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They were back. The hunters were back. And this time they had berserkers with them. How had they managed that?
The pack was surrounded, bruised and bleeding. There was no way they were going to win this fight. Two hunters stepped forwards, and dropped Mason and Corey’s bodies in front of them.
They were gone.
Liam felt arms around him, holding him back as the anger and grief washed over him. Still though, the pack did not attack. Scott was talking, trying to reason with the hunters, though the pain and anger of their loss was clear in his voice. Monroe was suddenly at the front of the mob and she sighed, before nodding. Before anyone could react, a berserker stepped forwards, impaling Scott without a second thought.
Scott’s dying roar provoked an unstoppable rage in the remaining members of the pack, and they all rushed forwards as one. However, their struggle was all in vain as they were struck down one by one.
Nolan went down first, and Alec quickly followed, both young and inexperienced. Stiles was next, though Peter and Derek valiantly tried to protect him, which led to their own demise. Lori and Brett fought back to back right up to the end. Malia too, fought wildly, but she was no match for the three berserkers she was fighting. Parrish was one of the last few standing, taking down hunters left and right until he was felled in a storm of flames and fury. Isaac, who had recently returned from France, sprinted over to Theo and Liam, screaming at them to run, before being gunned down.
Theo was bleeding heavily and favouring his left leg. He grabbed Liam and shoved him behind him. They stumbled backwards as Monroe stalked towards them. She held her gun up to Theo’s head and shot him without a word.
Theo was dead.
He was the only one left.
The hunters had won.
Liam woke with a start, panic coursing through his blood. He flailed and thrashed, getting tangled in his sheets and tumbling out of bed. He was breathing heavily, which was worsened by the loud slam of the door as Theo ran in.
Theo knelt down in front of him, hands out like he was approaching a wounded animal. Liam scrambled backwards, claws catching in the carpet.
Wait… claws?
Shit.
He’d fully shifted. He hadn’t meant to do that.
And, oh, Theo was speaking.
“-iam, Liam! Hey! Can you hear me?”
Well how was he supposed to respond to that?
He whined softly, hoping Theo would understand, and, by some miracle, he did.
“Okay, okay, can you shift back for me? I don’t like how crazy your chemosignals are going.”
Liam’s whine became harsher now, more like a growl.
Theo raised his hands again. “Woah, calm down. Come on, I need you to tell me what’s wrong.”
Liam didn’t growl this time, just shrunk further back into the corner. Shift with me he wanted to say, even if he knew that wouldn’t help.
He just…. hated that he was still having nightmares, that he was still traumatised, even when everyone else seemed to be dealing with everything so well. And yes, the war was over, but things were different now. People were still afraid of them, and so they were often treated unfairly. And, Scott had gone, in fact, most of the pack had, which meant the responsibility was now all on the puppy pack.
On Liam.
He was the alpha-in-training after all, which meant he had to be the leader. Be the strongest. Be the best.
He couldn’t let anyone else know he was scared, or struggling. That wasn’t what an alpha was. And yes, he’d seen the worried looks Mason had been giving him, or the way that Lori would slide some of her food over to him at lunch. And he knew Theo waited until he was asleep to go to sleep himself Even Brett had been going easier on him in lacrosse. But they didn’t need to.
He could cope. Scott had, after all. And that was when there were real threats, too. So yes, he could absolutely deal with this. There was no need for the pack to be worried, and he needed to find a way to stop that.
But how?
A sigh from Theo broke his train of spiralling thoughts, and he looked up, confused. Was Theo mad at him?
Bones cracked and snapped until there was a black wolf standing in front of him, fur silky and neat. That was strange; why had Theo shifted? That was what he’d wanted, but it still didn’t make sense.
Liam grunted, attempting to make himself even smaller, backing up into the corner. Theo just huffed, and began carefully moving the heap that was Liam’s duvet out the way with his mouth. Then, he flopped down on top of Liam, ignoring the smaller wolf’s protests. He tried to wriggle free, but it was pointless.
He was trapped.
Now, it was Liam’s turn to huff and he succumbed to his fate. Theo’s weight was strangely comforting, and he quickly felt himself drifting off.
As cliche as it was, Liam awoke to sunlight streaming through the window and birds chirping softly. This was the most relaxed he’d felt in a long time; he’d actually slept half the night without a nightmare.
And yes, it’d gotten better after Theo staged the intervention, but that peace was short lived, and now he was right back where he started. Not that he was going to actually tell any of the others about it.
Liam stood, yawning as he stretched. He didn’t want to shift back yet; he didn’t have to face the world like this. And where was Theo?
Almost like he’d read Liam’s mind, the now-human Theo walked into his room, drying his hair with a towel. He looked at Liam with a strange mix of relief and worry.
“You have a good sleep?”
Better than usual, Liam wanted to say, but instead he chose to gently nudge Theo’s legs with his nose.
“No, come on, you need to shift back.”
Liam huffed again and nudged Theo harder.
“Liam. Don’t make me get the pack involved. Or Jenna.”
He hadn’t already got the pack involved? Why not? Liam had assumed that would be the first thing Theo would do, considering how much the were all worrying about him. Which, of course, was not necessary.
But…. if Theo hadn’t got the pack involved, then Liam could still spin this. Only Theo knew after all, so all he had to do was convince Theo he was fine. Easier to convince one person than a whole pack, even if that person was Theo, master liar and lie detector.
But he really didn’t want to shift back.
He grunted, and stretched as bones repositioned themselves with a sickening crack, hands replacing paws, nose replacing snout. It was over quickly though, and Liam pulled the duvet, which was still on the floor, around himself, shivering from the lack of fur.
Theo placed a pile of clothes in front of him. “Get dressed. Jenna made pancakes.”
Liam did love pancakes.
By the time he got downstairs, Theo was already eating. He’d already set out a plate for Liam, piled high with pancakes, which he quickly shoved into his mouth. They ate in relative silence, Liam’s mind racing at Theo’s calm demeanour. Eventually, the older boy made eye contact and sighed.
“Just ask it.”
Liam choked on his pancake. “Ask what?”
Theo rolled his eyes. “The question you’ve been dying to ask me all morning.”
Great. This was happening.
“Why haven’t you said anything about last night?”
“Would it help? Or would it make you shy away from us even more? We don’t want you to get spooked or run off if we push, and don’t say you won’t, because I think we both know you will.”
That…. was a good point.
What was he supposed to say now?
“That’s fair.” Liam grumbled.
“Exactly.” Theo grinned. “Now hurry up, you’re going to be late for school.”
What? That couldn’t be right. Liam looked at his phone and, oh shit… he was definitely going to be late.
He grabbed the last of his pancake, and his school bag, and followed Theo out the door, screaming at him to hurry up. Mason would kill him if he was late again.