I don't own Teen Wolf.

Married to Darkness- Chapter 17

Liam looked around the hospital room as his head swam, the cloudiness of the medication slowly clearing. His eyes darted around the room as he took inventory of where he was and who was there. His eyes drifted from Mason and Corey to Nolan, Melissa, and Malia and finally landed on Scott. The beta struggled to open his mouth to speak, his entire body afflicted with muscular weakness. He croaked, "Hey. What happened?"

Scott smiled as he sat down next to Liam, "You finally woke up, Liam. You gave us a scare."

Melissa maneuvered around the pack and began to check Liam's vitals. The beta felt feverish as he coughed, "I remember the hunters."

Mason rubbed the back of his head and started, "Well, we fought the hunters at the compound and things weren't looking too good. I injected you with the purple solution that helped Nolan and Corey and you passed out and lapsed into a coma Liam. I'm sorry."

Liam looked to Mason and was stricken with a fury of coughs. The beta covered his mouth as the pack looked on in concern. When Liam finished coughing, the beta said, "Why do I feel like I have the flu?"

Melissa finished checking the little wolf's vitals and said, "I don't know how but Liam, you have a fever. More than the usual wolves run hot type of fever. I am going to find Dr. Geyer and let him know what is going on." Melissa stepped out of the room.

Liam smiled to Mason, "Dude, no forgiveness necessary. You saved me." The beta extended his hand to his best friend and they lightly clasped hands and bro hugged. When they released their embrace Liam's smile fell, "Where's Theo?"

The pack quickly averted their eyes from the sick beta and Liam repeated, "Hey, don't everyone answer at once, where's Theo?"

Nolan began, "Theo is out fighting hunters and."

Corey interrupted the teen, "We should be able to reach him soon to let him know that you are awake. He couldn't bear to think of the guys that shot you getting away."

Mason glared at his boyfriend and Scott said, "Guys, can I have a moment with Liam?"

The pack agreed and everyone but Scott, Nolan, and Liam stepped out of the room. Scott looked to Nolan, "A little privacy?"

Nolan smirked at the alpha, "I'd love to Scott, but I still can't move my legs from being scratched by Theo when he used the kanima venom on me."

Liam's eyes widened and Nolan's quickly followed suit when the nervous teen realized what he just said. He bit his lip and said, "Maybe someone should carry me out so you can talk to Liam."

Liam angrily interrupted, "No, Nolan stays. I am not going to hear some half lies about what is going on to spare my feelings."

Scott looked to Nolan and back to his beta before he sighed. The alpha began, "We think that Theo might be back to his old self."

Liam looked to Scott as he growled, "Why do you think that Scott?"

Scott weakly continued, "Well the pack thinks."

Liam interrupted his alpha, "Scott, I didn't ask about what the pack thinks, I asked about what you think." When the beta finished speaking he grappled with another coughing fit.

Scott looked down at the bed spread as he continued, "Theo's behavior has been different since you've been comatose. He stayed with you the first night but since I arrived, no one has seen him here."

Liam argued, "I'm not surprised. He knows that you and Malia don't accept him. He's probably avoiding being here to make it easier for you."

Scott looked to his beta, "I spoke with him at school. Something seemed really off about him and then with paralyzing Nolan, with kanima venom, we're, I mean I am worried."

Liam shook his head, "Has he hurt anyone?"

Nolan commented, "He scratched me. But I don't think he did that to hurt me. But I don't know. It's like he wanted to do something worse but something stopped him."

Liam sighed, "So what are we going to do about Theo?"

Scott looked to his beta, "As your beta, I'm hoping you'll be able to reach him before he does something that he will regret."

Liam met Scott's eye contact, "As my beta?"

Scott nodded and half smiled, "Yeah, Your pack is the one that has handled things here. I thought that maybe you needed me to come back but your pack has made it clear that I would only get in the way."

Liam weakly smiled, "You know you are always welcome here Scott."

Scott widened his smile, "I know. I just need to step back from trying to protect Beacon Hills. That falls on your pack now Liam."

Liam nodded slowly and said, "So I need to speak with Theo."

Scott nodded and said, "Something else bothers me about Theo. I was with your mom coming back to your room last night and I heard him talking to you. He said he had done something incredibly stupid and how he needed you to wake up so you could help him. He sounded different than when I spoke with him earlier."

