Sirens (Theo Raeken) [1]

Vendetta

I haul open my car door and peer over at a glum Mason. "It's better that he knows sooner," I say softly. I look down at my hands which are jittery and jerky. I stuff them into my jacket and begin trudging to the school's door.

I break into a run as soon as I hear the unmistakable sound of a wolf growling. Theo said that he was going to trap Scott in the library. If there was one place that there would be a werewolf fight going on, it would be there.

What I hadn't considered is whether Theo himself would be here. I get a hollow feeling in my stomach as I hesitate before swiping my keycard and pushing open the door.

I let my mouth fall open and for a second I can't do anything but stay rooted to the spot, frozen in surprise. Liam is leaned over Scott, his arm swiping down at the alpha's face. His claws leave a trail of blood across Scott's cheeks and lower face and I wince at the sound of blood squirting out of the wounds.

And then my mind is switching back on and I'm rushing forward right into the mountain ash. I am met with resistance and jump back. Mason is passing straight over the line of grey powder, calling Liam's name but to no avail. Mason pushes a path open in the mountain ash and I step through.

I feel my voice rising in my throat. The echoey siren voice comes out in place of mine. "Liam," I call. He turns, the tufts of hair on his cheeks sinking back into his skin. I'm struck by how young he really looks in contrast to his wolf form. Sometimes I forget how young he is and how much he must be affected by all of this.

Mason speaks now. "She's gone," he stutters. "Hayden died a few minutes ago. She's gone."

Liam's face falls and I keep my eyes on the floor. I can't bear to see him in such an emotional state. He's up in an instant and bolting past the line of mountain ash and out of the library.

I look back at Scott, bloody and vulnerable and wonder how such an influential leader could've fallen so fast and hard from grace. Mason rushes forward. "Scott," he says, supporting the alpha as he gets up. "What happened?"

"It's the super moon," Scott says. "It's just -"

"Bad timing," Theo finishes from behind me.

I turn my head slowly. Theo charges through the mountain ash and doesn't hesitate as he shoves Mason out of the way. "Seriously, you couldn't have waited five minutes?" he growls through clenched teeth.

"Theo," I say, my voice barely more than a squeak.

He glimpses momentarily back at me and his expression softens. "Arden, get out of here." I stay planted where I am. He turns back to Scott, clearly tired of me wasting time. "I should've stayed. I should've made sure."

"Because now you have to kill me yourself," Scott growls.

"They're still mine," Theo says low and huskily. "Maybe not now, but they'll come around."

"Not for you," Scott mutters.

Theo jams his claws into Scott's flesh, making the disgusting sound of muscle tearing and blood oozing. I wince but find my feet moving towards Theo.

"They're not like you," Scott whispers. "They never will be."

"Why?" Theo asks through clenched teeth. "Because I'm a chimera? Because I'm not a real werewolf?"

I feel almost pitiful for Theo, as crazy as it is. That deep rooted hate and desire had stemmed from his own insecurity of being not only a chimera, but an omega. I keep my breath still as Scott replies.

"Because you're barely even human."

Theo wedges his claws deeper into Scott's flesh, shoving the alpha down onto the stairs. Scott goes limp, his arms and legs sprawled out onto the steps. Gingerly, I place a hand on Theo's forearm. "Theo," I say under my breath.