Chapter Text
“You are a menace to society, you know that?”
Liam attempts to flip Theo off over his shoulder, but somehow manages to get his arms even more tangled in holiday lights with the movement. He struggles for a second before turning to glare over at the chimera. “Fine, I won’t help you then.”
“Sure.” Theo loops the pine garland around the column next to him, pulling it tighter to the twinkling lights already secured to the wood. He needs this to be perfect. Last year, he didn’t attend the pack’s Christmas party, instead slept through the day in his truck out in the preserve. It didn’t matter what happened with Monroe months prior, he wasn’t about to get in the way of people who barely tolerated him.
This year is different. With what he made from his job, he rented a house up North that the entire pack could stay in for a few days, so he could decorate and host the annual pack party himself. And like he said: it has to be absolutely perfect.
Liam is humming something softly under his breath as he puts the last of the lights across the doorframe, occasionally throwing a glance to Theo, like he’s waiting for him to say something. After his last final was done yesterday, the beta drove up to the cabin with him, and has been watching Theo carefully without a word the entire time.
Never mind that every time Theo catches those blue eyes studying his own, his skin starts to prickle and his heart tightens in his chest. He wants Liam to talk to him. About whatever is going on inside his chaotic little brain. The silence is killing him.
“So,” he clears his throat, finishing the wrapped garland and moving to where Liam is struggling on the shitty ladder they found in the basement. Theo puts a hand on either side to steady it. “We’re doing the party a week early because most of the pack are going on vacation. Did your plan to visit your family out East work out?”
Liam glances down at Theo from where he’s standing above him, making the chimera all too aware how close they are to each other in this position. He gives him a careful smile. “My parents are going. I’m staying here.”
Theo blinks. “You mean-”
“It’s stupid for you to rent this whole house and be alone.”
Liam turns back to what he’s doing, barely missing the flush creeping up Theo’s cheeks. He wobbles slightly on the ladder before grasping the wall. Theo grips the cold metal harder, staring forward at the wall instead of up at the beta working above him, quiet except for the huffs of exertion he lets out trying to hook the lights in properly. The rainbow lights fit perfectly at the top of the wall, framing the simple decor and casting a soft glow throughout the room.
When Liam searches the room for a moment, eyes landing on the table, Theo knows what he needs without a word exchanged between the two. He steps away from the ladder to grab the other box of lights for the beta.
He’s taken barely three steps when Liam yelps. Theo whips around to watch the ladder tilt to the side, dumping Liam backwards. He’s just fast enough to get underneath him. He manages to get one arm around Liam’s waist and the other under his thigh, Liam’s back colliding with his chest. Despite the effort to stay up, the force knocks them both to the ground anyway. The breath is ripped from his lungs, gasping at the impact. His heart is pounding so fast, he knows Liam can feel it with how hard he’s pressed up against him, how he reaches back with a hand to grab Theo’s wrist.
“You okay?”
Theo sits up with a groan, hand clenched in the front of Liam’s shirt. When the beta lets out a sharp breath and Theo realizes how close they are, he gently slides out from underneath. Liam looks over his shoulder, wide eyes catching Theo’s.
“I’m fine,” he says, remembering to answer the question instead of trying to wrestle his chemosignals under control. “I’m fine,” he repeats again, jaw clenched.
Liam’s eyes flicker, but he doesn’t say anything, just gets off the floor and holds out a hand. Theo takes it, and lets the beta help him to his feet. For even the short second their hands stay connected, their bodies inches from touching, Theo thinks he might lose his mind. Liam is so warm, his scent so sweet and comforting it should be intoxicating. When he pulls away to grab the box of lights, Theo stands frozen until Liam gets back to the ladder, casting a questioning look at the chimera.
He snaps out of it, like he always does. Anchor or not, ally or not, Theo knows his place in the pack and in Liam’s life. And he doesn’t care. As long as he at least gets to be at the beta’s side, he doesn’t care.
