Into the Flames → Liam Dunbar [2]

Chapter Nineteen

"I'll be okay."

Addison Ryder had woken up in the McCall household with Scott leaning over her. He had been gripping his stomach from the wound that both Liam and Theo had gave him. She couldn't even think about Liam. He had been completely out of control that night, and it wasn't the supermoon's fault either.

His actions would haunt him forever, and it was something Addy couldn't forgive him for. Though she would always care and worry about him, which was why she had gotten Mason to follow after her boyfriend – not boyfriend, she didn't know at the moment – and keep her updated.

Addy had a major headache when she woke up. She couldn't imagine what Scott was going through considering he literally died for fifteen minutes. She had only been unconscious for a few minutes. She assumed that it felt much the same from the time that she had passed away as well. 

So much had happened that past night. Liam had nearly killed Scott to save Hayden, who died at the end of it all. Theo had turned out to be a major asshole, and Addy had trusted him. Stiles' dad was in the hospital with life threatening wounds.

She couldn't help but feel that it was partly her fault about what happened. She had been the one to push everyone to trust Theo. He was the bad guy all along, and no one noticed. He played everyone, and Addy was the first to fall in his trap.

After nearly setting Scott on fire for scaring the crap out of her, she fussed over him. She constantly lifted up the hem of his shirt to check out the nasty wound that would take time to heal. She wished she could take his pain or make him heal faster. Compared to what he's done for her, she owed him a hell of a lot.

The only thing she could really do was cauterize the cuts, which would make them heal faster. She offered him her help and after some hesitation, he denied. Addy looked over at him with pity. He had lost the trust of his only beta and Theo, though the latter never really was his to begin with.

Melissa was going back to work since the McCall's still needed an income and she was still on duty. Addy had offered to go with her, especially after she got a text from Stiles saying that his dad was on the way to the hospital with a fatal injury.

Addison was worried to leave Scott alone. Theo could easily come back for him, even if he was sure he was dead. So many things could go wrong with him staying by himself, but the true alpha insisted he was fine. She really didn't want to leave him alone while he was vulnerable.

Melissa and Addy rode in the car in silence. Not even the radio was playing. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh, I'm sorry I let your son die. I'll try harder next time'?

She had tried, though. After receiving a wound to her torso and fighting Theo to keep him off Scott, she had been worn out. Blood covered her shirt. She was forced to strip down, and had taken a tank top from Melissa and a hoodie from Scott. It was big on her, but it worked. She ignored the blood on her jeans and where it stained her hands.

"It's not your fault," Mama McCall finally spoke up. "I know you tried, and he's fine now, and that's all that matters."

"I didn't try enough. I couldn't stop Liam, I couldn't stop Theo, and I couldn't help Scott. I can't help anyone," Addy muttered. She felt worse about herself than she ever had before. Every task that she had set out to do she had miserably failed. Her friends had to have lost faith in her. "Couldn't save myself."

Melissa parked in an available spot in the hospital parking lot. She turned towards Addy with a motherly look on her face. "You fought against the Dread Doctors by yourself without having a clue on how to beat them; that was incredibly brave. Liam wasn't in control, you know that, okay? He wasn't your fault. And Theo? Well, next time you see him, kick his ass."