Rift
AN: Hey everyone. I'm back! Sorry for the lack of postings recently. I had some issues with my computer and wasn't able to post anything for a little while. I had recently backed up some files so was fortunate that I didn't have to start from scratch. Here is the next chapter. I should be posting the next two chapters over the next two weeks while I work on redoing the epilogue. As soon as that is finished I will upload that and then start working on the next story.
As always, let me know what you think of this chapter and the story thus far. I'm excited to be back finishing up the story!
Fiona rose from the table when Steve walked through the door. "Where are the others?"
"Jay went to talk to Leonard," Steve sighed. "Things didn't really go as planned tonight."
"Have it in you to try one more plan?"
"Fiona, I don't think—" Steve started.
"I just need you to see something," she begged.
Steve let out a breath before shrugging. "What do you have in mind?"
Fiona nodded toward the stairs and led Steve up them. "Lydia brought me along to talk to Stilinski about Claudia, but while she was there—in Stiles's old room—she noticed something. She said it was like the room was coming back to her from her memory. I didn't understand why I couldn't see anything that she could, but then I remembered I never had any memories about Stiles's room."
"Okay?" Steve sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as they stopped outside of August's empty room.
"I didn't have any memories of Stiles's room, but I do have some about August's," the banshee explained before pushing the door open. "So, I came back here and started to see—it was like I could piece the room together," she explained, walking into the room and toward the back wall. She stopped a few feet away before reaching down and grasping the air with her hand. "Open your hand," she told him.
"Fiona, I really don't feel like this is a good use of our time right now," the alpha muttered, looking at the empty room. The banshee ignored him, continuing toward him with her outstretched hand still clutching the air.
"Just try," she begged, lifting the alpha's hand to meet hers. Steve gasped just before her hand made contact with his and a heavy weight press against his hand. He looked down at the pistol that was now resting in his hand.
"How?" he gasped as he started to examine the gun. He paused when he spotted the Caesar crest imprinted near the base of the gun. He removed the clip and ejected the bullets into the palm of his hand. A bullet fell out of his hand and bounced on the floor. His ears twitched when he didn't hear the echo of an empty room. Steve looked up to the banshee in shock as a grin started to appear on her face. "Can you go help Jay talk to Leonard?"
"About what?" Fiona asked, her smiling fading from her face.
"Kaia was taken. I was going to bring you with me to talk with him, but—" he paused, looking around the room. "I need a minute here."
Fiona nodded before heading out of the room. She glanced back at the alpha as she made her way down the stairs. Steve nodded at her before she disappeared beneath the floor. Once he heard the front door shut, he pushed the door behind him closed and turned back to face the empty room. He plucked one of the bullets from his hand and lobbed it to the other side of the room. The bullet landed silently on a bed that had suddenly appeared in front of him.
He took another bullet and tossed it at the wall. The bullet bounced off a dresser before it hit the wall. Steve walked toward the dresser and ran his hand along the top before it stopped on a pile of neatly folded clothes. He flipped through the laid-out outfit of a white shirt, black pants, and black socks. He smiled softly before tossing a bullet at another wall. A bow and quiver appeared, hanging on a rack.
He heard a soft tap as he tossed another bullet, revealing the corkboard August had started to use after seeing Stiles's investigation board. Another bullet bounced down a newly revealed desk. Each tap bringing something new to the room. A pen holder, laptop, spare clip, and a hunting knife before falling to the floor. Steve reached out and grabbed a chair that appeared with his touch as he let the rest of the bullets clatter to the floor. He started to search through the drawers, finding small notes on The Beast, phoenixes, gorgons, and various poisons effective against different types of supernatural creatures.
Steve shook his head before pulling out the keyboard tray. He froze when he noticed a piece of paper taped onto the tray. He gently peeled the tape off the desk before grabbing the paper and moving to the bed. The alpha smiled as he looked through the symbols. He noticed the symbol for Deucalion's pack and the Hale's before he started to trace the infinity knot. He slid his finger down to the lightning bolt, he set the paper down and rolled up his sleeve to see the matching symbol on his arm. "We don't run," the alpha whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.
Steve turned in the bed to look at the rest of the room, clutching the pillow as he slowly faded into sleep. He was woken the next morning by a text from Scott to meet at the sheriff's station.