Liam furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Scott sighed, "I think he is fighting something internally. The way it sounds, his behavior, honestly it reminds me of when Stiles was possessed by the nogitsune."

Liam pushed through another coughing fit before he responded, "Did we find out who the rogue alpha is?"

Scott shook his head, "We didn't but the way Theo spoke, I'm certain he knows. I wonder if he is working with the alpha."

Liam thought back to the words he heard Theo mutter in his sleep from the first night he crashed on the couch, "You are the part of me that wants things to go back to the way they were before. You are the part that wants to kill." Liam took a deep breath and said, "What if this isn't something new but something Theo has fought since coming back?"

Scott tilted his head slight and asked, "What do you mean Liam?"

Liam gathered his thoughts and said, "What if sending Theo to hell fractured his mind? What if it broke his dark impulses away from who he is? I've heard his nightmares and he talks in his sleep. It sounds like he is fighting himself. I just don't understand why it's happening now."

Scott placed his hand on Liam's shoulder and smiled as he said, "That's easy Liam. Theo is in love with you. If I had to guess, you are his anchor too."

Liam looked to Scott in confusion, his cheeks blushed from the thought, "Theo is in love with me? I thought he just wanted to be my friend."

Nolan interrupted, "Of course he's in love with you Liam. We've seen the way he looks at you and acts around you. It can't be that much of a surprise."

Scott beamed his smile and nodded, "Yeah. We know."

Liam deepened his look of confusion, "But Scott, you approve of Theo and me?"

Scott chuckled, "That's not really my decision to make. Whatever you two decide, I'll support you."

Liam sat up quickly as Melissa stepped back into the room. He stated, "Then I need to go find Theo."

Mama McCall said, "Not so fast Liam. You aren't going anywhere."

Liam looked to Melissa and gasped, "What?"

She smirked and said, "Do me a favor and shift Liam."

Liam nodded and tried to shift but nothing happened. He got agitated and tried to channel his anger into the shift and still couldn't shift. He weakly muttered, "What's happening? I can't."

Melissa nodded, "That's what I thought. Until the green solution wears off, you are just another human."

Nolan grinned and said, "Like me!"

Liam glared at Nolan, "At least I'm not paralyzed."

Nolan returned the glare and stood up. He marched over to Liam's bed and said, "You are lucky I am paralyzed right now and stuck in that sofa, "The teen pointed to the sofa he just left. "Otherwise I would have half a mind to show you paralyzed."

Scott and Melissa started to laugh as Liam fought back the chuckle with Nolan standing next to him.

Nolan blinked a few times and tapped his feet on the floor, "I'm not paralyzed anymore. I can move my legs!" The teen cheered and laughed.

Scott looked to Nolan and said in a serious, direct tone, "Kanima venom wears off."

Nolan glared at Scott, "I didn't know that. This is my first time."

Liam laughed, which led to a coughing fit, "So you popped your kanima venom cherry."

Nolan playfully glared at Liam, "Shut up."

Melissa looked to Liam, "I hate to say this but we are going to keep you here for observation until your fever goes down."

Liam looked down at the bed and acquiesced, "Alright. I understand."

Theo made it back to his den, radio and charger in hand. He set them up and began to charge the long since turned off radio. He hoped that the settings would still be saved so that the hunters would spill their secrets. While setting it up, the chimera took in the scents of the den. Corey and Mason had been there and Nolan was gone. The chimera chuckled, "They know how to pick the lock."

The chimera set his phone on the charger and the notifications rang almost immediately. He saw the screen light up with the message:

Liam is awake

The chimera laughed to himself, "It's time to see how devoted to the cause he really is."

School began the next day with practice as usual. Corey ran the suicide sprints with the team, as Theo yelled and directed them. The younger chimera watched Theo be especially harsh to Nolan and intervened, "Hey Theo. Lay off. Nolan is doing his best."

Theo glared at the chimera, "What was that Bryant? You want to join your captain in running laps?"

Corey argued back, "If it would stop you from being an aggressive asshole, then yeah."

Theo ran to where Corey stopped during suicides and yelled at the chimera, "You don't like the way I train the team?"

