A/N: Sorry about the cliffhanger HAHAHA. No, but really, hopefully this makes up for it!
TW: Violence and depictions of wounds/injuries.
Liam
Parrish and Stilinski pulled into a long driveway lined with trees and stopped when they reached the chained gate.
Liam flung himself out the car before Mason or Corey could stop him. He still hadn't been able to establish a mental connection with Theo-the asshole must've shut him out intentionally-but he could still feel the essence of him. It had grown stronger the closer they'd gotten to this compound, and he knew within his bones that Theo was inside these gates.
"What're you doing?" Liam demanded of Parrish, Stilinski, and Derek as they stared at the chains.
"Legally, we can't break the lock without a warrant," the Sheriff said. "I just called it in, but until then, we have to wait."
"What if you two aren't the ones to break it?" Liam asked. Derek shot him a warning look, but glared right back.
Parrish cleared his throat. "Still illegal. If we see it, technically that's breaking and entering."
"Then look away," Liam growled and reached for the chains, but Derek yanked him back.
"Liam," he said. "We don't even know if they're in there or if they're even in danger."
"Theo's in there. I can feel him," Liam said.
Derek paused at that, as if wondering how that worked, but he nodded, knowing better than to question Liam when it came to his connection with Theo.
"Can you mentally contact him?" Derek asked. When Liam shook his head, he said, "I'll try with Isaac. What about Scott?"
Liam closed his eyes and focused on his alpha. They'd had much less practice tapping into each other's minds, and he doubted that Scott had practiced leaving that part of his mind open, but it was worth a shot.
Scott, Scott, can you hear me?
An explosion shook the ground beneath Liam's feet and his eyes flew open-the blast had come from inside the compound.
This time, Derek didn't protest when Liam ripped the chains from the gate.
Theo
His ears rang and his body ached. The acrid scent of explosive residue hung so thick in the air that he couldn't register anything else. Without his hearing or his sense of smell, Theo felt vulnerable. He had no idea where the blast had come from, and now he couldn't even count who had survived the blast.
Cold tile pressed against his cheek, and he forced himself to rise to his knees. He yanked a shard of glass from his shoulder and another from his calf. Splinters of wood had sliced through his shirt and his pants. Those, he didn't have time for. He grit his teeth against the irritation and peered through the Theo-sized hole in the wall that separated him from the living room he'd been in earlier.
His vision was still blurred, but he spied Monroe crawling across the floor. Her throat was a shredded mess from when they'd been ripped apart. Scott and Isaac were bloodied, bruised, and crumpled in the corner of the room together. For a fraction of a second, panic flooded him that he couldn't hear their heart beats, but he couldn't hear much of anything over the damn roaring in his ears.
Theo ran to them, reaching out for each of their wrists, not satisfied until he felt the steady thudding of their hearts pulsating beneath his grip. That bomb couldn't have come from Monroe or her hunters-not when Monroe had been directly in the blast zone herself. Which meant that they had to grab Monroe and get out of here while they still could.
Scott opened his mouth, but Theo couldn't hear anything he said. He pried a larger splinter out of his arm and stabbed it into the thick muscle of his thigh, using the acute pain of it to will himself to heal faster.
His senses were just beginning to return to him when a group of five burly men and women approached the shattered glass wall from outside the compound. They noted the mountain ash and then stepped right over it, over the protective barrier that he'd broken minutes before, and into the living room. So the five heartbeats he'd counted in the stables hadn't been horses after all, but werewolves.
And these were no ordinary werewolves.
A man in a flowing dark trench coat with long dark hair and simmering dark brown eyes was the last to step over the broken glass. An energy seemed to emanate from him, and it sent a chill down Theo's spine. He crossed his hands in front of his body and eyed the wreckage before him. His gaze settled on Monroe, who had managed to grab hold of an overturned table and haul herself into a standing position. She wielded a sharp piece of glass in her trembling hand.
Theo had to give her credit. She was either stupid or brave, but either way, this wasn't going to end well for her. Not unless he managed to keep her alive to pry information from her later. He dove for her at the same time the man did.
Quick as lightning, the man snatched Monroe, not bothering to be delicate around her torn throat. His free arm shifted back and his elbow slammed into Theo's nose.
