Perpetual

Chapter 12

Tessa followed Scott and Liam as they entered the old operating theater to meet Theo.

They saw the boy, he was standing with his back to them, staring at an empty glass tank.

"They called him Der Soldat," Theo said, hearing them come up behind him. "That's German for 'The Soldier.' I'm pretty sure he fought in World War II."

Theo turned to face them.

"He was a Nazi," Scott said.

"And an alpha werewolf."

Scott glanced at Tessa and Liam.

"The Dread Doctors were using him to prolong their lives. They've been doing it for decades. Actually, probably longer," Theo told them.

"How old are these guys?" Liam asked.

Theo shrugged. "Who knows. But wherever they go, he goes, too."

"So how do we find him?" Tessa asked.

"Ah, so she does speak," Theo smirked at her.

She scowled at him.

"Keeping him alive requires a pretty unique set of conditions," Theo told them. "There's gotta be a power source. And it has to be underground, and on a—"

"And on a telluric current," Scott interrupted him, pulling out the map.

Theo took it from Scott's outstretched hand, unfolding it and smirking. "Looks like we're going for a hike."

~~~

Liam and Tessa walked side-by-side, behind Theo and Scott who were discussing Deucalion.

Liam slowed to a stop and Tessa stopped a few feet in front of him. Theo and Scott turned around.

"We're close," Liam said.

"You get his scent?" Scott asked.

Liam nodded. Tessa closed her eyes for a moment, opening them to see the boys watching her. She nodded. She could sense him.

"Which way?" Theo asked.

Liam, Scott and Tessa glanced at each other. 

"You think you're gonna leave me behind?" Theo asked angrily.

"Liam..." Scott tried.

"Look, he wants to kill him," Liam pointed out.

"I just want his power," Theo said. "You wanna fight someone that actually wants to kill Mason? Go fight Parrish."

"Who'd you see when you put on the mask?" Tessa asked.

"I already told you," Theo said.

She stepped forward, her anger with the boy growing. "Who was it?"

"It wasn't Mason," Theo insisted.

Tessa was only a foot away from him now, her anger and desperation to find Mason taking over.

"Then who was it?" she yelled, shoving his chest and sending him stumbling back.

He grabbed her wrists to keep her from pushing him again, his claws digging into her skin. "I don't know!"

Scott and Liam stepped forward, growling. Neither Theo or Tessa moved, glaring at each other.

"Theo," Scott growled, "let her go."

Theo glanced down at his hands in surprise, as if he hadn't realized he had grabbed her. He quickly let go and Tessa backed away, rubbing her wrists. Liam pulled her towards him, keeping himself between her and Theo.