Corey spat back, "I think you are trying to destroy the team, not train them."

Theo smugly smirked, "And you act like I care what you think. If you don't like it so much, then walk. We don't need quitters and whiners on the team."

Corey bitterly retorted, "If that's what you want Raeken, then fine. I only joined the team because my friends were on it."

The chimera shed his jersey and threw it over Theo's head. He stomped off the field towards the locker room, with Mason running to catch up with him.

Theo pulled the jersey off his head and yelled, "Get back here Bryant! I'm not done with you."

Corey turned and glared at the older chimera as he yelled, "That's funny coach, I'm done dealing with you." The younger chimera turned around and continued to walk to the locker rooms.

Theo ran towards Corey but Coach Finstock stopped him. Finstock spoke in an unusually quiet voice, "What the hell Raeken? I appreciate your bravado but you can't train a team that quits."

Theo glared at the coach, "I'm not done with Bryant yet."

Finstock argued, "Unless you are going to convince him not to quit you are. Now get back out there and prove why I didn't make a mistake in hiring you."

Theo growled and went back to training the team. Finstock walked towards the locker rooms.

Corey slammed the locker door after he threw everything he had in it out. Mason jumped at the noise as he made it in just in time to hear it. The teen asked, "Corey, is everything alright?"

Corey sighed, "I hate that Theo."

Mason stepped around the mess and hugged his boyfriend, "I know."

Corey shook his head, venting his anger, "I swear he was out there torturing Nolan just because he could. Or maybe because he thought it would be fun after he paralyzed him yesterday. That is exactly the asshole behavior that Theo was known for. Pick on the weakest just for the fun of it."

Mason stepped back from the embrace, "You just quit the team, what are you going to do now?"

Corey half grinned, "Maybe I will spend my mornings studying and I can use the afternoon time to do homework."

Finstock's voice boomed into the locker room, "The hell I am going to let that happen."

Both boys turned to the door and saw Finstock, Corey said, "Coach."

Finstock plastered his mad man grin on, "There isn't a chance I am going to let you quit the team Bryant. You are the first and only player to have the balls to stand up to Raeken. It was great!"

Corey shook his head in confusion, "But Coach, it's my decision. I'm not putting up with this bullshit anymore."

Finstock widened his grin as he argued, "And who is going to be our goalie? Wright? McAllister? No, you are too valuable to the team."

Corey sighed, "Coach, I suck."

Finstock nodded as Mason attempted to feebly argue, "Corey, you don't suck. You've gotten a lot better."

Finstock laughed, "Of course you suck Bryant. But you suck less than most of your peers. And if I move one of your peers who sucks less than you, then I have to replace them on the field with someone who sucks more. I think we need to have a team that sucks the least as possible. You see, when cleaning carpet you want the most suction you can get. With a lacrosse team, you want the opposite. Help the team not be a vacuum cleaner."

Corey smirked, "That still doesn't give me a reason to stay."

Finstock's expression lightened as he said, "I get it. Dunbar is still in the hospital and you are distracted by that. It's probably the reason that Nolan is sucking out there and Raeken is being an absolute madman. Take the rest of the day off from practices. Hell, take the week off. Think about it before you just quit. Plus, I have the card for everyone to sign for Dunbar."

Mason looked to Finstock and asked, "Wait, you know about Raeken and Dunbar?"

Finstock glared at the teen, "You're kidding right? Of course I know. Raeken showed up wearing Dunbar's crop top and booty shorts to the field and that way too tight hoodie with Dunbar's name on it. You didn't think I'd notice that?"

Corey and Mason started laughing as Coach continued, "I just figured that they hit that point where their physical compatibilities were in question."

Corey slowly and quietly asked, "Physical compatibilities?"

Coach nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah." Coach raised his hands with both pointer fingers extended. He made a gesture of touching tips, "This isn't God's plan. Now if you put a finger trap in the middle, now you are making money."

Corey and Mason completely lost it with laughter and Coach stepped into his office. He stepped back out a few moments later with a get well card and a pen. He handed it to Corey, "Now write something in here for your friend. It better be profound too. If I am giving you the week off from practice it had better be the work of a poet or something."

