A/N: Enjoy the shorter, fluffier chapter! The next few chapters will get a lot more intense, so be sure to keep a close eye on my author notes up here for trigger warnings.
Not much to disclose here other than the minor use of drugs.
Thank you all so much for the support this is receiving! WCHB is currently ranked 4th for Thiam, and I'm blown away! Love you all so much!
Theo
The forest was rough beneath the pads of Theo's feet as he sprinted alongside Liam, his white coat practically glowing in the moon light. The cool air tussled Theo's dark wolf coat as he dodged tree trunks and leapt over brush. The weight of the world was lighter, simpler as a wolf.
As they neared a ravine, Theo and Liam exchanged a glance. The silent challenge hung in the air between them. Theo's muscles bunched and he leapt across the distance, landing softly on the other side with plenty of room to spare.
He whirled, sure that he'd felt Liam beside him, sure that he'd landed mere feet away—but the stark white wolf was on the other side of the ravine. He was standing still, almost as if he was frozen in time, and a shadow rose behind him.
Theo opened his mouth to scream, to howl, to mentally shout a warning to Liam. With a flash of silver, a dagger sliced his throat and crimson blood stained his white fur.
Theo bolted upright in bed, gasping for breath. His sweat-soaked shirt clung to his skin, and he flung the covers off, grateful for the rush of cool air against his searing skin.
"Babe?" Liam's groggy voice came. "You okay?"
Theo drunk in the sight of Liam. His tousled hair stuck up in the back. Pillow marks creased his cheeks, and he was curled on his side, a hand outstretched toward Theo. His neck was unscathed. No marks, no blood. None of it had been real.
"Just a bad dream," Theo whispered. "I'm okay."
He repeated those words over and over to himself, wishing that he could will the nightmares away. Just when the Tara ones had started to fade, new ones replaced them.
Liam tugged at him until he was laying down again. He pressed a kiss to Theo's temple, laid his head in the hollow of Theo's shoulder, and wrapped all of his limbs around him like the best weighted blanket ever.
"I wish I could kick your dreams asses," Liam mumbled. "Do dreams even have asses?"
That drew a chuckle of out Theo, and he turned into Liam, nuzzling his boyfriend and tracing circles over his muscular arms and shoulders.
"I'm sure they do, sweetheart," Theo whispered back, but Liam was already snoring softly.
Theo stared up at the ceiling, his eyes wide open as the minutes ticked by. He didn't dare shut his eyes, so he laid still for as long as he could stand it before slipping out of Liam's grasp. He tucked the blanket around him and ran his fingers through Liam's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"If anything everhappened to you, I would burn this world to the ground," Theo whispered. "I wouldn't stop until everyone responsible was turned to ash."
Liam only buried his face further into the pillow.
Theo grabbed a pair of sweatpants and his headphones. Out in the living room, Theo flicked on the kitchen light just so he didn't have to squint and started his routine. For the past week, nightmares of Liam dying in various situations had been relentless. Unable to get back to sleep, he'd decided to make the most of his early morning wake up calls.
Every day he did something a little different, but today he didn't bother stretching—he'd heal anyway—and started with the hand weights Derek had loaned him. Whatever this unknown evil they were facing was, Theo would be ready for them. He'd become the strongest version of himself if it meant keeping Liam safe.
Theo was on his sixth set of pushups, his muscles just beginning to burn with warmth, when Isaac's door cracked open, and his blurry eyed roommate ran a hand through his hair.
"It's like 4 am," Isaac muttered. "What're you doing?"
Not bothering to stop, Theo said spoke between breaths, "What does it look like."
"More nightmares?" Isaac asked.
A few months ago, Theo might have denied them to Isaac. He might have waved it off and pretended like nothing was wrong. Now, he knew there was no point. Isaac was too damn nosey and he knew Theo too well.
Theo flipped over onto his back and started the next set of crunches.
"Are you surprised?"
"Not really," Isaac answered, "but I might have something that can help."
Only then did Theo pause. "Did you find something on the—"
"What? No. You and Mason have been co-opting most of the texts anyway. Just, come with me," Isaac said, extending a hand.
Theo accepted, letting Isaac haul him to his feet. He opened the cabinet above the fridge and pulled out a small box.
"Is that what I think it is?" Theo asked.
