Consumed By Pressure (Thiam TW)

Chapter 7: If things couldn't Get Worse

TW: gore

"What just happened?" Brett looked at him.

"Ah," Mason was shocked as everyone else was.

"Something terrifying," Theo muttered. "Does anyone have Luke's number?"

Nolan nodded and quickly text the boy, "is Liam coming over tonight?"

As soon as Liam headed out the door, he threw his bookbag in Theo's truck in the driveway and headed off towards the place where the werewolf was murdered. He read over the police report to get as much information as he could. There was a small park in the area with a few acres of a wooded area, similar to the Beacon Hills Preserve, where her body was found. The woods were still blocked off, but Liam slid under the rope. He started sniffing for any clues or life or wolfsbane for that matter. Unknown to him, Monroe had a few of her hunters posted in the woods, expecting the alpha to investigate. They were told not to engage; she knew they wouldn't be able to take down Liam by themselves. One of them saw Liam enter the woods; he quickly texted his leader.

Monroe looked at her phone and smiled, "take pictures of him."

The hunter snuck some pictures of the alpha; Liam suddenly smelled the man's scent and turned around. The man ducked behind a tree, avoiding Liam's scanning eyes. Monroe receive the pictures and noticed Liam's unhealthy state. A plan started to form in her head; Liam would be hard to take down, especially with the entire Puppy Pack having his back, but she could destroy him mentally.

Liam found the coned off area of the murder scene, but Monroe already had it prepared. She had her men already take away the yellow wolfsbane vile; Liam could smell its remains but noticed it was faint. The hunters had placed a bracelet of the girl, at the scene, coated in blood in wolfsbane. Liam looked at it, guilt gripped his soul. He was the alpha of the area; he hadn't protected her. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
It was a text from an unknown number, "she died, seeking protection from the true alpha." Monroe smirked at her text she wasn't lying; the werewolf was looking for Liam, but they had been stalking her since they killed her pack, waiting for her to lead them to Liam. They easily figured out this was where he was attending college, through news articles of the Puppy Pack and the lacrosse roster. Liam growled at his phone, grabbing the bracelet. The slight wolfsbane coating had a small effect on the alpha, making him dizzier than he already was. His phone buzzed again, "looking a little weak, Liam." Monroe's hunter sent her another picture of the werewolf, wavering. "Weak excuse for an alpha."

Liam panicked at the image of himself holding the bracelet and turned off his phone. He tried to sniff for the hunter, but Monroe's men had become equipped with scent protecting suits. The man tried to leave the scene quietly but broke a branch on his way out. Liam turned and ran following the path of the sound.

Back at their house, Luke finally texted Nolan back, "no, why?" He hurriedly stood up, "let's go, Liam didn't go to Luke's."

Theo, Mason, Corey, and Brett turned to look at him, throwing on shoes and heading out towards the cars. Theo looked at them, "Corey, Mason go to the college." Mason nodded, getting in his car with Corey. "Brett, Nolan, town." Brett didn't hesitate to get in his car; Nolan sliding into the passenger seat.

"What about you?" Nolan asked before they pulled out.

"Park," Theo said bluntly.

"You think?" Nolan questioned the chimera.

"I know Liam."

Theo tried to track his phone as he was driving towards the park, but Liam already had turned off his phone. Theo pulled into the entrance of the woods, jumping out of his truck. Instantly smelling Liam, "Liam!" he called out. He ran to the spot of the murder, finding his phone lying on the ground. He picked it up in a panic, calling out once again for his boyfriend.