A light knock on the door woke him up.
"Come and get some breakfast," Melissa said quietly on the other side of the door. The mouthwatering scent of bacon filtered through from downstairs.
"Be down in a minute," Theo replied, his voice hoarse with sleep.
She seemed to accept this, moving to the other door and knocking at it. Theo ignored it, looking down at Liam. He was still wrapped around him, his arm a little numb from where Liam's head rested against it. With a happy sigh, Theo snuggled closer, pressing his lips to the back of Liam's neck.
The other boy stirred, mumbling sleepily and Theo smiled against his skin. He felt so warm and content, having had a full night's sleep, something that was a rarity for him, and being cuddled up with his soulmate only made it better. The red string was tangled in the sheets around them and seemed to thrum with the contentment he was feeling.
Liam turned in his arms, blinking rapidly as he tried to keep his eyes open. He nuzzled into Theo's chest, hands moving under his shirt and pushing it up so that they were skin to skin, the burn of Liam's stubble on his chest making other parts of his body wake up. Theo delicately shifting his hips backwards but Liam, thankfully, didn't seem to notice.
"Good morning," Theo whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Liam's head.
"Morning," Liam sighed back, lips brushing over Theo's chest and making him shiver. He turned his head to look up at Theo, lips catching on his nipple, and Theo bit back a whine. Fuck, this boy was going to be the death of him. Liam, still half asleep, buried his nose in Theo's neck and deeply inhaled, scenting him.
"Liam," Theo said through gritted teeth, trying to wiggle away.
"Why do you smell so good this morning?" Liam asked, following him, whining when Theo slipped out of the other side of the bed. His hands, which had still been fisted in his shirt, were now left holding it. Theo knelt beside the bed, taking a shaky breath, but the growing scent of Liam's arousal was doing nothing to help his situation. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to calm his libido. "Theo?"
He ached with the desperate need to crawl back into bed and bury himself in the other boy, to feel and taste and kiss every inch of his body. But god, Liam couldn't even admit that he wanted him yet, and Theo had no intention of rushing this. He had no idea what he was doing, with any of it, but he knew he wanted to do it right.
"It's time for breakfast," Theo informed him after a few moments, feeling calmer. He opened his eyes, finding Liam resting up on his elbows, studying his face.
Theo didn't wait to see what conclusion Liam came to, getting up and turning his back as he wandered around the room gathering clean clothes and a towel, before leaving the room and claiming the shower.
By the time he had showered and dressed, everyone else was downstairs, and Liam avoided his gaze as he sat beside him, passing the tray of bacon to him. Theo thanked him quietly, fingers aching with the tension that was building between them. Eventually it would snap, and Theo wasn't sure if he was terrified or excited.
Probably both.
The door clicked shut behind Theo, and Liam let out a huff. He'd thought, for a moment there, that maybe Theo would lean forward and kiss him, giving him what he wanted. He'd smelt so good, happy and turned on and Liam was sure he'd felt his cock against his leg before Theo had almost fallen out of bed in his haste to get away.
He didn't understand at all. Yesterday Theo had asked for a kiss, eyes twinkling as he leaned out of his truck, his lips pouting so beautifully. Everyone else had been around, and Liam didn't even have a chance to be able to deny him.
But now, in the privacy of his own room, with Liam intent on exploring his body, getting to know the dips and planes that made up Theo Raeken, he'd ran away.
Liam rolled out of bed, ignoring his morning wood, willing it down with a scowl. If he touched it, then Theo would know, and Liam still hadn't decided if he was angry or just disappointed. Mostly he was just confused.
He pulled on his jeans from the day before and turned his head, looking to where Theo's shirt was still lying on the bed where Liam had dropped it. With a smirk, he stripped off his shirt and dropped it and picked up the other one, pulling it over his head. His wolf almost leapt out of his chest, happily rumbling at the smell of their mate so close to their skin.
Going down to breakfast, he greeted Scott and Isaac, who were sitting pretty close together, stealing glances. Liam smirked and focussed on filling his plate, one ear listening to Theo move around upstairs.
"Did you sleep okay?" Melissa asked, walking past him and ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Yeah," Liam smiled, smoothing it down. "Thanks for yesterday."
