"He's not gonna want to talk to me." Liam mumbled, running his hand through his hair as he anxiously awaited Scott's entrance into our living room. 

Two days had passed since the incident in the library, since Liam almost murdered my brother. Meaning it had been two days since Scott and him had said even a word to each other. 

"Well," I sighed, turning to grab a bottle of juice from the fridge,  "You're already here so it looks like he doesn't have a choice." 

"Syd," Liam groaned, turning to me with worried eyes, "You're not helping."

I shrugged as the sound of Scott running down the stairs filled the room. As he entered the living room, he paused as his eyes landed on Liam.

"They're alive." Liam blurted, forgoing any greetings,  "I mean the Chimeras, well not all of them.

"Good start." I muttered under my breath, taking a seat on the couch as I watched my brother's reaction. 

"I know." Scott answered,  his voice reserved.

Liam's face fell ever so slightly, "Oh? You do?"

"Yeah." Scott mumbled, his eyes trailing down to the bag he was holding "Look I'm sorry, I can't talk right now, Liam."

"It was Theo!" Liam announced,  "He's the one who brought them back, and now they're with him, like they're his pack."

"I know." Scott said once again. He gave Liam one last look before walking past him.

"Hayden's one of them!" Liam called.

Scott stopped, turning around to face his young beta, "She's okay?" he questioned, his face softening. 

"She's alive." Liam confirmed,  "I'm not sure she's totally okay, but she's alive."

"Good." Scott whispered.

After a brief moment of silence, Liam spoke, "Where are you guys going?" He asked pointing to the bag.

"To get Kira," my brother answered, his voice still somewhat sheltered,  "Her dad told us her mom took her out to New Mexico to this place called Ship Rock. They're trying to figure out a way to help her, but it's dangerous." he explained, "So we're going to go find her and bring her back."

"I'll come with you!" Liam offered, his eyes growing wide.

Scott shook his head. "You can't"

"Let me help!" Liam raised his voice as he followed after Scott who was making for the back door. "Let me do something! Just tell me what I can do!"

"Don't do anything." Scott instructed, his voice cold. As he pulled open the door, he paused once more. "Don't wait up Sydney."

"Wasn't planning on it!" I yelled, my voice being drowned out by the slamming of the door.  As I turned back to Liam I was met with his intense glare. "Well at least he talked to you." I sheepishly pointed out.

"Sydney!" Liam groaned. "He hates me."

"No he doesn't!" I argued, "He hates broccoli. He doesn't hate you."

Liam gave me a death glare before grabbing his jacket. "I gotta go." he murmured, making for the door. 

"No!" I yelled, shooting up from my seat. My voice then softened as I met his eyes, "Don't go please."

When Liam gave me a confused look, I continued, "I hate being here alone." I admitted quietly. Being home alone had always been a fear in the back of my mind, but now I felt more vulnerable than ever.

Liam set his coat back down giving me a small smile. "I'll stay." he said softly.

I let out a small sigh of relief and as he walked toward me, giving me a smile before sitting down on the couch. I sat back down beside him, leaning into him ever so slightly. "Thanks."

---

I sat by my locker the next day at school, frantically trying to complete the homework I had failed to do over the weekend. I had toned out the noises around me, trying desperately to solve the math equations in front of me. I was on the final question when a voice spoke, sending shivers down my spine. 

He smirked as he stared down at me, "Hey, Syd."

My eyes grew wide as I quickly pushed myself to my feet, my heart beating in my chest as I met his eyes. "What do you want?" I demanded, pushing myself into the lockers to create more of a distance between us. 

The smirk remained on his face as he shook his head, "No need to be scared," he promised, taking a small step forward, "I just want to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." I snapped, turning to open my locker, desperately hoping that would make him go away.

I could hear him take another step closer to me, basically preventing me from moving, "Where's your brother?" he questioned, his breath hitting the back of my neck. 

