Chapter 25: The End

A/N: Last chapter, guys! I hope you all enjoy it and that you liked the story as well! I might write a short epilogue since I have something in mind, but let's see if I'm inspired enough to do so. Anyway, I hope you love this last chapter! ;D

It was ironic that the place where all began to go wrong for Catori was almost the exact same place where it might end as well.

Very close to the place she had been held captive by Vanessa, in the middle of the forest, was where the ritual was supposed to be held at.

But there they were, facing certain death while trying to save the world from an evil free spirit that threatened to destroy Beacon Hills with its powerful reincarnation.

"You're not as stupid as I thought you were" Vanessa broke the silence, even if the tension lingered in the air, so thick that it was tangible. "Or as useless, congratulations"

Catori was slowly feeling how the anger began to build up inside her. How her cheeks burned in fury and her hands shook with hatred. But what did it for her was the satisfied smirk that appeared on Vanessa's lips painted crimson red, a color resembling blood.

It was her fault that all of that had happened. It was Vanessa's fault that Scott had gotten hurt and almost was killed. It was his pack that attacked him after all.

It was her fault that Stiles almost died as well, stabbed to death by millions of shreds of glass. He would have been dead if it weren't because Catori felt the danger and was there to save him.

It was Vanessa's fault as well that the girl had a scar in her neck, that constantly reminded her of the horrible events that led to it, including the scarring memories.

But overall, it was her fault that Stiles was willing to give his life to stop her. That someone would probably die in there just because she felt like it.

"You bitch" Catori took a step forward very angrily, raising her arm with the intention of punching her in that smug face of hers.

"Whoa" Along with Scott –who had the fastest reflexes -, Stiles held her back when noticing. "Calm down, Cat"

Vanessa was just amused by this behavior.

"Looks like you're always up for more, darling" She challenged Catori, tempting her as well as mocking her. "Don't you have enough already?"

"Stop this right now" Scott intervened, menacingly flashing his bright red eyes at her and bringing out his sharp claws. "While you can"

It wasn't a very effective threat. Even though Scott could be and was a very powerful alpha despite his softness, Vanessa shadowed him. And she wasn't bothered by his words at all.

They all sized each other up. Complete silence surrounded the forest, only being interrupted by the sound of the sporadic lightning from the storm she caused. It was nerve-wracking.

In fact, Catori only realized how much she was shaking –in fear, fury, nerves, concern –when Stiles tenderly held her hand and filled her with his warm and comforting touch.

"So this was your plan?" Derek decided to speak up and break the torturous silence. "Get an omega to do your dirty work while you try to bring an evil spirit back and set it free?"

"Pretty much" Vanessa was so arrogant that she didn't try to hide it.

"What for?"

"To earn her gratitude" She shrugged casually. "Then she will make me even stronger, even more powerful. Invincible!"

Catori gulped at the thought of that. Seeing Vanessa cast out a storm effortlessly, like a goddess, was terrifying enough.

"And you had to kill all those people for that" Scott strongly disapproved, shaking his head angrily. "All those innocent people"

"As well as attempting to destroy everyone in your way" Stiles added, obviously resentful about it still.

"And look at you all now" Vanessa smirked evilly, satisfied. "All these volunteers to inhabit Chandrika, all to my disposition"

Catori visibly dropped her jaw in realization. Stiles' grip on her hand softened as well from the sheer shock.

"She's smart..."

"You had planned this all along, lured us into the ritual! You wanted us to figure it out to come!"

"I even planted a hint in her head once I was done with the little sybil"

Catori's throat shook with an unintelligible sob. She felt used, useless and betrayed. Even if Vanessa was their enemy, the fact that she outsmarted them so greatly and tricked them disturbed her. To think that she utilized Catori for her own twisted intentions and gave her a fake sense of accomplishment... it sickened her.

"What are we waiting for then?" The woman took ahold of the triquetra amulet, an object they hadn't seen in what felt like ages. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Something broke out in the sky, and it felt like a thunderbolt had directly hit the triquetra amulet that Vanessa was holding. Only when she looked at it twice, seeing as it didn't fade, Catori saw clearly.

It was emerging from the talisman itself, creating a supernatural light that couldn't mean anything good.

They could clearly see everyone in Vanessa's pack back away in fright, especially Norman. But the selkie herself stood tall and mighty, proud and delighted with her creation as she screamed 'Chandrika' at the top of her lungs.

Then it all happened very fast.

When Stiles let go of her hand, she knew it was the point of no return. Her heart skipped a beat and her fingers tingled with fear.