A hand wrapped around his arm-Isaac was hauling him to his feet.
"Zeke, please," she begged, her high-pitched voice still sounded underwater to Theo's healing ears. "I didn't... I didn't tell them anything."
"Then let's keep it that way," he whispered, caressing her cheek softly before snapping her neck.
Monroe's lifeless body dropped to the floor.
A year ago, Theo might have cheered. Now, ice flooded his veins as the man, Zeke, slid his gaze to Theo. He moved with a fluid assuredness that reminded Theo a little too much of the Dread Doctors.
Zeke licked Monroe's blood from the tips of his fingers, and Theo had to remind himself that his feet weren't bolted to the floor. He stepped back, finally able to hear the frantic drumming of Scott's and Isaac's heartbeats behind him.
"You all must be the white wolf's protectors," Zeke said as the four others casually positioned themselves around the room. "How kind of you to all gather in one spot. This will make the day of the eclipse so much simpler."
"You don't know us. You have no idea what we're capable of," Theo snarled at him.
Zeke's eyes trained on him, sweeping up and down his body. "Theo Raeken. The first chimera. Or at least, the first proclaimed successful chimera," he said, using air quotes around the word successful. "Perhaps I should be the judge of that. Perhaps you're nothing more than a cheap chemo-knockoff."
Rage roiled through Theo at that.
Then Zeke's eyes flickered behind Theo to Isaac. "And aren't you the only surviving beta from Derek Hale's brief stint as an alpha? Isaac Lahey. Another orphan. You and Mr. Raeken must be good friends. Bonding over your familial trauma. Well, not to worry, you'll soon be out of your misery. You can join the rest of Derek's pack."
Scott moved forward then, his red alpha eyes glowing in the dim light, and roared so loudly that the rest of the glass wall shattered and the light fixture above them shook. Anyone sensible would have turned and run.
Zeke stood his ground. All of them did. Then, he had the audacity to chuckle.
"Ah, yes, the true alpha of the 21st century. Scott McCall, isn't it?" Zeke asked, examining the long tips of his claws. "I met the previous true alpha once. It was brief, and nearly 70 years ago now, but I do remember one very distinct thing from our encounter. Care to guess what it was?"
Theo clenched his fist, hating the sense that this man was playing with his food.
"It was the way her blood tasted slightly sweet when I ripped her throat out," Zeke said, his fangs descending and his wolf eyes illuminated in a deep blue. "So no, true alphas don't intimidate me."
Theo glanced at Isaac, his jaw clenched and his heart thundering against his ribcage, and then at Scott, who looked more murderous than Theo had ever seen him. They were going to have to fight their way out of this. Even uninjured, Theo wasn't sure the three of them stood a chance against this group, but they didn't have choice.
With the weight of the wolf and coyote pendant around his neck and the ink embedded just above hisheart, Theo dug deep intohis own resolve where the darkest pit of his soul met the brilliant light bornand nurtured from the past year with Liam. He was going to need both sides of himself to make it out of this alive.
Theo drew on the strength of his wolf. He didn't fully transform, but he absorbed every possible ounce of supernatural energy. He made himself quick and light and spry so that even when a massive fist shot out at him, he launched himself to the side, letting two of the brutes crash into each other. He sought out the strongest parts of himself so that when an arm wrapped around his throat from behind, he still managed to kick the attacker's knee so hard that bone shattered beneath his blow. Then he sank his fangs into the fleshy part of the arm.
He ducked out of the deadly grip and spat blood at the woman who'd attempted to choke him. With razor sharp claws, he sliced through her torso until she was screaming.
Theo risked a quick glance at Isaac and Scott, who were holding their own. They fought in tandem with their backs pressed against each other for protection. He didn't envy the two of them. If Liam were here now, Theo wouldn't be able to focus on anything but his safety.
He must've paused for a second too long because something slammed into his jaw and sent him flying backward. Theo picked himself up from the wreckage of the bookshelf he'd thrown earlier, despising the irony of the moment.
One of the biggest men charged Theo as he stood, and he braced himself-when the man launched forward, Theo crouched and shot upward, catapulting the man's weight up and over him until he was careening through the wall.