I tried to ignore him, focusing on grabbing my books as I attempted to steady my breathing and heartbeat. He couldn't know I was afraid.

Theo let out a small laugh, "Sweet, sweet Sydney." he taunted, "When are you going to realize that I'm not the real enemy here?" 

I spun around, my breath hitching in my throat at how close he was to me. "You tried to kill my brother!" I exclaimed, almost drawing the attention of others, "And me." I added harshly, my eyes full of anger instead of fear. 

His eyes fell to the bruises on my neck. I had mostly been able to cover them with makeup and a sweater, but if you knew to look for them, they were there. I swear his eyes softened, but only ever so slightly. He then shook his head, the grin still on his face as something down the hall caught his attention. "I better go," he announced, taking a small step back, "Before your boyfriend creates a scene."

I followed his gaze to see Liam basically stomping toward us, his eyes trained on Theo while his hands were held in fists at his side. When I turned back, Theo was already gone.

Liam was by my side in seconds, "What the hell did he want?" he questioned, subconsciously reaching out to touch my hands. 

I looked back down the hall, watching as Theo made for the main door. "He wanted to know where Scott was." I explained, turning back to look at Liam, "And let me know that he isn't the enemy." I scoffed.

Liam's eyes were full of anger as he looked to where Theo had just exited, "I'm going to kill him." he growled. 

I shook my head as I closed my locker, "Just let Scott handle him." I advised, "Theo is evil."

"I know he's evil!" Liam exclaimed,  "Why do you think I want to kill him?" he questioned as the two of us walked towards history.

---

I sat in 3rd period biology, tapping my pencil against my notebook waiting for the lesson to start. My tapping stopped as someone slid into the seat beside me, someone who wasn't my usual seat partner.

"Liam, what are you doing?" I questioned, turning to look at him in confusion,  "Somebody sits there."

"Oh, Caden Lowry?" Liam asked, already pulling out his notebook, "He won't care." he promised. 

I watched him skeptically "And how do you know that?"

"Because I told him if he didn't switch seats with me I'd tell everyone about him singing Taylor Swift in the locker rooms." Liam answered nonchalantly as he scribbled down the date at the top of his page.

I let out a laugh as I shook my head,  "You're evil." I announced. 

Liam smiled, "Only for you."

I felt my cheeks heat up as I turned back to the front.

"Co-dominance." Mrs. Finch began the class,  "A relationship among alleles, where both alleles contribute to the phenotype of the heterozygote." When she noticed the shock expression on more than half the class's faces she smiled. "I know, quite a mouthful. But it's exactly what we'll be learning in today's lab. Students in the first and third rows, look behind you. These are your partners."

Liam and I turned, both of our faces dropping when we saw who we were supposed to be working with.

"No way." Liam snapped as he looked over to me. "You're not working with him." he ordered. Holden glared at us, clearly not impressed.

"Fine!" I snapped, "Then you're not working with her." I shot back, causing Hayden to roll her eyes  at me.

"Is there a problem here?" Mrs. Finch asked approaching our tables.

"We need different partners." Liam announced.

She watched us, waiting for our reasoning. "And why is that?"

Liam pursed his lips, "It's complicated."

"It's always complicated Mr, Dunbar." she answered, unimpressed with our antics. She studied our faces for another moment before letting out a sigh,  "Alright fine. Hayden with Jesse, Holden you can work with Adam. Liam you're with Noelle, and Sydney you can work with Caden."

I glared at Liam as I grabbed my stuff making my way to Caden's table, aka where Liam used to sit.  As I sat down he looked over at me like I was insane, probably due to the fact that Liam had all but threatened him in order to get him to move away from me.

"So." I said breaking the silence, "I hear you like Taylor Swift." 

okay guys im so sorry for how long this update took, but im just stressed out from school and work I hope you guys understand :( I will be continuing this story though, do not worry! but updates might be kind of erratic for the time being!

remember ily guys

-maddy xoxo