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The war with Monroe’s hunters had finally ended, and Beacon Hills had returned to normal. At least that was what Liam thought, because everyone in town except those close to the McCall Pack seemed to forget about the whole war, which he found both relieving and dissatisfying. Once the last traces of blood had been washed from the streets, he decided to move on too. His life had already been chaotic enough, so he just stopped thinking about it. He wanted to hold on to his sanity until graduation.
The first few weeks had been hard. Not that anything dangerous or weird had happened again. If anything, nothing had happened at all, which made Liam feel somewhat disconnected. He saw Sydney walking in the hallway with friends. The girl who had tried to kill him and his friends not so long ago smiled at him, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly in return. She gave him a confused look and walked away. Strange. That was all he could feel right now. It was like his brain had been injected with a virus. The virus of ordinariness.
On the contrary, their patrols had been the only moments when he could truly settle his mind. He had been the Alpha-in-training since Scott left, and this was not as stressful as he had expected. Mason and Corey had both been extremely supportive, and Nolan and Alec hadn’t gotten them into trouble yet. But he knew the real reason he felt relaxed around them was that they reminded him of the supernatural. That he was still a werewolf. He had been on thin ice ever since, but he just kept walking.
The nights in the preserve seemed too peaceful for this town.
This was supposed to be what he wanted, but it wasn’t.
“It’s time to go back,” he said as he led the rest of the pack out of the woods. He looked at his phone: 22:54 and sighed. He had math class the next day and he hadn’t even started the assignments yet. He should really head back now if he didn’t want Mr. Collins calling him out in class. Mason offered him a ride, so he quickly trotted toward the vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat. They hit the road before the night grew deeper.
“What’s going on?” Mason asked as the car finally left the dirt road and pulled onto the pavement. Liam’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “You seem...worried.”
“Math homework,” he said as he looked out the window. “I haven’t started yet.”
“Do you need help?” Mason’s voice came again, this time more concerned.
Liam paused for a second before answering with a small grin. “Thanks, Mason. But I got it.”
“Okay.”
Their conversation died after only a few exchanges. They were both exhausted, sure, but Liam knew it was also because he was partially lying to his best friend. He tried to force a casual smile on his face, but the emptiness in his heart was numbing the rest of him. Something was missing.
They drove past a parked truck. Liam’s eyes widened as something suddenly crossed his mind.
“Wait, Mason. Stop!” he yelled. The car screeched to an abrupt stop as the human slammed on the brakes. Both of them flew a couple of inches before being dragged back into their seats by the seatbelts.
“What the- Liam, what happened?” Mason exclaimed, still catching his breath.
Liam rolled down the window and leaned halfway out. He saw the truck parked by the curb in front of someone’s house a few cars down. He stared at it for a moment, ignoring Mason’s mutters behind him, then he sat back down and turned toward the driver’s seat.
“Um, Mason, thanks for the ride,” he said hurriedly. “But I think you can just drop me off here.”
“What? Liam, your house is still-”
Before Mason could finish, Liam jumped out of the car and ran toward the truck. Mason’s yell was still lingering in his ears, but he kept running until he heard the car pull away behind him. He stepped beside the driver’s side of the truck and peeked inside. Nothing. Then he moved toward the back window. A familiar face came into view. He gasped. He saw Theo lying across the back seats, clutching a green blanket that was clearly too thin for the weather outside, his head resting awkwardly against the door. The chimera appeared to be asleep.
What was Theo doing here?
He hesitated for a second. He turned toward the road and saw Mason's car already gone. Suddenly, he felt like he was about to do something he would regret. Then he knocked on the window.
Theo jolted awake so violently that his foot kicked the back of the seat and sent the blanket tumbling to the floor. Liam chuckled as he saw this near-circus act, but then he heard a muffled voice come from inside the truck.
“Okay, I’ll move. I’ll move.”
Only a few words, but enough to sound both exasperated and exhausted. Almost pathetic.
Liam watched Theo crawl toward the window and roll it down, then freeze the moment their eyes met, his blue-gray eyes unreadable. Silence fell between them again before Liam saw the chimera’s lips begin to move.
“Liam?” Theo’s voice cracked, as if he was forcing air through his vocal cords.
“Theo, what are you doing here?”
Liam blinked. It had been a few weeks since the last time he saw Theo, and the chimera looked...worse than ever. His hair was messy and his skin looked pale under the streetlights, with dark circles under his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Theo finally asked, sounding more shocked than perplexed.
“I...” Liam paused, trying to find an answer to the question. He knew Theo had been an ally to the pack since the Ghost Riders, and they had fought together several times, but that didn’t mean they were close. At least not close enough for him to abandon his best friend in the middle of the night. He stared at the chimera for another second before forcing out another question.
“Theo, why are you sleeping in your truck?”
Theo didn’t answer. Instead, he looked away before climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.
“I was just taking a nap,” he said flatly before peeling out onto the road.
Liam stared at the truck until it disappeared from sight, a million questions floating in his mind, mostly not about Theo, but about himself. He should feel annoyed or bothered, but he didn’t. A strange feeling rose in his chest. He stood there for another few seconds before shaking his head and walking home.
He definitely didn’t expect to see the chimera again a few blocks from his house just two days later.