—
Considering he nearly electrocuted himself in the first five minutes, Liam’s actually pretty proud of how the decorations turned out. From his cozy spot on the couch, he watches Theo put the finishing touches on the mantel, fixing the lights nestled in between fake pine branches. The focused crinkle between his brows is something Theo doesn’t realize he does, but Liam loves, enough to keep it to himself so the chimera doesn’t stop doing it. He nestles deeper into his blankets, eyes trailing Theo’s every move.
When their eyes meet across the living room, Theo offers him a small grin. “You warm enough yet, little wolf?”
“I am not a little wolf.”
“No you’re right, wolves have way better cold tolerance than you do.”
Liam scowls, but doesn’t exactly prove him wrong as he tucks himself further into the blankets piled on top of him. Despite the teasing, and how warm Theo tends to run, the chimera still crouches down to light the fireplace. It seems wrong to not want his own pack with them to celebrate, with them driving hundreds of miles from Beacon Hills to be here. Even so, he still considers calling the whole thing off for a moment. What he really wants for Christmas is for Theo to slide under the blanket next to him, for them to just exist together in front of the fire.
Fuck, he wants Theo.
—
By the time Stiles’ Jeep pulls up to the cabin, snow softly falling around them, Theo’s at a level of stress that would most likely kill any normal human. The cabin is surrounded by dense forest, not another house or road in sight, which should be a comfort to any werewolf. In a way, it is. But when Stiles, Malia, Lydia and Derek hop out of the Jeep with bags, talking happily amongst themselves, the knot in his stomach only gets worse.
Liam is suddenly at his side at the top of the front stairs, snowflakes sticking to his hair. He gives Theo a reassuring smile. Stiles is yelling something about Derek being a terrible navigator, drawing Theo’s attention back to the crowd headed up the stairs.
“When you said you got a cabin I was picturing summer camp,” Stiles remarks as he reaches the two boys at the top of the stairs. “This is awesome. ”
Derek, suspiciously carrying multiple bags while Stiles has none, nods appreciatively. “Thanks for hosting this year. Someone decided to throw a party at the loft while I wasn’t there, and now it’s undergoing more repairs than I thought I’d ever have to pay for.”
Stiles shoots his boyfriend a cheeky grin before going inside. Derek rolls his eyes and follows.
“Did you decorate yourself?” Lydia asks, glancing around at the lights and pine garland hung all around. “At least there’s one other person in the pack with an eye for things that look good.”
Before Malia can say something along the lines of defending her mess of an apartment, two other cars pull up to the cabin, Corey springing out of the backseat before the engine even shuts off. The second car is obviously Peter’s and likely more expensive than buying this entire mountain. Liam is down the steps in an instant, sprinting up to Mason and Corey, rattling some story off to them.
“Don’t let them fool you,” Lydia says softly behind Theo. He looks over his shoulder, from where he’s leaning on the railing. “They’re all grateful you’re doing this. Liam’s especially happy you’re joining us for the party this year.”
Heat creeps up his collar. “Oh well… yeah, no problem.”
Lydia gives him a knowing look before heading into the house. In that time, Liam and the rest of the pack have made it to the stairs. Scott has an arm around the tall, curly haired boy, who from all the stories, Theo can assume is Issac. The alpha has a grin on his face that Theo hasn’t seen from him in a long time. Certainly never a look he himself has earned.
Mason says something under his breath that has Liam chase him up the rest of the stairs and into the cabin, not sparing Theo a second glance. When Scott gets to him, the chimera is surprised that he tugs him into a hug. His eyes are still wide when the alpha steps back with a soft smile.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” Scott says, eyes falling to the decorations beyond the open door. “This is… this is amazing.”
Pride blooms in Theo’s chest. “It’s nothing, really.” His gaze falls to the man sticking to Scott’s side like glue. “Isaac?”
He nods. “I’m not used to being invited places, so thanks.”
“I know the feeling,” he replies without thinking. “Your room is the first on the right upstairs,” he adds so no one mentions what he just said. Luckily, no one does. They simply head inside, leaving Theo alone in the snow, listening to the pack inside, laughing and talking like a family would at Christmastime.