By the time Theo turned back to the main fight, Scott and Isaac had separated-Isaac kept his back to the wall, protecting himself on as many sides as he could, but Scott was out in the open. His opponent was backing him toward Zeke, who hadn't bothered to move since he'd ended Monroe's life. Despite the power radiating from him, he wasn't an alpha. Theo didn't think he could steal Scott's power without Liam, but something was off about these creatures.
Enough doubt crept through Theo's mind that when razor-sharp claws flashed from across the room, Theo sprinted.
"Scott!" he screamed. "Behind you!"
Shock registered on Scott's face, and he whirled as Theo dove, shielding Scott's body with his own.
White hot agony seared through him. Theo grunted and stars peppered his vision. Zeke's claws were embedded in his chest, the sharp tips grating against his heart.
Liam
A raw howl tore from his chest and pierced the night sky. The sight of Theo impaled on the claws of another werewolf was too much for him.
Liam's control snapped and his blood boiled. The fiercest crimson tidal wave he'd ever known swept him under. He dug his fangs into the neck of the nearest opponent and ripped before slicing through another's back hard enough to cut through bone.
Then he whirled on the dark-haired man whose seconds on this earth were now numbered and gripped the back of his neck like a vice.
"Remove your claws before you lose your head," Liam snarled.
"You do realize that my claws are millimeters away from his heart. I could rip it out of his chest long before you could end my life," the man said. "Not even he could survive that."
Liam didn't dare risk a glance at Theo, didn't dare to let his attention stray from the man even for a second. He understood all too well the terror that flooded Theo's veins at the threat.
"You need me alive, isn't that right?" Liam growled. "If you end his life, I'll end my own. Right here. Right now. You'll never get to use my blood in whatever fucked up ritual you have in mind."
A moan escaped Theo's lips, a weak attempt at a protest.
"You're bluffing," the man hissed.
Liam dug his claws in deeper. "Try me," he said through gritted teeth.
After what felt like an eternity, the man released Theo, who crumpled. His knees would have slammed against the hard tile except that Scott grabbed him, keeping him upright. A second later, Derek, who Liam had lost in his frantic sprint for the house, looped an arm beneath his shoulders.
"I let your lover go," the man said in a low, dangerous tone. "Now, release me, child."
Bloodlust roared in Liam's ears. The love of his life had holes in his goddamn chest. His nightmare had nearly become a reality, and he was dripping blood onto the tile. If Liam ripped his head from his shoulders, he'd be doing the world a favor.
A roar built in Liam's throat, but then something cracked against his skull with enough force that his grip released involuntarily. The dark-haired man whirled and, in a move too quick for him to track, flung a leg out, smashing his heel against Liam's chest and sending him careening across the room, straight into Isaac.
Liam's head throbbed as he struggled to get to his feet, but for a split second, he saw two of the dark-haired man hovering over him.
Searching through the room, Liam laid eyes on Theo. Dark lines snaked their way up Derek's arms. Distantly, he heard Scott whispering quiet words of reassurance. A pool of blood had gathered at Theo's feet, seeping into his shoes, and pain twisted his features, but Theo's clear green eyes met his.
I'm okay, Little Wolf, Theo whispered into his mind.
Liam nearly sobbed at the relief that came from their reestablished mental connection, and the infernal rage winked out.
The dark-haired man's entire pack had their eyes trained on Liam like they wanted nothing more than to tear him to shreds. The woman with the gaping back wound advanced a single step.
"Stand down!" the man growled with enough authority that the others retreated, their features becoming more human as they did. His dark eyes illuminated as they swept over Liam, his piercing gaze so intent that he wanted to hide from it.
Instead, Liam shoved to his feet, ignoring the dizzy spell from the pulsating headache, and faced the man head on.
"Liam Dunbar," the man said, articulating each syllable of his name like he could taste them. He stalked closer one leisurely step at a time. "Scott McCall's one and only true beta. The beta with anger issues. The legendary white wolf."
Liam hating the way it sounded like a title of honor, but he supposed there was no running from the truth. Not anymore. Not when denying it had endangered his pack.
"You're right. I am the white wolf," Liam declared. "And if you so much as lay a hand on my pack again, and you won't live to see another day."