"What, big bad Theo's never seen a joint before?" Isaac asked, his nimble fingers working quickly to spread out the green leaves before reaching back into the box and pulling out a tiny bag of blue powder—the coyote wolfsbane—and sprinkling it on top. "We might not be able to get high or drunk, but if you mix a little wolfsbane into it, the fire kills it before it can hurt you, but it still does just enough damage to actually get you high."
Isaac rolled it expertly and lit it, inhaling deeply before passing it to Theo. He took it, but eyed it suspiciously. He'd been so young when the Dread Doctors had turned him into a chimera that he'd actually never had the chance to be high or drunk. He had no clue what it would feel like, but if it stood any chance at relaxing him, Theo was willing to give it a shot.
"You swear this isn't gonna kill me?" Theo asked.
Isaac rolled his eyes and moved to snatch it back, but Theo held the joint to his lips and inhaled deeply. His lungs burned and pain erupted throughout his chest. Coughs racked his body, and Isaac devolved into a fit of laughter.
"Asshole," Theo muttered when he could breathe again. "You could've warned me."
"Could've, but it was more fun this way," Isaac cackled. They passed the joint back and forth until it was gone. Theo didn't feel all that different. Isaac's jokes were suddenly a lot funnier, though, and when he pulled out a bag of flaming hot Cheetos, it was the best food he'd ever had.
Exhaustion settled across his shoulders, and his head swam when he stood. He tripped, nearly slamming headfirst into the coffee table.
Isaac swore. "You good?"
Theo managed a thumbs up and staggered toward the room he shared with Liam. Every bone in his body was suddenly half-liquid.
"Yup," he said, dragging out the sound and enjoying the way the word rolled around in his mouth. "I'm gonna sleep."
He barely managed to strip off his sweaty shirt and sweatpants before collapsing into bed.
Liam jolted at the movement, his eyes snapping open. "Where've you been?"
The ceiling swirling above him, or maybe Theo was the one spinning, but either way, his fingers found the rough stubble forming at Liam's chin and he pressed a kiss to his lips before melting into the mattress.
"Couldn't sleep. Isaac helped me relax, and now I have no bones," Theo murmured. Even with his eyes shut, he felt Liam's gaze fixated on him. He cracked open an eye and peered at his boyfriend.
"Are you... high?" Liam asked.
"No, I'm Theo."
A grin broke out on Liam's face. "Do you have any idea how cute you are?"
Theo buried his head in Liam's neck, suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious. His boyfriend's arms came around him then. One settled across his back and the other in his hair, stroking gently, and Theo was wrapped up in the safety that was Liam.
"Get some sleep, my love."
Sleep was dragging him under swiftly and steadily.
"You hafta wake me," he whispered into Liam's neck, "if I have a nightmare."
"I will," Liam answered. "I promise."
Only then did Theo surrendered to the sleep.
Liam
"Theo, where are you taking me?" Liam asked. The pressure of his boyfriend's arm around his shoulders guided him forward, but he couldn't see a thing through the blindfold.
"You'll see."
The scent of sharp, acidic cleaning chemicals burned he inside of his nostrils along with another, fainter scent that he recognized as pain. Liam was 99% certain he knew where they were, but he wasn't sure why Theo would've brought him here.
"And you do realize that you probably should've tried to cover up my nose too?"
Liam felt the rumble of Theo's laugh from the point of contact across his back and shoulder. "What was I supposed to do, shove tampons up your nose?" Theo scoffed. "I didn't exactly think you'd volunteer for that."
His frown deepened. "Nope. Definitely would've broken the boyfriend code on that one," Liam said. "And that's not how tampons work."
"There's a boyfriend code?" Theo asked.
"Of course there is. At least, Mason and I are working on it."
Hot breath ghosted across Liam's ear, spreading goosebumps across the nape of his neck.
"And what does this boyfriend code entail?" Theo asked, and the way he'd lowered his voice ignited heat deep in Liam's body. Ever since prom night, they hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other. Now that Liam had gotten a taste for what being intimate with Theo was like, he craved that closeness. He hadn't taken Theo up on his offer to top yet. Partly because Liam was saving that for something special and partly because the way Theo touched him drove him insane.
"Take this off me, and I'll show you."
"Huh," Theo whispered, tugging him to a gentle stop. "I thought you might want to keep it on."
Fingertips brushed against the curve of his hip, and though the touch was atop his jeans, it was heightened without his sight and an involuntary gasp left Liam's lips.
"Theo," Liam growled softly.