And family is something Theo knows he should never be a part of ever again.
The first hour of the party goes off without a hitch. Peter brought all the food, and fuck, Theo’s glad he did. He hasn’t eaten this well in years. The pack is discussing their holiday and travel plans, the table abuzz with conversation and happy chemosignals. After all the shit Beacon Hills put them through, they deserve it.
Theo is quiet for most of dinner, just enjoying the presence of others for once. Whether it’s because the smell of the pack is comforting, or the talking is distracting from the thoughts constantly swirling around his head, it doesn't matter. Even Malia strikes up a conversation about full shift running, a topic that Theo can actually talk about. She’s seen him full shift under less pleasant circumstances, but he manages to avoid that trainwreck entirely. No reason to ruin the pack’s party.
As usual, Liam is sitting next to him, with a terrible habit of constantly bumping his leg into Theo’s, then pretending he did absolutely nothing. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s really not, but every touch sends his heart skittering, so fast he can barely get it back under control before anyone notices.
After dinner is done, the kitchen and dining rooms cleared away, the pack moves into the living room, the fire casting warm glows across their faces. Snow still falls in the darkness outside, wind howling against the windows and leaving delicate frost carvings across the glass. Inside is warm, happy, compared to the storm outside.
Theo’s mind wanders. The voices around him fade to white noise. They’re happy, they’re safe, inside this house together. And he’s like the storm outside. Deadly, biting, cold and unforgiving. Unforgivable. So desperate to get inside, to get to the pack, but rendered incapable by slim walls separating them. The walls he put up himself, between him and the rest of them, when he killed Scott, used Liam, tricked everyone -
He flinches at a warm hand resting on his arm, shaking him from his thoughts spiraling further. Liam is sitting on the floor at his side, eyes studying his own with concern. The rest of the pack seems not to notice, shuffling through the games in Stiles’ bag. Theo takes a breath, gently pushing the beta’s hand off of him. The lost touch leaves his skin prickling in its wake.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Liam says under his breath before turning his attention back to the pack.
Theo’s brain officially checks out. He shouldn’t be glad, he shouldn’t want Theo here or anywhere near the most important people in his life. Liam deserves that bright smile on his face to stay there. With a dark storm like Theo, there’s no way he could ever do so.
Despite the looming dread above Theo, he still manages to win a few board games against the pack, sitting in the circle with the rest of them. By the time Stiles brings up Never Have I Ever, he’s half leaning on Liam, content enough to let go of his tight leash over his chemosignals a little.
“I’m off duty tonight, so anything illegal mentioned won’t leave this room,” Stiles says, mostly to Derek. “Don’t be boring, try to do holiday themed questions.”
“Never have I ever gotten so scared of a Santa inflatable I fell down the stairs,” Derek says without hesitation.
Stiles elbows him in the side.
A few times around the circle later, somehow, Theo is winning. They stay away from super hardcore questions, instead going for ones that mostly just embarrass the werewolves and their chaos. Who knew that Corey used invisibility to trick Liam into believing in ghosts?
When it’s Stiles’ turn again, he has a mischievous grin that can only mean trouble. Which, considering he only has two fingers left and is losing, he needs. “Never have I ever kissed someone under the mistletoe.”
Several people put a finger down. Theo doesn’t catch Liam - also not losing a point - shoot him a curious glance at what he answer would be. Stiles seems to have a plan. He scrambles to his feet and ducks into the kitchen for a moment. He reappears, taping a small plant above the doorframe, turning back to the group.
“You’re a menace,” Derek complains, getting to his feet, striding over to Stiles and kissing him softly. Stiles looks like he just won the lottery.
When they sit back down, Scott casts them a strange look. “Did you really bring mistletoe to a house full of werewolves?”
“It’s a strain a friend developed that you’re immune to,” he replies. “I couldn’t help it.” Stiles nudges Theo with his knee, brows raised. “Your turn, no targeted bullshit this time.”
