Chapter Text
Theo is dirty.
Theo’s voice is soothing, but Liam can’t make out what he's saying. He can only stare at the dirt on his cheek as Theo lull him out of his fury. Why was he angry again? Liam can’t even remember.
But Theo is dirty.
Theo is dirty and Liam wants so badly to lick his face.
And so he does.
The moment his tongue touches Theo’s cheek, Theo freezes. But Liam doesn’t stop. Because now that he’s close, Theo’s cheek isn’t the only one dirty. His whole face is covered in dirt! Unacceptable. Why is Theo so dirty? Liam needs to clean him.
He pulls Theo closer by the waist, careful not to hurt him with his claws. Why were his claws out again? Liam really can’t remember. His tongue moves to lick the dried blood off Theo’s temple, letting out a low growl as he pulls Theo even closer. Tugging him down. Blood! Is Theo hurt?
There’s no wound—no scar, Liam lightly nibbles on Theo’s cheek to show gratitude. Theo shouldn’t be hurt. And Theo shouldn’t be dirty too. Why is his hair dirty? Liam needs to clean him.
Theo smells good. He smells content. Happy, almost. The two emotions smell foreign on him.
It’s a welcoming scent nonetheless; embracing Liam warm as he licks the side of his head.
Theo likes to be clean, it seems. Liam needs to help him.
When Liam finally pulls away, Theo’s hair is wet. But clean. And free of tangles! Liam grunts, satisfied as he feels his fangs retracting.
Coming back to his senses with Theo leaning limply in his arms is never part of his escape plan.
He was kidnapped, for fuck’s sake! Did Theo get hurt when he was saving him? Or did Liam hurt him in his drugged-state, giving the hunters exactly what they wanted? Showcasing just what kind of an uncontrolled beast he is to attack one of his kind? Fuck.
Theo’s scent slowly washes away the dread pooling in his stomach. Theo’s not hurt. He’s not in pain either. And Liam can finally breathe easier, taking in more of Theo’s scent as he holds him close.
“Are you okay?” Liam asks, voice rough from disuse. “The hunters?”
Theo’s gaze is unfocused as he looks up, blinking slowly to register the situation before straightening up. Masking his scent as he smirked. “You done licking my head off?”
Liam growls. Happiness smells good on Theo. Liam wants to keep it that way, but Theo is already slipping away. Smelling like.. Theo. Plain Theo, with his emotions hidden deep within.
Then the question hits him.
“I didn’t lick your he–” Liam takes a sniff, cursing under his breath as he recognizes the smell of his own spit. “You’re all wet because of me?”
Then he hears a snort coming from the next door.
“What’s happening?” A voice asks, also from the next door. Alarmingly sounding like Stiles. “What are they doing? Scott, why is Derek scrunching up his nose in distaste like that? Scott. Nevermind. I’m coming in.”
Theo must’ve heard him too, casually wiping his face with his sleeve as Stiles bangs on the door. Theo rolls his eyes, but unlocks the door for him anyway.
Deaton’s. They’re at Deaton’s, Liam realizes. His pack saved him.
“Why is he not clawed into shreds yet?” Stiles asks, wincing at Theo’s wet hair. “I thought that’s the plan for locking them together?”
The last thing Liam remembers before he was drugged by the hunters was how the drug would turn him feral. Would make him more wolf than human; losing his human thoughts to animal instincts and that nothing would be able to bring him back. Because that’s what he is, they said. A monster.
At the thoughts of hurting Theo—of the possibilities that could happen with them being locked together, Liam growls. What were they thinking? He’s not even chained. Theo could’ve seriously gotten hurt.
His claws are already out as he feels Theo pressing to his side, nudging him. “Tell him, Li. Why am I not clawed into shreds yet?”
Liam is seconds away from snapping when Scott comes in.
“Theo went in alone because he’s our best chance of bringing Liam back,” he says, flashing his eyes at Liam who immediately cowers and retracts his claws. Scott seems amused at the sight. Adding, “Because apparently this wasn’t enough.”
Liam is even more angered. His alpha couldn’t even get through him yet they put Theo to handle him? Theo! His eyes immediately seek for Theo, searching for any signs of pain and scowls as he finds none. Is Theo really okay? Or is he masking his pain?
‘m fine, Theo mouths, seeming to catch his concern. Liam steps protectively in front of him, shielding him from the pack. He can’t even call them his pack now in his mind!
“I could’ve hurt him,” Liam says, clenching his hands into fists as he keeps his eyes on Scott. “You know he wouldn’t stand a chance against me. You know you didn’t stand a chance against me. Not in that state. Fuck, Scott. What were you thinking? I could’ve killed him!”
“So why didn’t you?” Malia asks, leaning on the doorframe as she gestures her chin toward Theo. “He seemed very willing to die as he locked himself in.”
Liam turns his eyes to Theo. He just shrugs though. Saying, “I brought him back.”
“How?” Stiles asks, tone accusing. “What did you do to make Derek seem like he was caught watching porn?”
Theo shrugs once more, lowering his gaze as he puts both his hands in his hoodie pocket. “I just talked to him.”
Liam thinks that Theo is stupid. It’s almost as clear as day that Theo went in without any plans. And who knows what the feral Liam could do to him?! Theo is so stupid, Liam wants to punch his nose. But that would mean hurting him. Liam doesn’t want to hurt Theo.
He never thinks twice of punching Theo before, but now that there was a possibility of actually hurting him and Theo just went in like it was no big deal.. It scares Liam.
Theo cowers even more as Liam keeps his eyes on him. He doesn’t even look as Scott herds the pack to leave, shutting the door to give them the privacy they need.
“What were you thinking?” Liam asks, sounding tired more than anything. He really hates the idea of hurting Theo and Theo being fine with it. His voice comes in a broken whisper as he speaks, “I could’ve hurt you.”
“You didn’t recognize anyone,” Theo says, eyes still on the ground. “It took four people. Four, Liam. All shifted. To get you back here without hurting anyone or yourself. You didn’t recognize any of us. We had to..” Theo’s voice gets caught in his throat. Shuddering lightly as he goes on, “..we had to knock you out. All of us against you. Many times. You weren’t.. Liam. We thought we lost you.”
Four people against him. That means Theo alone wouldn’t stand a chance. And he locked himself in knowing that?
Liam’s senses are hit with desperation rooting so deep, it makes him growl. It comes from Theo. It comes from Theo. Followed by a choked out sob and a whisper, “I thought I lost you.”
When Theo looks up at him, Liam remembers how those green eyes captivated the wolf in him amidst the red. Waking the predator’s protective instinct to provide for him.
Theo’s desperation is all that it took for his wolf to jump in. And this time, Liam embraces the shift.
He puts his arms around Theo’s waist, licking the tears off his face before whining softly into his neck. He doesn’t need to voice out his apology. Theo seems to understand it just fine, nibbling on his ear as if granting him forgiveness.
Theo is a steady presence in his hold; anchoring him. Liam settles into his warmth. And when Theo’s tongue takes a long swipe across his forehead, Liam headbutts him. In surprise, of course.
Theo ends up with a broken nose after all.