The Hunt For a Pack [A Teen Wolf Thiam Fanfic]

Feeling's Mutual

He slammed the door behind him and leaned against the wall. He tried to focus his breathing but found he couldn't. He was hyperventilating, and he didn't know how to stop it. He pulled his arm back to punch the wall, but he felt someone hold his arm. "Don't. One hit, and this whole place could go down." A deep voice came from behind him. He exhaled and spun around to see Paul, who gave him a mischievous smile as Theo scowled.

"Any chance I could get my arm back?" Theo growled.

Paul let go of his arm and stepped back. "Sorry, man. Just in my experience, any tiny hit can make a place like this go tumbling down. Trust me. I've punched my fair amount of walls."

Theo nodded and slid down the wall. He sat cross-legged on the floor and buried his head in his hands. Paul sat beside him in silence. Theo shook his head and exhaled slowly. "I can't believe he did that." Theo groaned.

"You know people weren't laughing at you, right?" Paul asked, knocking Theo's shoulder with his.

"Are you sure about that?" Theo asked, doubting it.

"Yeah. We were laughing at Liam. He sure as hell clearly can't hold his liquor." Paul joked. Theo sighed but looked at him.

"Not really."

"Definitely not. That kid should stay away from alcohol the rest of his life." A female voice said. The two of them smacked their heads around to see Cris. She sat on the other side of Theo. "Sorry if it seemed like we were laughing at you." She said, placing her hand on Theo's forearm. "I know what that feels like." She admitted.

"It's ok." Theo said. "I just wasn't expecting him to do that." He admitted and wondered for the millionth time why these people seemed to have a magical way to pull the truth out of him.

"Yeah, that must've been hard to deal with." She said sympathetically.

"I mean, is it?" Paul asked. The other two looked at him with confusion. "What? You like him, right? So, what's wrong with him being affectionate with you?"

"What makes you think I like him?" Theo asked, attempting to keep his heartbeat calm.

"Because it's obvious. You talk about him all the time. Liam this, Liam that. It's no big." Cris spoke.

"Yeah. No big." Paul added.

Theo shook his head. "What if he knows? And that's why he did that. To embarrass me?"

"Has it occurred to you that maybe he likes you? And that's why he did that." Serena spoke up.

"Did everyone come to check up on me?" Theo asked.

"We're a pack, bud. That's what we do." Serena replied.

"Thanks, guys. But no, that's definitely not it." Theo said. Theo sighed and laid his head back, "It'd be different if he were sober, y'know?" Theo said.

"They say drunk actions are sober thoughts." Serena said.

"No one says that," Cris said. Paul nodded. "Alright, well. Why don't we get back to the party? It is in your honour after all."

"I'm not really in the mood, to be honest."

"Why don't we go for a run instead?" Serena suggested. "I know that always makes me feel better." Theo felt both his wolf and coyote perk up at that.

"Sure. That sounds good, actually." He replied.

"Don't sound so surprised." Serena said, taking off her shirt and pants. Theo grinned and took off his shirt and jeans. Paul and Cris followed suit, and soon enough, all four were fully shifted. Theo leant back and stretched out his front legs. As they headed towards the door, they noticed it had been closed. Theo whined in his throat and scratched at the door. Isaac opened the door and let them out.

"You sounded like a newborn puppy." He said jokingly. Theo whined, and Isaac leant down to scratch him between the ears. Theo found that his tail was wagging, and he laughed internally at the idea.

"You guys going for a run?" Megan asked, heading in their direction. All four tails went wild, and Theo nodded. She laughed and scratched him below the head. "Good boy." She said jokingly. Theo huffed in response. "Have fun & stay together!" She told them, and with that, they took off. They ran towards the reserve, and Theo felt his heart pounding in his chest as they ran. He loved the feeling of the wind in his fur, the moss under his paws. It made him feel like a puppy whenever he ran like this. Once the four of them got to a clearing, Serena laid down, circling the spot three times to make sure it was comfortable. Cris lay next to her as Paul lifted a paw to Theo, signalling he wanted to play. Theo wagged his tail and did the same. Soon enough, Paul and Theo were in a wrestling match, trying to pin the other. It made him downright giddy, and he started to forget all that had happened at the party.

Theo took off running in one direction, and Paul would follow. Then Paul would run, and Theo would follow. They chased each other around the clearing until both of them were huffing and puffing like crazy. Theo rolled onto his back and huffed. He sighed and stretched out his limbs before shifting back and sat cross-legged.

Paul shifted and sat down next to him. "You still upset?" He asked, clapping his hand on Theo's back.

"I feel a lot better now if I'm honest. Thanks for suggesting it, Cris." He said. Cris' wolf nodded. "And thanks for putting up with me in general." He chuckled sadly.

"Dude, of course. Like Serena said, you're pack. We stick together." Paul said. The wolves nodded their heads in agreement. "Besides, we like you."

"Thanks. Feeling's mutual." Theo said. Cris got up and laid down at his feet. He chuckled, nestling his hand in her fur.