Corey and Mason took the card and each wrote something in the card. Corey handed it back to Coach Finstock before he picked up his clothes and tossed his stuff in his duffel. Coach opened the card and read Mason's entry, which elicited a glare from him but after he read Corey's he couldn't help but laugh. "I love it Bryant. You should be an English major."

Corey and Mason gathered up Corey's things and stepped out of the locker room before the team finished practice. Once practice was over, the rest of the team made it to the locker room. Between their showering and changing Coach yelled at them, "Alright team. I have a card for Dunbar. I want you to write the most profound thing your drug addled, YouTube rotted, hormone soaked minds can come up with to convince him that he shouldn't be laid up getting daily sponge baths. Now it's going to be tough because, trust me from experience, those sponge baths are nothing to joke about but without your co-captain this team has only one ball. I can tell you, from personal experience, that working with only one ball is no way to win the game. Sure, you can compensate but eventually you are just going to get a prosthetic. So fix it! Get your balls back!" Finstock handed the card and pen to Nolan.

Nolan opened the card and reads the entries. He flashed a look of surprise as he said, "Hey, someone stole my quote." Nolan scribbled something down before handing the card off to another player.

After the players wrote something in the card, they handed it back to the coach. They finished their clean up and got ready for the day's classes.

The day went by uneventfully, ending with another brutal practice session led by Theo. Theo stepped away from the field back to his den. He barely contained his disdain for how the day went. He threw off his practice jacket onto his cot when the radio squawked.

The chimera listened intently as the hunters described their operation to take out the high value targets at the hospital. Theo quickly got changed and ready as he grabbed the radio and left the den.

Liam stared at the ceiling in his hospital room. It felt good that he no longer had an IV drip and the dinner served was actually pretty good. His mother had left not long ago saying that she needed to get some things done tonight and would be back in the morning, while Scott and Malia still sat in the chairs in the room. The beta looked to Scott and said, "It seems like I should be released tomorrow. I can probably see both of you off as you get ready to head back to Berkley."

Scott smiled, "Yeah. We've got to get back to the grindstone. I am going to have to catch up with so much homework."

Malia laughed and said, "I have to catch up with my plans too."

Liam looked to the coyote, "What plans?"

Malia smiled, "I need to catch my flight to Athens. I am going to back pack across Europe for a bit."

Scott looked to Malia, "I thought you were going to wait until summer break for me."

Malia shook her head, "Nope. You can catch up when I get to Belgium. Then we can go to Paris."

Liam commented, "Ah, because it's romantic."

Malia glared at the beta, "No, because bungee jumping."

Scott smiled and laughed as Liam looked confused. He said, "It sounds like fun to me."

After a brief silence, the three heard a knock at the door. Liam stated, "Come in."

The door opened and Coach Finstock stepped inside, leaving the door open. He looked to Liam, Scott and Malia. He said, "Good to see you are awake Dunbar. I thought I might have to give your card to your unconscious body." Coach handed the card to Liam before he looked to Scott, "McCall, what are you still doing in town? Aren't you falling behind in your classes?" Liam opened the card and began to read the entries in it.

Scott bit his lip and nodded as he addressed the coach, "Yeah, Malia and I head back tomorrow."

Finstock nodded, "It's good to see you and I know your mother is glad but she also doesn't want you to waste your college experience here." Finstock looked to Malia, "I didn't know you got accepted to Berkley. I thought your grades were too abysmal."

Malia rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to Berkley. I'm taking the year off to travel."

Finstock laughed, "I wish I could do that. I can barely take a weekend off."

Liam interrupted, "Coach, why did two people write, Scooty, Scooty, gotta move that booty?"

Finstock laughed, "That is some profound writing right there! I told Bryant he should be an English major. I wonder who wrote it the second time."

Liam laughed and shook his head, "It sounds like the team is still the team."

Finstock commented, "Of course they are. Do you know when you will be back in class?"

Liam remarked, "Probably next week. They are still holding me for observation and maybe releasing me tomorrow."

Finstock replied, "Sounds good Dunbar. Just remember, if you get your choice of staff for your sponge bath, ask for Gertie."

Liam asked, "Gertie?"

Finstock grinned and nodded, "Yeah, knew her back from high school. Ole Sturdy Gertie. Strong enough to toss you around with hands like loofahs."

