Chapter Text
Theo was five the first time he understood what death was.
He was just playing tag with the other kids, laughing as Scott chased him through the schoolyard with a grin just as wide as his own. Just as he was about to dodge out of the way from Scott’s touch, a pain shot through his chest like someone was trying to rip his heart out of his chest. He fell with a gasp, clutching the source of the pain as he tried to force air into his lungs.
Scott skidded to a stop beside him, crouching down and paling when he saw the state Theo was in. “Stiles!” Scott had screamed, looking absolutely terrified. “Stiles, get a teacher! Theo needs help!”
Everyone knew Theo had a heart condition, including him, but it had never really seemed real until then. He’d never actually faced the fact that he was sick before, just knowing that he had to take it easy and not strain himself too much. That was easy, because Scott usually sat on the sidelines with him during gym class because of his asthma.
“Theo, you’re going to be okay,” Scott promised him, reaching forward to grab his hand as a teacher ran over to both of them. “They called an ambulance, you’re going to be fine.”
Theo nodded weakly, his entire body heavy as it became harder to breathe.
“Sweetie,” the teacher reached forward to push his hair back, smiling softly. “I need you to stay awake, okay? Tara’s coming and you’re going to the hospital, can you stay awake?”
Theo hummed in agreement, his eyes already slipping shut. “Tell me when I get there, okay?”
“Theo!” a familiar and comforting voice cried out. The sound of someone dropping to their knees beside him a little overwhelming as his hand was softly grabbed. “Theo,” Tara said quietly, her voice trembling a little. “I’m right here, okay? You’re going to be okay, I promise. Just breathe with me.”
Theo smiled a little, calm washing over him immediately the moment he heard his sister’s voice. Cracking his eyes open a little, he was met with her worried expression. She smiled a little the moment she saw that he was looking though, her hold on his hand tightening a little.
“Hey, buddy,” she whispered with a small smile. “You got dirt on your sweater.”
That woke him up a little, the drowsiness fading away as he tried to crane his neck down to properly see his new sweater. It was Captain America’s shield and Tara had helped him buy it with his allowance money. It was one of the best memories he had in a while, with his dad’s drinking and his mom threatening to leave and take Tara with her.
Not Theo though. She never said she would take Theo. Tara told him it was because it was obvious that their mom would take him with them if she ever did leave their dad, but Theo wasn’t sure. He wasn’t perfect like Tara, with her beautiful brown hair and smile. He wasn’t even close, really. His dad didn’t buy him a birthday card that year, but he bought Tara a special cake.
Tara loved him though, Theo knew that for certain. Tara taught him how to ride a bike and was the one to remove his training wheels that summer. Tara always let him sleep in her bed when he had nightmares and snuck candy into his lunch bag every day so he could be just like the other kids.
“Steve Rogers had a bad heart too, remember?” Tara asked, gaining his attention again. “And he’s Captain America. If he could get better and become a superhero, then you can be anything you want.”
“Captain America’s heart got strong though,” Theo pointed out, his eyes watering a little as he looked at his older sister. “I’m not going to get better, am I, Tara? Am I going to die?”
Scott and his teacher gasped, but Tara’s free hand replaced his teacher’s. She ran her fingers through his hair and squeezed his hand even tighter. “You’re not going to die,” she promised. “I’ll never let that happen, Theo, you hear me?”
Theo nodded quickly, relief flooding through his body as he nodded again. Tara was ten, she was smarter and braver than he was. If she was sure he wasn’t going to die, he believed her. Tara was the smartest person he knew.
“You’re going to get better,” his sister said firmly. “I’ll find you a new heart if I need to.”
And she had, just not the way she meant that day. Because Theo killed her, watched her drown because three people told him that they could give him enough power to live and protect them both.
Instead, he was given his sister's heart, his sister who had done nothing but love and protect him from every nightmare and all of the monsters under the bed.
When he woke up with her heart in his chest, Theo had touched the place the incision should have been and realized he had become that monster. Because Tara wasn't coming back and she never would.
Theo's new heart didn't beat. Logically, he knew it did because he was alive, that blood was coursing through his veins. He just never felt it beat, no matter how hard he pressed against it, searching for the thump that should have been there beneath his palm.
