𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒, liam dunbar

xxxi.

teddy leaned her head forwards, pressing against the barrier as she ached to see the church looming before them.
la iglesia brought memories flooding back of the pack's last mission, which teddy was only allowed to attend due to scott's fear of leaving her alone whilst their mother worked.
the mission was to rescue derek hale, who now sat opposite teddy.
he didn't appear to like the concept of returning much either.
the truck lurched to a stop, and liam let out a small laugh.
"i can't believe i did it. for a minute there, i thought i was gonna tear the two of you apart."
"with the exception of teddy i presume?"
stiles asked, before clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth after receiving a slight nod from the beta.
"yeah. that would've made for an awkward ride home. so thanks, teds, for, you know, 'anchoring him'."
the girl smiled slightly, her fingers curling tighter around liam's hand.
"think you can bring the same level of control and strength inside la iglesia?"
derek asked.
liam's eyebrows shot up before he flicked out his claws boastfully.
teddy smirked in approval, even giving her boyfriend a small kiss on the cheek.
stiles rolled his eyes as he watched blush creep up upon both the freshmen.
"we might actually be able to do this."
teddy breathed, her heart still heavy at the thought of her brother, beaten and bested inside that church, in the hands of a monster.
the former wolf nodded, and, after patting teddy on the shoulder in a vote of confidence,  proceeded to swing open the doors to the truck, only to be launched outside and tossed to the floor.
"derek!"
teddy screeched as the berserker slammed the man against the rocks, penetrating his skin with his giant talons.
each hit shook derek's body as stiles, teddy and liam stood frozen with fear in the truck.
teddy hid her face in the blonde boy's shoulder as the beast went in for one final hit, rearing it's great claw up for a fatal blow.
gunfire filled the air as braeden rounded the corner, her face set in a firm scowl.
the berserker turned, removing it's attention away from the bleeding man as it stumbled into the shadows.
liam hauled teddy to the side as shrapnel rained through the air, and then, the creature was gone.
pulling away from liam, the fairy lurched across the floor to where derek lay, bleeding and wounded.
everyone gathered around, enveloped in shock, and hot tears pricked teddy's chocolate eyes.
blood dribbled from derek's mouth as he clutched his wound; his hand only pulled away coated in red.
"how bad is it?"
peter spat, not daring to inch closer.
"i'm fine-i'm fine. just get to scott."
the former wolf gasped, his eyelids heavy.
"just find him. we'll be right behind you. go."
"der—"
teddy's voice faltered as she watched braeden try to tend to the man's wounds.
there was no healing; teddy knew there would be no healing.
derek knew, too.
"teddy, go."
he spat, blood flying from his mouth.
the brunette wiped his lip with her thumb gently.
"teddy, i'm fine. go, go with stiles and liam. save your brother. go!"
"i'm sorry,"
she whispered with one last fleeting glance at the brother like figure who lay broken, before running into the church beside liam.
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the beta grazed his fingers past teddy's as they stepped inside the vast walls of la iglesia, and, after throwing his girlfriend a half-hearted smile, their hands intertwined.
darkness shrouded each figure as they passed through each ominous arch.
"this way."
peter's voice rang out, ricochetting of the stone which began to crumble and crack.
the supernaturals and stiles forged on, the darkness sending eerie whispers to meet the crunch of the bones underfoot.
teddy's eyes were wide with fear as she clung to liam's arm.
a battle roar reverberated over the marble, causing the group to stop abruptly, as though they were waiting.
then, they broke into a run.
teddy cringed each time her feet splintered the bones which littered the floor, but she pounded onwards nevertheless.
after pushing through trailing vines, peter let out a yell.
"okay, everyone, stop. stop, stop, stop! we gotta figure out where we are, then we gotta figure out how to find scott and kira."
heavy breathing filled the claustrophobic corridor as the pack caught their breath, but the quiet was cut off by the chiming of stiles' phone.
the boy pulled the devise from his pocket sighing, before mumbling;
"how do i even have service?"
"hi, dad."
stiles answered sheepishly, beginning to pace.
teddy cringed, knowing how much trouble the boy would be in when he got home.
she had a feeling her and liam wouldn't be let off too lightly by their own parents, either.
peter turned, shrugging disbelievingly at the freshman whilst stiles continued to reason with his dad.
after a minute, stiles hung up the phone, and teddy found herself leaning in closer to liam, resting the back of her head under his chin; which was possible due to the height difference.
"what do we do now?"
liam sighed, wrapping his arms around teddy in an attempt to calm both his own, and teddy's, racing hearts.
"duck!"
malia yelled suddenly, pulling stiles down with her.
liam hauled teddy to the ground as a familiar low growl settled in the air.
"get down! go, go, go!"
peter cried, dodging a swing from the berserker.
"whoa! go back!"
he urged them into the tunnels but to no avail.
the monster pursued.
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the teenagers and peter scrambled past fallen fragments of stone and debris, yelling at one another to continue forging on.
at a pillar, the four teens halted, gasping for breath.
"go find kira and scott!"
malia demanded, tossing stiles kira's katana.
"you go, too."
liam pleaded with teddy, his hand shaking as it clutched hers.