“Theo, what are you doing here?” He looked at Theo half-lying on the back seats, clearly more tired than before. “Why are you sleeping in your truck again?”
“I was taking a nap.”
“It’s ten thirty p.m.! Nobody takes a nap at this time. People just go to sleep.”
“Liam, it’s none of your business.”
“Well, actually, it-” Liam broke off as a duffle bag on the floor caught his eye. The bag was open, clothes and socks stacked inside. Then he noticed a toothbrush and toothpaste poking out.
“Theo,” he said tentatively. “Why do you have a toothbrush and toothpaste in your truck?”
“Of course I have them in my truck. I have to brush my teeth in the-” Theo cut himself off, looking away.
Liam narrowed his eyes, staring at the chimera, who seemed slightly frustrated. Then something suddenly clicked.
“Theo,” he said cautiously. “Are you...are you living in your truck?”
Theo didn’t answer. He just lowered his head slightly.
“Why do you care?” he muttered.
Liam froze. That was probably the question he should have asked himself two days ago when he spotted Theo’s truck by the road. He didn’t know why he had jumped out of Mason’s car. He had just let his instincts take over, and before he knew it, he was already standing outside the window.
“I, um...” he stuttered. He saw the chimera turn back toward him, unreadable eyes fixed on his. Then something snapped in his head.
“Get out.”
“What?” Theo’s eyes widened.
“I can’t let you sleep in your truck,” Liam said firmly. “Get out.”
He expected Theo to either ignore him and go back to sleep or drive away, but the chimera just went still for a moment, then opened the door. He got out of the truck and stopped in front of the werewolf, arms crossed.
“Follow me,” Liam said. “You’re staying with me tonight.”
They walked toward his house in silence. Liam didn’t ask any more questions, and Theo just followed him two steps behind, his steady heartbeats drifting into Liam’s ears. The house was empty. Both of Liam’s parents were working their shifts that night, so he unlocked the door and opened it. Theo hesitated as he stepped onto the porch, but eventually went inside when Liam nodded toward the doorway.
As the lights washed over them, Liam noticed the chimera’s dusty hoodie and jeans, so he ordered him to shower first. To his surprise, Theo quietly followed. Soon, the sound of running water came from behind the bathroom door. Liam lay on his bed and felt the strange feeling that had been lingering in his chest for weeks fade a little.
The door opened, and Theo stepped outside wearing only a towel.
“I put a change of clothes on the chair,” Liam said as he pointed at the T-shirt and boxers.
Theo didn’t say anything. He quickly put on the clothes and stepped in front of the bed. Their eyes met, and Liam realized the chimera wasn’t moving.
“What?”
“You want me to sleep in the bed with you?” Theo said, raising a brow.
“Do you see another bed?” Liam rolled his eyes.
Theo snorted, then Liam felt the mattress dip slightly as Theo slowly settled onto it. He shifted to make room for the chimera, only to be shoved over by Theo as he stretched out beside him. Liam grunted quietly, still staring at the ceiling. Theo turned away toward the wall. Neither of them spoke for a long moment, but Liam could tell Theo wasn’t falling asleep either, despite the dark circles under his eyes. He turned around and saw Theo’s head buried in the pillow.
“Why are you doing this?” Theo broke the silence, mumbling through the pillow.
“I don’t know,” Liam answered evenly. He didn’t lie.
“Are you returning a favor?”
“What favor?”
Theo scoffed, then he lifted his head slightly. “Saving your life.”
“Theo,” Liam raised his voice slightly. “There’s no favor to return. I’m doing it simply because...” He broke off as he felt the chimera shift slightly and roll onto his back.
“Because?”
“Because I don’t want you sleeping in your truck,” Liam finished.
“And why is that?”
Liam glanced toward Theo and found him looking back. He sighed and turned away. He thought about it for a moment before answering.
“Maybe because I thought we were friends.”
“Friends,” Theo echoed. Liam felt the chimera’s body tighten slightly, as if he had just said something incomprehensible, then he heard a snort.
“I don’t make friends.”
“Suit yourself,” Liam muttered.
The night deepened, and Liam’s eyelids finally succumbed to exhaustion. He fell asleep before fully understanding his own words. Friends. He had never thought this would be the word to describe the situation between them. Maybe his bar for friends had dropped significantly since the day they fought together, or maybe that was only an excuse to explain his irrational actions these days. He didn’t know.
The alarm rang at seven o’clock. Liam shoved his hand toward the clock to shut it down. He stilled as he realized the distance was shorter than usual, then noticed himself sleeping almost on the edge of the bed. He turned around and saw an empty dent on the other side of the mattress.
“Theo?” The name came out before his mind caught up.
Theo was nowhere to be seen. He slowly sat up and scanned the room. The door was closed, and the entire room seemed untouched. Theo’s dirty clothes were gone. Then he felt a cool breeze brushing his face. He turned toward the window and found it open.
“He owes me my clothes,” Liam muttered before getting up to get ready for school.
*
“Was Theo here?” Corey asked as his fingers were flying frantically over the controller in Liam’s room. Mason paused for a second before turning back toward the bed where Liam was sitting, his eyes slightly widening.
Liam held Mason’s gaze before answering. “Yeah, why?”
“His scent’s in the room,” Corey replied casually, slyly beating Mason as the human’s attention drifted completely away from the game.