He has a running list of ideas in his head, mostly targeted at Stiles or Liam, and a few he knows most of the pack has done. Might as well kill lots of birds with one question.
“Never have I ever celebrated Christmas.”
The room falls silent, everyone putting down a finger. Theo instantly realizes his mistake. The shocked, pitiful faces all looking at him tell him that much. He glances to Liam, half hoping he’ll just continue the game and they can forget it.
Scott and Stiles share a questioning look, one that not even Theo can read. When Scott’s eyes meet his own, he swallows hard. Please don’t apologize or pity me, I can’t do anything with that-
“You celebrated with us two years in a row,” the alpha says softly, the words worse than anything else he could’ve possibly said. “Stiles tried your skateboard the first year and ran into a tree.”
Stiles hits his friend in the face with a blanket, but Theo just stares at them blankly. With the photographic memory he has, not remembering this at all is… he doesn’t actually know what the feeling is, creeping up his spine. Despite the itching under his nails and the racing in his chest, he doesn’t get up, doesn’t look up at the others.
Like a raging storm destroying everything in its path, you’ve ruined their night of happiness.
His arms are already wrapped around himself, claws just barely coming out to prick at his skin. The only thing keeping it from getting worse is the fear of the pack watching him lose control. He can’t, not when he’s gained enough of their trust to be here. He’s gotten close enough to be able to ruin their evening, and this time, it wasn’t even on purpose.
It could’ve been quiet for a few seconds or a few hours, or until Stiles says, “I broke my nose.” Theo can’t help but laugh, glancing up at him, a thoughtful crease across Stiles’ brow. “That tree hurt. ”
Lydia puts a hand on his arm to keep him from talking, her attention flicking over to Theo. “They took your memories.”
She doesn’t have to say the name for everyone to know who they are.
They took his good memories of Scott and Stiles. They needed him as an obedient test subject, who’d kill Scott without emotions or hesitation.
He feels sick.
What else am I missing? What else did they take ?
“Theo-”
He can’t tell who’s talking, he cuts them off when he stands up on unsteady legs, grasping at the couch to keep him from falling backwards. It’s not the fire, not the closeness to a pack, that has heat bursting painfully through his body, head burning in pain, in anguish.
“His chemosignals are changing dangerously fast,” he hears someone mutter.
His vision is starting to get cloudy, the senses he trusts so much turning against him. He grasps at the back of the couch, fingers curling in the soft fabric. The texture should shake him out of this, give him control back. Except all he feels is metal in his clenched fist, cold and biting against his small hand. One that’s not his own now, but of the past, squeezing the sides of an operating table.
Something sharp drives a phantom cut down his chest.
He bolts.
Nothing registers until he’s outside, on his hands and knees in the snow, gasping for air. Everything is so cold, but his body is still on fire. He could burst into flame right here. With another breath, he manages to push himself up enough to look behind him, back at the cabin. He’s out in the swirling snow, alone in the darkness. At the door to the cabin, stands most of the pack, backed by the warm golden light from inside. They shine like angels. While he’s surrounded by cold, by dark.
His bare feet and hands are frozen stiff, the fabric of his black turtleneck clinging wet to his skin. Nothing is more humiliating. This was his chance to make a good impression, to host the pack and prove he deserves to be around them.
Now they know.
Now they know he’s too broken, damaged beyond repair.
Full shifting hasn’t hurt this much since he learned how to do it in the first place. He could almost scream, cry, at how much pain floods his entire being for the few seconds it takes. There’s not a single step of a plan in his mind. Only the feral, desperate urge to get away from the light and the pack.
So he runs.
And doesn’t stop.
—
Liam is out the door and down the stairs, but not fast enough to catch Theo before he shifts and disappears into the darkness. A shriek is perched at the back of his throat, staring into the black trees through the swirling snow.
A coat lands around his shoulders. It’s Scott at his side, holding a blanket.
“Have you-”
“Ever felt his chemosignals, no,” Scott finishes. “They’re like nothing I’ve ever felt in my life.”
The honesty is crushing. Fuck. “He’ll freeze.”