Theo didn't feel Tara's heart beat for almost ten years until he clawed his way out of hell and found himself staring into the familiar blue eyes of Liam Dunbar, holding a sword with such a determined look on his face that Theo couldn't help but stare.
Theo felt himself freeze in that moment as he locked eyes with the werewolf, blood thrumming in his veins and air filling his lungs.
And for the first time since he killed Tara, Theo felt his heart beat.
--
“Theo?” a voice beside him made Theo snap out of his thoughts quickly, pursing his lips at the expectant look on Mason’s face.
Sighing, he tried for an apologetic look. “Sorry, I was lost in my head.”
Mason rolled his eyes a little but there was no real heat behind the expression, which put Theo on edge a little. Mason had no reason to be so relaxed around him, not after what he’d done. The same went for Corey, who he’d literally tried to control. But they both fell asleep on the floor without a second thought when they all watched movies at Liam's house, vulnerable at his feet. Corey joked with him and Mason always came to him whenever he wanted a second opinion on something, eyes brimming with curiosity and excitement the moment Theo was able to bounce an idea off of him.
Brett, Lori, Alec and Nolan had never known him while he was still a power-hungry mass murderer but they all knew what he had done and still poked fun at him like he was their friend, like they cared. They bristled every time Stiles or Malia made a scathing comment about his evil stint, shuffling closer to Theo like they could shield him from the wary looks the older pack sent him when they thought he wasn't looking. Brett never hesitated to pick a fight with Liam whenever someone made Theo uncomfortable, drawing everyone's attention to trying to stop the two teenagers from ripping each other's head off. Alec would change subjects quickly, Nolan would comment on some little detail that had been mentioned earlier, asking for elaboration. Lori would straight up tell whoever had bothered him to fuck off. Mason was a little more discreet about his mode of protecting Theo, glaring at the offender until they apologized. Corey would actually straight up demand an apology, which was funnier than it should have been: Corey staring down Malia with Mason's fierce glare to back him up until she mumbled a totally fake apology through a partially shifted mouth.
But the person who shouldn’t have trusted him in the slightest, who had every right to hate him—who should hate him, because that would have been easier for Theo in all honesty—was the person who defended him the fiercest. Liam, who had declared that Theo was his friend a few weeks after the hospital when they found themselves lying in the bed of Theo’s truck one night. Liam hadn’t been able to sleep, so he texted Theo, asking if they could just go somewhere. Theo had dragged himself from the backseat immediately, telling Liam that he would be at his place in ten minutes. He tried telling himself that it wasn't because of the way his heart seemed to beat harder when Liam was around, that he didn't feel more alive the moment he was standing beside the beta... but he'd never been good at lying to himself.
“You know,” Liam’s voice was soft, like he was afraid of ruining the silence of the Preserve. “I don’t think anyone else would have actually shown up.”
Theo turned his head to look at the younger boy in confusion, his eyebrows drawing together as he considered the statement. “What about Mason?”
“Mason would have told me to go the fuck to sleep before he came to my house for the sole purpose of smothering me,” Liam answered immediately, laughing at the poorly concealed alarm on Theo’s face. “He’s a little aggressive when he’s tired.”
Theo snorted, readjusting his arm under his head. “That,” he said pointedly, “seems like the understatement of the century.”
Liam hummed in agreement, turning his head to look at the side of Theo’s face. His gaze burned on Theo’s skin and even if it wasn’t so intense, Theo would have been able to see Liam’s expression from the corner of his eye.
“It’s what makes you different about my other friends,” Liam admitted, making Theo’s free hand spasm a little at his side. “You showed up... sure, you were a little bitchy about it, but you were still there.”
Theo snorted at the comment, ignoring the way Tara’s heart had threatened to skip at the way Liam had breezily called him a friend, as though Theo hadn't been trying to destroy his pack almost a year ago.
"Your friend, huh?" he asked instead, choosing to deflect his genuine surprise with his typical smug expression.
Liam didn't buy it though, turning on his side with a frown. "Yeah," he agreed. "Friend. Did you really think we weren't?"
Theo paused, considering the question carefully before speaking. "Didn't think you were really in need of any more, considering all of the friends you could possibly need at your every beck and call."
