Theo's fingers traced my spine, making circles on the skin of my back.

I could say nothing, just soaked up his touch and waited for more. He didn't make me wait long, as his hands made their way to my thighs, his body pressing into mine.

I didn't recall us getting here yet, but I didn't care, as long he kept touching me. I saw the flirty little smile on his lips, and suddenly wanted to kiss him, but he didn't let me, not yet. "Rachel," he whispered, his breath washing over my face. No, I thought, not Rachel…Cassia…

But that was who I was to him. Before I had time to get sad about it, he took my face in his hands and pressed himself a little harder onto me. I shifted and allowed him to settle between my legs, and though we were both clothed, I melted with anticipation.

Finally, he kissed me. His lips were even softer than I'd imagined, and I let my fingertips slowly trail over his strong jawline. All man, and all mine. He deepened the kiss, making my heart flutter in delight. I'd never had the joy of having my first kiss, and he was making it worth every miserable second that I'd had to wait.

His strong arms wrapped around me, and I felt his fingers brush the bare skin of my midriff. His mouth left mine and he placed a series of open mouthed kisses on my throat and neck. Warmth raced through me, and I bunched my fingers in the cotton fabric of his shirt. Rhythmically, his body worked over mine, bringing to life a fire I'd never known before.

At last, he allowed me to pull the shirt over his head, and I traced the strong planes of his chest and neck. His eyes were black with passion in the silver light of the moon, then they lit up gold as I met his gaze.

"Stay with me…" He whispered.

I woke with a deep sense of longing. Obviously, it had only been a dream, and part of me was glad, but the other burned with the need to go back to it.

It had been two days since he'd met me to talk at the hospital.

He hadn't allowed me to contact him yet, which I assumed meant he was giving me time to think things over. I knew what I wanted, and I was going to talk with him today, whether or not he wanted to.

I glanced at the clock. It was just after four in the morning, and I knew he had to be somewhere around town. People wouldn't be out and about right now, and there was no way that I was going to sleep again. I climbed out of bed and into a pair of jeans and a black shirt.

I swiped my car keys from the drawer beside my bed and went out to the car, pulled out into the street and drove. I could be thankful at least that his truck wasn't black, which would have blended into the dark of the morning.

I drove mindlessly for twenty minutes before I saw his truck, sitting alone in an abandoned compound. I pulled into the lot and parked several places down from him, quietly shutting the door and locking the car.

Silently I walked up to the truck and peeked into the back window.

There he was.

He looked so peaceful in sleep. His hair splayed everywhere around his face and across his pillow and he was bundled up in a blanket just long enough to cover him. Moonlight filtered through the glass just enough to outline the features of his face. I hated to wake him, but I didn't know when I'd get to catch him alone again.

I rapped on the window a few times and watched him stir. I could see confusion on his face as he sat up, looking for the culprit who woke him, and I smiled at him through the glass pane. Even though he was irritated, I could see that he seemed a little glad that I'd stopped by.

He slunk into the front seat sleepily and unlocked the doors, allowing me to open the passenger side door and get in.

"You're up early," he yawned, stretching his long arms tiredly. "Yeah, I'm sorry. But you haven't exactly let me talk to you in the last couple days. Had to do what I had to do." "And you couldn't have waited until, like, six?" "Stop complaining, you're a grown man."

"Yeah, a grown man who is constantly being woken up too early for his liking." "Theo," I groaned, trying not to laugh at his whining.

He rubbed his eyes, but turned to me, laying hard on his arm against the middle console. Suddenly, I grew nervous. We both knew why I was here, but that didn't make talking about it any easier.

"You admitted your feelings." I started. "Don't get used to it. It's not something I do often," he said, sounding as guarded as he looked. "And if I told you that it wasn't one sided, what would you say?"

"I'd say…I don't know what to say."

I laughed then, meeting his eyes, "You're just as lost as me, aren't you?" "Partially." He admitted.

I sighed, "Where does this go, Theo? I mean, we're both a little touchy about this, and…we don't know a lot about each other." "Isn't that the whole meaning of dating?" "I wouldn't apply a word like 'dating' to this situation. How about…testing?"

He grimaced, but I could see the humor glint in his eyes. "Really, Theo, though. I want a chance to know a little more about you, as I'm sure you do about me as well, before we dive head first into this thing."

It was the easiest thing I could think of so that neither of us got too attached. Then it would be easier to break it off.

He nodded, scraping at his fingernails, looking like he wanted to say something, and I waited. Eventually, he spoke.

"Tell me something about you, Rachel."

My heart jumped into my throat, but I knew these practiced lies like the back of my hand. He couldn't know the real me.