Liam nervously laughed, "I'll keep that in mind coach." As soon as the wolf finished speaking, the lights shut off. The emergency generators kicked in. Scott and Malia jumped to their feet while Finstock stepped further into the room. A few moments passed before Scott commented, "Do you hear that?"

Malia's eyes flashed blue, "Hunters." As soon as she spoke, a small cylindrical container rolled from the hallway into the room. Smoke began to fill the room and Scott's eyes flashed red as he coughed, "Wolfsbane."

Red lasers darted down the hallway and a figure in black camouflage dipped into the room. The lights from his green night vision goggles flashed into the room as he raised his weapon with a laser light and pointed it at Liam. He keyed his mouthpiece and said, "Target acquired."

Scott and Malia attempted to move towards the figure but their strength rapidly fled as the wolfsbane weakened them. Liam coughed as he looked to the man and saw his finger enter the trigger well. He instinctively flinched as he expected the shot but instead head a loud, thud and fierce coughing from that direction. Liam opened his eyes and saw Finstock standing where the hunter was and the hunter was laying on the floor, clutching his throat.

Another hunter attempted to charge into the room and Finstock slipped past his weapon and reached under his arms and pulled him into a double arm bar. Liam watched helplessly as Coach torqued the man's arms up and out of position until his shoulders made a sick pop sound. The man began to scream as Finstock yelled, "This is a gun free facility." Coach ran down the hallway, towards more hunters.

Scott and Malia managed to pull themselves to their feet and Scott grabbed the smoke bomb and ran it to the window. He opened the window and tossed the still smoking object out. When he turned around he saw Liam was passed out on the bed from the gas. Scott readied himself for the next intruder.

Theo maneuvered to the top of the hospital, keeping to the shadows like he had done before. He watched the hunters make their way to the roof and two stopped once they stepped outside. The chimera moved closer to the entrance to the stairwell and watched one hunter walk over to the master power box. The chimera waited as the hunter struck the lock with his buttstock and knocked the front panel off. He flipped the main power breaker and the hunter near the entrance radioed, "Rooftop exfill secure. Begin operation."

Once the man disengaged the radio, Theo charged him, claws out. He shredded through the man's torso before he could raise his weapon. The sound of the body dropping alerted the other hunter who spun towards the stairwell. He saw the body but missed the dark blur that flew towards him and slashed through his throat. The hunter released a sick gurgle before he collapsed to the ground. Theo darted to the stairwell and followed it down.

He quickly padded down the darkened stairs, his eyes blazing gold as he saw hunter after hunter in defensive positions. True to his nickname he glided through the darkness and clawed each hunter as he moved towards Liam's hospital room. The venom incapacitated the hunters before they could raise their weapons. When he reached the door to the hallway, one hunter whispered, "Lobo de Sombra."

Theo grinned to himself before he heard his radio squelch, "Target acquired." He slammed open the door and ran down the hallway. Before he reached the final hallway that Liam's room was on, he saw Coach Finstock running towards the elevator and stairwells. Theo kept to the shadows and waited as the man passed by.

He padded quietly down the hallways, reaching down to claw the men that Finstock disabled on his way to the room. The smoke was beginning to clear when Theo stepped into the doorway. Scott and Malia stood ready to fight, their eyes blazing as Theo blurred into the room. The tiny slashed made contact and the coyote and alpha fell under the effects of the venom.

Theo scooped up Liam and carried him over his shoulder. The chimera whispered to Scott and Malia, "Don't worry. The hunters have been dealt with. Get some rest because Liam and I have some things to discuss. I'll keep him safe."

Scott muttered, "Theo, wait" Before the chimera threw himself, with Liam on his shoulder, out the hospital window.

Liam slowly opened his eyes, the burning from the wolfsbane had died down but his eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim lights. He took in the scent and realized he was in Theo's den and he could hear the chimera's heartbeat. He slowly sat up on Theo's cot and his gaze was met by the chimera.

Theo grinned and said, "It's about time you woke up Liam."

Liam muttered, "What happened? Why am I here?"

Theo matter-of-factly replied, "Hunters tried to kill you at the hospital. I intercepted their radio transmission and brought you here."

