Liam stood outside, staring up at Scott's house, wringing the ends of his sweatshirt sleeves in his hands. He'll admit (to himself, but never to anyone else) that he was a little nervous when he got a text from Scott inviting him to a pack bonding get together.

Liam had looked through the contact list of everyone Scott had sent the text to. There were the usual suspects: Stiles, Skylar, Kira, Lydia, Lucy, Audrey, and Derek (to use as a last resort only, as told to him by Scott and a moody Derek who doesn't like to be bothered), and himself. But there were two unknown numbers on the list that Liam didn't recognize.

If they were invited to the pack night, then they were obviously part of the pack. But Liam hadn't met them if he wasn't given their contacts from Scott.

But, he steeled his nerves and approached the door, knowing by now that Scott had heard him or at least sensed his presence, so there was no backing out.

As predicted, Scott swung the door open before Liam had made it all the way on the porch with a huge grin, before wrapping Liam in a hug. Liam immediately returned the embrace, winding his arms around Scott's middle as all feelings of nervousness disappeared.

"Glad you could make it." Scott mumbled against Liam's hair.

As long as Scott was here, his anchor, Liam could do this. He would be fine.

Scott pulled away but kept his arm around Liam's shoulders, guiding him through the doorway and into the house.

Liam immediately tried to make himself appear smaller by hunching his shoulders as he heard all the rambunctiousness going on inside. He clearly made out an indignant Stiles mixed with laughter. But he could hear no other recognizable voices and he slowly started to panic.

Scott seemed to notice Liam's deflation. "Most of the pack couldn't make it." The alpha explained. "But we can still have fun with just the five of us." He gave Liam a reassuring smile that immediately helped relax the young beta.

The two werewolves ventured into the kitchen, where all the chaos was coming from.

Scott automatically turned to an indifferent Stiles for an explanation as two other figures wrestled on the kitchen floor.

"They were making quips about who was stronger again." Stiles informed, crossing his arms over his chest. "They're both dumbasses if you ask me. Now would be a great time to bring out the red eyes and fangs buddy." He advised.

Scott merely rolled his eyes.

Liam had been startled by the fighting at first and almost bolted back out the front door, but after a quick assess of body language and Scott's and Stiles' calm demeanors, he recognized the tussling as playful and calmed down.

"Alright guys, knock it off." Scott commanded. The two on the floor separated without argument. Scott didn't need his red eyes and fangs, not when he had their respect.

Liam eyed the new faces. They were both handsome, but in different ways.

The shorter of the two was all sharp cheekbones and jawline with expertly styled hair and steely grey eyes.

The other was much taller with softer features, golden curls, and crystal clear blue eyes.

"So, Liam," Scott said, interrupting his observations. "This is Jackson and Isaac."

Jackson gave him a simple nod of his head as a greeting. Isaac smiled at him.

"They were away for a while." Scott continued to explain. "Jackson was in London and Isaac was in France with Chris."

Liam nodded slowly, soaking in Scott's words. That's why Liam had never seen them around or even known about their inclusion in the pack. But they seemed nice enough, even if Jackson acted a little cold. But Scott trusted them, so Liam trusted them.

"So this is your first bitten beta you've been going on about huh Scott?" Jackson asked, eyeing Liam up and down as if he were sizing him up.

Both Scott and Liam blushed.

Isaac elbowed Jackson in the ribs. "You're making him nervous." He whispered, even though everyone in the room would've heard it anyway. Well, except for Stiles.

Jackson raised an interested eyebrow. "Am I?"

"Come on Jackson, knock it off." Scott said with a frown, clearly sensing Liam's growing discomfort.

"He doesn't look all that special. Not exactly worthy of all that big talk Scott."

Scott narrowed his eyes. Stiles took a hesitant step back, wary of the change in the room's atmosphere. Isaac placed a warning hand on Jackson's shoulder. Liam's fists were clenched at his sides.

"Look at him. He's only a freshman." Jackson continued, not aware of the consequences his actions might bring. "He looks like he would run scared at the first sign of a fight."

Liam felt a pinch in his palms as his claws slowly elongated at Jackson's words. His anger was building up inside him. But instead of wolfing out and attacking Jackson physically, he decided to play Jackson's game and retaliate with words.

"You're one to talk." Liam said and let a smirk slip onto his face at the shocked look Jackson gave him. He clearly didn't expect the young beta to stick up for himself. "Where were you all this time? Where were you when we were fighting assassins and berserkers and were-jaguars? Where were you when Derek was kidnapped and turned back into his younger self? Where were you when Scott was forced to become a berserker and tried to kill all of us? Where were you when every supernatural being in town had a price on their head?" Liam paused, looking for an answer but not expecting to get one.

