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‘Sorry, love. Can’t pick you up today, Scott texted. There is an urgent pack meeting at his house. I’m already on my way. See you there.’ Liam read Theo’s message and sighed.
He had stayed at the school library studying with Mason since the midterms where around the corner. It was something they usually did when Liam didn’t have practice. Sometimes Corey joined them, and others, even Theo dropped by. Mainly just to distract and make fun of Liam until the beta decided that he had been studying for too long and should just go home. With Theo. His boyfriend. Liam couldn’t help the smile that grew onto his face every time he thought of Theo as his boyfriend.
Liam and Theo had been secretly dating for months now. It all started after the war, when Liam realized that Theo kept saving him without any reason. They decided to keep their relationship a secret, mainly because of the pack. Liam was almost certain that their parents wouldn’t have any problems with his son dating Theo. Hell, they had met him and seemed to love him just as much as Liam did. The problem was with the pack. Yes, they acted as if all the things that Theo did in the past were forgiven and forgotten, but both Theo and Liam knew it wasn’t like that.
They liked to invite Theo over to pack meetings because Theo was clever, he was useful, but when things got serious and they were in the middle of battle, none of them looked twice at Theo. They didn’t bother if anything happened to him. Liam wanted to argue every time any of them would say something hurtful, or even look at Theo the wrong way. Liam’s blood would boil on his veins, but Theo would just look at him and whisper, “It’s okay, I don’t mind” and although Liam knew it wasn’t okay at all, and that Theo did mind, he would instantly relax. It had something to do with Theo being his anchor and all of that.
And now Theo was alone with his pack at Scott’s. Any other day Liam would have literally run to Scott’s house just to make sure Theo was fine. It wasn’t like the chimera couldn’t take care of himself, which he could, but Liam didn’t like to imagine Theo surrounded by people who didn’t really like him. Alone.
But today, he was just too tired. His brain was dead after all the hours spent studying, and his body was just as wrecked from the mix of insanely amounts of lacrosse practice (they only had a couple of games left), together with long nights patrolling on the woods looking for hunters and a sexually active life with his boyfriend. So today Liam wasn’t thinking about Theo being by himself with his pack. He just couldn’t think of anything.
“Hey, Li.” Mason shook Liam’s arm trying to get him out of the stupor caused by his exhaustion.
“Yeah?” Liam murmured as he rubbed his eyes, trying to compose himself. Mason looked at him with a matching tired expression. Being a high school student sucked.
“You’ve seen Scott’s text, right? We should get going.” Liam nodded, although he hadn’t really seen Scott’s message, just Theo’s, but collected his things and followed his best friend outside.
Liam took every step as if he were walking on quicksand, the weight of exhaustion too much for him. He followed Mason to his car, sighing happily once he was sitting inside.
“Liam, are you okay? You look like shit.” Mason turned to look at the beta while starting the car. Liam let his head fall to the window and murmured back.
“Tired.” He closed his eyes and felt himself zooning out, as sleep started taking over his body. However, Mason spoke before he was completely asleep.
“We are here.”
The boys left the car and knocked on the door, a worried Scott received them just a couple of seconds later.
“Thank God you are here. We need to talk about these new creatures that came at me this morning,” he moved so they could enter the house. Liam looked around but he wasn’t really seeing anything. “They were a mix between goats and…”
Liam tuned out Scott’s rumble, he was too tired to be dealing with supernatural things right now.
They walked into the living room where the rest of the pack was already gathered. Liam didn’t need to look to know where Theo was, so he walked towards him, drawn to him like a magnet. The only thing he wanted right now was to wrap himself in his boyfriend’s arms and fall sleep. Theo gave him a subtle smile as Liam came closer.
“Hey, babe.” Liam murmured, lowering his head to place a soft kiss to the chimera’s forehead. His foggy brain didn’t register how the room went completely silent after his words until he looked straight into Theo’s eyes and saw the surprise that flooded them.
He felt the exhaustion leaving his body, replaced by panic. What had he just said?
“I-I…We don’t- I don’t…” Liam tried to explain himself, but really, what was there to explain?
“Liam.” Scott’s tone was serious, and the beta feared looking at him, so he settled to just stare at Theo instead.
Theo, who didn’t look as taken back as Liam thought he would look. He was relaxed against the wall he had been leaning on, the surprise long forgotten. Now he was giving Liam a soft look.
Encouraged by him, Liam turned towards his alfa. He was tired, yes, but he was even more tired of not being able to kiss his boyfriend in front of his friends, afraid of what the pack could think.
Liam cleared his throat.
“I don’t care what you have to say, Scott.” Liam’s voice was steady, but he could feel his heart skipping a beat in his chest at the lie, he did care what Scott thought, he was his alpha. “I’m dating Theo. I have been for months. And I don’t care what any of you think. I don’t. He has changed. He is different. And if you can’t see it is your fucking problem, not his. I love Theo. And that’s not going to change. So, you better suck it up and start treating him like a proper pack member or I’m leaving. And I’m not turning back.”