Mason let out a small gasp. “Was Theo here?”
“I’ve already answered that,” Liam muttered, slightly annoyed.
“No. I mean,” Mason cleared his throat. “Why was Theo here?”
Corey cheered as he unfairly won the match. Mason immediately threw him an unimpressed look before they both turned toward Liam.
“I saw him sleeping in his truck,” Liam answered evenly, as if this was an everyday occurrence.
Mason seemed to remember something. He raised his eyebrows. “Wait, is that the time you jumped out of my car and-”
“Yes, but that was the first time,” Liam cut him off. “He drove off after he saw me. I found him again last night.”
“So...” Mason paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes. “You saw him sleeping in his truck last night.”
“But why was he in your room?” Corey added.
“Well,” Liam started. “I let him sleep here. I think...” He paused as Mason and Corey’s eyes grew wider. “I think he’s living in his truck.”
Mason and Corey exchanged a look. Liam couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind it, but he didn’t bother thinking about it any further either. He had been having a hard time dealing with his own thoughts lately, so he just assumed they were confused. The room fell silent for a moment before Mason spoke again.
“So, you basically let Theo sleep in your room after, um,” Mason coughed softly. “Finding out he was sleeping in his truck.”
“And after we barely saw him for weeks,” Corey cut in.
“I just thought that was the right thing to do.” Liam dropped onto the mattress. “I thought we were friends.”
He stared at the ceiling, his mind flashing back to last night when he and Theo both lay in his bed. Well, he had basically told Theo the same thing, but apparently the chimera hadn’t seen it that way. His shoulders tightened slightly, then he heard Mason sigh.
“He tried to kill us,” Mason said, his voice sounding slightly concerned.
“But he also helped us.” Liam rolled to his side. “And he saved my life.”
They didn’t proceed with this conversation any further. Mason and Corey didn’t even ask where Theo was right now, which Liam guessed meant knowing Theo’s whereabouts wasn’t exactly their top priority anyway. They played for a few more rounds before it became too late, and Mason and Corey left after each giving Liam a pat on his shoulder. Liam stared at them in confusion as they walked out the front door.
The next time he saw Theo was almost a week later on a Saturday.
Liam’s parents both left for work in the morning, so they left a twenty-dollar bill on the dining table for him to buy lunch. He wandered around the commercial area a few blocks away from his house, searching for anything interesting. He loved pizza, but he didn’t feel particularly hungry today, so he skipped the Papa John’s on the corner and kept walking. A burger stand came into view. Liam trotted toward it, but suddenly skidded to a stop when he saw Theo waiting in line.
The chimera noticed his footsteps and immediately raised his head toward him. He went still for a second, then abruptly turned on his heel and left the line. Liam lunged forward and reached behind him, grabbing Theo’s wrist. Theo turned around, looking mildly annoyed, but Liam quickly cut in before he could say anything.
“Why are you avoiding me?” He stared into Theo’s eyes.
“Avoiding you?” Theo scoffed. “Liam, what makes you think I’m avoiding you?”
“Then why did you leave last time?”
“Maybe because I have a life?” Theo stared back.
“Well, apparently you don’t,” Liam blurted out.
“What!?” Theo’s voice sounded genuinely offended.
“No. I mean,” Liam swallowed, trying to keep his eyes fixed on Theo’s glare. “You’re most likely still sleeping in your truck.”
“I am.” Liam was surprised by Theo’s blunt response, as if he didn’t even bother hiding anything from Liam. “And it was very nice of you to let me stay over at your house, but it won’t happen again.”
“Are you buying lunch?” Liam asked abruptly. Theo raised his brows in bewilderment.
“Yeah, why?”
Before Theo could react, Liam suddenly dragged him back toward the burger stand. He realized his hand had never left Theo’s wrist during their entire conversation, but the chimera somehow didn’t pull away. Luckily, the already short line had disappeared, so Liam stepped in front of the counter.
“Can we have two cheeseburger combos?” he asked the clerk, handing her the twenty-dollar bill.
“That would be...” The clerk tapped on the register. “Twenty-two dollars and forty cents.”
“Um...” Liam stuttered before looking back at Theo. The chimera rolled his eyes and pulled a couple of crumpled bills from his pocket before handing them to the clerk. She glanced at them, then quickly took the bills from their hands. They picked up their food at the counter and walked toward a table before sitting down.
They ate in silence. Liam glanced at Theo every thirty seconds and found Theo doing the same. He swiftly finished his burger and moved on to his fries, then spotted Theo wrapping half of his burger and setting it aside. He stared at the half burger for a moment, his hand fiddling with the change in his pocket.
“You still owe me my clothes,” he finally said. Theo instantly looked up at him.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Theo snorted. “I’ll give them back to you after I wash them.”
“No,” Liam said sharply. “You’re giving them back tonight. At my house.”
“You really want them so bad?”
“No, no. Th-that’s not what I meant.” Liam stuttered. He looked back up at the chimera, who had stopped what he was doing and was staring back. Then he sighed.
“I mean, you’re staying at my house tonight, and the nights after that.”
“Why? Why are you so obsessed with my living conditions? And why did you just buy me lunch, by the way?”
“I already told you it’s because we’re friends,” Liam said quietly.
“And I already told you I don’t-” Theo tried to shoot back, but Liam cut him off fiercely.
