beacon hills, a day later

That day arrived earlier than expected. I hadn't slept a wink the night before, thinking about the conversation with Liam, about how to protect Amelie from the Nogitsune...

Everything felt chaotic; it seemed like there was no solution.

And that was precisely the problem, because while we were busy planning something to trap the Nogitsune and save not only the city of Beacon Hills but the rest of the county, the Nogitsune continued to kill alongside his Oni.

Mason and Sheriff Stilinski had been trapped somewhere—we actually had no idea where they might have ended up. Liam blamed himself for not protecting his best friend, as he always did.

We went to sleep in our rooms at three in the morning. I lay down next to Amelie, stroked her hair, and then tried to sleep with little success. I spent the night lost in thought, glancing at my daughter whenever I felt her heart racing or saw her moving in her sleep.

The next morning, despite it being seven o'clock, I found Lydia already sitting at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee.

I sat down across from her, grabbing a cup and pouring myself some coffee. We stayed silent for a while, the soft ticking of the wall clock filling the space between us.

"I talked to Liam last night," I blurted out eventually. My voice came out more strained than I expected. Lydia nodded, her red hair catching the morning light, but she let me continue without pushing. "I told him everything. I hope he understood what I meant," I murmured, unsure of how much I had really gotten across in my jumbled confession.

"Liam cares about you," Lydia said softly, as if stating the obvious.

"I know, maybe too much," I replied, taking a slow sip from my cup, feeling the heat burn the tip of my tongue.

"He's crazy about you, and I'm not saying that just because I'm your friend," she added, her green eyes soft but serious. "We've all noticed it, Theo."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair, the weight of that truth pressing down on me. "I couldn't let him fall in love with me—not when I wasn't who I am today." I stared down at the dark swirl of coffee in my cup, my reflection distorted.

Lydia looked at me, her face softening into a bittersweet smile. "I think Liam would have loved you regardless."

I shook my head, setting the cup down with more force than I meant to. "I need to call Lena," I muttered, standing up abruptly, not wanting to dwell any longer on things I couldn't change.

Outside, the air was cooler, the autumn breeze nipping at my skin as I settled into the porch chair. The sky was still a pale, sleepy blue, and the trees swayed gently, their leaves a brilliant mix of reds and yellows. I dialed Lena's number, listening to the phone ring as I gazed out at the distant hills. When she picked up, her voice was calm, steady, but it carried the weight of everything we had been through.

"Theo," she greeted simply.

"Hi, Lena. I just wanted to let you know everything's fine here—Amelie's still asleep." My voice softened as I mentioned our daughter, but on the other end, all I could hear was her quiet breathing. "Sorry I didn't call you yesterday... it was just... a hectic day, let's say." I rubbed a hand over my face, frustration at myself bubbling up. Lena had always been patient with me.

"Don't worry, Theo," she replied gently. "I know you'd do anything to protect our daughter." Her voice held that same steady calm it always did when she was trying to reassure me. But there was something more—an edge of vulnerability she rarely showed.

"You know," she continued after a pause, "I was thinking, after all this is over, you and Amelie could come visit me in Lyon." There was a wistfulness to her words, like she was holding back something. "My mother wants to spend her final moments with her granddaughter—and with you too."

My chest tightened at that, a mix of guilt and longing. "I'd love that," I whispered, managing a small smile. "When Amelie wakes up, I'll call you so you can talk to her. She misses you a lot."

On the other end, I heard her sniffle, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I miss you both so much..." she murmured, and it broke something inside me. "Theo, please be careful." Her voice wavered now. "And I'm not just talking about Amelie..." She didn't need to say it; I knew what she meant.

"Don't worry," I said, trying to steady my own voice. "As soon as I get back to New York, I'll buy the first ticket to come see you. I promise."

When Lena and I divorced, it wasn't out of a lack of love. She had done it because the weight of everything—the tension, the suffering we brought to each other—had become unbearable. I knew she was still in love with me, and I was still in love with her, but not in the way I loved Liam.

"I'll see you soon," I told her softly before hanging up.

The moment the call ended, all the stress, all the anxiety I had been holding back hit me at once. I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees, and let out a long, trembling breath before the tears came. I rarely cried, but when I did, it felt like something broke loose inside me—a release I couldn't always control. And when it was over, I felt lighter, as if the weight on my chest had finally lifted.

I wiped my face quickly before heading back inside. Lydia was still at the table, her face full of concern as she looked at me. "What did she say?"

"That she misses us... and that we should go see her when this is all over." I rubbed my face with my hand, still feeling the lingering burn of emotion.