The man smirked and his hand shot out, grasping Liam's chin so hard that the bone strained beneath his grip. Liam gripped his wrist, trying to pry him off, but his muscles might as well have been made of stone.
"I never would've expected such a fierce attitude from someone with such an adorable face, but I'm afraid you won't have a say, sweetheart," he whispered. Theo snarled at the endearment. "Don't you worry. She'll be back for you soon."
"Who?" Liam demanded.
The man studied him for a long moment. Liam wasn't sure what he found in his expression that made him inclined to offer up this next piece of information, but his dark eyes danced with amusement.
"Imara," he said. "The first werewolf."
Theo
When Theo first noticed Liam, he was convinced he was hallucinating, but then Liam's roar had scattered shockwaves across his body and had his hair standing up on end. Derek appearing from nowhere was a shock, but then he and Scott were holding him up. Even as the world continued to spin too quickly and his brain felt foggy and slow, he was vaguely aware of Derek telling him that he wasn't allowed to die.
The sharp edge of his pain had softened as Derek syphoned some of his pain, and as soon as he could think more clearly, he looked for Liam. Sprawled out on the floor beside a battered-looking Isaac, Liam's shining yellow wolf eyes met his and held.
Theo unbolted the door in his mind-the one he'd locked as soon as he left Beacon Hills this morning.
I'm okay, Little Wolf, Theo whispered to him.
The yellow faded then, Liam's brilliant blue eyes shining.
Pain overwhelmed all of his senses, and Theo braced against it. He'd seen werewolves die from lesser injuries, but at least his body was healing. He could feel the wounds closing deep within the confines of his chest.
Theo's vision darkened,but his consciousness snapped to attention when Zeke gripped Liam's chin and called him sweetheart. The protective snarl that escaped him was as much instinct as drawing breath.
"Step away from the boy!" came a shout from the gaping hole in the glass wall. Sheriff Stilinski and Parrish raised their weapons at the ancient pack of werewolves.
Parrish's eyes burned, the clothing on his body already beginning to smolder. "Leave while you still can," he hissed.
Slowly, Zeke released his hold on Liam. He smirked, running a hand through his hair.
"How cute, you brought a hellhound," Zeke said. "It's been decades since I had a proper pet."
Parrish's entire body lit up then, but the ancient werewolf pack merely snickered.
"See you at the end of the month," he called to Liam as he meandered from the complex casually.
"Is that-Monroe?" Stilinski asked, but Theo barely heard him.
He was too focused on Liam, who was scrambling over to him. His arms came around him, and Theo let his head fall against his shoulder. He inhaled the scent of him, letting it anchor him to the present. Liam's hands practically traced his entire body before coming to rest in the nape of his neck.
"Sweetheart," Liam crooned against his temple. The sharp throbbing in his chest began to fade, and Theo gasped at the release of it as Liam took his pain.
When Theo could breathe again without his chest seizing, Liam pulled back. His warm hands stroked his cheeks, cupping his face.
"You're a goddamn idiot," Liam told him sternly. "I don't know whether to punch you or kiss you."
Theo tugged Liam in by the front of his shirt, capturing Liam's lips with abandon. He didn't particularly care that their friends surrounded them. Let them see what he was fighting so hard to keep.
"You can punch me tomorrow," Theo breathed when they broke apart, shocked to see tears welling in Liam's eyes.
"You swear you're okay?" Liam asked, a crease between his brows like he still couldn't quite believe it. The puncture wounds had been deep, but thin and Theo probably would've passed out except that he kept twisting one of the larger shards of glass in his arm, using the sharp pain of it to force himself to heal faster.
"Yes, love, I swear," Theo answered, and Liam's arm wrapped around him beneath the shoulder, steadying him. He didn't necessarily need it, but he also wasn't ready to let go of him yet. He might never be ready. "Let's get out of here."
The walk back down the long driveway felt even longer because of the brooding silence roiling off Derek. Theo had a bad feeling that he was in for a more serious scolding than usual once he was feeling better.
After Liam carefully lowered him into the backseat of Corey's car, his head tipped back against the headrest and he let his eyes fall shut. Exhaustion riddled every fiber of his being. The fight had drained him.