“Don’t you dare say that again.” He pointed a finger at Theo. “And you’re coming to my house tonight, whether you like it or not.”
He stood up abruptly, grabbed his drink, tossed away the trash, and walked away, leaving Theo speechless in his seat.
He thought about their conversation all day, trying to figure out why he had said that to Theo, and why he had been so aggressive about it. He hadn’t talked to his parents about Theo staying over, but he also didn’t expect Theo to actually show up, so when he heard the honks outside his window at nine p.m., he almost rolled off the bed.
Oh, shit. Now what?
He quickly stumbled downstairs and stormed out of the front door, leaving David glancing at him with an eyebrow raised. As he stepped onto the porch, he saw the familiar truck parked by the curb, so he sprinted toward it.
Theo rolled down the driver’s-side window and turned toward him.
“I didn’t expect you to come,” Liam said between breaths.
“Well, I still have to return your clothes.” Theo grinned. Liam immediately shot him a glare.
“You do.” Liam paused, glancing at the duffle bag on the passenger seat. “And you also have to grab your stuff and get inside.”
Theo snorted, then turned off the engine and grabbed his bag before climbing out of his truck. He followed Liam toward the front door and immediately got in after Liam opened it. David and Jenna were surprisingly chill about Theo staying the night, mostly because Liam had only told them about the version of Theo after Hell. For now, Liam was happy to keep it that way. He still had to talk to them about the ‘nights after that’ part, though. He was fairly sure they would be okay with it.
They got into Liam’s room, and Theo instantly dropped his bag onto the floor and dug out Liam’s clothes before tossing them toward him. Liam caught them smoothly, his expression softening a little.
“Um,” he said tentatively. “I don’t really care about the clothes, actually.”
“You told me to give them back tonight.” Theo smirked.
“I did, but that’s not really the point.” Liam looked down at the floor.
“Then what’s the point?”
Liam opened his mouth, but nothing came out. One second. Two seconds. Then he closed it. Theo stared at him quietly as the atmosphere tensed again. After a long moment, Liam finally spoke.
“I-I think,” he stammered. “I think it just feels normal to have you around.”
He glanced back toward Theo and saw the chimera freeze for a few seconds, as if he were offended by the words.
“Forget what I just said,” he said quickly.
Theo didn’t reply. He simply turned around and walked toward the bathroom. “I’m gonna take a shower.”
They didn’t talk about it for the rest of the night. They just lay side by side motionlessly. The bed was supposed to feel crowded with two people in it, but it was the first night in weeks Liam felt truly relaxed. He could feel the body heat drifting from the chimera beside him, slightly lower than his usual werewolf temperature, but the room somehow felt warmer than ever.
He woke up at nine the next day and instinctively reached a hand toward his side. He chuckled when he heard a small grunt as his hand hit Theo’s face, then he carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake up the chimera. Theo woke up two hours later. Liam saw him coming down the stairs with sleepy eyes and messy hair.
“You didn’t leave,” he said, grinning at Theo.
“Yeah,” Theo mumbled, clearly still tired.
“Want some coffee?”
David and Jenna were out for their date, so they made coffee and had breakfast in the kitchen. Liam saw Theo’s eyebrows furrow as he ate the cereal. “Too sweet.” But he finished it all anyway. The Sunday morning suddenly felt peaceful, not the kind of peace that had made Liam uneasy for weeks, but the kind that steadied his heartbeat without him even trying.
Liam left the house for his lacrosse practice at two, and Theo just stayed in his bedroom reading. The practice session went smoothly. Liam even broke the record for the most goals in a row, earning a squeeze on the shoulder and a “Nice job, Dunbar!” from Coach. He hopped off his bike as he got back home before dinner and opened the door. He froze as he saw Theo sitting at the table with David and Jenna, seemingly having a casual conversation.
“Welcome home, sweetheart.” Jenna smiled at him and waved him over.
Liam quickly joined the table and sat beside Theo. His favorite lasagna sat in the center of the table. He threw Theo a confused look, but Theo just grinned back. Liam ate quietly as he watched Theo and David chat about random science topics, and the moment they finished, Theo casually walked upstairs. Liam glanced at his parents, who didn’t seem to mind and had already returned to their routines, then quickly caught up with Theo.
“What did you tell them?” he asked as they reached the bedroom.
“I told them you scored the most goals in a row today.” Theo snorted. “Corey told me.”
“I’m not talking about the lasagna...” Then Liam gasped. “Wait, Corey?”
“Apparently he didn’t delete my number,” Theo said casually, opening the door.
“Um, okay. But, no, I-I mean,” Liam stumbled over his words. “Why didn’t they seem to mind you staying another night?”
“Well,” Theo turned around toward him. “I might’ve told them a little about my living situation.”
“And what’d they say?”
“They said I could stay here anytime I wanted.”
Liam’s eyes grew wider, shocked by how easily his parents had agreed to that. But then again, this might have actually saved him a lot of effort. He stepped inside his bedroom before another question came to mind.
“Why did you tell them that?” He stared at Theo. “Why did you suddenly want to fix your living situation?”
Theo glanced back at him for a moment, then he let out a small laugh.
“Well,” he grinned. “Because you said we’re friends.”
“You said you don’t make friends,” Liam muttered.