A large black wolf and a smaller coyote appear on his other side, both sniffing the air and ground where the imprint of Theo is in the snow. When Scott nods to them, they both take off, vanishing into the trees like Theo. He instructs Mason and Corey to wait at the cabin, in case the chimera finds his way back, while Stiles fishes around his Jeep for the brightest flashlights Liam’s ever seen in his life. The light pierces through the snow, focusing down on the paw prints.
“Theo’s smart,” Lydia says, taking a second flashlight. “Split up and call if you find him.”
“What if we do find him?” Stiles asks. “We can’t exactly just calm down a spooked werecoyote.”
Isaac is the last one to join the group, a bundle of blankets in his arms, one for each of them to take with. “Remind him of his anchor, and help him find the scent. You need to calm him down and get him back to the cabin.”
“I’m not sure he has one,” Liam confesses. He feels guilty enough, Theo getting so scared he ran, and now that he’s not had the support to be a supernatural like he did when he turned. Liam’s not the chimera’s alpha, but they’re friends. They take care of each other.
“ You’re his anchor.” Isaac’s brows furrow when the others stare in disbelief at him. “Did none of you know that?” He snorts. “I’ve known the guy for less than ten hours and even I see the way he stares at you. Like you’re his whole fucking world.”
Stiles shines his flashlight around the group to get their attention focused. “Well we knew that, just not the anchor thing. Now let's go.”
—
Theo runs until his body is so cold, he can’t physically lift his limbs anymore. The snow is comfortable enough to fall into, curling into himself, eyes fluttering shut. His black fur is speckled with white, matted down so the icy feeling can make it to every inch of his body. The pine tree above him blocks most of the snow from blowing straight into his face, but the smell is so intoxicating to his overwhelmed senses, he’d almost rather be staring down the storm.
The pack is far behind him, so are those horrid, unspoken words that he doesn’t need to hear from them. He knows what it looks like. He knows that the pack can’t trust him, if he can’t even trust himself, his own memories. Trust is everything to Scott.
Coiling tighter into himself, Theo lets the sounds and smells all around fade to nothing. His mind wanders to spaces filled with nothing. He half hopes he freezes out here. At least then, he can die in peace.
A voice carries on the wind, saying his name. It’s echoey, too far for him to understand who it is. When it echoes again, a lilt to the end that sends the hairs along his back standing straight up, ears doing the same. It takes all his strength to force his eyes open, lift his head. That voice, he knows the voice, recognizes it every time his heart is torn out and he’s left to die, bleeding and alone.
Theo never prayed a day in his life, not going to start now. But he’s half tempted to pray to any god that will listen, to take him before Tara can.
—
Liam’s hands are so cold, he can barely hold the flashlight, wind and snow blowing straight into his face. His voice is hoarse from screaming Theo’s name, a cry which he’s sure was lost to the wind long before it reached the chimera. Getting lost is the least of his concerns right now. Finding Theo before he freezes is. He holds the blanket tightly against his chest while he weaves through the trees.
He’s running so fast and with so little care for himself, he nearly pitches himself off the side of a hill, a steep drop down. Liam’s feet nearly slip off the edge, heart seizing in a panic. Underneath him are a few rocks, revealed when he kicks the snow away with his foot and shines his light down. He crouches to catch his breath for a second, cold air going down his throat making it hard to do so.
A whimper cuts through the wind, so close it makes the hairs on Liam’s neck stand up. Out of habit, he flashes his light all around him. The momentum makes him slip on the rock this time, balance thrown off. He hits the hill and slides a few feet before digging his hands into the dirt underneath. The mud underneath his claws is completely frozen and icy, stinging his fingertips as he clings to the snow, trying not to start shouting curses about how damn cold it is.
When he turns around, allowing himself to slide slowly, he casts his light down the hill. His heart skips so many beats, it’s probably a medical condition at this point. At the base of the hill, shrouded in swirling snow and fog, is Isaac, looking up the hill at Liam, blinking into the light he’s shining. He’s crouched over a black wolf on its side, eyes closed and not moving. Isaac turns back to it - to Theo - and starts talking. Whatever it is, Liam can’t hear, but Theo moves at his words. Relief flutters through Liam’s body, knowing he’s still alive, he’s okay.