Suddenly, a noise came from Amelie's room, sharp and unexpected. I froze, my heart jumping into my throat. I rushed down the hall, with Lydia right behind me. The door was blocked.

"Amelie!" I shouted, pounding on the door. All I could hear were her soft whimpers, and panic clawed at my chest. Without thinking, I felt the familiar, long-buried pull of my wolf. I hadn't transformed in years—I had left that life behind, swore I would never return to it. But nothing else mattered now. Nothing but getting to my daughter.

I let my wolf take over, my body changing with a force I hadn't felt in ages. With a snarl, I broke through the door. Inside, I found Amelie curled up under the blankets, trembling. Her messy blonde curls framed her pale, terrified face.

"Dad..." she whispered, her voice quivering. I rushed to her side, my heart breaking at the fear in her blue eyes.

"You're freezing," I whispered, scooping her up in my arms. Lydia hurried to get a glass of water and an extra blanket while I rocked Amelie gently, trying to soothe her.

"What happened, Amelie?" I asked softly, brushing the curls from her face.

"There were masked people... they hurt me behind my ear," she stammered.

I carefully tilted her head and saw the word "herself" written behind her ear, just as I had feared. My blood ran cold.

"It's okay, sweetheart, it's okay," I whispered, wrapping her tightly in the blanket. I looked at Lydia, panic rising in my chest.

Liam and Hikari had appeared in the doorway, drawn by the noise. Hikari took a step toward us, but I stepped in front of her, my eyes flashing with rage.

"They were looking for you," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "They hurt my daughter because of you." The anger in me was a storm, and I had never felt such raw fury before.

"Theo, calm down," Lydia started, but I wasn't listening. My wolf was too close to the surface now, my fangs pulsing with the urge to protect what was mine.

"Theo," Liam murmured, stepping closer. He placed a hand on my arm, his touch gentle, grounding me. I turned to him, breathing hard, trying to calm the storm inside me. "Sorry," I mumbled, feeling the shame of my outburst wash over me.

Without another word, I left Lydia's house, the shame of my behavior clinging to me like a second skin

∞

I walked for a while, reached the school, and then headed back. Amelie had fallen asleep again, and I had calmed down.

They had attacked my daughter, just because they were looking for a kitsune.

I blamed myself for bringing her with me, blamed myself for agreeing with Scott and not giving Lena a choice. It was my fault, again. And the only thing I could think of at that moment was to take the first flight and go back home.

When I returned to Lydia's, I helped Amelie wash up and get dressed. Liam was in the living room, and Hikari had gone out to "clear her mind," as she said.

"I overreacted, I know," I muttered while taking a shirt for Amelie from the suitcase. Lydia, leaning against the doorframe, sighed, "Well, let's just say you were thinking of your daughter's safety at that moment. I'm not justifying it, but I understand why you reacted the way you did," she replied.

I sighed, putting the shirt on my daughter, who remained silent the entire time. I sat her on my lap and brushed her hair, shaking my head, thinking back to that morning.

I tried not to cry, not in front of Amelie, not in front of Lydia. I couldn't let them see me like that.

"My mother will be back tonight. You know how much she adores Amelie, and I think she'll be happy to spend some time with her," she smiled bitterly, and I nodded.

When I finished fixing her hair, she stayed with her back to me, head bowed. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked, letting her wrap her small hand around two of my fingers. Then she looked at me with those big blue eyes, full of fear. "Who were those people?" she asked.

The mere thought that she was still thinking about the Oni terrified me. I had caused her trauma.

I sniffed, not knowing what to say. "No one, baby. Don't think about it, okay? Now I'll take you to the park, and we'll play a bit," I smiled at her. The lump in my throat made it hard to speak, my voice was cracked.

Amelie stared at me for a moment. Then she pressed her head against my chest, as if seeking comfort from the one and only person who was supposed to protect her. I hugged her tightly, closing my eyes and letting the familiar scent of her hair ground me.

"I love you, Daddy," she murmured. "I love you too, sweetheart, more than you know," I replied, planting a kiss in her hair.

Lydia remained silent, watching us. I heard footsteps, and from the scent that immediately filled the room, I knew it was Liam. "Hey," he said, entering and sitting down next to me.

The redhead left, understanding the situation. "How are you, little one?" Liam smiled as he gently stroked her hand. Amelie hesitated before answering him. "I don't know," she murmured.

