TW: eating disorders, self-harm

Theo woke up to a nurse entering the room; he hasn't slept so soundly in a long time.

"Mr. Raeken?" the nurse asked him.

"Yes, sorry I just woke up," he looked at the nurse.

"I'm surprised you managed to both sleep on one of these beds," they laughed at the chimera.

"Me too," Theo rolled his eyes as Liam sprung awake from their voices.

Theo pushed him down before he panickily pulled out his IV, "Little Wolf, it's me."

"Sorry, I forgot where I was for a moment," Liam looked at his boyfriend.

The nurse laughed, " just here to check your vitals before you are released. Your friends are here to pick you up." The nurse started to look at his heart monitor as well as his blood pressure and temperature. "Geez, your heart rate is so low. Other than that, you look overall okay to be released. A doctor would like to speak to Liam privately if you wouldn't mind waiting out in the waiting room. There are two young men ready to take you guys home."

Theo walked out to Mason and Corey standing there. "How is he?" Mason asked him.

"Alive," Theo replied.

A doctor walked into Liam's room, "Hi, my name is Dr.Viken, I am a partner of Dr.Hant, your doctor last night, I looked over your file from last night. I have a few questions for you."
Liam nodded.

"Are you safe in your living space?"

Liam smiled, "of course."

"Are you harming yourself?"

Liam looked down and nodded, knowing they saw the marks on his stomach and arm.

"Would you be interested in getting into a counseling program?"

Liam shook his head no.

"We have on your history that you went through eating disorder treatment before, are you acting on these behaviors currently?"

Liam knew he couldn't lie, "yes."

"Liam, we are not indicating forced hospitalization right know, but we recommend you seek treatment," he explained Liam's current health condition.

Liam sighed, "no, I am not interested right now."

The doctor nodded his head, "if you face readmittance for complications involving this forced hospitalization may be used."

"I understand."

"Thank you, you are now free for release," he smiled at him. While the nurse handed him, the release papers. They unplugged the heart monitor as well as took out his IV. They helped Liam up, watching Liam's head spin as he stood up.

"You sure you are okay?" they asked Liam.

Liam nodded his head as they walked out to Theo, Mason, and Corey. They smiled as they saw him head towards him. The nurse handed Theo the release papers, indicating a recommendation for further treatment.

Theo took him into his arm and led him out towards Mason's car.

"When is everyone coming?" Liam asked them, knowing it was Sunday.

"I think tomorrow morning," Mason replied. "They rented out the house next to us for the next two weeks, apparently there were no renters during this period, so the landlord let them rent it out for the time period."
"Good," Theo told him. "We barely had enough room for Peter and Argent."

"Malia and Scott, are staying in our guest bedroom," Corey replied.

Liam drowned out the conversation, looking out the window, his mind was wandering. He was fearful of treatment, scared of what the rest of the pack would think, and he was worried about Monroe and the hunters hurting or killing them.

They arrived at the house; Theo helped Liam get out of the car and head into the house. Brett, Nolan, Peter, and Chris were sitting at the table.

"Hey, Liam," Brett smiled at him as he sat down beside him.

"Hey."

Nolan gave him a smile as Argent began making breakfast with Brett and Nolan.

Corey took Brett's seat beside the alpha along with Mason while Theo went upstairs and got a shower.

Liam was wringing his wrist with his hand; Mason hit his hand. Liam growled at him.

"Stop it," Mason looked at him, "worrying about everything isn't going to help you."

Liam folded his arms looking down at the table.

Theo came back down sitting beside Liam, wrapping him in his arms. Argent laid out the food; he gave Liam a small plate of food.

Everyone started eating, while Liam stared at the plate; Theo kicked him under the table.

"Liam, please," Theo looked at him.

Liam heard Theo's distressed tone and picked up a piece of toast, tearing at the crust. Liam's hand was shaking.

He ate a few bites until he couldn't any longer. He quickly left the table and went upstairs, closing his bedroom door behind him.

Theo put his head on the table.

Argent looked at him, "Theo, it's not your fault."

"I know that," Theo looked at him, "doesn't help him."

"Just been there for him," Argent laid a hand on the chimera's shoulder, "Peter and I are going to look for any more signs of hunters in town; the police are covering the woods. Anybody want to join?"
I'll go," Brett spoke up.

Nolan looked at his boyfriend, clearly scared for him.

"I'll be fine Nol," Brett assured him.

"I'll protect him," Theo stood up.

Brett smirked, "I think I would be fine, but I could always use a sidekick."

Theo shook his head, "who's the sidekick?"

"We'll come as long as we aren't seen," Mason smiled at Corey.

Nolan looked at him, realizing they were all going; he started to panic. He couldn't handle another encounter with the hunters right now.

"Nolan, stay with Liam," Argent told him.

He sighed in relief, "I can do that."

The rest of them headed out, leaving Nolan and Liam alone.

After a little bit, Nolan went up and knocked on Liam's door, "Liam?"

Liam was lying face down on his bed, tears streaking his face; he heard Nolan, and didn't know what to do. He couldn't ignore him, he knew that. Liam slid off the bed and opened the door to face him.

"Hey, I was just checking in," Nolan looked at his friend. "Everyone else went to search for any signs of hunters."

"I'm fine," Liam muttered, not making eye contact with Nolan.

"Liam, stop lying to me. I'm one of your closest friends; you know you can talk to me," Nolan looked at him. "I literally tried to kill you because of my anxiety. I was a maniac, yet you helped me back on my feet. You saved my life, gave me friends, a family, a pack, let me help you this time."

Liam had tears in his eyes; he knew out of anyone next to Theo, Nolan would understand him.

"I can't do this, Nolan."

Nolan sat down with Liam on the edge of the bed, "You can, Liam. I know you can."