"You're my friend, Theo," Liam stressed the word heavily as if he was trying to imprint it into Theo's mind. "You're stuck with me, okay?"
Okay, Theo had thought quietly, his sister's heart actually stuttering at the determination in the beta's voice. Out loud though, he snorted a little. "No getting out of it at all?"
Liam's mouth twitched at the question, turning so he was resting on his back again. "No take backs or returns," he agreed. "Refunds not accepted."
If he noticed the way Tara's heart pounded harder at the promise, Liam was kind enough not to mention it.
Liam had no reason to trust him, let alone decide that they were friends. Theo had done nothing to deserve it, had no way to erase everything he had done to Liam and his friends, his pack, in the past. That hadn’t stopped him though, snarling at Stiles every time the human was still in town, reminding everyone constantly the role Theo had played in saving all of their lives and constantly yanking him into any conversation he could. Hell, Liam was the reason Theo and Brett were friends. During a pack meeting Liam had dragged him to, Brett had been shoved toward Theo as Liam declared that they could bond over being assholes.
Brett had stuck to him like glue after that day, both of them appreciating the other's dry humor and sarcastic mannerisms, whispering quietly to one another as they mocked the older pack members and muttered about the way Mason and Corey practically sat on one another every opportunity they got. Liam always pretended to be annoyed by how close they'd become, cursing himself for creating a monster they would never be able to defeat, but Theo saw the way he would smile at the two of them when he thought they weren't paying attention.
Liam smiled at him a lot. Theo didn't deserve a smile like that.
"We wanted to know what you thought about this," Corey explained with a shake of his head like Theo was a misbehaving third-grader. "The hunters all started appearing again, and we don't know why."
"Yeah you do," Theo contradicted immediately, sighing when all he received were blank stares from the teenagers in the room. "Okay, I'll break it down for you, then."
"How kind," Brett drawled, earning a quick smirk from Theo before he looked back at everyone assembled.
"We're all aware that there's a witch in town," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Rise of magical energy and whatnot, so are you really surprised that they're interested? Witches aren't really known for an overwhelming loyalty to other supernatural creatures, they're survivors. They have to be, considering the history they have with everyone."
"The witch hunts," Mason assumed, making Theo nod quickly.
"The witch hunts," he echoed. "It wouldn't be the first time a witch found herself in a bad situation like this. It's a hunt or be hunted scenario. The hunters might just kill her, but there's a chance they're willing to make a bargain."
"What kind of bargain?" Lori asked, tilting her head curiously. "I mean, don't they want to eradicate every supernatural there is? Why wouldn't they just kill her?"
Nolan had been very quiet up until then, leaning against the wall with a thoughtful expression. "If she tracked down others for them, they'd let her go," he said slowly, looking up to meet Theo's gaze. Nolan winced a little when he realized what he was saying, the same way he always did when he had to consider what he'd learned during his time with Monroe. Nolan's outside ideas and knowledge on how the hunters thought was always helpful, but the scent of guilt always became almost unbearable in those moments. Judging by the way the others were scrunching up their noses, they noticed it too. Brett's hand moved slightly to brush along Nolan's side, serving to not only make the human's face turn pale pink but helping Nolan relax a little. "That's it, right? If they think she can whip up a magic supernatural detector or something, they won't let that chance slip by."
"And she'd just do that?" Alec asked, looking a little scandalized. "Give up dozens, maybe more, names for them to track down?"
"She might," Theo agreed. "Like I said, witches are survivors. They don't owe anyone anything except themselves and their coven. From the looks of things, she doesn't even have that."
"That's messed up," Corey said quietly. "Who in their right mind would do that?"
Me, Theo thought bitterly. There was once a time where he would have done whatever it took to survive, no matter what the consequences were, no matter who had to die in exchange for that. How many kids had he led to the Doctors, watching silently as each one was experimented on until they died? How many times had the word failure rang in his mind as he was forced to meet the betrayed gazes of those children in their last moments? How many people had he killed for nothing more than his own gain?
Too many.
Liam cleared his throat from beside Theo, making everyone look to the stand in alpha expectantly. Liam hesitated for half a second at the attention, making Theo shift on his feet minutely. Their shoulders barely brushed but it was enough to gain a sideways glance from the beta before he actually spoke. "Our main priority then is finding her," he said decisively. "We can't hurt her but we can try to get to her before the hunters do."
