Pack Bonds and Paternal Instincts|| Teen Wolf

Andromeda

Parking his truck by Tara's bridge, Theo Raeken took a deep breath. He unlocked the doors and exited the vehicle. Opening the back door, he pulled out the many blankets and pillows from the backseat. He then dropped the tailgate. In fifteen minutes time he had a nice nest of blankets and pillows tucked in his truck bed. He climbed in and waited.

"I'm bringing some people for you to meet. They're like family. You'd definitely like Great Uncle Peter." He spoke to the sky, eyes trained on the constellation he'd made up. Andromeda twinkled in response to his words, which he took as excitement from Tara.

Liam, Mason, and Corey were the first to show up. Lydia came with them, leaving the backseat of Mason's car and joining the group in the bed of the truck. Liam, of course, cuddled right up to Theo. Letting the chimera rest his head on Liam's shoulder.

Peter and Derek came from the woods a few minutes later, shifting back from their wolf forms and hopping into the bed as well. Derek, ever the pack dad, was quick to claim the space on Theo's other side, resting a hand on his side and laying comfortably. Everyone was touching in some way or another. A hand on the ankle or brushing shoulders.

Theo pointed out Andromeda and shared his belief that it was where his sister's soul resided. The group greeted the stars in response, dropping a Hi or Nice to meet you. Andromeda twinkled and sparkled again. Theo felt the nerves leave him, wondering why he was so nervous about bringing his people (he didn't want to say pack since the majority of them weren't actually in his pack) to his spot.

~~~

He'd realize why a few weeks later, during their fifth stargazing meetup. It had become a thing, for Mason, Lydia, Corey, and Liam to come look at the stars with Theo. Peter and Derek let the young adult and the teens have their thing. Only joining occasionally. They would usually be back at the loft when the group was done, dinner ready, and living room made up for a sleepover.

It was while Theo had his arm up towards the sky, reaching for Andromeda. Headlights quickly blinded them and Theo let his arm drop to his chest. He recognized the sound of the engine as Melissa's car. Anxiety immediately crept up into his throat from his chest. Tara's heart racing and pounding against his ribcage.

The nurse came to stand hesitantly at the end of the truck bed. Chewing on her lip and shifting from foot to foot.

"Scott called a pack meeting. He wants everyone there, including Peter, Derek, and you, Theo."

~~~

Let it be known that Theo hated pack meetings. He didn't have them with Peter and Derek, since they were such a small pack. He especially hated this pack meeting in particular.

Because on the dining room table of the McCall house, sat Kira's sword.

And if that didn't bring up a shit ton of trauma. He leaned against the wall farthest from the table, trying resolutely not to look at the blade.

His chest ached at the thought of the skinwalker prison. He could still feel the hand ripping out Tara's heart. Could still see the stolen face of his beautiful sister, twisted and warped into something horrifying. Even knowing what he knew now, knowing that it wasn't really hell, he still wouldn't tell her to stop.

He had come a long way, thanks to Derek and Peter. He knew now that it wasn't completely his fault. But logically the heart was still his sister's. She still had a right to take it back. He rubbed at his chest roughly, feeling the phantom sensation of his sister's fingers digging into his skin.

"You're not sending my kid back to that hellhole." Derek suddenly snapped, pulling Theo out of his inner turmoil. His chest ached for a different reason now, tears burning the back of his hazel green eyes.

In a fit of frustration, Malia picked up the sword, standing beside Stiles, who was arguing to send him back. Theo shrieked, pushing off the wall and colliding with Peter, who was closest. He hid his face in the older werewolf's chest, already shaking.

"Don't make me go back. I'm sorry! Don't make me go back down there. I don't want to be trapped with her again. Please Peter!" The chimera begged quietly, his voice trembling. Any of his nonchalant mask from before was gone. "She'll hurt me again. I want the hurt to stop."

Peter hummed softly, brushing fingers through the terrified teen's hair. His other arm was wound tightly, protectively, around Theo's waist. Though he was radiating tranquility and calm, his face was twisted into a harsh and merciless glare.

"Be careful with that! Gods Malia." Derek hissed, his eyes glowing red with anger. He hurried over to Theo and Peter, resting a soothing hand on the back of Theo's neck. "It's okay Pup. You're not going anywhere."

Liam ripped the sword from the were coyote's grasp. He held it behind his back, the puppy pack coming to stand with him.

"It's really not okay to wave someone's trigger in front of their face like that." Mason, ever the genius, stated matter of factly.

~~~

The pack meeting had ended with Malia, Stiles and Chris Argent storming out of the house. Now Theo sat across from Melissa and Scott in the bed of his truck. Liam was off hiding the sword and the chimera had requested to do this alone.

Andromeda flared as he stared up at her, having already shared his belief with the McCalls. He stayed like this until the ache in his chest faded.

They all sat cross legged. Theo sighed and leaned back into the nest of pillows behind him.

"I'm too exhausted to share the gritty details of everything that happened with the Dread Doctors. But I can tell you why that sword terrifies me." He hesitated, hands trembling as he took a deep, shaking breath. Melissa taking one of his hands surprised him, but he was grateful for the anchor to reality it gave him.

Theo spent most of that night explaining the gory details of what hell was like for him. He talked about the morgue, about having his heart ripped out, over and over and over. He talked about the fear. He even told them that eventually, he just let her take her heart back.

The Chimera didn't know what would come of telling them this, but it felt good to get it off his chest after the sword fiasco.

He just hoped they actually believed him.