"Don't worry, Little Wolf," Theo said with a chuckle. "We're just about there."
An electronic pinging noise echoed off the walls, and the blindfold slipped away. Liam's instincts had been right. They were in the hospital, standing in front of the open elevator.
Liam squinted at his boyfriend, who had opted for a button up instead of his usual V-neck, and his hair looked almost as perfect as prom night. He'd even done his best to cook Liam a simple dinner earlier tonight—spaghetti with lots of parmesan. He was clearly missing something important, but he just wasn't sure what.
"Theo, what is this?" Liam asked.
Theo linked his hand with Liam's and pulled him into the elevator before the doors could shut again and activated the hold button.
"What are you doing?" Liam demanded. "You can't just stop the elevator. What if a patient or a doctor needs—"
Theo warm hand cupped his chin and claimed his mouth. Liam's protests melted away as Theo's tongue danced with his own. When Theo drew back, he was grinning like a fiend.
"Do you realize that we stood in this elevator, promising to stand and fight together, exactly a year ago today?" Theo asked.
Oh. That's what this was.
Liam didn't bother being delicate as he shoved Theo up against the elevator wall, pinning him there and bringing their lips together in a bruising kiss. By the time they broke apart, Liam was breathless and his lips burned from the friction.
Theo fished into his pocket then, keeping whatever he'd been searching for hidden, as he lifted Liam's wrist and pressed a kiss to his palm, his wrist, hovering over his hammering pulse. Then he secured a braided band of leather around Liam's wrist. Cold metal rested against his skin, engraved with the phrase, "Little Wolf" and adorned with moons on either side.
Liam's jaw slackened at the literal perfection that was this gift.
"Happy Anniversary, my love," Theo whispered and leaned forward again, but Liam put a hand on his chest, making him pause.
"Theo, this is amazing, but this isn't our anniversary," Liam said.
His boyfriend's green eyes flew open wide. "What? Yes it is."
"Nope," Liam said. "Our first kiss was on the porch of the safe house. Four days ago last year."
Theo scowled at the memory. "Babe, our anniversary can't be the same day that Kira tried to put me back in hell. And technically, we weren't official until after the war ended."
Liam rolled his eyes. "Fine, I guess you're right."
"Wait," Theo said, incredulous, "if you thought our anniversary was four days ago, then why didn't you say anything? Did you actually think that I'd forgotten our anniversary?"
"Kinda, yeah," Liam said. "I just figured you weren't all that into the traditional stuff like that."
Theo placed a thumb beneath Liam's chin then, tipping his head up ever so slightly until his green eyes bored deep into him. "You're the love of my life. I'll use any and every excuse to remind you of that. Birthdays, anniversaries, the Fourth of July, random Tuesday mornings, I don't care."
Liam ran a finger over the bracelet, admiring the gift before drawing Theo in for a slow, sweet kiss that had his heart fluttering. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that they'd been together for a year—maybe a few days more than a year—because simultaneously it felt like no time had passed but also like they'd been doing this forever. Like he'd always shared his life with Theo.
"You're the love of my life, too," Liam whispered against Theo's lips.
"C'mon, let's get out of here before Scott's mom kills me for taking too long in here," Theo said, unstopping the elevator. At his questioning glance, Theo continued, "I cleared it with her first, don't worry. She promised it would be fine."
The doors slid open, and they stepped out onto the hospital floor hand in hand, side by side. Liam couldn't help but remember the Ghost Riders and the hunters at the end of the corridor. Couldn't help but wonder what or who their new enemy was and what they wanted with him.
Liam gripped Theo's hand even tighter, trying to shove the thoughts away before Theo could pick up on his anxiety.
"Whatever's coming for us?" Theo said quietly. "They don't stand a chance against us. You and me? We can handle anything."
Liam nodded, desperately wanting to believe that. "What time are we supposed to meet the pack?"
Theo checked the time on his phone. "Uh, in like five minutes. Dinner took longer than I expected. I should've planned more time this."
"Worth it," Liam said with a grin, smacking Theo's ass before bolting down the hallway with Theo at his heels.
Theo
The full moon climbed higher in the cloudless sky. His skin tingled with the power coursing through the meadow and the members of his pack as it always did when the moon was at its full strength.
