Chapter 8
Theo and Derek felt the panic hit them the minute the two had left, the pit in their chest hollowing.
“Oh, oh shit. Derek.” Theo said, voice distant.
“We gotta go get them.” Derek said.
Theo nodded in agreement, grabbing his pant leg and pulling his leg forward, setting into a rhythm. Derek put himself into a rhythm, walking to his car. Theo got in, shaky hands grabbing the seatbelt. He rolled the window down, trying to scent the air for Liam or Stiles, but finding none.
“Der, they’re gone. I can’t track them.” Theo said, and he pulled himself back into the car, rolling the window up.
Derek sighed, but they caught a flash of a baby blue jeep. Derek whipped the car around, speeding to catch up. Stiles was a talented driver, he weaved through the cars in the lanes, Derek following behind him. Stiles pulled into an abandoned parking lot, throwing himself out of the car. Derek put his car to a stop, hopping out as well, walking over to Stiles.
“Stop fucking following us!” Stiles yelled, pushing at Derek’s chest.
Liam had hopped out too, coming up behind Stiles, grabbing his arm. Liam pulled Stiles back, eyes averted.
“Stiles, you need to let us explain!” Derek yelled back, not putting his hands on Stiles. That went against every instinct he had, being an Alpha.
“You are in the fucking mafia. There isn’t much more you need to explain to me! Or Liam, for that matter!” Stiles said, and Liam shrunk back, grip tight on Stiles’ arm.
“Baby, please…” Derek whimpered out, a plea for Stiles to listen to him.
“No, do not ‘baby’ me.” Stiles said, walking back with Liam.
Theo went to grab for Liam, but Liam flinched back, staring at him, eyes wide. Theo halted his movement, staring back at Liam.
“We both need a few days… just… to think things over. Please.” Liam whispered, and Theo nodded, granting his love whatever wish he wanted. Derek whimpered, and Stiles grabbed onto Liam, dragging him to the car.
Theo let out an involuntary growl, stepping forward, which set Derek in motion, stepping in front of Theo, eyes crimson red, claws dropping. Derek thought Theo would hurt Stiles. He wouldn’t though, not unless Stiles put Liam in danger.
“Sorry, Derek.” Theo said, stepping down, making his way to the camaro. Theo made eye contact with Liam once last time, Liam averting his gaze back to the floor.
Derek made his way to the camaro, whining at Stiles who got Liam and himself into the car, and drove away.
Fuck.
------------------------------------------------------
Theo decided that they would need to get them to talk eventually, so he went to Derek, coming up with a plan. Talia and Ms. Raeken would be involved, getting the boys to talk to them. It was shitty, but they had no other choice to get them back.
Derek sighed, rubbing at his temples.
“I don’t know, T. I mean, we need to give them space. Let them come to us so we can explain.” Derek said, and Theo shrugged. He didn’t know how long it would be, and him and his wolf could not stand the thought of not seeing Liam for more than one day.
He knew Derek felt the same, Stiles and him had mated last week, made it official. But Derek had left out his job, obviously. So had Theo. They needed their boys back. Now.
Derek sighed, getting up, and nodding. They both went and got their mothers, all sitting down around the round table. They explained their dilemma, and Talia and Ms. Raeken sat there, staring at them.
“Are you fucking stupid?” Talia asked, gaze flicking between the two of them.
“Well, we just… needed to be honest with them. It felt wrong not telling them.” Derek said, and Theo nodded his agreement.
“You two know that you should have kept it to yourself. Now, those two boys, they could be in more danger now. Be more prone to someone hurting them.” Ms. Raeken said.
Theo swallowed, his eyes going wide, same as Derek’s. They knew the risks, but it’s not like anything would really truly happen to them. They both had made sure.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of protection you two have for them, someone will still find a way to get to them, find a way to hurt them. And that is on you two.” Ms. Raeken said, standing with Talia.
Both women got up, clasping their hands together, bond unbreakable. The two walked away, and Theo and Derek looked at one another, hands shaking. They felt sad, angry, confused. They knew that their mates would be okay. There would be hell to pay if they weren’t.