Liam’s chest raised and fell rapidly. He could feel the eyes of his friends on him, but he didn’t look away from Scott, who looked speechless. Liam couldn’t blame him, he himself didn’t know what to say now.
Seeing that Scott kept staring at him, not saying anything, Liam’s shoulders dropped in defeat. The exhaustion returning to his body stronger than before. He turned to Theo and held his hand out for him.
“C’mon, Theo. Let’s get out of here.” Theo looked at him, then at Scott and returned his eyes to Liam, a sad smile appearing on his face.
“I love you”. He took Liam’s hand. Liam squeezed it in response, and hand in hand started walking to the front door.
They stopped walking when they reached Theo’s truck. Liam could feel the tears starting to form on his eyes. He had believed that they would have stop them, but not even Mason had.
“You didn’t have to do that, sticking up for myself. It’s your pack, Liam.” Theo paused in front of him, cupping Liam’s face in his hands.
“Yeah, they are. But you are my boyfriend. And I’m not going to be around people who don’t like you.”
“We do like Theo.” Scott’s voice startled both teenagers. Theo dropped his hold on Liam’s face but didn’t move away.
“I wouldn’t say ‘like’, but yeah.” Stiles came after his best friend, and soon the whole pack was out, looking ashamed.
“I’m sorry, Liam.” Scott started again, after giving a dirty look to Stiles, who shrugged in response. “I didn’t realize that we were treating Theo differently.”
Liam scoffed.
“How could you not realize, Scott? Last week after the lizard attack, you didn’t even ask for Theo when he didn’t return. Why? Because you don’t care about him.” Theo squeezed Liam’s shoulder, trying to calm him down with his touch. As usually, it worked. Though Liam was still angry.
Scott looked at the pack and back to the couple.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s difficult for me being around Theo, Liam. He killed me.”
“I apologized for that”. Theo murmured next to Liam.
“But I didn’t believe you back then. I do now.” Scott smiled at them. Liam looked at Theo, who was already looking at him, incredulous.
“So, you forgive me?” Theo’s voice sounded neutral, but Liam could tell the vulnerability behind his question. He turned and grabbed Theo’s hand, encouragingly. Theo was always there to support him, so Liam was returning the favor.
“I don’t think I could ever forgive you, Theo.” Scott said. Malia and Stiles nodded along to his words. Lydia, Mason, and Corey did not.
Liam noticed the chimera tense beside him and was about to tell Scott to fuck off when the alpha started talking again.
“But I’m not blind. I can see how Theo has changed and being with you helps him. He always seems more relaxed when you are around. So, I can’t forgive you Theo. But you are not the same boy you used to be. I would like to know the new you.” Scott smiled and held out a hand for Theo. “Hi, I’m Scott McCall, Liam’s alpha. Nice to meet you.”
Theo took a step forward and shook Scott’s hand.
“Theo Raeken, Liam’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you too.”
Liam saw the whole pack smiling at the exchange, feeling his own smile growing.
“Well, now that everything is clear…” Stiles started again, all the attention turning to him. “Maybe we should go back inside and discuss what are we going to do with these goat creatures.”
Everybody nodded.
“So, are you guys staying?” Mason asked carefully, Liam could tell he wanted to apologize to him, but was waiting for the two of them to be alone.
Liam looked at Theo who gave him a reassuring smile. Liam smiled as well.
“Yes, we are.” Liam started walking back to the house.
“Yeah. I need to keep an eye on Liam.” Theo shrugged, coming to walk with his boyfriend. Liam scoffed and stopped.
“And why is that?”
“Oh no, there they go again with the fighting…” Stiles murmured. Theo ignored him.
“Because you are always getting in trouble, that’s why.”
“You are trouble.” Liam said indignantly. Theo smirked.
“Yeah, I am. So, get in me.” The whole pack groaned in disgust. Liam felt himself blush as Theo laughed at his expression.
“Iughh”. Stiles complained, “Why did we have to be supportive with them again?”
“Because we’ve been completely dicks to them. That’s why.” Lydia spoke for the first time that night.
“Yeah, whatever.” Stiles entered the house. The whole pack followed, leaving Liam and Theo alone.
“C’mon Li. Let’s get over with this meeting already.”
“Don’t want to. Too tired.” Liam complained. Theo’s eyebrow raised.
“Do you want me to carry you inside?” Theo mocked, but Liam took it seriously and jumped on his back without warning. Theo grunted. “You are literarily a child.”
“Shut up” Liam sniffed his boyfriend and held to him harder. “You love me.”
Theo rolled his eyes and walked them to the living room, setting Liam on the couch. The short walk there had lulled Liam, who was a second from drifting to sleep.
Theo sat beside him, Liam instantly curling against his side, his head on Theo’s chest. Theo placed a kiss on Liam’s forehead and held him closer.
And Liam finally relaxed. The exhaustion taking over himself, but a content smile on his face. He fell asleep wrapped in his boyfriend’s arms, just what he needed.