The door slid open, and Theo creaked an eye open to see Scott sliding in beside him.
"You okay?" Scott asked.
Theo nodded despite the shooting pains in his abdomen. At least the bleeding had finally stopped. Scott must have sensed the lie, though, because he gripped his arm tightly and the agony dulled to a quiet roar.
"Thanks," Theo said.
Scott squeezed his hand before letting it fall back in his own lap. "As much as it pains me to admit this, I owe you an apology, Theo. You helped me break through when I couldn't fully transform, and I never said a word. And then tonight you-" his voice wavered. "You didn't have to do that. Liam wasn't even around to see."
If Theo had even another ounce of energy left, he might have scrounged up some excuse for why he'd saved Scott's life, but he was too weary for anything but the truth.
"I don't know when it happened, but at some point," Theo said, "I stopped doing good things because it would impress Liam and started doing good things because it was the right thing to do."
Scott nodded, looking lost for words. "I know I haven't treated you the best lately, and I'm sorry for that. You've been there for Liam these past few months when I couldn't be. I'm really grateful to you for that. I'm glad Liam has you, and I'm glad you're part of the pack."
When Theo was silent for a beat too long, searching for the right words, Scott reached for the door handle.
"Those werewolves tonight didn't seem normal," Theo said hoarsely. "I'm not sure the normal rules apply to them. I was worried Zeke might try to kill you for your alpha power. I'm not even sure it's possible, but when he went for you, all I could think about was Liam losing his alpha and Isaac losing his boyfriend and how much it would wreck them both."
"Technically we're not boyfriends," Scott whispered under his breath.
Theo laughed, his chest aching with the movement. "You're boyfriends. You're an idiot if you think you're not."
Scott rolled his eyes, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Thank you for what you did tonight, Theo. I don't know how I could ever repay you."
Theo shook his head. "That's not why I did it, but if you want, help me keep Liam from being a pawn in whatever scheme these fucked up ancient werewolves are playing, okay?"
"Okay," Scott agreed. "You got it."
The car door hadn't even shut when Isaac swung it open, popping his head inside.
"Hey, so since you're hurt and Liam doesn't have his license, I'm gonna drive your truck back to Beacon Hills. Sound good?"
Theo's eyes snapped open. "What-? No!"
"See you at home," Isaac called like he hadn't heard him at all.
Theo groaned, but his heart still hummed happily with how much love he had for this chaotic, dysfunctional pack that had become his family.
Liam
Derek insisted that they all sleep at the safe house when they got back to Beacon Hills, and Parrish and Stilinski made a point to escort them the whole way.
After they took off and Corey and Mason headed home, Liam helped Theo up the steps and into the compound. Isaac ruffled Theo's hair and drew him in for what could only be described as a spine-crushing hug. Isaac didn't release him down until long after Theo was gasping for breath.
"Glad you're still with us, kiddo," Isaac said before disappearing into the room Scott had chosen. "Love you!"
"I hate you," Theo called after him, but Liam caught the brightness in his eyes.
Liam took his hand and led him toward the room beside Scott and Isaac's. Before they could shut the door, Derek knocked.
"Theo," Derek said. With his steely gaze was fixated on Theo, he looked less like an alpha and more like a concerned father. "I'm sure you thought you had perfectly good reasons for doing what you did tonight, but if you ever pull a stunt like that again, especially without telling me, I'll kill you myself."
Theo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Liam knew all too well that he wasn't used to people caring about his wellbeing.
"Understood," he said. "Mind if I get some rest now? It's not like I had a near-death experience today or anything."
"Show me your wounds first," Derek said. "You're not sleeping until I know for sure you're healed."
Theo yanked his torn, bloody shirt over his head. Five angry red marks were fading across his chest. They'd form thin scars before disappearing completely. "I'm fine, Derek, I promise."
Derek clapped a gentle hand on Theo's shoulder. "Get some sleep, you little punk," Derek said, shutting the door on his way out.
Liam yanked his own shirt off too before embracing Theo. The feel of Theo's hot skin against his own was almost enough for tears of relief to spill down his cheeks.
Theo leaned into him and mumbled, "Your turn, Little Wolf. Tell me how stupid I was."
