What Could Have Been [Thiam Rewrites]

Chapter 20: Part 1 - Denial

"What're you talking about?" Isaac taunted Theo. "You wept like a damn baby."

Without looking at him, Theo raised a single hand and shoved Isaac with enough force that flew into the nearest wall of medical supplies. Gauze and boxes of rubber gloves went flying, Isaac buried somewhere in the middle of the mess.

Derek laughed, only to cough and school his features as soon as he noticed Scott's scowl. Isaac rose, dusting himself off, his crooked grin tipped into a half-amused glower.

"When you finally get the tattoo you've been wanting since New Year's," Theo said, "then we can talk. Ten bucks says you pass out from the pain."

"Only if he gets it on his ass," Liam chimed in.

"Or on his ribs," Theo said. "The chest hurts so bad."

"I'll take that bet," Derek said.

"Hey!" Isaac said, clearly offended that his alpha thought so little of his pain tolerance. He rejoined them at the medical table. Deaton had been the one to stock this particular room, and he was training Corey in all number of supernatural medical procedures. It wasn't like they had their own hospital or anything, but it was better than what they'd had before.

Scott squeezed Isaac's hand, but his cheeks reddened even at that minor display of affection in front of his pack. Liam wasn't sure if they'd officially told Derek about their relationship, or if Derek had just happened to notice their behavior. It had been obvious to everyone within a five-mile radius for months that they were crazy about each other.

After they'd deciphered the prophecy a few days ago, Scott had shown up devastated that he hadn't been there for Liam when they'd figured out the cost that came with being a white wolf.

If anything, Scott had been more upset than Liam. Isaac had dragged him out of the library into a private room because he couldn't quite get a grip. Scott hadn't lost anyone close to him since Allison, and for some reason that Liam didn't understand, they were all taking this sketchy ass translation of a supposed ancient prophecy to heart.

"A cure for the supernatural," Derek had whispered, almost to himself that day.

"Like... Liam's blood could turn all of us human?" Isaac had demanded.

"Everyone but Theo and Corey," Mason had pointed out. "Technically since they're chimeras, I don't think this would apply to them. Their powers were created, not given, so I doubt it would be that easy to take them away."

"But that's stupid," Isaac had said. "What's Monroe going to do? She can't exactly spoon feed all of us Liam's blood."

"She might not have to," Deaton had chimed in. "I recognize this symbol—it's for the Nemeton. And this—lay lines. It's possible that if enough of Liam's blood seeped through the Nemeton and fed these lay lines, then she wouldn't have to. It could have a domino effect on every single supernatural creature on this continent."

Liam wasn't convinced. He was just Liam Dunbar. He was senior with okay grades who'd just gotten an acceptance letter to UCLA. He was barely an adult. He didn't even have a driver's license.

His blood, his death, couldn't be the key to destroying the supernatural world as they knew it.

He refused to believe that he was that important. Or that Monroe was smart enough to have unearthed some ancient prophecy just so she could bring cure the world of supernatural creatures.

"Heading back to campus tonight?" Liam asked Scott as he got to his feet slowly. Theo kept a hand around his shoulders, and even though he didn't need it for support, he savored the contact.