"I don't know my parents. I'm sure they're out there somewhere. I have a godmother named Angela who is in an assisted living place."

Theo stayed quiet, processing the lies. I wanted so badly to say to him, "My brother is a terrible, petrifying person. He killed our parents, and now he's hunting for me. I'm scared, and you're the only one who makes me feel safe."

But I couldn't.

Theo's reply brought me out of that dark place. "I don't have much family either." "Lonely world, isn't it?" "No. I've always had my own back, and it's worked just fine. You've thrown a wrench into all of it. I still could care less about friends, and what's gone on with my family is in the past, but I've never felt like anyone was unreachable. Some deal with me, a lot hate me. That's the way I like it. Simple that way."

Despite his words, I could tell he wasn't pleased with what he'd said to me. I knew that feeling.

"You don't have to be anyone but Theo with me." I said, and I could see the tension leave his shoulders, like he'd been expecting me to be upset. "My world is fragile," I confessed, immediately wishing I could catch those words and stuff them back in my mouth, never to be surfaced again, "I think that's why I value honesty so much."

"I value loyalty, though I haven't been good at displaying it, as you've heard from Liam."

I nodded, then turned. "Well, I have to be at work in a little while. You can come to the cafeteria in the hospital at one if you want." "'Kay." He said.

I climbed out of his truck, and into my car to go back and get ready for work, even though I had at least three hours left.

I locked the door behind me, and took a long, hot shower. I took my time drying off and dressing.

At seven, I heard a knock on my door and was surprised to see Liam.

"Liam, hi, what's up?" I asked, letting him in. He stood in the frame of the archway that separated the kitchen and den as I closed the door and met his eyes. "I just wanted to come chat a little bit." He said.

"That's fine, but I have to be at work at eight thirty, so it can't be a long, long chat," I smiled, "want something to drink?" "Sure," he said, and I handed him a can of Sprite from my fridge.

"So," I said, sitting on my couch and he joined me, "chat away."

"Do you really feel that you know Theo?" He asked out of nowhere. "This again?" I asked, wanting to come to Theo's defense. "Rachel, please, I'm just trying to protect you." "He's not hurt me at all." "Yet," he stressed, "Theo is only good at hurting people."

"I haven't seen him hurt anyone, not even you." "That's because you aren't around all the time. Rach, he's not the good guy he's portraying. One day, you're going to see his true colors."

"Liam, is there a reason you're trying to-" "He had a pack once." Liam interrupted.

A pack? Once?

"He did? Like…he was an alpha?" "He's not said anything to you about it?" "Well, no, but we haven't really talked a lot in the last…" I could see a spike of anger light up in Liam's eyes.

"He was never an alpha, he can't be. Chimeras are experiments, not actual creatures. But yes, he led a pack." "What happened to them, did they leave Beacon Hills?" "In a way."

"What do you mean 'in a way'?"

"He killed them, Rachel."

My heart stopped, both in shock and anger. Liam had to be lying. "No," I began, but Liam quickly rushed in again. "Yes, he killed them. Ask Corey, he used to be part of that pack! Then he joined Scott's, and mine now."

I stood, feeling sick to my stomach. I was aware that he'd hurt people, but could he really have killed his own pack mates? Why would he do that? I pressed my hands to my head, trying to slow the panic attack before it came out full blown. All I could see was Damian.

Damian had killed those he was supposed to love, care for even, and was still trying to do so. How could Theo have just killed these people, these wolves or whatever, that he had sworn to lead?

"Rachel?" Liam's voice told me he was behind me.

"Liam, please," I said, my voice tiny sounding, "just go."

For a moment, there was no movement or sound, and then I heard his shoes squeak on the wood floor as he quietly left, closing the door behind him.

With his presence no longer there, I sank to my knees, allowing the tears to fall and the hyperventilation to proceed.

Was that all that this life, this hell I'd been forced to endure, had to offer me? Was this punishment for being self-interested just this once? Was I only ever meant to be around, with or running from killers?

I stopped my fit and stood, going to wash my face. I had to force myself not to believe it, not until I got word from Theo. I knew how Liam and Theo felt toward each other, but I also knew that they both cared for me in a way. If Liam thought horror stories could be a way to protect me from someone he deemed dangerous, would he lie?

Did he know anything about my past, or my current problem, that would provoke him to tell me a similar story, regarding someone I trusted?

I supposed I would only find out the truth at one o'clock.

**Well, here comes yet another stumbling block in Theo and Cassia's rocky relationship. Theo has proved to everyone through his past actions that he is both a bad guy AND an ally, but what do you think Cassia will think, after she's spent all this time running from a murderer? Thank you for reading, and thank you to Anelle25 for the awesome reviews!**