Theo didn’t answer. He simply walked toward the bathroom and closed the door, leaving Liam standing there.
For the next few days, Liam would wake up and see Theo still sleeping beside him, then he would get ready quietly for school before hopping on his bike. After he got home, he would find Theo either sprawled across the sofa reading a book or helping Jenna in the kitchen if she was home, as if Theo had lived here forever. This felt...strange, yet strangely normal at the same time.
Theo never left, and Liam was starting to get used to the chimera’s presence. Maybe he had done the right thing. They were friends, after all. At least that was what he thought before Corey unexpectedly came to him after school one day.
“Um, Liam...” He hesitated for a second. “Are you living with Theo?”
“Yeah, why?” Liam raised a brow. He saw the chameleon’s eyes darting around as if he was carefully choosing his words. “And how did you know that?”
“I asked Theo.”
Liam’s eyes widened as he remembered something. “Oh, yeah. When did you start texting with him?”
“Um, since the day you mentioned he stayed over.” Corey seemed slightly unsure.
“Okay.” Liam paused. “And why did you ask him?”
“I mean, it’s Theo. I’m a little concerned that-”
“Are you trying to tell me not to do that?” Liam cut him off, raising his voice slightly.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Corey said quickly. “I mean, he didn’t seem like the kind of person who’d accept help.” He paused. “I was just a little curious.”
Liam stared at him, trying to understand what he really meant by those words, but his thoughts were snapped back by two loud honks from the parking lot. He turned around and saw Theo’s truck parked about fifty feet away. He vaguely heard Corey gasp, but he ignored it and hurried toward the truck. Theo rolled down the window as Liam stepped beside it.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, looking at the chimera in confusion.
“Well, your bike’s still on the lawn.” Theo grinned.
Liam suddenly remembered his flat tire. He had taken the bus this morning. He went still for a second before Theo tapped lightly on the steering wheel and spoke.
“You wanna get in or not, little wolf?”
Liam quickly went around to the passenger side and climbed into the truck. Theo started the engine immediately and pulled onto the road. This wasn’t the first time he had sat in this passenger seat, but it was the first time their destination was somewhere mundane. Somewhere in his everyday life. Somewhere he had dragged Theo into for a reason he hadn’t fully understood. He glanced out the window as trees and houses flashed by like a film, thinking about how the tightness in his chest had faded away over the past few days, and how the emptiness inside him had been gradually filled up.
He soon forgot about the Corey thing.
But then Scott and Malia came.
Liam opened the door as he heard them knock and was soon greeted by Scott’s warm and excited voice.
“Hey, Liam. We’re back for a week.” Scott rested a hand on his shoulder. “How’s my little Alpha-in-training doing?”
“Hey, Scott, Malia. I’m doing great.” He tried to force a smile, but froze the second he saw Malia scowl.
“Liam, why do you...” She sniffed. “Smell like Theo?”
“Um...” Liam stalled, his mind scrambling for an answer. He wanted to lie, but they would definitely see through it. Maybe he should tell a half-lie. Probably something like “I met him today after school” or “He left some clothes in my house”, but a cold wave surged through his body as he heard footsteps coming from the stairs. He turned around and saw Theo casually walking down.
“Liam, where’s my-”
Theo froze the moment his eyes landed on Scott and Malia. Then a low growl reached Liam’s ears. He whipped his head back and saw Scott holding back Malia, whose eyes were now flashing a dangerous blue. He tried to speak, but his words were immediately cut off by Malia’s snarl.
“Why’s Theo here!?”
Everything happened in seconds, just like an action scene in a Marvel movie. Malia growled again as her fangs finally came out. She tried to lunge forward, but Scott immediately grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back. Theo growled back, his eyes glowing yellow. Then Scott shouted, “Sorry, Liam! We’ll come next time,” before dragging Malia back to his jeep. Liam watched Scott shove his girlfriend into the passenger seat and drive away, then quickly closed the door before spotting Theo running upstairs. He followed hurriedly.
“Theo!”
Liam rushed into his room and found Theo frantically tossing his things into his duffle bag. A second later, Theo slung the bag over his shoulder and headed for the bedroom door. Liam blocked his path.
“Theo, what are you doing?” he asked, his voice faltering slightly.
“Can’t you see? I’m leaving,” Theo snarled, trying to shove Liam aside, but Liam tightened his grip on the door frame.
“You’re not leaving,” he shouted. “You said you weren’t going to leave.”
“I never said that.” Theo scoffed. “And why would I think staying with you was a good idea? Your pack hates me.”
“No, they don’t,” Liam blurted out.
Theo glared at him for a second. “Do you hear yourself?”
Then he shoved Liam onto the floor before sprinting downstairs and storming out the front door. Liam clenched his jaw against the pain, holding his hip. He tried to stand up, only to hear the engine roar a second later. Tires screeched, then the sound faded into the night.
*
“Liam.” A muffled voice rang out. It sounded far, far away. Liam stared at the blackboard lifelessly.
“Liam.” The voice sounded again, finally snapping Liam out of it.
“What?” He jolted, his eyes darting around. The classroom was empty. Mason stood across from his desk.
“You didn’t hear the bell?”
Liam held Mason’s gaze for a second, then he looked away. “I guess.”
“Liam, what's going on?” Mason sounded deeply concerned.
“Ask Corey,” Liam mumbled.
