Chapter Text
Theo was just starting to find his place. Sure, his place was next to a Beta with anger issues that would rather use Theo as live bait than see him as an actual human being, but it was his place in Beacon Hills. His purpose. And yeah, maybe he knew it was never meant to be permanent--knew that Liam would eventually kick him out of his life when the hunters and everything weren't such a threat–but he thought he at least had a little time.
And truthfully, he always thought his time would end with him sacrificing himself for Liam. That was the whole plan anyway, right–lead all the hunters to the zoo and use Theo as bait to give Liam's pack a chance?
He had known, from the moment he heard Liam's plan, that his time was ending... that he was going to have to bite the bullet so the Beta and his stupid pack could survive.
And he was at peace with that. Or, at least, he was okay with it if it meant that Liam wouldn't know the pain of a violent death.
What Theo was not at peace with, not even remotely okay with, was that when his time came, it didn't end with death. It ended with an arrow careening towards Liam's skull that Theo caught in his hand effortlessly--an arrow covered in sticky residue that stuck to his hands as his muscles began to numb.
“Shit,” Theo muttered, his legs giving out on him, causing him to crash on the rocky ground.
“Theo!” Liam rushed to his side.
Theo shook his head. The heartbeats of hunters were growing close–too close. “Go. Liam, they... you have to go.”
Liam ignored him, digging his arms under Theo's armpits to begin dragging him.
“Just go!” Theo wanted to move, to force himself out of Liam's arms, but all he could do was throw his head back to look at the Beta.
“Shut up and let me help you.”
“Just–”
Liam cut him off with a deep, guttural growl.
“...Liam. If they catch you, they're going to kill you. You know they will.”
Liam paused at that. Theo could hear the beta's heart skip a beat.
“If they kill you,” Theo continued, “it'll be like killing a part of your pack–a part of Scott. ”
“I... but you–”
Theo swallowed. “If they find me, then it’s going to be a lot less impactful. No one’s going to care about me. But if they find you, then they win. ”
“No. No. Theo–”
“Go already!”
Theo wasn't sure if it was his Chimera powers making his words more threatening, or if it was just the reality of it all, but something caused Liam to lower Theo to the ground and step away.
Theo could hear the crunch of Liam's shoes get farther and farther away, just as a different heartbeat grew near.
He turned, expecting to see Nolan there with his stupid crossbow and a brightening smile of accomplishment on his face. Instead, he looked up to see Gerard standing over him.
He expected death. He expected it to be slow, to be agonizing, but he expected it nonetheless.
Instead, Theo watched as Gerard's lips twisted into a sinister smile as he lowered himself down next to Theo. “Well, well,” the man said, “if it isn't the scientific abomination.”
Theo's jaw clicked, anger flaring. Or, perhaps, his anger rising to mask the absolute terror that was bubbling up inside his stomach.
“I've always wondered about you. How you were created. How you survived.”
“Yeah? How about we go get some coffee and talk about it? I can teach you all about biology.” Theo said. Growled, really.
Gerard let out a low chuckle. “I'd rather see for myself,” the old man said, reaching out a hand and pulling at Theo's shirt, raising it until he could see Theo's chest. With his other hand, he placed his hand against Theo's chest--right there above his heart. Above Tara's.
Theo had trained for this--trained to keep his heart beat steady and face blank even when inside him terror was building, building like at any moment his fear was going to burst inside of him and his heart would explode from his chest. He had trained, since the day he went with the Dread Doctors, to mask his emotions. To mask the all-consuming terror.
Still, he could not stop his breath from catching in his throat at the feel of the old man's fingers against his skin, exactly where Tara's had been when she set out to reclaim what was hers.
Theo didn't know what scared him more: the idea that Gerard might rip out his heart and he experience that painful death once more, this time in the real-world in which would cause a real death, or that Gerard may steal the heart that's rightfully Tara's. Theo had stolen it--had let the Dread Doctors steal it from her before her time--and the idea that someone may take it before he died and again destroy Tara's chances of having what's rightfully hers... it created a sense of horror within him.
“Get off me,” Theo snarled when his breathing returned to normal.
Gerard ignored him almost entirely, his attention set on the teen's heart. “I wonder,” he murmured, just loud enough for Theo's supernatural hearing to catch, “if the others are aware of how much of an experiment you really are.”
“I'm not an experiment.”
“You're well-trained at keeping your heart steady when you lie. But even still, we both know that you are lying. Because you are an experiment, aren't you? You're nothing but a little lab rat used to test their little supernatural hypothesis.”
“I am not –”
“I bet they didn't just switch out your heart for hers, did they? No. No. How many times did they cut you open? How many times did they rip you apart, piece by piece--limb by limb--until they were satisfied? How close to the Ship of Theseus did you get before they even let you off your leash for the first time?”
Theo didn't answer–just locked his jaw and stared up at Gerard, urging himself to calm down.
Gerard smiled. “You know, my good friend Monroe is somewhat of a scientist herself. She's doing this scientific study on the effects of wolfsbane on the werewolf. I bet she would love to add a Chimera to that list.”
Theo couldn't control his heart beat from racing as he considered the words, which caused Gerard's smile to widen.
"Or maybe I'll run some tests of my own."
“You'd be better off killing me,” Theo said, “because once this venom wears off–”
“You think I'm afraid of you? You're nothing but a scientist's plaything. Barely even a speck of dirt in the world of the supernatural. No. Normally I wouldn't even waste my breath on something as worthless as you, but... well. Something tells me that Scott's little Beta might disagree with my assessment.”
Even before 'Beta' fully left Gerard's mouth, Theo was growing fangs and his eyes were glowing a brilliant gold as a violent roar ripped through his throat.
Gerard let out a hearty laugh, like Theo told the world's best joke, then pulled away from Theo, standing up straight.
“I'm not going to kill you, Theo. I'm just going to use you as bait to catch some bigger fish.”
With that, Gerard slammed his foot down on Theo’s face. His nose broke instantly, blood gushing, but Gerard didn't stop–he continued to slam fist foot down again, and again, and again until blackness overtook Theo's vision.