Before she even knew why, before her brain told her what Stiles was trying to do, Catori turned on an instinct towards the second person that made her feel the safest.

"Scott!" She shouted in anguish, holding onto Lydia's arm as well.

The redheaded girl frowned in concern as she watched the scene. There was a great commotion amongst the pack as Stiles jumped over Vanessa and gripped the triquetra symbol.

The both of them struggled with the control of the amulet under the attentive eyes of everyone else. No one intervened at first.

Definitely not Vanessa's betas, which showed how they followed her because of fear and not loyalty.

However, the alpha of the other pack –the McCall pack, that is –was already on his way to aid his friend. Not without asking his friends not to intervene first, he would take care of it.

He threw himself towards them as he shifted into werewolf form, even if none of them flinched. But because of his great strength, the boy knocked the both of them down.

It felt like time had suddenly stopped. No one moved at first.

Then Vanessa slowly stood up in what seemed like a triumphant way.

Scott and Stiles remained on the floor. The first worriedly staring at his best friend and shaking him until he reacted.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so..." Confused and almost disappointed, Stiles stood up and brushed himself off.

"He's fine" Liam sighed in relief.

But then Stiles held onto Scott and grunted in pain. Something that caused Lydia to clutch to Catori's hand in apprehension.

"Oh no..." Kira mumbled behind them, frightened.

"S...Stiles?" Catori whispered, so lowly that she could hardly hear herself.

The boy had closed his eyes tight, almost in a grimace of pain. He also shrank into himself in a weird and uncomfortable way, as though he wanted to get rid of whatever he was feeling at that moment.

Catori gasped for air, fearing it was too late for Stiles.

The worst of all, however, was the fact that their plan B had failed. And even if their secret weapon showed up, it might already be too late to save Stiles.

Then, all of a sudden, the boy straightened up. He was calm again, as though everything had passed.

"Stiles?" Lydia and Catori took a step forward to him, but Malia stopped them.

She must have sensed something they didn't, because her expression was grave and severe when they looked at her.

Indeed, when Stiles opened his eyes they didn't see his sweet caramel brown orbs. They were completely black, evil looking.

"Chandrika" Catori choked up, recognizing those eyes from her visions.

"Reverse the ritual!" Scott told the girls, scratching Vanessa and attacking her to distract her.

"What about Stiles? And you?" Catori screamed, feelings tears arriving to her eyes as her voice became shaky.

"Go" Scott briefly looked at them right before Vanessa barged at him, prey of an insane rage.

"But-" Catori objected, preoccupied by her friend's safety.

"Go!!" Derek supported the alpha, fighting by his side.

Mason held the girl by the arm and gently tugged at her, trying to get her to oblige. She only did because she knew it was their only hope to reverse what Chandrika had done to Stiles.

"I'll get the amulet" She told Lydia, who looked distraught and horrified herself. "You call Parish"

"I'll help Scott and Derek" Malia turned into her coyote form and went to their aid.

Meanwhile, Lydia tried to get away from the commotion and dial Parrish' number hoping he would pick up. The rest of the pack were fighting Vanessa, except for Mason, who was trying to help Catori.

Kira used her fox abilities and her sword skills to battle Norman. Derek and Scott joined forces against Vanessa, Liam and Malia were up against her betas.

Mason held onto Catori's arm as they both raced to get to the triquetra amulet. They really hoped their plan worked, otherwise they were lost. Chandrika would create havoc amongst Beacon Hills and, alongside Vanessa, destroy the entire city.

With no effort whatsoever, Chandrika –still in Stiles' body –tossed Mason across the air until he banged his back against a tree and was knocked unconscious.

Catori grimaced at the sight and prayed that he was okay while she ran towards the amulet still. She only forgot about him momentarily because she still felt his energetic and kind aura.

A lightning falling from the sky that landed one meter to her right almost hit her, and she thanked whatever superior forces for the second chance to live.

Then she tried to ignore her racing her and centered all her might into the triquetra. It was vital to get to it and end it all, save everyone. Especially save Stiles from that monster that was possessing his body.

Catori was barely a few steps away from the platform where the amulet resided in, but a brutal force pushed her and threw her flying through the air like it had Mason.

As she fell, Catori hit her head and tiny twinkles danced before her eyes because of the blow. She felt rid from her strength, dizzy and nauseous due to a possible concussion.

However, she pulled through. Crawling across the ground filled with leaves that crushed against her weight, she made her way to the amulet, filled with determination.