“Wha- Corey?” Mason’s eyes widened. “No. Corey asked me to ask you.”
Liam turned back toward Mason. “Why did Corey ask you to ask me what’s going on?”
“Well, he said he hadn’t heard anything from Theo for days.”
Liam’s stomach dropped as he heard Theo’s name. He tried to stand up and head toward the door, only for Mason to grab him by the arm.
“Liam,” he said firmly. “Did something happen to Theo?”
“Why do you guys care about him?”
“Because we care about you.”
“Wha-” Liam choked. “H-how does that have anything to do with me?”
“Liam,” Mason’s voice grew serious. “You care about him.”
“How do you know?” Liam let out a quiet snort.
“You seem...happier when he’s around.”
Liam fell silent. There was no doubt he wanted Theo to be around. Ever since the day he saw Theo again, something soothing and comforting had settled in his chest. He didn’t know if it was happiness, but he did know his anxiety was starting to come back with Theo’s absence. He looked at Mason for a few more seconds, then he sighed.
“He’s my friend,” he said quietly.
“I know. And I can tell he’s important to you.” Mason softened his tone. “So tell me what happened.”
“He left.”
Liam told him everything. He told him about the day he saw Theo at the burger stand. About Theo showing up at his house that night. About Theo casually chatting with his parents. About Theo living with him for days. About how Theo had started smiling again. Then he told him about Scott and Malia showing up at his door before everything fell apart. Mason listened quietly, not interrupting even a single time, and Liam practically jumped as Corey appeared out of nowhere.
“Dude!” Liam growled. “Were you here the whole time?”
“Yeah.” Corey snorted.
“So, Liam,” Mason began. “Do you want to find him?”
Liam paused for a second. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well...” Liam hesitated. “I don- I mean, it did feel...normal when he was around.”
“Normal.” Corey echoed.
“Yeah, I think I kind of got used to him being around.”
“Liam,” Mason said. “You’ve only lived with him for a few days.”
“I know, but I mean before that.”
Mason and Corey exchanged a look. Liam immediately recognized it. It was the same look they’d had two weeks ago in his room. He threw them both a confused glance before Mason spoke again.
“Liam, I think he’s your anchor.”
“What?” Liam’s eyes widened in shock. “No. Hell no. My anchor’s the mantra.”
“Liam, we all know that doesn’t work.” Corey cut in.
Memories started flashing through Liam’s mind. During the war, he had almost lost control several times, and every time Theo had been the one who had calmed him down. Sure, the methods he had used weren't the best, but Liam knew deep down the real reason his anger had faded away was simply Theo’s presence. He felt...safe beside him.
Maybe Theo really was his anchor.
“Okay.” He sighed. “Even if that’s true, how am I supposed to find him?”
“We’re gonna help.” Mason rested a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “But you’re the one who knows him better, so you’ll have to lead the way.”
Liam crashed into his bed after getting home. He flipped onto his stomach and buried his head in the sheets. Theo’s scent still lingered on the bed. Liam inhaled heavily, his chest slowly tightening, as if some part of him had been ripped away. As if the emptiness were drowning him again.
He wanted Theo back.
He shoved a hand under the pillow, and his fingers soon bumped into something hard. He pushed himself up before tossing the pillow aside, then spotted Theo’s watch sitting underneath. When did it get here? He stared at the watch for a brief moment, then abruptly grabbed it and slipped it onto his own wrist. The cold metal stung his skin, but his body felt warm.
The days dragged by, and it took him a week to find Theo again. Mason and Corey had helped him search everywhere they could think of, and eventually they found themselves walking through the woods one evening. As the bridge came into view, he saw the chimera sitting on it, his head buried in his arms.
“Theo!” he yelled before running toward him. Mason and Corey quickly followed.
Theo flinched and lifted his head, but he didn’t move away.
“Theo,” Liam called again as they stepped beside him. Theo met his gaze.
“Why are you looking for me?” he said coldly.
“I’m taking you back.” Liam reached a hand toward him.
“Not gonna happen.”
“Theo, please.” Liam’s voice cracked a little. “Just...come home with me.”
Theo glanced away. “Not my home. Not my pack.”
“Well, it could be,” Liam said, raising his voice slightly. “Look, Theo, I know Malia hates you, and Stiles probably does too, but-” He broke off as he noticed the dark circles under Theo’s eyes, which had almost disappeared during the days they had lived together. He took a deep breath before continuing.
“But I’ve always known you’ve changed, and Mason and Corey know that too.”
He turned toward Mason and Corey, who gave him tentative nods, then he sighed.
“Anyway, I’ll find a way to work on them. And I’m technically the Alpha-in-training, so...” He stepped closer. “I have the power to declare you pack. Um, I think.”
Theo just stared at him in silence as Liam fidgeted nervously. After a long moment, Theo finally let out a snort.
“You’re a bit carried away, little wolf.”
Liam rolled his eyes. “Could you stop being an asshole and come home?”
Theo stood up, then went still as he glanced at Liam’s wrist.
“Why are you wearing my watch?”
Liam lifted his arm before looking at the watch for a moment, then he flashed Theo a smirk. “Revenge for you stealing my clothes.”