Jackson, Isaac, Scott, and even Stiles just stared at him, shocked and a little impressed.

"That's what I thought. You weren't here. Either of you." Both betas flinched. "But I was. I fought alongside Scott against all of it. I was stabbed, kidnapped, and thrown down a well to die. But Scott saved me and even though I was scared, I went to Mexico to find him, to try and repay him a little for everything he had done for me. So keep that in mind next time you question my loyalty."

The room was silent.

Jackson was stunned into silence. Stiles, who Liam swears he had never seen with his mouth shut, was speechless for once. Isaac was looking at the ground. Liam could feel the shame rolling off of him, and started to feel bad.

Scott could feel his beta getting worked up and slowly moved toward him and rested his hands on Liam's shoulders. "Calm down Liam." He commanded. "It's okay."

Liam slowly unclenched his hands, the punctured skin knitting back together. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Scott looked confused, Jackson looked guilty, and Isaac looked slightly frustrated, because they all knew that Liam shouldn't be the one apologizing.

"I'm sorry." He said again as Scott accepted one of the wet rags Stiles was holding and they both took one of Liam's hands in theirs to wipe the blood off them. "I shouldn't have said anything. I don't know the circumstances or the reasons why you left. I shouldn't have assumed that you just ran away." Liam didn't look up at anyone, he just watched the blood stain cloth.

"But you're right. I did run away."

Liam looked up in shock at Jackson, who he thought would've been the last person to ever admit something like that. And judging by the similar looks on the others' faces, he was right.

Jackson shrugged, looking at the ground as if he suddenly found it very interesting. "It would be easier to blame my parents. That they made me move. But it was ultimately up to me." He paused, keeping his emotions in check. "I had done so many bad things to innocent people. True, I was controlled by a crazy kid who was bent on revenge, but it was my hand that killed them." He met Liam's eye with a pained look. "I bet you didn't know that did you? That I killed people?"

Liam slowly shook his head.

"I even tried to kill my best friend and Lydia, the only person who ever truly loved me. It hurt. And the guilt was more than I could live with at the time. So I ran away in an attempt to forget. I couldn't. And that's why I came back. Because Scott was probably the only person in the world who could convince me to forgive myself." Jackson's eyes were swimming with tears that he refused to let fall.

"I ran too." Isaac mumbled. His eyes were clouded with something he seemed desperate to forget. "After Allison died,"

Liam felt Scott tense up next to him and automatically gripped his hand. Scott gave him a grateful smile and squeezed back.

"I couldn't bear to stay here. To see Scott every day and be reminded that I couldn't save her. Scott was always saving everyone. And when he left me with Allison and Kira to help Stiles find Lydia, I knew I had to protect them. But all I did was get Allison killed." Isaac choked up and swiped some rebellious tears off his cheeks. "I was right there. I should've done something. I should've saved her. But I was too weak. I'm sorry Scott."

Liam was startled by the tears that he found, not just falling from his own eyes, but everyone else's as well. They had all experienced so much pain, so much loss. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Scott, when he admitted that he was scared.

"I'm not like you. You and your friends, you protect everyone. I mean, how are all of you still alive?"

"Not all of us are."

Scott had moved across the room without Liam even realizing it, and wrapped his arms around Isaac, who was sobbing into the alpha's shoulder. "It's okay Isaac. It's okay. It's not your fault."

Liam was pretty sure he was the only one who heard what Scott had left unspoken.

"It's mine."

Scott always felt the need to protect everyone. So, he thought he was responsible for them. He was so pure at heart, that he was able to look past their flaws and mistakes and see the best in them. And then he made them see it too. That's what he did for Liam, he didn't see a troubled kid with I.E.D. He didn't see Liam as a problem. He saw who Liam could be, and helped him turn into it. And he obviously did the same for his other betas.

Scott's mission was to save Jackson, not to kill him. He knew that he wasn't in control of himself and even though Jackson had literally caused nothing but grief for Scott, he put his life on the line, going against everyone and the odds.

"He doesn't even know what he's doing."

"Well, I didn't either. But I had help. He has nobody."

"That's his own fault."

"It doesn't matter. If I can save him, I'm going to try."

And he did it. Jackson was saved.

Scott was even able to break through Isaac's hard exterior, the bad boy façade that he adopted to impress Derek and everyone else. Because he was tired of being pushed around and he was tired of being weak. He wanted to prove his strength and he didn't care what he had to do to show it. No one had ever cared when he was hurt, so he didn't care when others were hurt. Until Scott came along.