"And if they do find her first?" Brett's voice wasn't challenging, merely curious. Liam still bristled a little at the question, clearly worried about the answer he was going to have to give.
"Then we stop them from using it. Before the bodies start piling up again."
---
Apparently looking for the witch meant that they had to take shifts scouring Beacon Hills for any sight of the witch. Theo tried to rationalize with the others that they didn't really have any idea what the witch looked like or how old she was but Mason had been researching witches with Deaton and was certain she would have an aura of power that would alert them all to who she was.
Theo was about to call bullshit, considering the fact that he'd been driving Brett, Alec and Liam around for the last five days and finding nothing. Liam wanted to be the one searching every minute of every day but Theo put his foot down the moment he saw Liam dozing off as he tried to do his math homework after the first night they went looking. The Puppy Pack, as they had been coined by Stiles, were all still in high school ( technically Theo was too because Scott had insisted he go back and get his diploma, but he had a few of his credits already so he didn't need to worry about it as much as they did ) so Theo wanted to make sure they were taking care of themselves.
"Scott will kill me if I let you fail a course because you worry too much," he'd told Liam as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Brett the second night of the search. "Study, Liam. Get some sleep."
Liam had looked furious momentarily and Theo found himself locked in an intense staring competition as the younger boy apparently attempted to silently pull rank on him. Theo hadn't looked away for a second, smirking a little when Liam looked away with a sigh.
"Text me when you get back, okay?" he'd asked instead, making Brett snort.
"I'll have him back by midnight, mom, promise."
Liam had let out a halfhearted snarl, but only watched as the tall werewolf exited the room. He looked like he wanted to say something but after a minute of waiting Theo went to leave as well.
"Be careful," Liam called after him as Theo reached the hallway, making the chimera turn to look at him. His head was tilted down, his hair falling over his eyes in a way that shouldn't have been anywhere near as attractive as it was. Theo could smell the worry radiating off of the werewolf in waves, but he hesitated on the hint of embarrassment.
Tara's heart let out a weak flutter at the sight.
"I will," he'd promised before leaving Liam's house and hopping into his truck where Brett was already waiting.
His friend was smirking at him as Theo started the engine. "So, when's the wedding?"
Huffing a scoff out of his nose, Theo sent Brett a sideways glare even though his cheeks threatened to burn. "Funny. How's Nolan?"
Brett wasn't able to hide the flush that crawled up his neck. "Shut the hell up."
Now, three days later... Theo was lying in the backseat of his truck as he tried to find some semblance of sleep for the night before he dragged his ass to the school so he could take a shower before anyone got there. He kept his eyes closed, but something was bouncing around in his gut, a feeling of wrongness he couldn't place and refused to allow him to rest. He tried to puzzle his way through it but sat up when he heard his phone ringing.
Squinting as the bright screen burned against the darkness, Theo only hesitated a moment to wonder what the hell Nolan was doing awake at three in the morning before answering. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
"Brett's gone."
Nolan's voice was shaking as Theo sat up straighter, all thoughts of sleeping erased from his mind. "What?"
"He's not at the apartment with Lori," Nolan supplied. "He was practicing with us at the lacrosse field, but Lori just called. He never got home. She thought he might have been with me, but he isn't. No one can find him."
If it was any other situation, Theo would have thought about teasing Nolan at the idea Brett was at his house unsupervised. That was the last thing from his mind though as he crawled into the driver's seat of his truck. "Where are you all?"
"Corey's house," Nolan rushed out. "His parents aren't home, we set up base here. Everyone's here but you. And of course Brett, but—"
There was the sound of scuffling and Lori's voice was the one in his ear next. "Theo, just get here. Please."
Her voice quavered and Theo didn't need to be reminded of the last time Brett went MIA.
"Give me five minutes."
---
By the time he pulled up to the Bryant household, Liam was pacing on the front porch. He was chewing on his thumbnail, a habit Theo had noticed was becoming more and more prominent. His head snapped up at the sound of Theo's engine and he was moving down the stairs before Theo had even exited his truck.