She was right there, slapping her hand against it and grapping it when a hand was tightly wrapped around her neck.

"What do you think you're doing?" Stiles' soft voice wasn't his own. Instead it sounded demonic, guttural and teared.

With titanic strength, he lifted her up until her feet left the ground.

"Stiles?" Catori refused to believe he was gone, she begged for him to come back.

To call her Cat, to fluster her, to make her hate him in the most playful and adorable of ways. To make her roll her eyes, to call her Kit Kat even!

She just wanted her Stiles back. Listen to his sweet and goofy voice, see his tender caramel eyes, hear his wonderful laughter, see him fidgeting around. Leave behind the nightmare that was Chandrika and get him back.

"Wrong" It felt awful to have his restless and tender fingers crush her throat, it made her stomach sick to think that he wasn't aware of how much Chandrika was hurting them in his name.

"He's almost here, Cat-" Before Lydia could even finish her sentence, she witnessed the peril her best friend was going through.

"Lydia, stay away!" Catori was wriggling in his grip, trying to swing her legs to hit him but failing. But even then she tried to keep her friend out of trouble, despite the hoarseness of her voice.

The redhead ignored her and ran to Stiles, trying to make him let go of Catori. He easily got rid of her too, showing how powerful Chandrika was by knocking her down as well.

A sob arrived to Catori's throat when she noticed Lydia was bleeding.

"Give it to me!" Chandrika tried to get the amulet from her closed fist, but she refused to let go of it.

"Stiles, I know you're still in there" The brown-haired girl managed to let out. "Let him go, bitch!"

"Why would I?" Chandrika used Stiles' body to smirk in a terrifying and disgusting way. "He's my ticket to freedom"

"Because it's the triquetra that gives you power, isn't it?" Even if she felt at the verge of consciousness because of lack of oxygen, Catori grinned cunningly. "What gives you power can take it from you"

Chandrika frowned with Stiles' eyebrows. The spirit's black eyes fixed on Catori's hand just as it opened and dropped the amulet.

The wooden triquetra fell to the ground, where Lydia quickly got hold of it.

"I'll take this" Their secret weapon had finally arrived.

Parrish helped Lydia up and showed the amulet just as flames emerged from every part of his whole body. They infiltrated onto his hand and the amulet he was holding, burning it to the core until it became just a pile of ashes.

"No!" Chandrika screeched, finally dropping Catori. "NO!"

The girl held her throat and coughed, trying to get some air into her lungs as well. Lydia immediately went to check on her.

Chandrika's scream was piercing and shrill, hurting their ears and making them all cover them in pain. Then another scream erupted from his throat, this time being a mixture between Chandrika and Stiles. With her last breath, Stiles fell feebly and limp.

Catori was torn between her concern for her boyfriend and for the rest of the pack as well.

At least Chandrika seemed to be gone, despite whatever consequences that had over Stiles' body.

Finding that she had no strength to stand up and check on Stiles, Catori looked over to Scott and the rest. Vanessa seemed even angrier, to the point of madness. Her brilliant and elaborate plan had failed after all.

On the other hand, the group's plan had succeeded. To a certain extent, since it wasn't done executing.

The only standing were Norman and Vanessa, who were suddenly outnumbered by Scott's pack. The man stepped back, but she refused to accept defeat.

Parrish, however, joined his friends. He jumped on Vanessa and wrapped his arms around her, still completely covered in the supernatural fire of a Hellhound.

Her screech was almost as disturbing as Chandrika's. And it held almost more anger and desperation.

Norman ripped Parrish off her and tried to smother out to flames while she screamed out. He took off her fur jacket, even if Vanessa refused to let him do it.

Everyone watched in horror and expectation. The success of their plan depended on how that turned out.

"Don't, you idiot!" Vanessa roared, wriggling around even if the fire burned her despite the fact that her selkie skin seemed to repel it.

"You'll burn to death!" Norman argued, fighting to get it off her.

"I won't, don't touch the jacket!" As they expected, the jacket was her fur.

Catori's plan B was to destroy Vanessa's fur, since it was the source of her powers due to being a selkie, in the hopes that it would finish with her too.

And it had worked, as Vanessa was no more.

Once the commotion was over and everything seemed to have calmed down, Scott went to help Catori up, since she was too weak to do so on her own. The rest were checking on their friends, making sure they weren't badly hurt. Despite the fact that they were sore and bruised because of the fight.

"You okay?" Scott asked in anguish, meaning to check on Stiles as soon as she replied.

