Chapter Text
Vervain - the flower of enchantment and spells
Theo could have smelled wet dog from miles away.
However, today, as he walked through the back garden of the Dunbar house, the smell seemed exponentially worse than usual.
Theo tried to ignore it as he climbed onto the roof of the house, keeping an eye on the delicate flowers that Liam's mother so carefully cultivated.
It would have been a disaster to stain them with his passage.
Once on the roof, he focused for a moment on his senses, managing to transcend the smell, reaching the beating of two hearts.
Theo grimaced while getting close to the half-open window, just enough to avoid being seen.
And there he was.
Liam Dunbar.
Theo could already smell his blood.
"Do you really have to go?" the wolf groaned at that moment, rolling around in the unmade sheets.
There was so much... skin.
"You know I have to," the other wolf replied, busy getting dressed, his voice laced with affection.
"Could you stay a little longer?" Liam asked hopefully, sitting up and stretching.
Theo was starting to feel impatient.
"You know I have to get out of here before your mother gets back," the other boy replied, leaning closer, "and before Lori finds out where I've been."
"She'll know anyway," Liam replied, leaning much closer to him with a sly smile "you smell like me everywhere"
The other boy kissed him in response.
Theo looked away, out of habit rather than respect; certain forms of education apparently didn't fade with time.
"See you at the game?" Liam asked as soon as they broke apart, his cheeks a little red.
"You mean when I'm going to kick your ass?" the other boy asked mischievously.
"Brett!" Liam exclaimed at that point, laughing, throwing a pillow at him "get out of here!"
"Okay, okay," Brett then raised his hands in retreat, laughing along with him “I said kick not-”
“Out of here!” Liam repeated, hitting him again with another pillow
Theo was giving him two more minutes before entering that room and making him his breakfast.
Luckily, Brett sensed his thoughts because he only gave Liam one more kiss before saying goodbye, leaving the room.
Theo waited in silence until he heard the door downstairs close.
Liam was sitting on the bed, still a little dazed when Theo finally entered, landing soundlessly on the floor.
He loved the anxiety that filled Liam's eyes every time he saw him.
"Hey, little wolf," he greeted him with almost too much affection in his voice.
"How long have you been out there?" Liam asked immediately, already alarmed, pulling the covers up to his chest.
"Not long enough to witness your little rendezvous," Theo replied, knowing exactly what he would see if he'd arrived a little earlier.
Sex. Everyone was doing it with everyone else these days without a shred of consideration. Theo was still struggling to get used to it.
"Get dressed," he then ordered, throwing at him the first shirt he could get his hands on.
All that skin was irritating him, not to mention all the veins he could see while Liam was like this.
"I already told you I don't want you in my room," Liam replied, annoyed, looking at him without his shirt "if anyone in my pack finds out..."
Theo was tired of all those excuses.
"They'd kill me, I know it," he replied, watching as the beta finally got dressed.
"They'd kill me," he commented piqued "you deserve it"
Theo wanted so badly to break him, to show him he wasn't half as strong as he thought.
However, he'd always favoured a certain... elegance.
"We both know you won't feel that way in a few minutes," he said, already savouring the sweet warmth coursing through his body.
"Stop it," Liam tried to argue, "you know I hate all this, but you're... you're the only solution I have."
Oh yeah, Theo knew it well.
"The only solution, huh?" he asked, starting to pace the room, running a finger over every surface "to which of your many problems?"
Liam simply growled at him.
Theo couldn't help but find him exquisite when he tried to rebel.
"Certainly not in your choice of... lovers," he then continued undisturbed "but it's better if you liked it, you'll be even sweeter for me"
Liam was probably about to jump at him when Theo's eyes landed on something truly interesting, hidden among the papers on his desk.
"Vervain?" he asked simply, lifting the finely decorated bottle between two fingers "seriously, Liam?"
"Put it down," the beta replied at that point, trying to sound threatening "it's just to be safe."
"Safe," Theo then repeated, turning the bottle over in his fingers a couple of times before putting it back down "I have to admit that I find your stupidity quite fascinating"
Theo didn't miss the way Liam pressed himself against the wall when he moved close enough to touch the edge of the bed with his knees.
"Do you really think you could stop me with that while I drink from you?" he then asked, genuinely intrigued, his fangs pricking at his lips "do you think you could even move while your muscles are melting?"
Liam didn't answer, but he also never stopped looking him straight in the eyes, the fear that never managed to tear that fierce look from him.
Theo finally took a step back.
"I wouldn't bleed you dry," he then simply said, almost disinterestedly, "our deal is much more advantageous right now"
"Fine," Liam replied at that point, irritated again, standing up and walking toward him "then let's just make it quick"
Theo smiled cheekily.
"Really? Not even a little atmosphere?" he asked with feigned innocence "or has your wolf-boy worn you out?"
"Leave Brett out of this," Liam replied, clenching his fists at his sides "take what you want, give me what you owe me, and go away"
Theo wasn't sure he'd met many people who spoke to him like that.
Not that they'd spoken afterward, anyway.
"You're always so thoughtful to me," he said, the closeness suddenly pushing the smell of blood into his nose.
"What do you prefer today?" Liam asked with such false politeness it was rude.
"Neck?" Theo then asked, already knowing the answer.
"No," Liam replied, his jaw tense "I already told you that's off limits."
Theo, truth be told, had no trouble understanding why.
Baring your throat like that to your enemy? It would have been too much, even for a traitor like Liam.
"You're always so boring," he replied instead, rolling his eyes "give me your wrist and sit down."