"You're going to bite Stiles?" Lydia asked after Scott finished explaining his plan to the remainder of the two packs and Peter.
"And I'll bite August," Steve added.
"To get them through the rift," Scott explained solemnly. "It's the only way."
"Just to clarify, are you planning to bite everyone in the train station?" Peter asked, pushing himself off the wall.
"If we have to," Steve sighed.
"Steve—" Jay whispered before Scott cut him off.
"No, with Stiles and August back, we'll be able to figure out a plan."
"They're good at that," Malia stated.
"So, the plan is to get those two to come up with a plan?"
"You can shut up now," Malia snapped.
"Malia, look around. We're the only ones left in Beacon Hills. If they take us, Lydia and Fiona will be the only ones left to haunt the place," Peter said.
"That's why we're the only ones going in," Scott explained. "Liam, Jay, and Hayden stay here with Mason. As long as someone is left in Beacon Hills, the Wild Hunt can't move on."
"I like your plan, Scott, I really do. Especially the part about turning Stiles. But it can't work."
"How do you know?" Malia asked.
"Logic. Life experience. What are the odds that they'll be taken?" Peter asked pointing to Liam and Jay.
"Them catching me? Slim to none," Jay told him.
"What if Stiles isn't there?" Peter continued. "What if there's no Beacon Hills for you to come back to?"
"You got a better idea?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, it's called run like hell," Peter told them. "So, leave in five?" he added, looking to Malia.
"You promised you'd help us," Malia reminded him. "We still need to find the rift."
"I didn't promise I'd help you commit suicide."
"Then leave," Steve stated. "We don't run, so you're just wasting our time."
"Steve's right. We'll just find it ourselves," Scott added.
"Scott, I admit you have a flair for beating the odds, but this? You don't walk away from," Peter said, backing toward the door. "You run," he finished before storming through the door.
Fiona grabbed Steve's shoulder and pulled him toward the hallway. "You're sure you're ready to bite everyone you have to? Remember what you said after—"
"Thane died," the alpha finished. "I know. They're already involved in the supernatural world. And if this is the only way to save them—They're worse than dead if we don't do this."
"But Leonard is still getting information to come up with another plan."
"But Peter's right, we're all that's left. We don't have enough time to come up with another plan. We don't have another choice."
Leonard followed behind Melissa as Chris slowly opened the door to the Dread Doctor's secondary base of operations. The hunter aimed his gun around the room before letting the others pass through. "His tracks outside led north from here," Chris explained as Melissa and Leonard moved to the Ghost Rider lying on the ground.
Chris joined them in the cage before kicking the body gently and nodding. Leonard knelt down and stuck his fingers into the Rider's wound. "Steve was right, his pineal gland is missing.," the werelion said as he removed his fingers.
"Why take out a Ghost Rider's pineal gland?" Melissa asked.
"So I could use this," Mr. Douglas stated from behind Leonard and Chris. The two sprang to their feet, Chris turning to aim his gun at Mr. Douglas, but Chris grunted as the gun snatched away by Douglas's whip. The three of them slowly stepped back as Douglas strolled into the cage.
"What do you want?" Chris asked, shielding Melissa.
"Not our pineal gland, I hope," Melissa commented. "We're still using them."
"I want you to help me find a hellhound," Mr. Douglas stated calmly.
"You were tracking him, you lost his scent," Chris said.
"Wouldn't have happened if you were a real werelion," Leonard commented as the scent of wolf caught his nose.
Douglas smirked, "Actually that makes me all the better. See, I found the hounds scent on you," Douglas said, turning to Chris. "Which tells me—"
"Nothing. I can't help you," Chris spat.
"It's too bad," Douglas smirked, looking down to the Ghost Rider. "Then I have no use for you."
Chris moved for his dropped gun, but Mr. Douglas lunged forward, grabbing Chris's throat with one hand and pinning him to the fence. Melissa screamed as Leonard charged at the teacher before being kicked to the other side of the cage.
"Damn not having the link," Leonard grunted as he tried to stand.
"Isn't that a shame," Mr. Douglas chuckled, turning his attention back to Chris.
Leonard felt a hand on his chest and felt the links grind against his back as he was lifted into the air. "I can't believe Steve let someone as weak as you into his pack," Blake spat, pulling Leonard's phone from his pocket and smashing it in his hand.