I sighed, picking her up and holding her close. "And you?" he asked, still sitting. I shook my head. "How do you think I'm doing, Liam?" I asked him. "I put in danger the only reason I'm still alive," I blurted out.

Liam didn't know how to respond to that. "I... I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's not your fault," I told him, "not Hikari's or anyone else's. It's mine."

"What do you plan to do?" he asked me. "I just want this to end and never see Beacon Hills again," I said.

He sighed, standing up, watching me as I walked toward a shelf full of stuffed animals, letting Amelie pick one.

"You're not alone, Theo, not anymore," Liam said.

I looked at him. "She's all I need," I replied, referring to my daughter. He started to come closer, "I meant that you're not alone in protecting her," he countered. "Liam, the only thing I want to do right now is get out of here, but I'm not because I promised Scott I'd help him, and..." I stopped.

Liam looked at me, confused, though I knew he already understood what I was trying to say. I cleared my throat, finding the courage to address the subject.

"And I promised myself I'd make things right with you."

"I waited for you for ten years," he said, stepping closer. "Everyone told me you weren't coming back. Lydia told me you had started a new life in New York and that you'd probably never set foot in this town again," he continued.

"She was right, but she didn't tell you that, even though I didn't want to talk about you and us, I always let her update me on what you were doing, where you were, and everything else. Because I care about you, Liam. I've always cared more than I expected," I told him everything I needed to say, something less and something more.

"You left me alone," he murmured. "I had to. I wasn't doing well here," I replied. "I could have come with you, we could've been together, away from here," he continued, but I shook my head. "It wouldn't have made sense, Liam. I needed to leave this life behind," I retorted.

Liam didn't respond, rocking back and forth on his heels, his hands in his pockets and his head down.

"I loved you," he murmured at some point.

What?

I looked at him intently.

He couldn't have admitted that, not at that moment and not in that way.

"And I still do, but maybe you don't understand or you're repressing what you feel, and that's fine." He simply said, then walked away, not giving me the time to process everything he had said and to answer him.

I couldn't process what had just happened; Amelie was talking to me, but I wasn't listening at all because all I could hear was my own racing heartbeat and the scent Liam had left in the room: disappointment.

∞

That afternoon, we all went to school, where the lacrosse game was happening.

Amelie stayed at home with Lydia's mom. I kissed her all over her face before leaving, promising her she would find me in bed, next to her, the following morning.

"Where are you going, daddy?" she asked. "Daddy has something important to do for his job, but don't worry, I'll be right back as soon as possible." I smiled at her.

I left that house with an indescribable weight on my chest. I remained silent throughout the trip to the school. Lydia was driving and focused, while Liam, Hikari, and Jackson—who had joined us just before we left—were reviewing the plan. We all hoped it would go as expected.

When we arrived there, Lydia and Jackson stayed inside, while the rest of us headed to the lacrosse field, where Scott and Allison were already waiting.

But something wasn't right, and it was clear to everyone.

It felt like we were trapped.

I looked around as soon as I heard a familiar sound. A sound that reminded me of the ninjas. Of the Oni.

I locked eyes with Liam, who had already figured it out. "It's here," said Hikari, looking to her right and spotting the Oni advancing toward us.

It seemed like only we could see them, and sure enough, in no time we were surrounded by about ten Oni, ready with their swords. They moved in a coordinated way, and there was little we could do before they impaled us with their blades.

I fell to the ground, kneeling. I wasn't bleeding, nor were Liam and Hikari.

In a second, we found ourselves tied to tree trunks. I looked around, scared and confused about what was happening. But then I saw the Nogitsune.

"You didn't expect this," it said, with that raspy voice, as it approached Liam dangerously. I tried to break free from the rope, but it was as if my supernatural powers had been nullified in that place.

The Nogitsune stared at me, advancing toward me. "Theodore Raeken, the first chimera," it said, touching my face with its fingers, tracing a line from my jaw down to my neck. "The first failure," it hissed, pressing its hand against my chest. I struggled to breathe.

"Stop it, leave him alone," Liam growled. That monster in front of me grinned and laughed heartily at the scene. "Come on, Theo, tell Liam why you left," it said, "tell everyone!" it yelled.

I trembled; I felt the ground give way beneath me. The Nogitsune stared at me, waiting for my answer. "Say it!" it yelled.

"Theo this is exactly what he wants—chaos and suffering—you don't have to answer him," Derek shouted, as I continued to struggle to breathe. I growled at the monster in front of me, kneeing it and forcing it to back away from me. Finally, I was able to breathe again.