Liam pressed a kiss to the side of his head. As much as he wanted nothing more than to do exactly that, tonight wasn't the time for that.
"Oh, I will, but not tonight, love," he whispered.
Theo glanced up at him, exhausted and incredulous. "Really?"
"Really," Liam whispered. "Now, c'mere."
Derek had let them stay in the main house tonight, and they had their own private bathroom. Liam tugged open the door to bathroom and started the shower. He closed the lid and sat Theo on the toilet. Carefully, Liam removed his bloodied shoes, his socks, and started on his ripped pants. Under different circumstances, this might have been an exceptionally fun shower, but not when Theo was exhausted and covered head to toe in a mixture of shrapnel, dirt, and shards of glass.
When they were both naked and the water was steaming up the mirror, Liam guided Theo under the water. He lathered shampoo in his hands and ran them through Theo's hair, massaging his scalp as he did.
The chimera's eyes fluttered shut as he let Liam wash away the horrors of the day.
Theo
When Theo woke the next morning, every single muscle in his body throbbed. After letting Liam take care of him last night, Theo had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and Liam's arms were around him.
Now, though, the weight of his arms were gone. The steady beat of Liam's heart wasn't beside him, and Theo bolted upright just as the door to their room opened. Liam kicked the door shut and set a tray of food down on the bed.
Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fruit were all splayed out across little ramekins and plates for him. He hadn't even had a chance to eat yesterday, and the smell had his stomach growling.
He paused though at the stern expression on Liam's face. As much as Theo had been grateful for Liam not wringing his neck yesterday, he had a sinking feeling of what might come next.
"Are you okay?" Theo asked. "I know you probably want to talk about-"
Liam handed him a fork, his eye glinting with something akin to malice. "Eat, and then we'll talk."
Theo hated the way his boyfriend said it like a threat, but he ate regardless. When the food was gone, Liam set the tray on the floor and climbed up beside him, his jaw working like he was struggling to find the right words.
When he was silent for a moment too long, Theo blurted out, "Look, I'm sorry. You must be so pissed about yesterday. It was awful, but I don't regret what I did. Not for a single second. We learned vital information. You have to know I did it for you. All of it, for you."
Liam exhaled slowly. "I'm not mad about yesterday."
Theo balked. "You're... you're not?"
"I hated it, yeah, but you're your own person, Theo, and I trust you. Do I wish you would've told me? Yeah. But I get why you didn't want me there," Liam said. "It would've been too hard to fight. You would've worried about my safety instead of your own."
Theo nodded, glad that he understood.
Liam's blue eyes were unyielding as he stared at him. "I'm pissed because you shut me out."
Theo hung his head. He'd sealed off the part of his mind that Liam had access to because he wasn't entirely sure how far apart they had to be for the connection to cut off on its own. He hadn't wanted a single distraction from the task at hand, but the real reason ran deeper than that.
"The darkness that I carry in my soul isn't gone, Liam. It didn't vanish when you brought me back from hell. I've spent every day of the last year fighting to keep it locked away, and yesterday I had to embrace it. I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't want you to think any less of me-"
Liam tipped forward, his lips brushing Theo's forehead. "No part of you scares me," he whispered, echoing back the same words that he'd once told Liam.
Theo pulled back just far enough to peer at him. Something had shifted in those blue eyes. When he'd left yesterday morning, Liam had been in full blown denial that the prophecy was real, but now resolve, and a rare hint of fear, flickered there.
"I'm not going to let anyone, not even the first goddamn werewolf, sacrifice you, you hear me?" Theo said, gripping the nape of Liam's neck. "No one's taking you away from me."
Liam nodded. "The only way we're going to get through this is together," he said. "We'll do whatever it takes."
He closed his arms around Liam, nuzzling his face into the soft skin near his throat. Theo relished the way the warmth of Liam's love drove out the lingering darkness.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I'm still blown away on a daily basis by the support this has received. Only a few chapters left, so it may take me a bit to wrap everything up the way I'd like. I'll try to have a new chapter out within a week.
Also, I added a link to the runic symbol in the comments of Part 1 of this chapter, so go take a look! I also included the meaning behind the two joining symbols that come together to create the everlasting partnership symbol.