Imperfect Perfection; Liam Dunbar

09. Thea Raeken, Protector Of Teenage Boys

CHAPTER NINE
THEA RAEKEN, PROTECTOR OF
TEENAGE BOYS

"Why would you think that I'd kill her?" Liam asked after Nolan's confused expression didn't disappear.

"Because she said you would..." Nolan said slowly, looking puzzled like Liam did when he didn't understand something complicated Lydia would be explaining to him. Nolan's eyes then flickered to Scott who was already looking at him, "She told me some of the things that she did before. What she did to you. So it wasn't exactly that hard to believe."

"We don't try to kill people, Nolan." Scott said, understanding and calmness on his face. "I get Monroe probably told you a lot of things to make us sound like the bad guys. But we're trying to help people."

"I know. I know that... now." Nolan mumbled.

"Which way am I going now?" Stiles suddenly asked as he drove towards a crossroad.

"I've lost it." Scott said after trying to focus on the scent he'd neglected to keep tracking.

Liam tried as hard as he could, but there was too many countering scents and sounds around him and it was getting too confusing for him to follow. "Me, too." He admitted with a sigh.

"Guys, it's not the end of the world. Besides, why not ask the kid who knew Thea was still in town and probably knows where she might be?" Stiles said when Scott and Liam seemed to give up hope that they'd be able to track Thea down.

"Do you know where she lives?" Liam asked Nolan.

"Sort of?" Nolan squeaked, his answer coming out as a question as he began shuffling in his seat nervously.

"D'you wanna tell us?" Stiles asked rhetorically. "Or Liam will have us driving around all day searching until we find her. I won't lie, I'm curious now, but it'll just be easier if we just know where to go."

"I can't say." Nolan said looking and smelling guilty as he shuffled in his seat some more.

"Nolan, we just want to make sure she's doing okay." Scott said, trying to soothe the human who growing more tense. "We thought she left town two months ago but just found out she's been here the whole time."

"It's n-not my place to say anything." Nolan said desperately. "I want to help but she'll know I've told you."

"Call her. I just need to talk to her, it doesn't have to be in person for the time being." Liam said, annoyed but willing to go about things this way so he could at least hear Thea speaking to him.

Nolan nodded and grabbed his phone, nearly dropping it due to his nerves that were vibrating off of him. Nolan's phone rang Thea, but there was no answer. He repeated five more times which resulted in the same outcome.

Liam was getting angrier the longer Thea was ignoring them.

"Call her again." Liam snapped when Nolan paused in what he was supposed to be doing.

"Liam, Thea's not stupid." Stiles said, looking like it took too much effort to compliment the chimera. "She can probably guess that Nolan's with us."

"Call her again." Liam repeated.

"Why did I come back to town again?" Stiles muttered to Scott who laughed.

***

"Fuck." Thea muttered to herself under her breath as she drove away from the coffee shop where she worked.

Or used to work. She'd probably be fired for just leaving like that before she'd finished her shift. Two months. She'd managed to stay hidden from the McCall pack for two months, without them even realising she was closer to them than they believed; but now it was all ruined.