Theo barely had a second to gather his thoughts before Liam had reached him, his eyes wild and just a little desperate as he raised a hand to Theo's, making the chimera's breath hitch a little as Liam encircled Theo's wrist with his thumb and middle finger. Some of the tension drained from the beta's shoulders at that moment, though he still looked ready to drop. "You're okay," he said quietly as his hold on Theo's wrist tightened a little. "I was worried—"
He didn't finish, but he didn't need to. Theo wasn't an idiot, he knew that he was Liam's anchor. It was why the younger boy gravitated to him whenever they were in a room, why Theo doing something as simple as brushing shoulders with Liam could make the beta's anger drain in a matter of seconds. He didn't know how or why it had happened, but it was a fact of life he had adapted to.
Liam was his anchor too, but no one needed to know that.
Liam was worried that Theo was gone too, and that he would lose all control with him. So Theo willed his free hand not to shake as he raised it to Liam's shoulder and squeezed. "I'm here," he confirmed, watching as Liam shuddered in relief before letting go of his wrist. Theo took it as a sign and dropped his hand from Liam's shoulder. If he'd been paying attention, he would have seen the way Liam leaned forward as if seeking the contact out, but he wasn't.
"Any idea where he is?"
Liam shook his head. "We found his car at a gas station though... one of the windows was smashed and there were wolfsbane bullets. There was a lot of blood."
Theo's stomach sank again. "Hunters."
"I shouldn't have let him go alone," Liam's voice was bitter as he shook his head. "I knew there were hunters around and I still let him go on his own."
"What would you have done, Liam?" Theo asked, crossing his arms as he ducked a little to make Liam meet his eyes. "If Brett couldn't even call for help before they grabbed him, what are the chances you wouldn't have been grabbed too?"
Liam's jaw clenched tightly but he didn't look away. Theo grabbed onto that opportunity and kept talking.
"We all need you here, okay? Nolan and Lori are panicking. Corey and Mason are probably trying to stay calm, but failing aren't they? And Alec? He's scared, isn't he? They need someone to take charge and reassure them that we can find him, not their alpha to beat himself up over something he had no control over. You understand?"
Liam nodded, the movement barely more than a sharp jerk of his chin, but Theo would take it. A nod had been more than he was expecting if he was being perfectly honest, but he still raised an eyebrow. "Now, are we going to go in or are you planning on shouting the plan through the window?"
Liam's glare was mostly for show, spinning on his heel as he headed back up the stairs and into Corey's house.
Theo closed his eyes, still standing on the sidewalk as he took a few bracing breaths. He didn't miss the familiar smell of Alec's anxiety wafting toward him, making Theo look up with a softer look than he would have preferred as he took in the young werewolf. Alec looked like he was trembling a little, earning a silent curse from Theo as he registered how frightened Alec must have actually been.
Scott had found Alec after his entire pack had been killed by one of Monroe's fanatic groups and when he'd brought the kid back, Alec had latched onto Theo despite the way Stiles and Malia made sure he knew what Theo had done in the past.
When Theo asked later, Alec had ducked his head down with a sad smile. "You remind me of my older brother," was what he said, making Theo promise to take care of this kid no matter what as an impossible softness settled in his gut.
It was no secret as to why Alec was so scared. The last time he had heard that hunters were near, he'd lost everything. Now, Brett was missing and Alec was terrified it was going to be a repeat of history. Walking back toward the porch, Theo didn't smile as he squeezed Alec's shoulder. He didn't need to, not when the sixteen year old sank into the touch and followed him back inside.
Liam looked up quickly when Theo walked into the living room, Alec close on his heels. No one said anything as Theo took his place leaning against the wall a few inches away from Liam with Alec on his other side. Theo pretended not to notice the way Liam moved a little closer to him, his body turning slightly so he was almost facing the chimera.
Corey was the first one to speak, rolling his head up the wall so he could stare at the ceiling. "They found her first, didn't they?" No one needed to ask who he was talking about, all frozen in the moment. "How else would they have found him the moment he was alone? He doesn't even usually use that gas station."
Theo looked at Liam as the werewolf glanced at him, sending him a nod to spur him on.
"Maybe," Liam confirmed, earning a shuddering breath from Mason as the boy squeezed his eyes shut.
"Well, that's not good."