"It's fine," she said, "let me know if you want to talk about it." He nodded, but at the moment his parents were the furthest thing from his mind.
Theo came downstairs, hair still damp and curling around his face. He was wearing sweatpants and a singlet, looking more like he was ready to go to the gym than to school. It was ridiculous how attractive it was.
Liam held his breath as he sat down beside him, passing him the bacon without looking at him. The last thing he needed was to pop a boner around three werewolves. They'd all know in an instant. Theo took the bacon with a muttered thanks, and Liam returned to eating, feeling every millimeter of distance between, almost burning with awareness of the other boy.
"I'm going for a run," Theo murmured, glancing at him and then away, a light flush on his cheeks. "I'll be back in time for school, okay?"
"Okay," Liam said, and Theo was gone and out the door moments later.
Scott and Isaac excused themselves, which left Liam alone with Melissa. He helped her to clear the table, on autopilot while his mind raced.
He felt like he was close maybe, to understanding, like all of the loose threads were starting to come together. The way Theo flinched when someone touched him, and then eventually leaned into it. The way he watched others cuddle with that look of desperate longing on his face. The way he was only just starting to ask Liam for hugs or kisses, and how he looked almost shy when he did it, like he was expecting Liam to say no.
Liam brought it up with Melissa while he was helping her wash up the breakfast dishes.
"So you've noticed it, huh?" She said, passing him a plate. He wiped it and set it on the bench, accepting another one, brow furrowed.
"Noticed what?" He asked.
"That he's touch starved," she said. "I see this sort of thing in the hospital more often than I would like, with abuse victims."
"Theo isn't a victim of abuse," Liam objected.
"Isn't he?" Melissa said gently. "What would you call it?"
Liam frowned, looking down at his hands, at the red string looped around his wrist.
"He was eight when he was taken from his family and was told that the only way he could survive is if he let his sister die and take her heart," Melissa went on when it was clear that Liam had no reply. "He was just a boy."
Liam nodded slowly, remembering what the Dread Doctors had said to them so long ago. "We learned true evil only comes by corrupting something truly good. That's what they were trying to do, taking a little kid, someone innocent, and corrupting him."
"Yes," Melissa said. "And that's how Theo grew up. While you were laughing with friends and playing sport and drinking milkshakes and going to movies and having silly crushes and just generally being a kid, Theo was locked away in a lab, being experimented on, and experimenting on others."
"Oh god," Liam said softly, understanding washing over him, so many minute things clicking into place.
"He doesn't know how to ask for what he wants," she continued. "Because he's never experienced any of that. I know that Theo comes across as confident, but in a lot of ways, he's still just that eight year old kid. If anything is gonna change in your relationship, it's gotta come from you, kiddo."
Scott closed the door behind him, leaning against it and crossing his arms. He was half listening to Liam's conversation with his mum and watching as Isaac moved nervously around the room. A lot of what she was saying applied to Isaac. He was probably one of the cases that she was referring to. Isaac had been deeply affected by his father's abuse, and it had taken a really long time for him to open up to anyone in their pack, instead hiding behind sarcasm and bickering.
Isaac's time with Derek had been like a halfway house; Derek was still slightly mad with the fresh grief of losing his sister and the unexpected power and responsibility of being the alpha. He was at time too rough and too pushy but was still fiercely loyal and protective; and Isaac had begun to change; standing up straighter and looking people in the eyes for the first time in years. It had taken Isaac living with Scott to realise that there was more to him than one of Derek's rescue puppies. It had taken Allison to make him open up and tell them what had really happened.
He remembered one night in particular, Isaac lying with his legs slung over Scott's lap and his head in Allison's lap, both of them gently touching and reassuring them as he told them everything. Scott had bristled with indignance that anyone could treat his sweet Isaac like that, let alone a parent, but Allison had shot him a look that told him it wasn't the time.
It had been the first time that it had been more than sex between them, more than pleasure. It was a connection, real and painful but no less lovely for it.
Scott had struggled for a very long time after Allison's death, still was struggling, really, because in one night he'd lost both of them. Isaac had fled to France, cutting off all contact, although Argent had given him a report every now again to let him know he was alive.
