Consumed By Pressure (Thiam TW)

Chapter 45: New Game

TW: eating disorder treatment, numbers

Nolan and Liam walked into the locker room where Corey and Brett were already getting changed. After getting into gear, Coach finally walked in.

"I'm sorry to hear about your last coach, but also he was a dick, so his program probably sucked anyway. So, I'm going to make it better," Coach smirked at them.

"I missed this," Liam laughed at them.

"Now go run a mile warm-up!"

There were groans from the team, "NOW!"

"Dunbar, Bryant, Holloway, and Talbot, come here!"

"Yes, Coach?" Liam looked at him.

"I expect you guys to be the best out there, especially after your great high school experience. Don't let me down except you Talbot I understand if you suck."

Brett was taken aback while everyone else smiled.

"Dunbar, what happened to you?" Coach looked at his emancipated figure.

"It's been a long semester."

"Looks like you haven't eaten the entire semester either."

The others looked at each other wincing.

"Something like that."

"Can you still play?"

"Don't worry Coach, I'm still the best player on the field."

"That's my boy," Coach smiled.

The existed onto the field and easily caught up to the group running. Liam and Brett took off leading, leaving Corey and Nolan with everyone else. Liam and Brett raced, but Liam of course was still faster. He finished breathing heavy, ignoring the black spots in his vision.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Brett looked over at him when they finished.

"It's hard, but I'll manage," Liam admitted. Luckily, Coach saw Liam struggling and decided to wait until the entire team finished before starting anything else to let him catch his breath.

"Shooting drills!" he yelled.

Liam looked at him in relief, shooting drills were a lot lower intensity than most everything else. He looked at goal when he got the ball and easily threw it past the goalie, almost going straight through the net.

"That's it, Dunbar! See you guys need to be more like him; he's about ready to pass out and can still throw harder than all of you."

"I don't if I should be offended or flattered," Liam muttered through trying to stand up.

Corey looked at him, "I don't think you know with that man."

"Is this why you guys always sucked?" Brett asked them.

"Actually, we didn't suck, we beat you last year. And previous years it was your fault, I didn't beat you because you cheated and used my anger to your advantage."

"Me, cause you to get angry never," Brett looked at the alpha, seeing him snap already.

"Stop it," Nolan stamped on his foot.

"I get it, Nolan," Brett looked at his boyfriend, babying his foot.

By the end of practice, Liam was falling over-relying on Corey and Brett to hold him up. He quickly managed to change clothes as Theo walked in with Mason.

"Ready?" Theo glanced at him.

Liam nodded, clenching his fist. Theo grabbed his arm pulling him out towards the truck.

"Do you still want me to go in with you?" Mason asked.

Liam nodded silently.

"It's just an evaluation," Theo could feel the anxiety pouring off of him.

"I know," Liam said looking out the window. They pulled into the hospital, and Liam shuttered. He hated hospitals, he hated doctors, and he hated treatment.

"I'm just going to stay in the truck; I love you," Theo looked at his boyfriend.

Liam grabbed his hand one more time before leaving with Mason.

"What if they keep me? What if they tell me I'm dying? What if they try killing me?" Liam rambled off.

"Liam, you are going to talk to the doctor."

They checked and sat down in the waiting room.

"Liam Dunbar?" a nurse came out to get him. Liam stood up with Mason trailing behind. She took Mason to his exam room first, then took Liam to get his vitals.

She had him take off his shoes and hoodie. He was freezing already but tried to stop shaking for show. She took his height and weight; Liam glanced at the number on the scale, 80.2 lbs. Great, he lost weight, Liam thought to himself. His heart rate was resting at 39, his blood pressure low, even his body temperature was low. He knew his vitals were not promising for him escaping treatment. He threw back on his hoodie as the nurse led him back into the room. The doctor was already in there talking to Mason.

"Liam, have a seat," the doctor pointed to the exam table, "how are you feeling?"

"Tired, I guess."

"I can imagine, if you weren't a werewolf you would be dead by now."

"I know."

"I was also talking to your friend and Ms. McCall over the phone about treatment options."

Liam sighed.

"Normal patients with your vitals would be inpatient as soon as they walked in. Liam, you are thirty pounds underweight, your organs are showing early signs of failure, and with your heart episode last week. You don't have time to mess around."

Liam nodded, fighting back tears. He couldn't go to inpatient.

"But, I also know your circumstances, and against the medical side of me, I agree with your friends. I know intensive treatment would be nothing but detrimental to you."

Liam looked up, hopeful.

"Now, I'm not letting you go die out on your own, though. I have talked it over, and we have made you a treatment plan. We have a meal plan you must follow. I assure your friends will make sure of that. You need to see our psychologist once a week and must come in for weekly health screenings. If your condition worsens, however, I will admit you."

Liam smiled and looked at Mason, "thank you."

The doctor handed Liam all of his instructions and met the psychologist he would be meeting with. She was nice, but the idea of therapy was still terrifying for Liam. Liam and Mason went out to Theo sleeping in his truck.

"Tired?" Liam looked over at him.

"Shut up, Little Wolf."

Liam was content as Theo pulled out.

"You seem happy," Theo looked over at his boyfriend.

"I think everything is going to be okay," Liam smiled back.