Inked Wrists - A Theo Raeken Series

Chapter Seven: Back to School

It's good to have Theo back. Words can't even describe the happiness you feel when you wake up each morning and sense that he is close to you again. After everything you've been through in the past few months, it is paradise to know that he loves you and you love him. It's funny, saying you love him, because you've been hiding it from yourself for so long. You don't know why, but you felt like you couldn't love him while you were using the fake name- you kept walls between you two and you weren't even sure if he wanted you at all. Now, you've allowed all your barriers to come crashing down and live happily with your soulmate.

Speaking of living with him, you talked it over with Theo and he decided that he wanted to go back to high school with you. It's been a few weeks since the incident with the hunters, but you think it's finally safe to return to normal life. After the hunters' plan to take down both Scott's and Satomi's packs failed, they retreated to their bunker in shame. They launched a few more misguided attacks, but you and your friends were able to repel them, especially thanks to Nolan's help. At first, you were surprised when the former hunter had showed up at Liam's door, but he explained that he'd had a change of heart and was more than willing to provide you with information regarding the hunters. He'd been a valuable ally and instrumental in the decline of the hunters' power over Beacon Hills.

Now, life is back to normal. Most of the hunters were just ordinary people, and they've been able to move on from their time as hunters to coexist with werewolves. The few extreme hunters, like Monroe, that couldn't accept life with supernaturals have fled Beacon Hills. You're not sure when they'll come back, if ever, but you know that you and your friends will be able to easily defeat them if they try.

So, with the threat of the hunters eliminated and you and Theo left with no life-and-death conflicts to fill your days, you two decided to return to high school. It wasn't that difficult to get Theo back in-he had left around halfway through the last year and so he could pick up in about the same place. You'd asked him if he was worried about forgetting everything he'd learned from last year, and he'd just responded with that signature smirk on his face: "I'm not worried about anything. I met this really pretty girl, and I know I can count on her for anything. I even wrote her name down on my arm so I wouldn't forget it." He holds up his soulmate tattoo, and you can't help but laugh.

Thus, you find yourself walking down the halls of your school once more. You pause at your locker, opening it and reaching for the books inside. Down the hall, you see Theo walk towards you and move more slowly so he can catch up with him. Out of the corner of your eye, you see another girl walk up to Theo, wrapping her arm around his and smiling at him through pink glossed lips. "Hey, handsome. Where are you headed?" She oozes confidence, but her smirk turns to a frown when he untangles himself from her. "I'm going to meet up with my soulmate, actually." The girl puts on a fake pout. "She doesn't have to know." Theo stops walking and turns to the girl, looking her straight in the eyes. "You know, one time I was dating this girl who pretended to be my soulmate so we could be together. Do you know what happened to her?" The girl winks at him through lowered lashes. "You enjoyed her company." Theo grins. "I killed her." With that, he walks the rest of the way to you, leaving the girl with her mouth hanging open in shock. "You know, I don't think you have to go out of your way to terrorize every girl who flirts with you." You laugh at him. "Maybe I just wanted to. Did you see her face?" He grins, and you two walk down the hallway to your next class, talking all the while.

It's good to be back at school. You finally get to feel like a normal teenager, going to class and doing all the things everyone else does. After you leave class, you head to the lunch table your friends always claim, and sit down next to Lydia. Liam flops down across from you. "Why did Coach Finstock become a teacher? Like honestly, why?" Stiles grins. "Don't you love his unique teaching style? If he wants to be head coach for lacrosse, he has to teach at least one class, so he chose the one he thought would be easiest." Liam just groans. "If it weren't for the fact that I'm on the lacrosse team, I'd just skip all his classes." Theo walks up from behind you and sits down on your other side. "Are we complaining about Coach Finstock? Guy just told me I look like I have the biceps of a mountain lion. How am I supposed to respond to that?" You can't hold back your laughter. "A mountain lion? Seriously?"