Theo couldn't help the way his lips twitched up at the statement, glad to see he wasn't the only one.
"If she did what they wanted her to, made the locator or whatever it is... does that mean they know where we are?" Alec's voice was quiet, the normally rambunctious boy curling inside of himself a little.
Liam bit his lip but nodded. "Maybe," he repeated. "But that just means we have to be extra careful."
"We have to find him," Lori's voice cracked a little, making Corey reach over Nolan to soothe her.
"We will," Liam promised with a confidence Theo didn't have. He wanted Brett back safely just as much as the rest of them, he was his best friend... but someone had to be logical. Meeting Mason's gaze across the room, Theo knew that the boy was thinking the same thing.
Nolan pursed his lips. "They won't go far," he said with a nod, looking pained but confident as he spoke. "There were only two kinds of shell casings, two hunters. There's no way they could be confident enough to try to get Brett out of town, even injured. They're going to be waiting for backup. That means we need to be looking for abandoned buildings, businesses, maybe a warehouse or two."
Theo couldn't help but be impressed at the way the knowledge just rolled off of Nolan and the way he seemed utterly confident in what he was saying. Corey's eyebrows were drawn, looking thoughtful.
"That doesn't change that if they do have a way to track supernaturals... we're walking into a trap."
"Not necessarily," Theo countered even though he didn't like what he was saying. "We've got an advantage they don't."
"Oh?" Liam looked apprehensive, clearly not liking where Theo was going with this.
Locking his gaze with Nolan's, Theo raised an eyebrow as understanding dawned on Nolan's face. The blond's expression hardened with a nod, making Theo grin. "We," he countered, "have humans."
Mason's brow furrowed as he met Theo's level gaze again, jaw tightening as he clearly saw the resolve in Theo's eyes. There was a lot that could go wrong in this situation, too much, really. There was no way that they would get lucky enough to make it out of there without something going to shit. Theo wasn't going to let that shit hit any of them, no way in hell.
His gaze slid to Liam, who had approached Nolan to ask questions about where they should start looking for the hunters and Theo felt his fists clench a little from where he had them folded across his chest. Liam was going to do his best to get everyone out of there okay.
Theo was going to make sure Liam got out of there okay.
--
They made Lori stay behind, all aware what had happened the last time she had thought her brother was in trouble and the way she rushed right into danger without a second thought. She wasn't happy about it but agreed, making them promise to text her the moment they found Brett.
It actually hadn't been hard to find the hunters in question. They hadn't even bothered trying to hide themselves, making it all too easy to track Brett's scent and stop at an old garage that looked like it had been closed years ago. The lights were all on, two trucks parked haphazardly outside that reeked of wolfsbane. One of the backseats was spotted with poisoned blood that made Theo close his eyes and force himself not to get angry. He looked at Alec beside him with a little concern, but Alec just sent him a nod.
There were three distinct heartbeats inside, one slow and familiar—Brett's—and the other two fast and steady, clearly the two hunters Nolan had said would be there. Theo searched for any others but came up empty. He turned to Liam with the intention of asking if he'd found anything but the words got stuck in his throat.
Liam was already looking at him, eyes soft in a way that Theo hadn't been expecting. His heart thudded hard again, hard enough that Liam noticed. His eyes flicked from Theo's face to his chest, face tightening a little as he met Theo's gaze again. Theo deflected quickly, head tilted as he raised an eyebrow.
"How does it feel to be the bait?"
Liam paused a little, his eyes showing an expression that Theo couldn't properly place before he looked away again. "Don't be stupid this time around," he requested, making Theo actually smile this time.
"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"
It didn't get him the glare or punch in the shoulder he'd been expecting. Liam reached forward and cautiously linked their fingers together, making Theo's breath catch in his throat as he stared at the beta with wide eyes. "Li—"
"Promise me you're going to be okay," Liam pleaded as he pressed their palms together tightly. "That we're going to make it out of here."
Theo was still staring at him, his stolen heart thudding wildly in his chest when his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Nolan, confirming that he and Mason had gotten in without being detected.
"Time to go," he said softly, his pulse skipping as Liam tightened his grip on his hand even more.