He nearly faceplants with how fast he sprints down the hill, falling to his knees at Isaac’s side in the snow. The flashlight lands in the snow, casting enough light on the scene for him to see the ice stuck to Theo’s fur, the way one paw is in an awkward position. A hand shoots out to pet him, but he holds back the urge, hand curling just above Theo’s head. He glances to Isaac. The werewolf’s cheeks and nose are pink, his curls glistening with snow, his eyes carefully studying Liam’s own.
Soft fur grazes his raised hand. Liam’s heart stops. The wolf rubs its muzzle into his open palm, blue eyes open and sparkling in the light. His own heart starts racing. He gently sets his hand to the ground, Theo still nosing at him curiously.
“You know his scent,” Isaac gently urges. “Let him anchor you Theo. You have to let those walls down.” Theo lets out a pitiful little whine, eyes closing. “The whole pack is out looking for you. Your pack. Let us bring you back.”
Liam curls his fingers that are trapped under Theo’s head into his fur, scratching softly there. “We need to get him somewhere warm,” he murmurs.
“His leg is broken, and he’s not healing,” Isaac whispers in return. “You have to take his pain, he won’t let me do it.”
Theo’s snout bumps into his forearm. “Okay.” He draws his hand out from under the wolf, strokes his head a few times, before laying both palms on his stomach. When he’s taken pain in the past, it’s always hovering right at the top of the skin, laying in wait and easy enough to pick out. But this… this is a different sort of pain. It’s deeper, tension lashing it down like bindings to a prisoner. Liam clenches his jaw. None of Theo’s pain seeps towards him, not even a little.
“I’m staying with you for Christmas, remember?” he says softly, closing his eyes and letting his hands drift over Theo’s fur in small circles. “Next year, you can’t use that as a never have I ever, because you’re celebrating with me .” Under his hands, the wolf’s body goes slack, head laying back in the snow with a huff.
“Liam-”
Isaac's worry is replaced by Liam’s gasp of shock as pain winds up his hands. It’s not all of it, not even much, but enough for his eyes to snap open, catching Theo’s, who lets out another soft whimper. Liam cards a hand through the fur on his back, wiping off the ice and snow as he goes.
“You’re not my beta, but in my pack nonetheless,” he goes on. One hand slides to cup Theo’s face, rubbing the frost building up around his nose. “You’ve saved me more times than anyone, whether it be biology homework or getting out of a burning tree, now let me save you dammit. ” More black lines pour into his fingertips. He doesn’t let go, just clenches tighter, just holds on.
Theo rubs his snout against Liam’s wrist again, and Isaac sets a gentle hand on his hind legs. His veins blacken, face twisting as both betas draw out more of Theo’s pain. Liam lets Theo nudge at his arm, distracting the wolf enough for the two to get enough out that with a crack, bones reset. Their blankets are both heavy with snow, but they still cover the chimera with both, at least trapping some of the heat and giving him something soft to help him back. The anxiety ridden chemosignals suffocating the entire area finally start to calm down.
When the wolf moves again, Liam doesn’t expect for him to start shifting with a low whine. It’s slower, more painful, than how he’s seen full shifts before, but by the way he can’t feel his own body from the cold, he can assume Theo feels even worse.
The fur and claws are gone, replaced with Theo, laying on his side in the snow, fingers digging into the ground. His eyes are glassy, his lips parted every time he lets out a wheezing breath. His own hands are so cold he can’t feel Theo when he touches his shoulder, just the way he’s shaking. Helping him sit up takes a few attempts and one of the betas on either side of him, but once he’s up, the snow coating his skin and hair becomes more apparent to him. In an instant, Isaac is tearing his coat off and handing it to Liam. Theo’s limbs don’t move well. He doesn’t say a word, not even a sound, as Liam helps him into the coat, zipping the front and pulling the warm hood over his soaked hair. Isaac keeps an arm behind Theo’s back to keep him upright while Liam tucks the blankets around his waist so they stay.