"no way."
teddy nodded, attempting to hide her fear.
"i'm staying with you."
stiles sprinted off into the darkness just as the berserker rounded the corner, emitting a harsh grunt.
malia growled, and liam flicked out his claws, as teddy closed her eyes and concentrated on the darkness within her that created this dark fairy.
soon enough, black wings unfurled from her back and her vision turned a hazy grey.
teddy flexed her claws as the beast approached, hissing in response to it's snarls.
peter threw the first punch; a direct hit to the jaw that would have felled any human, but not this monstrosity.
teddy launched herself at it when peter fell, striking with her claws and beating at it with her wings, but something about fighting the creature felt off.
teddy's feet left the floor as she flew backwards, and hovered in the air.
liam struck next, aiming his attack but only to be tossed to the floor.
teddy's heart clenched at the sight.
continually, liam, malia and teddy threw countering blows, but each hit planted increased teddy's anxiety.
something about this wasn't right.
not long into the battle, a sign of defeat became obvious as both liam and malia crumpled to the floor.
teddy's beating wings became the only noise in the room as she hovered, face to face with the beast.
neither one of them struck, but simply mirrored each other's gazes, scouring the others' eyes for a sign of a soul.
the berserkers' eyes burned a familiar chocolate brown, which teddy found discomforting as she reared her talons back to strike.
"guys—"
teddy's voice was silenced by peter's final blow, which finally felled the distracted berserker.
it crumpled to the floor, it's bone hide clacking and splintering.
"take him. aim for the skull!"
peter thrust a claw towards malia, who clasped it in her palm and approached the berserker, snarling.
"kill it! kill it now!"
the former alpha yelled, stomping down as the beast attempted to clamber back up.
"malia, wait!"
"no, no, wait!"
both teddy's and stiles' voice rang out together as malia took aim.
teddy dropped to the floor, her wings disappearing as she sprinted towards the coyote.
with a flash of silver, kira's sword struck the claw from malia's hand, where it clattered onto the cold hard floor.
"it's scott,"
teddy swallowed thickly, the pieces coming together.
stiles nodded.
"it's scott."
liam's arms went slack where he had the berserker restrained against the wall.
the beast shuddered before punching liam to the floor, then colliding his large, bony hand with malia's face.
both the teens fell, and teddy rushed to liam's aid, where the blonde boy lay crumpled on the floor.
liam coughed up a little blood as teddy sat him up.
"bring him back."
he croaked.
teddy nodded, placing a small kiss to the boy's forehead before stepping towards the raging berserker that was her brother.
the beast's eyes— no, scott's eyes— locked with teddy's for only a split second, before veering behind her.
teddy realised what was happening after it had happened.
whatever part of scott still controlled the berserker wouldn't let him hurt teddy.
but, she was an exception, and it certainly didn't have a problem harming liam.
the monster charged towards the beta, who crawled backwards helplessly, blue eyes widened in fear.
"scott, it's me."
stiles said, interrupting it's path, but only to be forced down.
"scott, don't!"
teddy cried as he took liam by the cuff of his shirt and slammed the beta into a stone pillar.
liam groaned in agony as scott's bone claws began to pierce his skin, but he was helpless in fighting back.
"scott,"
teddy pleaded, watching liam become short of air.
tears stung her brown eyes that were so similar to those masked by the skull that had been forced upon scott's head.
liam grunted again as his feet were lifted off the floor.
teddy's cries became desperate.
"scott, scott! listen, please listen to me!"
the brunette ignored the hot tear that traced down her cheek as liam's eyes became glassy.
"you're not a monster, scott.."
teddy whispered, watching the blue eyed boy she'd grown to love fight for air.
but all he could do was fight.
all anyone could do was fight.
there was no winning, not when it came to monsters.
but scott wasn't a monster.
"you're not a monster, scott. you're my brother. scotty, you're my brother.."
the girl pleaded one last time.
liam struggled for breath, his words coming out in strangled gasps.
"you're a werewolf... like me."
the brown eyes inside the skull narrowed, and liam crumpled to the floor, clawing for breath.
teddy ran to him, her arms holding him as though to protect him, though from what, she wasn't sure.
because as bony talons grasped pieces of armour, they soon littered the cool floor, before taking hold on the skull that sat atop the head of a true alpha.
with an indignant roar and a flash of light, the skull was split in two.
and there stood scott mccall, once again.
not a monster, just a werewolf.
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"you."
the wolf glowered, his red eyes flashing across the hall towards peter.
teddy and liam scrambled to their feet, liam's arm around her shoulders as all eyes fell upon the former alpha.
"the only one who knew as much as argent about berserkers. about the nagual. you taught kate. you helped her. all for power."
"for my family's power."
peter spat, his eyes shining manically in the darkness.
"to be rightfully inherited by me. not usurped by some idiot teenage boy, so incorruptible, he wouldn't shed the blood of his enemies even when justified."
a growl brewed within the man's throat as he spoke, his voice echoing throughout the hall as his eyes shone their startling blue.