However, she didn't even gave him a chance. Stumbling and swaying, her vision blurry and her legs weak, Catori ran to Stiles.

She fell to the ground before kneeling down, but she was right next to him and didn't even mind.

"Stiles?" Despite feeling everyone's eyes on them, the girl kept her gaze glued to him. "Come on, you nerd, open your eyes"

She shook him, holding him by the shirt, and did her absolute best not to start crying when he didn't respond.

Feeling helpless and lost, Catori looked over her shoulder to her friends. First to Scott, then to Lydia, then to everyone else.

"Scotty..." The girl sobbed, begging him to do something. Anything.

He kneeled next to her with teary eyes and stared at Stiles.

"Stiles?" Scott tried himself, even if Catori had never seen him so terrified.

Already letting one tear escape, the girl began sobbing without control and held Stiles' hand, clinging to him. He felt warm, but so still and calm...

Scott and Catori could hear Lydia crying behind them, broken by the grief. One of them sighed, another one sobbed, someone angrily hit a tree.

Catori didn't know what to do, she didn't even have the strength to be there, to exist. Not thinking that Stiles was gone.

She just hid her face on Scott's shoulder, seeking any kind of comfort she could get. It seemed the only thing left for them at the moment: each other.

Catori just cried, disconsolate. It was the only thing she felt able to do, just bawl her eyes out. What else was there to do?

Furious with the world, the girl squeezed Stiles' hand as hard as she could as though it could bring him back, wake him up.

And then, a ray of hope. Stiles groaned and stirred around just enough for them to notice.

Feebly, the boy let his other hand fall over her to remind her that she was still squeezing. He opened his eyes and looked at his friend.

Everyone circled around him, observing him and making various noises of relief like chuckles, sighs or sobs.

"Cat, my hand..." Stiles whispered weakly, letting his eyes fall over Scott and then her.

"Stiles..." Catori whispered with relief, curving up the corners of her mouth even if her lips were trembling.

Almost as though he heard the barely audible sound, the boy looked at her. His eyes shone as they locked with hers.

When he smiled at her, something stirred within her and suddenly that same smile was plastered on her own lips. Very slowly, the boy stood up.

Without a word, she ran to him. Throwing herself to him, she tightly wrapped her arms around Stiles. Catori made him totter, but he was still grinning and hugged her fondly too.

They hugged each other like they hadn't seen in a long time. Like they thought they would never see each other again. Like they needed each other's support.

He broke the hug and observed her carefully. It was like the Nogitsune nightmare had happened all over again, because he felt guilty and awful about hurting his friends.

Stiles lovingly brushed her long bangs away from her eyes, revealing a wound in her forehead when he did. Gingerly, he rubbed his thumb against it, making her wince.

Knowing what was going through his mind and trying to make him forget, she urgently hugged him again. She shakily sighed on his shoulder, feeling how she was trembling from head to toe herself.

"Cat..." The boy uttered in surprise. "Cat, you okay?"

The girl took her time to answer. She just rejoiced in the amazing moment, in the feeling of safety that he provided her with. In the contact of his arms around her as he hugged her, in how they were so close that she could feel him breathing next to her body and hear his heartbeat since her head was resting on his shoulder.

Before she slightly separated herself from him, Catori squeezed him and nuzzled her nose on his shoulder for a brief moment. Then she looked at him without breaking the hug.

"No, I'm not okay" The girl finally answered, shaking her head. "I'm still terrified"

Stiles frowned at the answer, not liking to hear that. But part of himself wanted to show the biggest grin when he realized something. She had admitted it.

"You giant idiot, you" Catori was shaking from head to toe, but she shoved her forehead in his shoulder and held him tight. "You scared me so much, I hate you!"

"Is everyone okay?" Scott's eyes swept across the group in apprehension.

"Got a headache" Mason said, rubbing his sore nape. "But I'm alive..."

"Tori? Stiles?" The alpha asked them then.

"We will survive" The boy replied, affectionately patting Catori's back.

Just then, she broke down and cried on his chest.

"It's okay" Lydia tugged at her arm and tried to comfort her, but Catori held onto Stiles and would not let go of the embrace.

She would have never expected to love someone so much. It couldn't even be expressed by words.

It felt like she would never find the courage to break the hug. If it were for her, Catori would hug him forever. Just feeling his warmth again, his familiar and comforting aura. Feeling his fidgety fingers caressing her and hearing his soft and goofy voice trying to comfort her as he also tried to lighten up the mood.

Her Stiles was back.