And now he was back, and Scott was sick of dancing around the issue. Every part of his body was straining towards Isaac, wanting to envelop him in his arms and never let him leave again. He was supposed to be packing, finally, for college, but there was only one thing he wanted to take with him, or rather, one person.
"Isaac," he whispered, eyes flashing red as the taller boy continued to move restlessly around the room.
"I-" He said, breaking off with a growl of frustration. "I don't know if I can do this, Scott. I don't know if I can be back here."
"That's fine," Scott said, still not moving, the calm in the eye of Isaac's storm. "Come with me."
Finally, Isaac stopped, turning to stare at him. "Where?"
"College," Scott shrugged. "I have a shitty apartment off campus at Davis. You could come with me."
Isaac blinked at him. "College?" He asked, looking uncertain. He hadn't seemed to have considered college as an option. He'd finished high school in France but had never considered what would come next. "What about Beacon Hills?"
"Liam will still be here," Scott pointed out.
At this, Isaac's frown deepened. "He's so young."
"So were we," Scott smiled faintly. "He has his own pack now. Theo, Mason, Corey, Nolan and Brett. Lori too. My mum will still be here, so will Argent and Deaton. They'll be fine without us."
"Us," Isaac breathed, looking down at his clenched fists.
"If you want," Scott whispered.
Isaac took a deep breath, and then another, summoning up the bravery to meet his eyes. Scott could feel his heart racing in his chest, hope filling him as he stared into Isaac's eyes.
"Okay," Isaac nodded.
"Okay?" Scott asked, finally pushing off from the door and moving closer.
"I'll go with you," Isaac said, looking down at him as he stepped into his personal space. Scott moved slowly, trying not to spook him, gently touching his hips and pulling him flush against him.
"And the other thing?" Scott whispered, breath fanning against Isaac's face.
Isaac's answer was to lean down, his lips tentatively brushing over Scott's, his hands reaching up to grip his shoulders.
Liam sat in the passenger seat of Theo's truck, staring out the window, Melissa's words playing over and over in his head.
If anything is gonna change in your relationship, it's gotta come from you.
Did he want it to change? He was still so confused, but his attraction to the other boy was undeniable. When he'd woken up that morning, he'd wanted nothing more than to spend all day there, his hands on Theo's body and making him sigh.
It was almost distracting him from the anxiety bubbling in his stomach as they got closer and closer to the school. He felt itchy, the need to move thrumming through his body. Theo had had the right idea, going for a run. Liam should have gone as well, maybe then he wouldn't feel like he was about to jump out of his own skin.
"Hey, you okay?" Theo asked quietly.
"No," Liam grumbled.
"Anything I can do to help?" Theo pressed when it was clear that Liam wasn't going to elaborate.
"Turn the truck around and keep driving?" Liam suggested sullenly.
"Tempting," Theo said, his lips quirking as Liam turned to look at him. Theo raised an eyebrow at him and Liam sighed as he went back to staring out the window, watching the houses pass by.
"I don't want to go back there," he whispered eventually. "I just keep thinking. No Gabe in the locker room or the halls. Monroe won't be sitting in her office making me skin crawl as she watches me. And god, even the thought of sitting in Bio without Mrs Finch. It's too much."
"You've been through a lot," Theo agreed. He pulled the car over, and Liam took a shaky breath, feeling how fast his heart was racing.
"Fuck," he cursed, his hands shaking against his legs.
Theo said nothing, waiting as Liam calmed himself down. It took a few minutes, but eventually he felt the panic recede."What do you need today?" Theo asked quietly.
"Just-" Liam said, turning to look at him again. Theo nodded reassuringly. "I need you close today," Liam breathed. "I feel like I'm on the verge of losing it."
"Okay," Theo said. "I'll keep an ear out for you. The second you need me, just say my name and I'll be there." Theo held up the string from where he had a good part of it wrapped around his fist, running his thumb over it sending comfort Liam's way. "Shouldn't take me too long to find you."
Liam smiled at him, relief flooding through him. He didn't think he could face school without him. Maybe, with his pack around him, he might actually get through the day without something going wrong.