Somehow, he manages to take off his own boots and get them on Theo. His eyes are still unfocused once they get to their feet, one arm slung around each of the betas on either side. Liam wraps an arm around his waist, points his flashlight forward, and looks to Isaac, who nods. They duck from the cover of the pine tree and into the harsh snow, blowing almost directly into their eyes.
“I don’t know where we are,” Liam admits.
Isaac’s answering grin is somewhat annoyed, but endearing nonetheless. “I swear, Beacon Hills werewolves are the worst at actually being wolves.”
The light smile on Theo’s face makes it all worth it.
—
“Theo? Theo!”
He groans, lights piercing his eyes, causing the pounding in the back of his head to get that much worse. Last he remembered, he was laying in the snow as a wolf. He no longer feels fur or the pull towards his wolfish instincts or his senses being even more severe. Instead, the air around him is warm. Someone is at his side, pressing into him with a gentle pressure.
“Theo.”
His head lolls to the side. The lights aren’t directly in his eyes now as he blinks, seeing Liam next to him. The next second, he’s pulled into a bone crushing hug by the beta, one hand sliding to clutch at the back of Theo’s head. His hair is still wet, partially frozen, but Liam is warm. Theo can’t move much, his body doesn’t allow it, but he lets out a relieved huff and sinks into the touch.
When Liam sits back on the couch, he notices his eyes don’t leave Theo.
The pack - the entire pack - is surrounding him in the living room. Fire is crackling at the mantle, and Theo is underneath a large stack of blankets, all of which smell like the pack. Exhaustion tugs at his eyelids. He fights it off when Scott sits on the cushion next to him.
“We don’t want you only helping us,” he says softly. “We want to help you, too.”
With how swollen they feel, he knows his lips are bitten red, same as the rest of his face. “Scott I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin anything I wanted this to be perfect and-”
“Theo.” He sets a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t need you to be perfect. I need you to be safe.”
So many people watching, so many judging eyes on him . Theo wants to crawl into a hole, curl up and hide. He wants this to be over. He wants to stop shaking from the cold that’s no longer all around him, but now deep inside instead.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Scott says finally. His heart doesn’t skip with a lie. “I can’t change or correct the past, and neither can you. But I’m willing to fix the future, if you’ll work with me.”
“I…” he trails off. “Yeah. I am.”
“You need to sleep. If you want to talk in the morning, we can. If not, we won’t.” He gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze before getting off the couch. “The frostbite should be gone by now. Take a hot shower and get to bed.”
Liam, still at his side, leans into him. “There’s a weighted blanket in our room and the softest sheets I’ve ever felt. It’s nice and warm too.”
“You’re such a wimp in the cold,” he mutters. Laughter flits through the air and he smiles tiredly. He rests his head on top of Liam’s. “I want to sit for a minute.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Isaac says.
Theo blinks. He can hear Isaac’s voice, trying to anchor him, bring him back to the world and out of the cold. Other than the body curled into his, the curly haired werewolf nodding to him is the first person in a long time who knows even a semblance of what’s going on through his head.
Before he can leave, Theo says, “Thank you. For everything.”
Isaac smiles. “Couldn’t exactly stand to watch one of my pack in pain.”
Pack.
His eyes flutter shut, Liam’s arm tightening around him.
My pack.
They wish each other good night one by one, leaving the living room, until Liam and Theo are alone together in front of the fire. It takes long enough, but they get upstairs. Theo takes a shower and returns Isaac’s coat, before returning to him and Liam’s room, where the beta is in pajamas, fixing the covers on one of the queen sized beds. Each are on opposite sides of the room, so far from one another.
Neither of them question it when without a word exchanged, they get into the same one. Nothing further is mentioned when Liam wraps his arms around Theo, tucking his nose into the back of the chimera’s neck.
Theo falls asleep faster than he has in years.