I bent forward slightly, but kept my eyes on him. "I left..." I began to say, aware that all eyes were on me. "I ran away because I was afraid of feeling something for Liam. I was afraid of falling in love with him, of dragging him into my world of darkness and fears," I blurted out all at once, and finally, that weight on my chest dissolved.

The Nogitsune laughed heartily.

Liam's expression was full of shock and confusion. He looked at me with his pretty green eyes, his face showing that he wanted to ask why I hadn't told him everything from the start.

"This game is mine," said the Nogitsune, pointing his fingers at Eli's neck. Scott was scared; he didn't know what to do. "Take me, let the others go!" he exclaimed, while all of us were panicking.

The Nogitsune shook his head. "All the lives here belong to me," the demon continued. "You only need me. Allison will kill me, I'll die in her arms just as she died in mine," he said, "but set everyone else free."

Allison shook her head, refusing to do it. But Scott knew what he was doing. So, the girl shot three arrows straight into his heart, and he fell into her arms.

"Tell me, Scott McCall, what's the sound of a wolf ready to die?" the Nogitsune asked, shouting. Scott looked at Hikari, then turned his gaze back toward the demon. "I'll tell you when I'm ready to die," he said.

Hikari managed to pass him her foxfire, giving him the chance to burn the arrows that had pierced his chest. And then, everything happened quickly.

Parrish was able to break through the portal and reach the bardo, along with Peter, Malia, Melissa, and Argent, who succeeded to kill the Oni thanks to the silver weapons they had found.

Meanwhile, the rest of us managed to free ourselves, fighting off the remaining Oni before killing them.

When they were all down, we thought the nightmare was over.

But it wasn't.

The Nogitsune, weakened, knelt down, looking at Scott. "Do you remember, Scott, the gift you gave me?" he asked. "The bite of an alpha, the power of a werewolf!" he shouted, then removed the bandages from his face, revealing his true form.

He had transformed into a werewolf.

We shifted, rushing toward him, but unfortunately, the Nogitsune kept playing his game and trapped us in different rooms. We were all alone, fighting against his shadow because he wasn't really there.

"Derek, this isn't real!" Scott shouted. "It's just an illusion!" I replied, as the Nogitsune struck me from behind.

"Theo!" Liam shouted. "Can you hear me?" he asked. But I couldn't answer him, because the Nogitsune hit me again. I couldn't fight back because he vanished every time I turned toward him.

"This is my revenge; I'll kill you all!" the Nogitsune shouted.

"We have to capture him, it's only an illusion!" Scott shouted, then roared in pain, likely from a wound inflicted by that monster. "You can't capture me!" the demon replied. "You can't kill me if you can't even find me!"

"You're right, we can't find you, but we can find each other," Scott said.

"A wolf howls to find its pack; a werewolf roars," added Derek. And in unison, we all roared, and in a moment, we broke free from the illusion, finding ourselves on top of the Nemeton.

Parrish joined us, with the goal of burning the Nogitsune. "Do it, Parrish!" I shouted as I held the demon in place. "I can't, you'll burn with him," he growled.

Derek pushed his son to the ground, then Liam, who in turn pulled me down. "What are you doing, Derek!?" Scott yelled, but Derek didn't answer, pushing him to the ground as well. "Now, Parrish!"

And Parrish set him on fire, and with the Nogitsune, Derek burned too, his sacrifice making him a true alpha.

The illusion of the Nemeton vanished, and we returned to the lacrosse field, where Lydia and Jackson joined us. "Theo!" the banshee yelled, running toward me and hugging me. "Liam knows everything now," I murmured, holding her tightly, my voice breaking with sobs and tears streaming down my face. She stroked my back. "We'll deal with it later. What matters is that you're alive," she whispered.

From afar, I saw Lydia's mom running toward us with Amelie in her arms. She set her down, and my daughter ran toward me. "Daddy!" she shouted as she reached me. "Amelie, I'm here, sweetheart," I said, holding her tightly and lifting her into my arms.

"You're all dirty," she laughed, pointing at my jacket, covered in dirt, and a bit of blood too. I laughed in return. "Yeah, but that won't stop me from covering you in kisses," I said, kissing her all over her face as her laughter echoed across the now-empty lacrosse field.

Lydia approached Scott. "Professor Harris, he's the one who summoned the Nogitsune, who stole the jar containing the firefly. He wanted revenge, but we stopped him," she said, pointing to a figure paralyzed on the ground. Sheriff Stilinski and Mason immediately ran toward him, handcuffing him.