"I'm fin-"
"Sit down," Theo repeated, pushing him back onto the bed before kneeling in front of him.
"Why do you always have to make it like this..." Liam then snorted as he rolled up his right sleeve.
"Like what?" Theo teased, letting his fangs slide down.
"Weird."
"Well, but making you uncomfortable is half the fun," Theo then commented, taking his wrist in one hand "the other half is in here."
Theo only saw Liam close his eyes a moment before his fangs sank into his wrist.
It was really sweet.
Theo felt Liam's body soften under his thirst, his claws digging into the mattress for a moment, a vain attempt to resist the pure chemical pleasure that only he could give him.
Theo drank until he reached his limit.
500 ml for humans and 1 liter for wolves; going any further meant unpleasant consequences he had no intention of facing.
When he pulled away, he remained still for a moment, kneeling in front of Liam, a few drops of blood slipping from his mouth onto the floor, the sound of Liam catching his breath loud in his ears.
As always, Liam was the first to restore distances.
"Enough?" he just asked, his voice still weak, covering his wrist with his hoodie and clutching it to his chest, staining the light fabric with red.
"Yes," Theo replied, standing up and retracting his fangs.
Liam looked back at him from the bed, his blue eyes still a little hazy.
"Here," he just said at that point, taking his own bottle out of his pocket, a bluish liquid filling it "just two drop-"
"Yeah, two drops a day, no more, I know," Liam interrupted him briskly, snatching the bottle from him and slipping it on the bedside table "now go."
In response, Theo simply watched his poison slide safely into the table before smiling again.
"Whatever," he just said, checking through the window to make sure there was no blood on his face "see you in a week, little wolf."
"If no one impales you..." Liam commented sourly, crossing his arms over his chest as he climbed over the windows.
Theo could only smile in amusement before disappearing into the cool night, the horizon already heralding dawn as he leaped off the roof.
Liam Dunbar.
Now, that had been luck.
---
Liam was late. Again.
This didn't stop him from rushing through the halls toward his locker, hoping to at least make it to the math quiz.
He was just desperately rummaging through the jumble of things that was his locker when a friendly voice distracted him.
"Hey Li" his best friend greeted him with an amused expression "late again?"
"Don't laugh at me, Mase," Liam replied as he closed his locker "that's not nice."
"Are you okay?" Mason asked, studying his face "you look pale."
Liam felt the bandage under his hoodie pinching his skin uncomfortably.
But why did the bites from that bloodsucker always take so long to heal?
"Yes, yes, well, I just... I haven't slept much," he replied, trying to sound convincing.
"Yes?" Mason asked, however, with a strangely knowing air.
It wasn't possible that he'd found out everything, right? I mean, him and Theo... he'd never smile if he'd found out, right?
"And the fact that Brett took you home yesterday after practice has something to do with this sleepless night of yours?" Mason asked then, completely unaware of the near heart attack he'd just had.
Right. Brett.
"No!" he simply exclaimed, a little too quickly to sound natural, his cheeks suddenly red "no we just... hang out"
"Oh sure, you just hang out with your fuck buddy" Mason then humored him ironically "and where did you two hang out? Your bed?"
Liam blushed even more.
"Mason!"
“Are you telling me it’s not true?”
Liam take his arm, pulling him closer.
“Okay, we had sex” he then whispered aggressively “any other question?”
Mason just smirked.
“How was it?”
Liam choked on his own air.
“Come on, it was good?” Mason insisted, making him want to just kill himself “how it feels to be under that?”
Liam was about to catch fire.
“Who said I was the bottom?” was the only thing he could say in his embarrassment.
“Oh, trust me, we both know you are not a top”
Liam hated admit that it was so fucking true.
“Okay, no more questions about that,” he replied instead, his cheeks burning up while he raised his hand in defeat “why don’t we talk about your mystery boyfriend instead?”
It was Mason’s turn to smile, slightly embarrassed.
“I have nothing to say,” he simply said, and it was clear he had a lot to say instead.
“You’re such a liar,” Liam then teased him as they headed toward math class, both late at that point “come on, at least something.”
“Okay, okay,” Mason then agreed “I met him at the Sinema, and he’s… he’s cute, really cute, and he’s kind and funny, and I like him” he then continued with a quiet smile “I really like him, I think”
“Oh, and I… I know him?” Liam then pressed curiously.
“I don’t think so,” Mason simply replied “he doesn’t go to school here”
“Mmmh, okay” Liam then chuckled “Ss… will you introduce me to him?”
"No!" Mason replied, too quickly this time "I mean... I mean, for now, we're just... dating, and I don't want... I don't want to scare him with anything too serious"
To Liam, it seemed like a good excuse, but his confused face must have seemed like a sufficient question.
"But I'll introduce you to him if it gets serious," his friend added with a friendly smile.
Liam couldn't help but snort in amusement.
"You're in love," he then replied, gesturing to his dreamy appearance "this is already serious"
"I'm not in love," Mason protested immediately before giving in with a shrug "I'm just... taken"
Liam didn't know anyone more in love with love than Mason.
"Yes, of course," it was his turn to indulge him with an amused smile before finally letting the subject drop "come on, let's get to class."
"Oh, I agree," Mason nodded immediately "who knows, we might meet a certain werewolf"
"Mason, I really need you to stop," Liam then begged as they entered the classroom.
"Why?" Mason asked, however, his eyes fixed on a specific spot in the room. "It looks like it's going to be an interesting class."
Brett waved at him, Liam only thought about his face buried in the pillow.
He should just have stayed in his bed.