Leonard tried to speak, but Blake pressed the werelion's chest into the fence, restricting his air flow. The werelion heard Chris gasping for air from behind Blake. "Okay, we'll do it. Just let them go," Melissa whispered. Blake pushed harder and Leonard gasped as he felt his ribs crack. "Let 'em go!" Melissa shouted as Chris grunted in pain.
Blake released Leonard and the werelion fell to the ground. "Didn't peg you for one to work for a lowenmensch," Leonard gasped, staring up at Blake.
"I'm not working for anyone," Blake told him as he moved toward the door. Leonard looked up and saw Melissa hugging Chris.
"Thank you for volunteering, Herr Argent," Mr. Douglas stated before following Blake out of the cage. The werelion shook his head when the two looked back to him.
"When you were here before, how long until the Ghost Riders showed up?" Scott asked as he, Malia, Lydia, Steve, and Fiona made their way into the woods.
"A couple of minutes," Malia stated.
"That's reassuring," Lydia mumbled.
"At least it's sunny out," Steve said, point up to the clear blue skies.
"For now," Fiona muttered.
"What's a rift supposed to look like?" Malia asked.
"It's a tear in the fabric of our world," Lydia replied. "Theoretically it could look like anything from a microscopic black hole to a free-floating Einstein-Rosen bridge."
"The hell is that?" Steve asked.
"A wormhole," Lydia said as they stopped above the Peter-shaped indent that was still lingering on the ground. The group scanned the surrounding, finding nothing.
"Like in space?" Steve asked, pointing up to the sky.
"I really hope not," Lydia sighed, following his gaze.
"Let's split up," Scott said. Fiona glanced to Steve before shaking her head. Steve nodded for the banshee to follow Lydia as they started to fan out. "Hey, look at this," Scott announced after the group had taken a few steps away from each other.
Steve turned back to the other alpha and spotted an opening to a large metal pipe that led into the ground. The group moved over and noticed that the gate had been broken open as if something exploded from the inside. Scott knelt down and lifted a blackened, petrified leaf before turning back to the others. "The rift's not above us," Lydia told them.
"It's below," Scott muttered staring at the tunnel.
"Then let's get down there," Steve said, climbing through the opening.
"So, we should stay here? Is that what you're thinking?" Hayden asked after peaking out of the windows of the sheriff's station.
"While being out in the open would be best for running, the Ghost Riders still seem to have issues teleporting directly inside of buildings," Jay sighed.
"It doesn't really matter where we are. We still need to figure out how to fight them," Liam stated.
"Or at least slow them down," Jay added.
"No one can fight them," Hayden stated.
"Douglas can," Theo stated from behind the bars of a jail cell on the other side of the room.
"Does he need to stay in there?" Mason asked.
"He's still Theo," Hayden replied.
"Theo saved Scott, remember?" Theo asked.
"He can still hear you," Mason reminded Hayden.
"Well, wouldn't be the first time that he acted like a hero before betraying everyone," Jay commented, staring at the chimera.
"If only he could shut up so we could figure out how to stop the Ghost Riders," Hayden added, also looking at Theo.
"You don't need to figure it out," Theo told them.
"'Cause Douglas already did," Liam finished.
"If he knew how to fight them, then he might know everything about them," Hayden realized.
"And guess who knows all about Mr. Douglas?"
"You can't be the only one," Jay said.
"The only one left," Theo reminded him.
Steve jumped off the ladder and landed in the dark tunnel, his eyes glowing red as he searched the empty tunnel. He turned back as Scott landed behind him. The alpha pulled out their cell phones and turned on their flashlights as the two banshees made their way down the ladder. They added their beams to the search as Malia jumped down behind them.
"I can't see a thing," Lydia sighed.
"I'm not finding it either," Steve muttered.
"It's gotta be down her somewhere," Scott stated before heading further into the tunnels.
The others followed until they came to fork. Steve followed Malia while the others followed Scott. The group stopped when they heard Malia grunt as she hit a barrier and was thrown back. "Found it," she announced once she hit the floor.
Steve gently pushed his hand forward, causing the rift to appear. Transparent, green, smoke-like tendrils squirmed in a circle around Steve's hand, with the location beneath his palm remaining completely clear. "It's remarkably similar," Lydia muttered as she stepped closer to the rift.