While I stroked Amelie's hair, Liam came over and hugged me. "We got through this, together," he murmured. I nodded, smiling softly. Then he looked at me. "But you owe me an explanation," he said.

"I will, I promise. We'll talk about everything." I told him, then hugged him again.

∞

The water poured over my face, washing away the dirt and the blood, but it couldn't wash away the weight of everything that had happened. I stood under the shower-head, letting the warmth of the water soothe my sore muscles, trying to quiet the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind.

I stayed longer than I needed to.

Maybe I didn't want to face Liam.

Eventually, I shut off the water, stepped out, and grabbed a towel. The fogged-up mirror reflected a tired, haunted version of me. I wiped it clean, staring at my own reflection for a moment before heading out of the bathroom.

Lydia's house was strangely quiet, the kind of silence that blankets a place after a storm. Lydia was in her bedroom, Amelie felt asleep with her. It was just me and Liam in my room.

I found him sitting on the edge of the bed, his back turned to the door, staring out the window. His posture was tense, his hands clasped together in front of him. He hadn't heard me come in.

"Liam..." I called softly, breaking the silence.

He turned slowly, those green eyes of his piercing into me, still full of the same shock and confusion from earlier. But now there was something else there—something deeper.

Hurt, maybe. Betrayal.

"You cleaned up well," he said quietly, looking me from head to toe. His voice lacked the usual humor that he would use. There was no sarcasm, no witty joke this time.

I smiled weakly, then dropped it just as quickly. "We need to talk."

Liam turned his back on me, allowing me to change and wear clean clothes. 

I hesitated for a second before crossing the room and sitting down, next to him. The tension between us was too heavy.

He didn't look at me right away, his gaze fixed on something far off, lost in his own thoughts. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me, Theo?"

I inhaled deeply, knowing this was the moment I had been dreading. "As you know, I was afraid," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "I was afraid of what it meant. Afraid of dragging you into my world, into my darkness."

Liam turned to face me now, his eyes searching mine. "You don't get to decide that for me, Theo. I'm already part of your world, whether you want me to be or not." His voice cracked, betraying the emotion he was trying to hold back. "We fight side by side. We've been through hell together. Do you really think that would've changed anything?"

I ran a hand through my damp hair, struggling to find the right words. "I didn't want to hurt you. I thought keeping my distance would protect you. But it didn't work. I just ended up lying to myself, and to you."

Liam scoffed softly, shaking his head. "You didn't just keep your distance, Theo. You left. You disappeared without a word. And now I find out it's because you were scared of what you were feeling?"

"I didn't know how to deal with it, Liam!" I shot back, the frustration bubbling up. "I've never been good with feelings. With anything that isn't about survival or fighting. You were the first person that made me question all of that, and it scared the hell out of me."

Silence fell between us again. Liam looked down at his hands, his fingers twisting nervously. "You could've just talked to me," he said quietly. "You could've told me the truth instead of making me feel like I wasn't worth sticking around for."

His words hit me hard. The guilt that had been gnawing at me for so long finally found its voice. I had hurt him in more ways than I realized, and I didn't know how to make it right.

"I'm sorry, Liam. I really am," I whispered, my throat tightening. "I didn't mean to make you feel like that. You mean more to me than anyone. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying away." I murmured. "Then depression hit me so hard... and I didn't know what to do," I said.

Liam looked at me, his eyes softer now, but still guarded. "I just need to know one thing, Theo what do you feel now? About me?"

I froze for a moment, the weight of his question pressing down on me. This was it—the moment of truth. No more running, no more hiding. I had to give him the answer I'd been too afraid to say out loud for so long.

"I..." I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. "I care about you, Liam. More than I should. And that terrifies me. But I'm done running, I'm done pushing you away."

Liam's expression shifted, something like relief washing over his face. "You don't have to be afraid, Theo. Not of what you feel for me. Not of us."

He reached out, placing his hand on mine, and the simple gesture felt like a lifeline. I squeezed his hand back, my chest tight but lighter than it had been in a long time.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to hope.

The silence between us was no longer suffocating. It was peaceful, a quiet understanding. We had both been through so much—together and apart—but now, for the first time, we weren't facing it alone.

Liam shifted closer, his shoulder brushing against mine. "We are together now, side by side," he said, smiling. I nodded, "together." I repeated, while leaving a kiss on his forehead.

As we sat there in Lydia's quiet house, with the chaos of the day behind us and an uncertain future ahead, I realized something.

Maybe I didn't have all the answers, and maybe there would be more battles to come—but for once, I wasn't facing them alone.

And for now, that was enough.