THEODORE ASHDOWN

BORN within one of the most prominent wolf packs in los angeles, theodore ashdown bennett was born to pack alpha patrick bennett and his long term shadowhunter girlfriend, alexandra ashdown. theo shouldn't have existed . . . hybrids weren't supposed to. his mother's pregnancy was a shock, and no one knew what to expect from the child. the bennett pack didn't usually allow shadowhunters among them, but patrick had been so smitten by alexandra that he let her in . . . he let her in and kept her close, and then his pride and joy was born. theodore patrick ashdown bennett was a perfectly healthy  baby boy . . . which was shocking, but it was a thing. no one knew if he was werewolf or nephilim, and no one was prepared for what was coming.

GROWING up in the pack meant that theo learned how to be a werewolf first and foremost. his parents put him through the beginner rune ceremonies so that he would have the protection he needed as a nephilim child, but it was very clear that their intentions were to raise him as a wolf. he had his first shift around eight years old, and he knew being a wolf would be his entire life. he ran with his father's pack, establishing himself as the best wolf he could be . . . even when he knew everyone around his father thought he was an abomination. theo spent his formative years constantly trying to prove himself, and it was exhausting.

WHEN theodore was fourteen, an alpha challenge was administered. some of the wolves in their pack had been getting frustrated with how patrick felt about shadowhunters ( even if it was only his wife that he had a soft spot for ) and they were frustrated that his "half breed son" was getting the same treatment as their pureblooded wolves. theo wasn't worried about the challenge though. his dad was the best fighter he knew, and he knew he'd win the challenge and still be the alpha of the pack and theo's life would remain unchanged.

HOWEVER, that wasn't the case. patrick lost his position and his life, he had seemed weak but no one questioned it. patrick was no longer the pack alpha . . . and theo had lost everything.

THEO was honestly scared of what was going to come next. his father was dead, his pack was starting to turn on him, and theo was essentially alone. he had his mother, obviously, but there's not much a teenage boy can do with his mother as his only ally. but alexandra ashdown had other ideas. she needed to protect her son from the pack that wanted to see him wiped off the face of the earth. so as a result, alexandra took theo away from the pack and brought him to the los angeles institute where she hoped his shadowhunter side would become stronger and he'd be able to stay safe there. he'd gotten his early runes that every shadowhunter got, but he hadn't gotten any real runes in years.

THE institute was a big change for theo. he went from focusing whole heartedly on himself as a wolf to having to learn more about his shadowhunter side. theo started training in weapons, but his default was to rely on his natural talents. but the older shadowhunters hated that, he was pushed and encouraged to learn more weapons, and theo did his very best to make everyone proud. runes had an uncomfortable sting on his skin, but he could handle them. they worked just as well as they did on everyone else, he was just uncomfortable putting them on. 

THERE wasn't much that theo could do to make things easier for himself. the people of the institute accepted him because he was a shadowhunter, but a lot of them didn't truly accept him. he was considered the "disgrace" among the los angeles institute, but its actual inhabitants appreciated him and made him feel at home. theo knew that he was on thin ice whenever adult shadowhunters came around, and he made it a point to keep himself scarce . . . something he got very good at when the cohort came around, well, usually.

BEING around the institute when the cohort was there made theo's skin crawl. it was the worst experience he'd been a part of, and when everyone went to rescue kieran? he stayed behind. the younger blackthorns needed someone to stay . . . and as nervous as theo was for himself? he knew those kids would need his help more. so theo put on a brave face and stayed behind, doing everything he could to make the blackthorn kids feel safe around the scary centurions of the cohort.

THEO had been good at keeping his mouth shut when he had emma, julian, and cristina around. but when it was him and the younger kids? he didn't maintain that very well. theo was constantly the first to defend himself, the first to put himself in the cohort's line of fire just to protect the younger blackthorns from whatever vitriol was being spewed. he'd get dru and octavian to leave the room before picking a fight with zara dearborn and her minions to keep them busy. in these times, theo did whatever he could. even if it put himself at risk. it was what worked best for the kids, and that was what mattered.

WHEN things started in idris, theo was there to support his friends. they were his chosen family and he'd do everything he could to be there for them. theo fought with livia's watch, taking a stand for both shadowhunters and downworlders. this was the moment that his two halves were truly whole . . . and he felt good. things may have seemed good . . . but then jia penhallow stepped down as consul. alec lightwood was elected, and the cohort took a stand. after watching amelia overbeck fall, theo didn't know what was going to happen. but he trusted alec lightwood. alec and the others of the new york institute had always been there for theo and others like him. when he made the decision to close down access to idris and run the clave out of the mundane world? theo followed him immediately. idris had never been home to him like it was to the other shadowhunters. and theo was ready to establish himself in that world.