"Theo—"
"We're all going to get out of here," Theo promised, pulling his hand from Liam's successfully this time with an aching heart as the acting alpha searched his gaze with intensity. Theo didn't let his heart skip a beat, didn't let any sign of his intentions slip. He just kept looking at Liam until the younger boy nodded in satisfaction and turned toward the garage and the three heartbeats inside.
He didn't even hesitate when the hunters opened fire on them, far too prepared for them not to have known they were there, lunging with a snarl and dropped fangs. He paused when he heard Alec cry out, but a quick glance told him that the kid had tried to get the gun from the closest hunter but had gotten shot in the shoulder in the process. To his credit, it didn't slow Alec down. Theo couldn't focus on that though, stepping between Liam and the other hunter as the man swung his gun to aim at Liam's chest.
A bullet crashed into his gut, making him stagger back. He stayed upright though, the wolfsbane hitting him like a truck with the bullet being that close to his organs. Liam yelled his name in horror, but Theo just glanced at him over his shoulder.
"Get Brett," he ordered. "Nolan won't be able to handle him alone. You need to make sure Corey gets them out okay."
Liam hesitated but ran for the stairs as Theo yelled at him to move again. Alec covered him, grappling with his hunter and tackling him by the waist, sending them both sprawling. Theo glanced to the side to make sure the young werewolf was okay, the distraction costing him as another bullet slammed into his leg. He let out a choked gasp but lunged, raking his claws against the arm holding the gun. The hunter cried out in pain and when his hand slackened on his weapon, Theo grabbed it and slamming it against the man's temple. Turning quickly, Theo was pleased to see Alec rolling onto his feet and tossing the gun away, the hunter on the ground. His heart was slow but steady, unconscious.
Alec's eyes widened in horror as he took in Theo's current appearance, moving forward to help but freezing as the sound of engines roared behind them. Theo turned to Alec. "You need to go," he said firmly, making Alec shake his head fiercely.
"What? No!"
"Alec," Theo snapped. "There are more coming, you know there are more coming. None of us stand a chance if you don't get Brett and the others out, you understand?"
Alec swallowed, glancing upstairs where they could both hear Mason yelling at Liam that they needed to leave, now.
"He's not going to go if he knows you aren't safe," Theo said softly.
"And you think he'll leave you?" Alec countered, making Theo set his jaw.
"You're the only one who can make him leave. I'm going to hold them off as long as I can. You need to get them out, Alec."
Alec closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "Promise me I'm not leaving you to die. I can't do that again."
Theo noted that Alec didn't ask him to promise he was going to live, just that Alec wasn't going to be the reason.
Smart kid.
"You're not," Theo answered, honestly. "You're saving them."
The screeching of tires made them both swivel to the closed garage doors. Theo looked at Alec again, meeting his eyes and noting the acceptance in the werewolf's eyes. "Go," he repeated, not watching as Alec slowly walked backward before pivoting on his heel and dashing up the stairs.
"We have to go!" Theo heard him yell.
Liam's voice came next, a little panicked. "Where's Theo?"
"Liam—" Mason sounded pained, but Liam kept talking. "We can't leave without Theo!"
"Liam," it was Nolan who spoke that time, his voice quiet but firm. "Theo can handle himself. If we don't get Brett out of here, he's going to die."
"He's just holding them off," Corey said, his voice breaking as his heart skipped a beat. Liam let out a pained noise, his shoes scraping like he'd lunged forward but was stopped quickly.
"Alec, let me go!"
Alec's voice trembled as he spoke. "I promised him I'd get you out."
Liam yelled his name again, but Theo couldn't focus on that as the smell of wolfsbane grew stronger and the doors crashed open to reveal at least ten hunters all levelling their weapons at him.
He was going to die, Theo knew that as he dropped his claws with flared eyes and a snarl. He was going to die, but Liam was going to be okay. They'd saved Brett, they had time to make a plan before the hunters made their plan and went after them.
The first of the bullets hit him, crashing into his shoulder—the same as the one Alec had been shot in—and he ran at them, determined to buy the others as much time as he possibly could.
Theo was going to die, but his heart was beating like never before.
Even as the wolfsbane became too much and he fell to the ground, hunters surrounding him the only thing he could see before the world went black, his heart beat.
It didn't stop beating.