Theo and Liam had arrived late to find Derek, Isaac, Scott, and a few of the new recruits gathered in a clearing deep within the forest. Derek had only invited a handful of the recruits who actually had a handle on their shifting to watch, but Theo still eyed them suspiciously. The air was ripe with the scent of anxious energy, and he wouldn't hesitate to put one of them in their place if he had to.
"Just like we've been doing," Derek told Scott and Isaac. "Hone in on your connection to your power."
Scott and Isaac obeyed, their features slowly becoming more wolf-like. An exasperated sigh escaped the alpha.
"I don't know what's wrong with me, I just can't get this," Scott said.
"Try again," Derek said. "You're giving up too easily."
Theo stepped forward then, his gaze connecting with Derek's. "Can I suggest something?" Theo asked, and when the older werewolf nodded, Theo approached Isaac and Scott. Theo had a theory that Scott, who had impeccable control over his wolf, couldn't quite relinquish control. Theo knew a thing or two about that.
Despite Scott's wary gaze, he let Theo guide him and Isaac a few paces to the right so that the moonlight streamed directly down on them. "Feel that?" Theo asked. "Feel the moon calling to you? Turn your gaze inward and follow that calling."
Both older boys closed their eyes again. "Part of shifting is giving up control. You'll still be you. At least, a version of yourself, but you have to trust yourself enough to let go," Theo said gently. "Let your wolf in, Scott."
A few deep breaths later and Isaac grunted, falling to his knees. A small gasp of pain escaped Scott, and then Theo heard the snap of bone. He stepped back to give them room. Isaac shifted first, and Scott wasn't far behind him.
Two wolves stood in the clearing now. Liam let out a celebratory whoop, and the three recruits that Derek had invited were gasping and whispering amongst themselves.
"Holy shit that's so cool!" a girl said. "Can we try that?"
"Not just yet," Derek said, "but soon. Fully shifting is pretty advanced stuff."
But Theo barely heard them. He was watching Isaac and Scott as they started moving, testing the capabilities of their new bodies. He couldn't help the feeling of sinking dread, though, that neither of them was a white wolf. Isaac's coat was a deep, chocolatey brown with a bit of curl to it just like his real hair. Even the true alpha had a dark, reddish-brown coat, but nothing like the magnificence that was Liam as a wolf.
A moment later, Liam had joined them and panic flooded through Theo's veins. The image of his nightmare, with blood dripping down Liam's neck, flashed through his mind.
"Theo—" Derek started, breaking off mid-sentence with the girl.
But Theo didn't hesitate. He all but leapt into his wolf form and tackled Liam to the ground. What the hell do you think you're doing? Theo snarled at him, baring his teeth.
Liam had the audacity to lick his face.
The hunters already know what I am. No point in hiding anymore. I want to run with my pack.
Reluctantly, Theo removed his paw from Liam's chest and let him up. He supposed he was right, but it didn't make him hate it any less.
I knew you could do it, Liam told Isaac and Scott and they both flinched.
What the fuck was that— Isaac's voice rang in his mind.
It's a thing we can do as wolves, Theo said. Makes it easier to communicate.
And you didn't tell me, why?
Theo grinned. More fun this way.
You guys ready? Derek asked, joining them in his wolf form. His blue eyes glowed in the darkness. The recruits behind him were partially shifted.
Together, they all tore off through the forest.
Liam
Cool water swirled around Liam's paws and legs as the pack wadded through a shallow stream. He lapped at the water and let it cool him down from the race that Scott had challenged them to. Liam had put in his best effort, but Scott had still won by a landslide. Actually, only Derek and Theo had come close to staying with him.
Liam knew that Theo had been working out whenever he couldn't sleep, and it was clearly paying off. He was getting stronger every single day.
Theo nuzzled him, a silent apology for his overreaction earlier. Liam knew it would've been safer to have stayed in human form, but he wasn't sorry that he'd shifted because nothing compared to the sheer joy he felt running alongside his pack.
What Liam hadn't expected, though, was the overwhelming urge he felt to protect his alpha. His eyes and ears unconsciously tracked him and listened closely for strange noises deep in the forest.
Even now, Liam found himself evaluating their surroundings, but all he heard were the sounds of the human werewolves catching their breath. They'd struggled to keep up, nearly losing the pack during the race.
But something caught his eye as one of them, the red-haired boy, Mitch, who seemed to have remarkably good control for only being bitten a few weeks ago, reached down into the stream to splash water on his face.
Black swirling lines of ink snaked their way up his forearm, peaking out beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt. That wasn't just any tattoo. That was a pack symbol.
