanted to be his mate.

"Got it."

In truth Harry's biggest worry about accepting Eggsy's courtship was that the boy saw it as just another word for dating. He hadn't grown up around wolves and was still learning about what it was to be a wolf and part of a pack. And yes he'd known Eggsy's uncles would educate him on the matter, that went without saying, but being told something and KNOWING something wasn't always the same thing. But if Eggsy's wolf had decided nearly two decades ago that Harry was the mate for him and had stuck by that opinion all this time...then whether Eggsy's human side realized the severity or not of courtship Eggsy's wolf would and did.

It was potentially going to take Harry a while to wrap his own mind around that. But for now there was no point in borrowing trouble. For now...well for now Eggsy would court him and they'd see what Harry's wolf and heart had to say on the matter.

"All right. Let's get out of here."

Eggsy gave him an evaluating look and then nodded in satisfaction. "Right. Follow me."

)

Thanks to the extensive tour his uncles had given him of the family estate Eggsy pointed Harry in the direction of the partially concealed dock, that being the safest way to leave the water without worrying about stepping on something. Or into something, as the case may be. At least they didn't have ta worry about leeches none. He'd asked why they'd bothered ta put a dock in seein as the pond was pretty small and the fish not worth catchin and Uncle Taron had said how it was used primarily for swimming. The smell of chlorine tended to put wolves off swimmin in swimming pools less they didn't have a choice. Anyways, the family had put the dock in so's ta make it easier to get in and out of and Eggsy's appreciated it as he hauled himself out of the water and took a seat on the thankfully smooth and sanded wood. Getting splinters in his arse would be a right pain on a number of levels.

Harry opted ta use the ladder to get up, Eggsy twisting his upper body around so that he could appreciate the pretty picture Harry made all wet and gorgeous. He was never gonna get sick of lookin at im, that's for sure.

Padding over Harry took a seat beside Eggsy, which pleased him.

"All right, Harry?"

"Yes. Mostly."

Well that was reassuring. Not.

Blowing out a breath Eggsy reminded himself to focus on the positives. Harry had said yes to him courting him so that was the first big hurdle crossed. And Harry had liked his presents which was big seeing as he'd come up with them on his own. That he hadn't bombed was serious cause for relief. And if his Uncle Will was to be believed the other dominant knew a way that Uncle Taron didn't to train Eggsy, and if that worked then the odds of him surviving this month rose big time. Also cause for celebration.

Fuck.

Giving into his need Eggsy leaned against Harry, pressing against his mate as he absorbed Harry's warmth, scent, and the instinctual comfort he got from being around him.

The arm Harry wrapped around his waist, holding him there was just what Eggsy needed.

"Thanks."

"My pleasure." Harry nuzzled his cheek against Eggsy's hair, which he liked. "This has been quite the week for you, hasn't it?"

"You too."

Very true. A lot of members of their pack had received shocks this week, Harry thought to himself with a rueful smile. But Eggsy had definitely had one after another, though at least most of them had been good shocks. Or he hoped so.

Lapsing into comfortable silence, Eggsy was very familiar with the difference, Eggsy sighed in contentment and wished that they could just stay like this for an hour or two. Just fuck the world and just be together for a bit without any interruptions or things they had to think or talk about.

Unfortunately Eggsy could smell the impending storm and didn't doubt that Uncle Taron was waiting for them at the house impatiently, waiting to find out what Harry's answer had been. Well, less Harry had told him before he'd come out lookin for him.

"Did ya tell im, Uncle Taron, that you was gonna say yes ta me?"

"No. You deserved to hear my answer first." Harry reassured him with another nuzzle. "Though I imagine he knew from my reaction to the idea of you courting someone else."

"Wot?"

"Just a warning he gave to remind me that if I didn't snap you up there were plenty in line already to take my place."

"No there ain't." He only saw Harry.

A pleased growl suggested that Harry understood what Eggsy had meant to imply.

"We should probably head in, shouldn't we?"

"Sadly, yes. Especially since I can't help but think we're tempting fate and splinters, sitting on here without something between our bottoms and the planks."

Snickering over that Eggsy reached up to grip the dock's support beam or whatever it was called and used it to haul himself up to his feet, offering up a hand to Harry to help him to his. Then single file they walked down the narrow dock and onto the grass again.

It was a bloody good thing they was wolves or they'd be freezing important bits off right about now. The wind was picking up again and the sky was grey and cloudy as fuck.

"I suggest we change and get back to the estate as quickly as possible. Otherwise we're going to end up muddy again."

"Good plan."

Eggsy rolled his shoulders and then leapt forward, changing as he did so. Harry did the same. Then off they both went in the direction of the estate at an easy run, sticking side by side the entire time.

)

When they got back to the estate and for the rest of the evening Eggsy stayed as glued to Harry's side as often as he could manage. They sat on the floor together playing with Daisy until suppertime, then sat side by side as Taron insisted that it was his turn to feed their baby girl. Then after they'd finished dessert and Addison had wandered off to do whatever Addison did at night Taron ushered them into a room that was obviously designed for film and telly viewing. The shelves were filled with DVDs and various gadgets, and there was even a popcorn machine they were too full to make use of. Instead they all took seats on the long couch, Eggsy between them with Daisy in his lap as they settled in to be entertained by the home movies Taron had unearthed from somewhere for their amusement. Children versions of Taron and Addison were hilarious to say the least. Though the fact that once upon a time Addison had been somewhat adorable was a slight shock to their systems.

The four of them spent a lovely two hours or so watching the videos before calling it a night. Daisy had long ago passed out in Eggsy's arms and the rest of them weren't much better come to that. They were all ready to call it a night.

Since her crib was already in his room anyway Taron took Daisy from his nephew and wished them good night, the older maternal so obviously in love with the little girl already that Harry had a feeling Taron considered her his pup now too, as well as Eggsy.

Eggsy, meanwhile, had yet to pick up on the fact that Taron was determined to step in as mother to his nephew and Daisy. Possibly because Taron was male and Eggsy had yet to wrap his mind around the idea of a male mother. He'd catch on eventually, and Harry rather hoped he was there when he did.

It made sense though, considering that Eggsy's father wasn't alive to act as parent and Eggsy's mother...well quite frankly she'd failed in the role of mother and Harry knew that Taron disliked the woman as strongly as he did. Therefore in Taron's mind, as the head of Eggsy's family, it was only naturally that he adopt his brother's child even if Eggsy was technically an adult. Others would notice soon enough that Taron had upgraded himself from uncle to parent too. Before Eggsy would, most likely, given that he wouldn't recognize the cues others would pick up on. King was not going to like this one little bit.

But that was a worry for another day as they headed for the bedroom Harry had begun to think of as theirs rather than his. He missed his own house and bedroom of course...but for now he was fine with thinking of this as home.

So long as Eggsy was here.