"It's my fault; I didn't protect her. I can't do this. I'm supposed to be the alpha, but I am weak. I'm supposed to be protecting everyone from the hunters, and they hunted me," Liam admitted to Nolan.

"Liam, you do everything for everyone, sometimes you need to take care of yourself. We don't expect you to do anything else for us," Nolan hugged his friend.

"It's not that simple, Nolan."

"I never said it was, but we will be there every step of the way."

Liam nodded, looking at his hands.

Nolan looked him, "I'll let you have some alone time; I'll be in my room."

"Nolan, wait, how are you doing with all of this?"

Nolan looked at him, thinking of the hunters, "I'm scared, Liam."

"We'll stop them."

"I trust we will with this pack, with you as our alpha," Nolan smiled before leaving the room.

Brett paired off with Theo while Argent and Peter stayed together. Mason and Corey were invisible as soon as there existed the car.

Brett and Theo were walking, looking around town for anything suspicious.

"Is he okay?" Brett asked him seriously.

"No," Theo looked at him. "Does he seem okay to you?"

Brett looked at him, knowing what his answer was going to be, "I've known Liam for a while, I mean even when I put him through a lot at Devenford, but I never saw him like this before."

Theo nodded, "I'm worried; you didn't want to see him the hospital."

The groups met back at the car two hours later, "see anything?" Argent asked.

"Nope," Brett and Theo shook their head.

"Nothing," Mason and Corey agreed.

"Weird, they are planning something," Peter looked at them.

"Wow, someone's positive," Mason replied.

"Truth hurts," Peter said bluntly.

"Great," Theo muttered.

They ordered some pizza to take home for dinner when they arrived Nolan and Liam were sitting in the living room, watching TV.

Theo slid down beside him, "we didn't find anything."

"They're still out there," Liam looked at him with an emotionless stare.

"I know, Liam," Theo pulled the boy into the side of him.

Liam's mind was racing; he couldn't handle food right now. The hunters were out there waiting for their next victim. He didn't deserve to rest.

"Ready for dinner?" Brett leaned over kissing Nolan.

"We are," Theo looked over at Liam.

Liam didn't get up; Theo grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the couch. Liam was filled with rage, his IED uncontrollable under the pressure. Liam dug his claws into the chimera's hand. Theo ripped his hand away, throwing Liam to the ground.

"Liam, what the hell!" Theo looked at his boyfriend.

Liam took in a deep breath, "sorry, lost control."

Theo shook his head, wrapping the claw marks with a paper towel.

Liam sat down at the table, glaring at the pizza, knowing he couldn't eat it. The grease was already making him nauseous.

"Liam, you know what the doctor said yesterday," Argent looked at him as everyone else was already through two slices.

"I don't care."

They all turned and looked at him, sitting with his arms crossed.

"Liam, c'mon you love pizza," Mason looked at his best friend.

Liam was stressed, anxious, and the eating disorder had control over him and was fueling his anger.

"Do I Mason, or did mom just make me eat it? Maybe you should go ask her."

"Liam.." Mason looked at him, knowing he was having an episode.

"Oh, wait you can't because she's dead, and I didn't do anything to save her. Great son, I am!" Liam slammed his hands down on the table. Everyone was staring at him at this point.

"Liam, stop it," Theo watched as his eyes turned red; Liam was losing control. "Listen to yourself."

"What Theo tired of me? I'm surprised you haven't left me at this point already. What good am I to you, or did you just settle for me to be part of a pack?"

"Liam, what is your deal!" Theo growled at him.

"I'm done," Liam stood up and went towards the door. "I'm stopping the hunters myself."

Peter stepped in front of him, "what are you going to do? Get yourself killed by hunters, pass out in the woods, be taken to the hospital by someone else, get put into inpatient, what is this going to do for you."

Everyone was shocked by his words, but also they knew for once Peter was right, maybe Liam did need someone to lay it out there for him.

"Why would you care?" Liam screamed at him as he tried to get past the werewolf.

Peter grabbed him by his wrists, "stop struggling." Peter flashed his blue eyes at him, trying to get him to calm down. Liam was in a weakened state, but the alpha was still strong than Peter being a beta.

"Liam, look at me this isn't you," Mason stood beside Peter, trying to get him to look at him, as they blocked the door.

Theo stood up as Liam was struggling in Peter's arms trying to claw the man, "hey Little Wolf, it's okay." Theo grabbed his shoulder; everyone knew Theo was his anchor.

Liam starred in Theo's eyes as they returned to blue, "I'm..sorry. I'm so sorry," he said shakingly, realizing what he just did. He turned and ran upstairs, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

"What just happened?" Brett looked at them.

"It's called Liam's losing control of everything," Peter looked at him.

"Shut up, Peter," Theo glared at him.

"Theo, if you haven't noticed I like the boy; I'm saying the truth because if you guys don't stop him. He's going to kill himself or someone else. Sometimes you have to face the hard truth."

Theo glared at him, knowing he was right. He turned and ran upstairs after his boyfriend.

Corey, Mason, Brett, and Nolan stared at each other, unsure of what to do.

"God, I need Melissa here," Argent said out loud.

"Me too," Peter looked at him.

Argent punched the man in the shoulder.

Theo broke into their room; he didn't even ask to come in. He heard Liam's sobs from outside and smelt his blood. Liam was curled up in a ball in the corner of the room, blood dripping from his arms, eyes red, tears streaming down his face. Theo didn't hesitate; he didn't care. He ran over and wrapped the small boy in his arm.

"Liam, I love you," Theo spoke softly.

"I'm sorry Theo; I love you too."

"Liam, I'm going to make everything okay."

"You can't."

"With you, I can."

Liam collapsed into Theo's arms, lying there in silence.