Liam was human again in a heartbeat. "What is that?" he snarled at the boy.
Mitch's eyes widened. "What—" he stammered.
"There's no way you were bitten a few weeks ago and have a pack symbol" Liam snarled.
Theo was at his side in an instant. "You have five seconds to explain yourself before I rip your throat out."
"Are you spying on us?" Liam demanded. "Working for Monroe?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Mitch squeaked. "I just... I got bitten before my friends. I didn't know how to tell them that it was my alpha who bit them because I begged her not to. I didn't want them turned, but she did it anyway. When they decided to leave town, I went with them. I didn't want to be part of a pack who turned innocent kids."
Liam looked to Theo, who nodded confirmation that he was telling the truth.
"The next time you lie to us, and compromise the safety of my pack, I won't be so forgiving," Liam growled.
Mitch nodded, stunned into silence.
"Um, I hate to interrupt," said one of the girls, "but could you maybe shift back into wolves? It's dark out here, but not that dark. You're sort of not leaving anything to the imagination."
In his rage, Liam had forgotten that he was stark naked, and he immediately sank into his wolf form again. Theo followed suit, and Liam was incredibly grateful that no one could see his furious blush beneath his fur.
Theo
Between his recurring dreams and the new recruit lying to them, ever single nerve in Theo's body was a live wire. He hated that Derek had taken someone under his wing that he hadn't thoroughly vetted.
Did you know about his pack tattoo? Liam asked Derek on the way back to the meadow.
No, I didn't. I'm sorry, Liam. When Deucalion first brought the three of them to me, I took them at their word. They were all so terrified, and at the time, I thought they were telling the truth.
Except that Mitch wasn't. If he was a skilled liar, what else was he withholding from them?
Maybe you should check every new recruit for a pack symbol, Theo suggested. Seems like the logical thing to do.
They're not prisoners of war, Theo, Derek answered dryly. I'll ask all of them going forward point blank if they were part of a pack before, and verify that they're telling the truth, but that's the best I can offer.
As they all shifted back, gathering their clothes and dressing in the shadows of the trees, Theo felt Liam's eyes on him as he tugged his shirt down. It was a shame that they weren't alone.
"See something you like, Little Wolf?" Theo mused.
Liam rolled his eyes. "Is that even a question? Absolutely I do and you know it, but that's not what I was thinking. I have an idea."
Theo grinned, his eyes snagging on the bracelet at his wrist that claimed him as Theo's. "Yeah?"
"You know how we can shift different parts of ourselves? Like, just our claws or just our eyes?" Liam asked. "What if we could shift just the part of our brains that let us talk to each other without words."
Theo blinked and nearly dropped the shoe he was trying to shove his foot into. He'd never once considered trying that.
"Holy shit, Li, you're a goddamn genius. Let's try it."
Theo opened the door in his mind, keeping on foot firmly planted on the human side of himself and the other rooted in the mind of his wolf.
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, came Liam's voice echoing through his mind.
He did drop the shoe then.
It works. Holy hell it works. How did you even think about that?
Liam shrugged. Right after Scott and Isaac turned, I realized that they couldn't hear us when we were mentally talking. Only when we spoke directly to them. And, I don't know, I started thinking about how it works and it just came to me, Liam said into his mind.
Do you think it works with everyone?
Let's find out.
They approached Derek, Scott, and Isaac and explained what they'd learned. Derek was immediately curious, but even when he opened up a line of communication, neither Theo nor Liam could speak into Derek's mind.
But then Liam froze, his eyes fixing on his alpha.
"I can't hear Derek, but I can hear Scott," Liam said in amazement.
"And I can't hear either of you, but I can hear Derek," Isaac whispered. Then, his brows scrunched. "And Scott. I can hear you. How does that—"
"So, maybe you have to have a really deep connection with a person to be able to do it," Derek mused. "Like alpha and beta, or anchor to anchor."
The heart in Theo's chest swelled at that. Of course he and Liam were anchors, but having tangible confirmation only made it feel all the more real. He slung an arm across Liam's shoulders and tucked him into his side. Liam leaned into him as they walked back to the truck.
Now I get to watch you squirm when I mentally undress you in class.
Liam shoved him, trying to pull away to scowl at him, but Theo held on tightly and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.
A/N: thanks for reading! I'll have the next chapter out soon. Likes and comments make my day!