"To what?" Fiona asked as the others joined them.
"To the Einstein-Rosen bridge."
"A worm hole does make more sense," Steve muttered, pressing harder before he felt a warmth fill his hand. "But how do we open a supernatural wormhole?"
"Alright, then tell us," Jay said, walking toward the cell.
"I will," Theo said before nodding to Liam. "If you break the sword."
"That's never going to happen," Mason replied, joining Jay at the cell door. "We're not making that deal."
"I hold all the cards," Theo shrugged.
"You're locked in a jail cell," Mason reminded him.
"And we have a sword that can send you to hell. You have no cards," Jay added.
"You want me to tell you about Douglas. Break the sword."
"You have one card," Jay corrected himself.
"Does anyone else want to do the negotiating?" Mason asked.
"Break the sword," Theo repeated.
"I'll break the sword. I'll break it right in—"
"Hayden," Liam stated, holding back the other beta.
"You break, I talk," Theo assured Liam. The four of them stared at the chimera, not responding. "Come on, guys. Look, I don't want in anyone's pack. I don't want anyone's power. I just wanna stay alive."
"How do we know that if we let you out you won't run?" Hayden asked.
"'Cause I'd be able to catch him," Jay replied, glaring at the chimera.
"We're not going to let him out," Liam corrected, his eyes still locked with Theo's. "He's going to tell us from in here."
Theo sighed before looking down to the sword in Liam's hand. "I'm still going to need some incentive."
Liam bit his cheek before turning around and drawing Kira's katana. The beta examined the blade before turning back to Theo and pointing the blade toward the ground. He stared back at Theo before twisting the handle. The pieces of the katana clanged on the floor as the blade shattered.
"Talk," Jay growled, glaring at Theo.
"He's a lowenmensch," Theo stated.
"What the hell is a lowenmensch?" Hayden asked.
"It's part-wolf, part-lion," Mason explained.
"He was a part of the Ahnenerbe. Himmler's personal project to use the occult to win the war," Theo continued. "Hauptmann, Mr. Douglas's real name, convinced the Ahnenerbe to go after the Wild Hunt. He said the Ghost Riders would be an unstoppable force that would secure their victory—"
"And the Nazis decided to search for the Ghost Riders based on his word?" Jay interrupted.
Theo smirked. "There were some dissenting opinions, but Douglas silenced them, quickly." Jay narrowed his eyes at the chimera before Theo continued. "Once he got the others to agree with him, he led an expedition to the Ruhr Valley, the last place the Ghost Riders were said to be. He used a Geiger counter to track down the location of the rift, planning to enter the storm and control the Riders. Once he found it, he realized getting through wouldn't be as easy as he had originally planned. He had one of the grenadiers step through the rift as a test, but the man burst into flames as soon as he stepped through. As soon as his charred corpse hit the ground, the Ghost Riders arrived. The Nazi's tried to fight, but their bullets had no effect. The Riders started to take them all, one by one as they tried to flee. Douglas shifted, ready to fight, but noticed that the Riders were unfazed, even with his alpha status. Douglas turned to follow after what was left of his men before being struck from behind with their whip, leaving behind a necrotic wound."
"Douglas didn't beat a Ghost Rider, he ran," Liam stated.
"We broke the sword for nothing," Hayden muttered.
"Wait, if that was back in 1943, where has he been all this time?" Mason asked.
"Douglas kept looking. He found a scientist that he thought could help him. Three of them. The Ghost Rider's whip didn't go deep enough to take him, but it left a gash on his back. He was thrown into the tank and the wound infected the water. It mixed with the fluid from the vat and actually made him stronger. Soaking in it, absorbing the power for seventy years."
"So, he came out with the power of an alpha, a lowenmensche, and a Ghost Rider," Liam muttered as he paced outside the cell.
"A side effect no one could expect," Theo replied.
"We really need the pack link right now," Jay sighed. "Steve would easily be on par with him then."
"Steve wasn't able to even slow the Ghost Riders down at the lacrosse game," Hayden reminded the werecheetah.
"But he didn't have all of his memories or abilities until we had lost most of our pack."
"Doesn't really help us now," Mason sighed.