"you don't deserve power. not power like this."
teddy gasped as peter's skin bubbled, his face contracting as his features became defined and fangs protruded from his mouth.
he rolled his neck before bearing his fangs, and letting out a deafening roar.
in response, malia roared back, charging towards her father but only to be slammed aside, where her back groaned on impact with the pillar.
"oh, i'm sorry, sweetheart, we'll talk about this later."
kira swung her katana, taking up her stance, only to be called off by scott.
the alpha stood tall, pacing, observing his enemy's every move.
for a second, his eyes flitted to his sister, who stood aside, her claws brandished.
"stay back."
the alpha growled lowly, and teddy nodded, keeping her hand pressed firmly against liam's chest to keep the raging wolf back.
"you were my beta first, scott."
peter snarled, approaching slowly.
"it was my bite that changed your life. and my bite that can end it."
"then end it, peter."
scott dared, his red eyes shining.
"because you won't get another chance."
eyes wide, liam hauled teddy backwards as peter pounced forwards, and the pair fell to the floor.
the alpha launched himself upwards, meeting with peter midair, claws out and ready to strike.
peter, being the bigger wolf, dominated, and scott went tumbling down, but he was quick to spring back up and lurch forwards.
he slashed at peter with his claws, but the man launched a swift punch, felling the alpha.
roaring, scott swiped for peter's legs, but the blue eyed wolf flicked his fist upwards, causing scott's head to jolt back.
teddy winced, but liam kept a gentle grasp on the girl, trying to ignore her racing heartbeat.
the alpha flipped backwards, regaining his balance as peter's roar shook the church.
the older man dashed forwards, taking wild, frantic swings against scott, but the alpha blocked them all, his red eyed glowering.
"come on, scott,"
peter taunted as scott flipped again, dodging a strike.
"come on!"
meanwhile, teddy bit her lip in fear, clutching liam's forearm tight as she glanced between scott and peter, and then over at malia, kira, and stiles.
all three watched the battle intensely, their eyes fixated as scott struck and was knocked back.
suddenly, peter picked scott up and launched him against a stone pillar.
teddy buried her face in the crook of liam's neck, fearful as the stone cracked and the alpha crumpled to the floor.
"come on!"
peter growled again, lifting scott upwards, only to launch him across the room again.
subconsciously, liam pressed his lips to the top of teddy's head in an attempt to calm the fearful girl, but his own gaze was entrapped within the fight.
"fight like an alpha."
peter snarled, hauling scott up again, this time to force his back against the cool stone.
scott pushed forwards, sweat beading his face, before swinging round and propelling himself off the pillar where he had planted his foot.
his scarlet eyes shining in the haze, scott threw peter to the floor, landing punch after punch before tugging the man upright by the collar.
teddy removed her head from where it was nestled within liam to watch as the favour of the battle slowly tilted towards scott.
peter rammed his head against scott's, but the alpha punched back in response.
the mccall girl watched with baited breath as the wolves fought, the victory tossing between them, indecisive.
finally, a blow to his neck felled the alpha, who crumpled to his knees.
peter rolled his neck, satisfied; snarling.
"you want to beat me? you're going to have to kill me!"
teddy's breath hitched in her throat as her brother shattered the stone beside her on impact.
"scott,"
she gasped, her hands falling away from liam to trace the cuts and bruises on his face.
"teds, get back,"
the alpha spluttered, watching peter approach.
with a small nod, teddy ignored the tears stinging her eyes and pressed a small kiss to her brother's forehead.
"keep fighting."
at that moment, teddy felt an arm tug at her waist as liam pulled her to the floor, wood splintering above their head.
liam fell back, teddy between his legs and pulled against his chest, the pair panting for breath as peter changed his course.
instead of heading for scott, the wolf beelined over to where the young couple had fallen.
teddy's hands found liam's as she forced herself closer to him, abstaining from letting out a fearful whimper.
scott's eyes flared even brighter with ferocity as he watched peter snarl at his sister and beta, prepping to launch another crate at them; this time, in much closer proximity.
ridden with pain, the alpha forced himself up and placed himself on the path of peter and the couple, growling angrily.
with the lick of his lips, peter disguarded the crate and growled throatily at scott, before launching himself into an attack.
scott deflected each of peter's strikes until they became desperate, and weak.
teddy and liam watched— still tangled amongst each other, pressed against a pillar— as peter reared his claws back one final time, forcing them against scott as the alpha ducked.
peter stumbled, dazed, as scott kicked out his legs from beneath him, before landing one final, sledgehammer blow, which sent the monster crashing through a stack of wooden crates.
with a giant leap, scott towered over peter, his red eyes boring into the wolf.
"you were never an alpha, peter. but you were always a monster."
and with one, felling punch, the wolf fell silent.
the pack emerged from the shadows, watching their alpha in awe as he became human once more.
blood streaked his face, but, this was scott mccall, and not a care for himself was considered.
scott rushed to his sister's side, pulling her up gently before offering liam a hand.
grime streaked teddy's face as she wiped away one single tear on the back of her hand.
"you're okay, scotty."
she mumbled as her brother wrapped his strong arms around her, smiling gently.
"you're safe."
"we're safe."
scott corrected her as he pulled away, his hands resting on her shoulders.
"for now."
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