*
Liam did find a way to deal with the pack, or rather, the way found him, because Scott called him once he got back to Davis. Liam explained everything to him, including Theo’s living situation, the fact that they lived together, and Theo running away after their visit. Scott didn’t seem to be bothered by them sharing a room, mostly because he knew Theo had changed, despite the fact that he was the only one in the pack who had actually been killed by Theo. That Alpha’s bleeding heart was insane.
Scott promised that he would talk to Malia. He said, “They might be more similar than she thought,” which Liam couldn’t quite grasp, but he guessed it was probably a good thing. He also didn’t have to worry about the rest of the pack at this point, given that they were all a few time zones away.
The thing that made Liam happiest was that Theo seemed more comfortable living with him, maybe a little too comfortable. Theo started leaving his things all over the room instead of keeping them in his duffle bag. Their clothes were all mixed together, and Liam would sometimes see Theo wearing his hoodies or T-shirts. Whenever Mason and Corey came by, Theo would willingly join their video game matches, and Liam would find himself staring at the chimera’s smiling face.
And somehow, Theo hadn’t asked for his watch back, so Liam just kept wearing it.
Everything went peacefully until a random hunter came to town.
Luckily, no one died, and no one was shot, even the hunter himself. The Puppy Pack managed to lure the hunter into the preserve, then Argent appeared to finish the job. Watching the hunter being restrained in the middle of the woods, Liam’s feet moved on their own. Before he realized it, he was standing barely a foot away from the man. Argent was yelling at him, but everything just went in one ear and straight out the other.
The surroundings began to blur, and everyone turned unnervingly silent, just like a pantomime. He heard a growl echo inside his skull. Then another. The hunter looked up at him and started trembling, his eyes growing impossibly wide, his mouth opening, seemingly trying to say something. Liam swung an arm back, the claws making his fingers itch, but he didn’t care. Why was the man so afraid? He was going to die anyway. Liam drove his claws toward the hunter.
Then he felt someone grab him by the waist and drag him back. He screamed, but the arms never let go. Within seconds, he tripped and fell onto something soft, finally snapping back to reality. He panted sharply and turned around, then saw Theo lying under him, looking shocked and concerned.
“What the fuck are you doing!?” Theo’s voice slammed into his ears. Suddenly, the sounds from the surroundings came back.
“Let go!” Liam shouted, struggling to scramble back to his feet, but Theo just grabbed him tighter.
“No, Liam. You’re going to kill him!” Theo’s face twisted, seemingly exerting every ounce of his energy to pull Liam back.
“He-, he was gonna kill us.” Liam screamed frantically. “He was shooting at us. He was shooting at you!”
“Liam...” Theo forced his words out between breaths. “Liam, I know. But...you need to calm down. Please, just calm down first.”
Suddenly, Theo’s hand slid to the back of Liam’s head, and the next second, his face pressed against Theo’s chest. The familiar scent drifted into his nose, then he felt his heartbeat gradually steady, and his muscles began to relax. They stayed there for a long moment before Argent and the rest of the pack stepped beside them.
After everything had settled down, of course Argent yelled at him, but Liam couldn’t bring himself to care. He glanced at the chimera standing beside him, his mind reeling. They didn’t talk about it when Theo drove him home, and they didn’t speak for the rest of the night. In fact, they didn’t talk much over the next few days. It was like Theo was avoiding him again, even though they were living together.
Liam sprawled face-down across the bed. Of course Theo was avoiding him. He was too dangerous.
Then the day finally came.
Liam was awakened by a noise in the middle of the night. He reached an arm toward his side and found the bed empty. He lifted his head and saw Theo sitting on the floor, fumbling with something.
“Theo?”
The chimera flinched and froze. Liam narrowed his eyes, trying to focus, then spotted Theo’s duffle bag sitting open with his belongings stacked beside it. Liam jolted before jumping out of bed, rushing toward Theo.
“What are you doing?” Liam blurted out, his voice slightly trembling.
Theo didn’t answer. He dropped his hands onto the floor and let out a quiet sigh.
“Theo,” Liam continued. “Are you...are you leaving again?”
“You’re not supposed to find out,” Theo muttered.
“Why?”
Theo turned around, his unreadable eyes meeting Liam’s. They held each other’s gaze for a moment. Liam’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. He tried again, and finally managed to say a word.
“I’m sorry.”
Theo’s eyes widened. “What are you sorry about?”
“Because you’re scared of me.”
“What?”
“Theo,” Liam sank onto the floor. “Y-you’re scared of me because I can’t control myself. I’m too dangerous.”
He buried his head in his arms. He knew this feeling all too well. Ever since he was diagnosed, everyone around him had started leaving, and the ones who stayed looked at him differently. It was like he was a landmine buried under medications. A lie hiding behind excuses. And now the truth of himself had pushed Theo away as well.
The silence in the room was deafening. Liam stopped thinking.
“No.” Theo’s voice cut through the silence. Liam lifted his head again. “I’m not leaving because you’re dangerous. And you’re not dangerous at all.”
“Then why?”
Theo sighed. “Liam, I don’t know why you need me here.”
“Because I need you.”
“Then don’t,” Theo said sharply, enough to make Liam twitch a little. “Liam, you have a life. You can’t live with someone like me.”
“What do you mean someone like you? You have a life too.”
“Yes, but my life doesn’t deserve this.”
“Can you stop saying something like that?”