Shit.
-------------------------------------------------
It happened three days later.
Stiles walked into the club, bleeding profusely from his side and somewhat from his head.
“Derek!” His broken voice called out, hand clutching at his side.
Theo and Derek’s heads shot up, both of them out of their seats in an instant, jogging quickly down the stairs. Theo covered his mouth, Derek walking briskly towards him.
“Stiles, baby, oh god. Baby.” Derek said, hands flitting around his whole body. Stiles whimpered, falling into Derek, body too weak.
“Hospital. I’m getting you to the hospital.” He said, and Stiles just nodded, movements now sluggish. He was losing a lot of blood.
“Li… Li needs… help. Help, Liam…” Stiles mumbled, eyes slipping shut.
Theo was out of the door in no time, flinging the door open, almost ripping it off of it’s hinges. He sped all the way through town, stopping at the building Liam lived in. He grabbed his gun from the glove box, cocking it back, making sure he had a good amount of bullets inside. Yeah, he was a werewolf, but he could always use the extra protection.
He carefully made his way to Liam’s floor, seeing Katherine, Lauren and Lily all sitting outside, Katherine holding them close. She looked up panicked, locking eyes with Theo.
“Liam?” He mouthed, and she nodded, holding Lily closer.
Lauren looked at him, her eyes bloodshot. She looked at the door, then pulled a knife out of her back pocket. She handed it over, hands shaking, and Theo took it gently. He nodded at them, moving towards the door. It was cracked, so he didn’t have to make too much noise to get in. He made his way around the house, stopping in every room, stopping at one where the door was closed. He took a deep breath, and kicked it open, the door flying almost all the way off it’s hinges. He saw that the two attackers had been taken down, both bleeding from the sides of their heads. He looked around, spotting the open bathroom door. He made his way to it, and dropped to his knees the minute he was next to the tub. Liam was there, bleeding out in the tub.
He looked over at Theo, smiling softly.
“I hoped to see you one last time.” Liam whispered, and Theo felt the tears burn at his eyes.
“You’re not fucking dying on me, Liam. Not if I have a say in it.” Theo tore his shirt up, making makeshift bandages with them, applying pressure to the wound in Liam’s stomach.
He got Liam out as carefully as he could, calling 911. The ambulance arrived after almost fifteen minutes, and they tore Liam away from Theo’s arms, and Theo actually growled at the paramedic, and the paramedic growled back.
“That’s my fucking mate. You need to let me see him.” Theo said, and the paramedic rolled her eyes, pushing him away.
“Go sit with the family outside, you’ll see Mr. Dunbar when he’s at the hospital.” The paramedic said, and Theo pushed her back, causing both of them to get into a fight.
“T…” Liam whispered, and it’s like something inside Theo snapped. He pushed away one of the other paramedics, getting down next to Liam.
“I’m here, baby. I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m here now.” He said, and Liam nodded, grabbing his hand.
“Was gonna come see ya…” he said, and Theo nodded, leaning down, kissing his forehead. He drained some of the pain through the kiss, wanting to make it more tolerable for Liam to handle.
“It’s okay, you’re here now… I’m here now. And you’re going to be just fine.” Theo said.
Liam nodded, coughing up some blood.
“You… you’d have to give me the bite… not going to make it any other way…” He said, and Theo paled. He had never bitten anyone before, and he didn’t want to do it against Liam’s will.
“Baby, it’s only if you want it… You’d die if you didn’t want it.” He said, and he felt the lump form.
Liam looked up at him, bright blue eyes, the shine still there despite the situation at hand.
Theo didn’t know if Liam would be okay with it, didn’t know if Stiles would have to take the bite. He assumed no, since Stiles was a spark, he should be fine. Derek and Theo were about to have a murder on their hands though. Get revenge for the two of them.
Liam squeezed his hand.
Theo looked down.
Then he saw what Liam had meant.
Liam wanted the bite.
From him.