Monstrous ➙ Theo Raeken

|04|

To say the ride to the Bane residence was completely awkward would be an understatement. As soon as Clarissa stepped out of the school to see Delcan regarding Theo and Liam with looks of shock and distrust on his face, she knew that the conversations that she needed to have would slowly drive her insane.

The four teenagers were sat around in Clarissa's room looking at each other warily, unsure where to start. Delcan's eyes narrow at the Raeken boy as he observes him glancing at his sister repetitively. "So you're back?"

"My parents thought it would be good to finally come home." Theo states quietly. His eyes meet Clarissa's azure ones in thought, knowing that he has to watch what he says around the youngest Bane. "I missed Beacon Hills more than anything. The memories just were too painful for us to come back sooner."

"We know." Clarissa says lowly, daring her brother to bring up the painful memories that haunted them when they were younger. "I'm just glad you finally came home."

"You've been gone years, Theo." Delcan's eyes dart between his best friend and his older sister warily. As he looks back towards the older boy with a grimace, Clarissa can't help but wonder why the air is so tense around the boys. "Everything has changed."

As Theo looks between the teenagers in the room, he can't help but internally smirk at the implications that the boy has no idea about the supernatural world. Then his thoughts turn darker as he realizes that he has two people he needs to protect. Two people he cares about more than life itself, more than power that the Dread Doctors could give him. He must protect Clarissa and Delcan Bane at all costs. "More than you could ever know."

"Liam, you're my brother." Delcan tells his best friend with a tinge of annoyance coating his rough voice. His eyes dark to Theo warily, as if he shouldn't be there to witness the conversation that needed to happen between the siblings and their friend. "So, why the fuck are you dating my sister?"

Clarissa's eyes widen considerably as Theo gives her an unamused frown. The oldest Bane did not think that this would be the appropriate time for the conversation since there was a werewolf who could hear their heartbeats as they lied their asses off. "Del, is now really the time for this?"

"We need to stop lying to everyone." Liam mutters lowly in the blue eyed beauty's ear. He grips her hand tightly as they look at the unamused face of Clarissa's younger brother. "We've been dating for a while now."

Theo smirks in amusement at the sound of the stutter in Liam's heartbeat. The two teenagers in front of him were horrible liars and how Delcan was buying it was shocking to the Raeken boy. "I should probably head out anyways."

"Let me walk you." Clarissa declares quickly with a nervous smile. Her eyes dart between her brother and her best friend as the two older teenager stand to leave. "I'll be right back."

The two exit her room quietly, unaware of what to say to each other after the awkward display in her bedroom. Just as Clarissa opens the door, Theo grips her wrist gently. "Why are you lying to him?"

"I'm trying to do my best to protect him." Clarissa's eyes lock on Theo's sympathetic ones. Her hands move on their own accord, burying the palms of her hands into her eyes as she groans. "I don't want him to live in fear like we've had to for the past three years."

"But pretending to date his best friend?" Theo inquires quietly, eyes narrowing as the auburn haired girl leans against the door frame. "How does that protect him or make you happy for that matter?"

"It just slipped out and now I have to pretend to date someone who is basically my brother." Clarissa groans quietly after she admits the trust out loud. Her hands move from her eyes slowly to her auburn locks. She give her hair a small tug in frustration as they weave in her hair. "I made a mess of things but I have to protect him. He can't find out."