"Be careful."

"I doubt I'll even slightly hurt him."

"I meant you. I don't want you getting hurt."

Isaac finally had someone who gave a shit as to what happened to him.

Then, Scott saved Liam, both physically and mentally. He pulled him back onto that rooftop and gave him the rest of his life to live. Even if it was as a werewolf. When Liam felt hopeless and lost, Scott was there. Pulling him back up. He helped Liam when no one else would, and believed in him when no one else could.

"They can't see me like this."

"Like a monster? You're not a monster Liam. You're a werewolf. Like me."

That was Scott's personal duty. To help anyone and everyone he came across, no matter what they had done in the past.

Liam felt a reassuring hand fall on his shoulder. He looked up at Stiles and they nodded at each other. Liam and Stiles had never gotten along when they first met, they really just tolerated each other. Liam had tried to be nice to Stiles, but the older boy had been so distrusting and cold toward him that it made Liam so angry. But now he realized that Stiles' own past had a hand in it.

Liam startled Stiles by wrapping him into a hug. Stiles stiffened but eventually hugged the younger boy back. Liam felt another pair of arms wrap around them and unburied his face from Stiles' shirt and looked up to find that Scott had led Isaac over to them which resulted in a four way hug, with Liam in the middle.

Liam caught Jackson's eye who had neglected to join them. Liam held out his hand, as an invitation and an apology. The other three boys all looked expectantly at him. Jackson sighed and ran a hand through his hair but made his way over and let himself be pulled into the embrace.

They stayed silent for a long time, just letting themselves be comforted by the pack.

Liam breathed in deeply. Mostly he smelled Stiles, since his face was buried in his shoulder, but if he concentrated he could pick out Scott's scent and the other two that he had yet to distinguish between Isaac and Jackson.

Stiles was the first one to fight his way out of the forest of limbs trapping him. "Alright, therapy session is over, it's time to do what we actually came here to do."

The wolves all smiled at him and wiped the last of their tears away before filing into the living room.

Scott immediately flopped down on the nest of pillows he and Stiles had put together earlier, perfectly content to let someone else pick the movie. Liam immediately laid down beside him and tried to get as close as possible without being weird.

Scott, sensing his need for contact as most wolf packs do, slipped his arm around his beta's shoulders and pulled him in close.

Liam let out a content sigh and rested his head on Scott's chest. Scott carded gentle fingers through the younger boy's hair, causing Liam to purr.

Isaac joined them next while Stiles and Jackson argued about whether Captain America was a better movie than Iron Man.

Liam decided he liked Isaac quite a lot when he placed himself at Liam's back, and tangled his arm with Scott's around Liam's waist. Isaac and Scott were on their way to becoming the perfect 'keep Liam warm and safe' tag team.

Stiles and Jackson finally decided to put in The Avengers since it had both of their favorite superheroes in it and took their places in the puppy pile.

Stiles claimed the spot on Scott's other side and pillowed his head just below Liam's on Scott's stomach, pulling Liam's hand down to idly play with the beta's fingers.

And Jackson was curled around Stiles, his head resting right next to Scott's. His arm ended up wrapping around Scott's shoulders and his hand rested against Liam's back.

Even though Liam had met Jackson and Isaac barely fifteen minutes ago, he felt insanely comfortable having them as close as they were.

Liam wasn't aware of it, but each of the older boys had a strong connection with him, a common flaw or insecurity. He could relate to them.

Isaac knew what it was like: to be alone and afraid. He had nightmares too. He was also haunted by something that was no longer physically there.

Jackson knew what it was like: to be turned into something he never wanted or expected to become. Afraid to lose his control, his humanity, and try to hurt the people he loved.

Stiles knew what it was like: to battle with a disorder that he thought he couldn't overcome. To have no Plan B. To have it dictate and consume him.

Scott knew what it was like: to have heavy burdens laid on his shoulders. To be thrust into new responsibilities and hardships with no warning and no explanation. To have his life taken over by the monsters he thought only existed in fairy tales. And the secrets. He too had to keep many things from many people. But he accepted his new role with all the compassion and sense of duty of a true alpha.

Liam felt comforted, by their obstacles that were so much like his own, and how they overcame them, along with their belief that he could overcome them too. They were living proof that he was going to be alright. In the sense that they were able to get better and so could he, and that they would always be by his side, fighting with him and for him.

They were more than a pack. They were family.

They were brothers now.