Liam shook his head, "Scott and Malia?"

Theo shrugged, "Unconscious at the hospital. They should be safe though. I was thorough."

Liam bit his lip nervously as he said, "Thanks Theo."

Theo smiled and the dim light bounced off the chain, "You don't need to thank me. I did it for you Liam."

Liam's face reddened and he said, "You know the pack warned me about you and what has happened."

Theo tilted his head slightly and looked confused as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Liam swallowed difficultly as he responded, "They think you are back to being the old Theo."

Theo shrugged, "I am just me Liam. You don't need to worry about that."

Liam asked, "Have you told my parents where I am or Mason, Corey, or Nolan? They must be worried."

Theo shook his head, "Not yet. I wanted to make sure you were alright and talk to you before we reached out."

Liam sat up and put his legs off the side of the cot. He made room for Theo to join him on the cot. He said, "What did you want to talk about?"

Theo stood up from the desk chair and sat down next to Liam, "Us. What's going on with the hunters."

Liam nodded as the chain caught his eye, "Us? Okay. What's going on with the chain? I didn't think you wore jewelry."

Theo smirked, "I don't. It was a gift from Gran. It's to help me focus my wolf for combat. It's also for her feeble attempt to control me."

Liam asked, "Control? I don't understand."

Theo nodded, "Like she is controlling her grandson. The rogue alpha."

Liam's eyes widened, "Oh. So you did find out who was killing the hunters."

Theo smiled, "Of course. I just didn't want you to be in danger, Liam."

When Theo spoke Liam's name, something rubbed the wolf the wrong way. He realized that Theo's tone didn't sound right and he hadn't referred to him by a single nickname. Liam reached towards Theo and grabbed the chain. Initially Theo recoiled but quickly moved back. The movement wasn't lost on the wolf. Liam lifted it off Theo's head and tossed in into a corner of the den.

Liam smiled, "I didn't want you wearing that women's sign of control."

Theo laughed hollowly, "Yeah. You're right."

Liam bit his lip nervously, "So you wanted to talk about us? What do you want to say?"

Theo smiled and said, "Something I should've said before you were attacked. I love you Liam."

Liam returned the smile as he looked into Theo's eyes. He heard no shift in the heartbeat but the words seemed forced and shallow. He said, "I love you too Theo. I'm sorry I worried you. I can't believe I was unconscious for as long as you were in the hospital." The beta knew he was baiting the chimera and fought hard to control his heartrate as he pushed the lie.

Theo responded, "Yeah, it was for the same amount of time. I guess you wanted me to share in the being concerned and worrying." Liam listened and heard no shift in heartbeat even though he knew for a fact that Theo just lied. The beta's anger flared and he felt his eyes shift.

Theo tilted his head curiously and said, "Liam, your eyes."

Liam shook his head, "Sorry, I'm just having trouble controlling my anger. I feel like I've lost so much time."

Theo grinned, "Then why lose anymore?" The chimera leaned in and placed his hand along Liam's jawline. He guided the wolf into a kiss. Their lips met and for a moment things seemed right but the creeping, nagging feelings returned to Liam. The kiss even felt fake and Liam reached around Theo's torso and purposefully tickled the chimera's side. Theo pulled back from the kiss and smiled as he said, "What are you doing Liam?"

Liam shrugged, "I figured I would make you laugh, take a little of the seriousness out of this."

Theo rolled his eyes and smugly smirked, "I'm not ticklish, Liam."

Liam bit his lip and thought back to his talk with Scott. He remembered the story of how Scott had to enter Stiles' mind to fight the nogitsune and he thought he might have to do the same. Liam knew that this wasn't his Theo but he felt his Theo was still alive in this imposter, waiting to come out.

Theo gently asked, "Penny for your thoughts Liam. What's on your mind?"

Liam looked into Theo's eyes, "I was trying to figure out what your lips taste like."

Theo grinned, "Only one way to find out." He leaned towards Liam and they gently began to kiss. Theo opened to deepen the kiss as Liam move his hand to the back of the chimera's head. While distracted by the display, Liam extended his claws and dug them into the back of Theo's neck. Before he began the meld, their eyes flew open and he saw the golden, cold calculated fury of the Theo he was kissing.