“Liam, it’s true, and I have to go. You won’t even-”
“If you’re really leaving, why didn’t you take back your watch?” Liam cut him off, raising his arm between them. Theo froze.
They glared at each other, both breathing hard. Liam looked straight into Theo’s eyes, then he noticed something in the chimera crack a little.
“I don’t know,” Theo finally said.
Liam just stared at him.
“I don’t know,” he repeated. “It just feels...too real.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t say a word, so Theo kept talking.
“You said it felt normal to have me around, but...it doesn’t feel normal to me.”
“I did say that,” Liam muttered.
“So I panicked,” Theo continued. “Because I feel like I don't belong here, even though it’s normal to you.”
“Well, you do.” Liam crawled closer until only a few inches remained between them. “And what I said was probably wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Theo raised his brows.
“I mean,” Liam paused. He saw Theo’s gaze flickering. “It feels right to have you around.”
Theo’s eyes flashed hundreds of emotions, but Liam ignored them. He knew he was about to do something he would probably regret, but he didn’t care. He had been a bomb his whole life. He didn’t mind pulling the pin one more time.
And he kissed Theo.
It was a short kiss. It almost felt like their lips just brushed for a second, but it still triggered an explosion in Liam’s mind. Theo’s mouth was half open, as if time itself had stopped. They stayed frozen after Liam pulled away, then Theo broke the silence in a cracking voice.
“You...kissed me.”
“I did.” Liam forced a grin.
“Why did you do that?”
“I don’t know.” Liam hesitated. “It just...feels right.”
“Okay.”
“Theo,” Liam rushed on. “Um, I’m sorry. Forget what I did. If you don’t like it then-”
Liam’s voice was cut off. He tried to breathe, but something stopped him. He blinked a few times before realizing Theo’s lips were on his again. He felt Theo’s hand gently hold the back of his neck, pulling him closer. He smelled Theo’s scent. The scent that filled the hole in his chest, stronger than ever.
They finally pulled apart as they both ran out of breath, and their eyes met as the tension eased. Neither of them said a word, as if nothing in the world had to be said. They held each other’s gaze until smiles spread across their faces.
“You kissed me back,” Liam said softly.
“I guess.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Well,” Theo let out a small snort. “It just feels right.”
“Can you try to be a little more original?” Liam chuckled.
“Liam,” Theo said quietly, resting a hand on Liam’s cheek. “I think I like you.”
“Good to hear.” Liam put his hand gently on top of Theo’s. “Or otherwise it would’ve been really embarrassing.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“So,” Liam stood up, reaching a hand toward Theo. “Will you try to leave again?”
“Well,” Theo smirked. “They say the third time’s the charm, so I don’t think there’s gonna be a fourth.”
“That’s not what it means.” Liam rolled his eyes, but Theo quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed.
“It won’t happen again,” Theo said as he turned toward Liam. “I promise, angry ball.”
“Angry ball!?”
Theo laughed, and Liam immediately punched him in the shoulder.
*
“What-” Stiles’ voice thundered through the entire McCall house, but no one’s eyes even left the movie. “Is that?”
He pointed a finger at Theo and Liam, who were now sitting on the couch, their bodies shamelessly clinging to each other.
Scott gave a sheepish grin. Lydia threw him a look as if she knew everything from the start. Mason and Corey were giggling. And even Malia was like, yeah, whatever. Liam glanced at Stiles and saw him frantically rubbing his eyes.
“Stiles,” Liam said evenly. “Don’t you think calling us ‘that’ was a little rude?”
“No, little runt. I-I mean,” Stiles stuttered. “Why are you lying on top of Theo?”
“Because he’s my boyfriend?” Liam blinked.
“What!?” Stiles screamed. The whole house seemed to shake a little. “S-since when?”
“Since a couple of weeks after the war ended, Stiles.” Derek snorted. “They’ve been together for like half a year.”
“H-how?” Stiles sounded like he was struggling to breathe. “How did that happen? Why didn’t I know?”
“Why are you so obsessed with my personal life, Stiles?” Theo said, his eyes still fixed on the TV.
“Shut up, Raeken,” Stiles growled, then he pointed at Liam. “And you, you have to make better life choices.”
“I already did.” Liam shrugged. “Bit late for that, Stiles.”
“Oh. My. God.” Stiles shrieked.
Liam glanced toward Theo, who returned his look with a smile, then he rested his head on the chimera’s shoulder. The human was still screaming in the house while Scott was trying to calm him down. Liam smiled. Yeah, Stiles could go fuck himself. Because now even he wouldn’t be able to make Theo leave. At least not until he burned Liam’s house down.
The pack night ended without incident, and Liam casually hopped into Theo’s truck. They immediately headed toward Liam’s house, ignoring Stiles’ murderous glare from the front door.
“He’s so annoying,” Liam muttered.
“At least he’s the last problem we’ll have to worry about in the pack.” Theo snorted. “I mean, last person.”
“Well, now you say the word ‘pack’ smoothly.”
Theo rolled his eyes, but the grin never left his face.
They parked in the Dunbar-Geyer house’s driveway and climbed out of the truck together. Liam groaned a little as he suddenly remembered he still had math assignments to finish, but he smiled as they entered the front door. His life was normal, after all. He didn’t mind the town being too peaceful anymore, and now he knew why.