"If the Nazi's lost the war, then why is Douglas still obsessed with the Ghost Riders?" Liam asked. "What does he want an army for?"
"He doesn't want it for them," Mason realized. "The Nazis were just a means to an end. He wants it for himself. His own personal, supernatural army."
"We need to warn Scott," Liam said.
"And we need to recreate the link," Jay added.
Leonard stood between Chris and Blake as the group entered Chris's bunker. Melissa remained behind them as Douglas stepped toward the cooling tank containing Parrish. "Der Hund," Douglas muttered, staring at the deputy inside.
Chris looked over to the werelion before turning back to Melissa and nodding to a gun in the corner. Melissa nodded and moved to examine the table on the other side of the room. Leonard started to follow her, moving to the other side of Blake before turning back to the alpha. "You're a monster."
"Thanks," Blake chuckled, not turning to the werelion.
"I think you misunderstand," Leonard stated. The alpha smirked at the comment. "You're not a monster due to your strength and power, which you don't really have." The smile faded from Blake's face as he turned to face the werelion. "You're just sick in the head. And a coward who has others do his dirty work."
Blake snarled at Leonard as Chris slowly reached for a shotgun. Douglas started to turn off the cooling chamber as Chris raised the gun, but Douglas froze halfway through his process. "You know what the best part about being a werewolf is?" Douglas asked. Blake stopped snarling as he returned his attention to Douglas. "Supernatural hearing," he growled before turning around.
Blake turned as Chris cocked the gun and fired at Douglas. Leonard lunged forward, grabbing and twisting Blake's arm until he felt the bones break as Chris fired at Douglas again. Leonard turned back, still twisting on Blake's arm and watched as Douglas fell back into a table. "You hear that?" Chris shouted before reloading.
Leonard's eyes widened as he watched Douglas, blood no longer leaking out of his wounds, growl and push himself off the table. The lowenmensch leapt leaping over another table to get to Chris, causing Leonard to lose his focus. Blake spun around, knocking Leonard into the wall. The alpha snarled, snapping his bones back into place as Melissa ran behind Douglas to the cooling chamber. Blake grabbed the werelion from the ground before tossing him across the room and into the table Douglas had fallen onto a moment ago.
"Parrish! Parrish, wake up! Parrish!" Mellissa shouted as Chris kicked Douglas to the ground and Blake stalked toward her.
Leonard, with blood dripping from a cut on his head, ran to stop Blake, but the alpha grabbed him by the throat and pinned him to one of the gun lockers. "I'm sorry," Chris muttered, looking to both Melissa and Leonard.
"No," Melissa sighed, looking back to the hunter as Douglas returned to his feet.
Leonard wheezed as Douglas struck Chris with his whip, causing the hunter to vanish in a cloud of green smoke. "I'm going to enjoy killing you," Blake growled. Leonard choked out a gasp in response while Douglas moved behind Melissa as she begged for Parrish to wake up.
"That was very brave, but pointless," the lowenmensch told her as he drew back his whip.
"Just crack the whip," Melissa whispered.
"No," Leonard wheezed as Douglas struck her, causing her to disappear as well. Leonard felt his windpipe fully seal as Blake tightened his grip.
"Wait," Douglas muttered, holding a hand up to Blake as he moved toward the cooling chamber. "Let him watch. Then I'll give him a fate worse than death." Blake glared at Leonard as the werelion's face turned beet red before dropping the werelion to the ground. Leonard clutched his throat as he coughed, trying to get a breath through his crushed trachea.
"Stiegen hollenhund," Douglas shouted. Leonard got to his knees, finally able to take a breath, and saw Douglas's eyes turn a ghostly green as he stared at Parrish. "Stiegen!" Douglas commanded, cracking the whip on the ground. Leonard saw Parrish's eyes open, matching the same ghostly green of Douglas's.
Douglas turned to Leonard with a wide smile as the werelion felt tears well in his bloodshot eyes. Blake kicked Leonard back to the ground. Leonard felt the whip hit him as hit the ground.
"We've gotta hurry," Mason said, grabbing his keys form one of the desks.
"We need to find Scott first," Liam stated, looking to Jay. The werecheetah started to nod but froze when they heard a Ghost Rider's screech from outside.
As Jay turned his head the door burst open and a whip flew toward Mason, wrapping around the boy's neck as lightning flashed outside. "No!" Liam yelled as Mason was being pulled back toward the Ghost Rider, his hands desperately trying to keep the whip from tightening.
"Run!" Mason shouted as the Ghost Rider pulled back, causing the boy to vanish in a cloud of green smoke.
Liam roared as he shifted and charged the Ghost Rider. Jay and Hayden stood frozen as Liam kicked the Rider into a wall before pummeling its torso.
Jay shifted as Liam tossed the Rider against the table behind him. The Rider grabbed the beta's first and slammed him into a wall. Jay ran forward as Liam was thrown through the glass and into the sheriff's office. "Liam!" Hayden cried out as Jay's claws slashed at the Rider's face. The Rider grabbed Jay's wrist before flinging him threw the window after Liam. Jay and Liam grunted as they returned to their feet as the Rider stepped toward Hayden.
Liam grabbed the door frame and kicked the Rider over one of the deputies' desks as it passed while Jay leapt through the broken window and rushed toward the stunned Rider. The werecheetah's claws dug into the Riders arm with no affect before Jay was tossed back toward Hayden. Liam jumped over the desk as Jay flew past and tried to punch the Rider again, but his fist was caught mid-strike. The Rider kicked Liam back over the desk, before rising and following after the beta. It slammed Liam against the desk and drew his revolver.
Hayden charged forward, grabbing the Rider's wrist before it could aim the gun. Jay pushed himself to feet as the Rider tried to throw Hayden. Hayden held onto the Rider's arm, flipping with his throw, before stepping into the Rider and throwing him over her shoulder The Rider rolled with her throw, returning to his feet as Harden snarled at him.
Jay ran past Liam as he and Hayden moved to subdue the Rider. The Rider stumbled before throwing both of them into the rising Liam. "We have to get to Scott," Hayden panted as the three of them started to push themselves off the ground.
Jay and Liam nodded and started running toward the back door. Jay heard the whip snap behind him as it connected with skin and turned back to see Hayden pulled back with the whip wrapped around her wrist. Liam ran back and grabbed her as the Ghost Rider attempted to pull her closer. Their feet started to slide as the Ghost Rider pulled against them before Jay joined them. The Rider screeched, trying to pull against the three of them and a bolt of lightning shot through the window, leaving behind another Ghost Rider.
He immediately sent his whip toward Liam, but Hayden blocked it with her free hand. The whip wrapped around her other wrist, and she was now being pulled in two directions. Liam quickly grabbed the second whip and began to pull against the Rider while Jay continued to fight against the first one.
The werecheetah felt his feet slide across the floor as the Riders pulled the three closer. Jay looked back to Hayden as her panicked expression calmed and turned into a frown. "You have to find Scott," she muttered before turning to Liam. "Liam, you have to find Scott."
"I'm not leaving you," Liam grunted. Jay turned back, looking between the two Riders before turning back to Hayden and shaking his head. The two redoubled their efforts, but to not avail.
"You have to. You can save me on the other side," she told them.
"She's right," Jay sighed.
Liam turned to Hayden and the two locked eyes. "I believe in you," she whispered.
"I love you," Liam replied.
"Then go," she said.
Liam turned back to the Riders, giving a final pull before turning to Jay. The werecheetah nodded his head and the two ducked under the whips and ran toward the back door. Liam stopped at the hallway, turning back as Hayden continued to struggle against the two Riders before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. "Liam, we have to go," Jay muttered, pulling Liam toward the door. Liam nodded, looking where Hayden was for another second before the two sprinted out of the station.
"It's almost like a door is closed," Steve muttered after gently pushing against the portal again.
"You're not trying hard enough," Malia grunted as she snapped a pipe off the wall. "I know how to get a door open." The werecoyote began to push the pipe against the barrier, putting all of her weight into it. Sparks started to fly off the pipe and the tip started to glow red hot. The metal started to liquify and drip onto the ground as Malia continued to push. After a few minutes she yielded, holding up the melted end of the pipe.
"There's gotta be another way," Lydia muttered as she stepped up to examine the portal. "We just need to think."
"Think?" Malia asked.
"Yeah, think about how to get through a supernatural rift. That melts steel," Scott muttered.
"I didn't say it would be easy," Lydia told them.
"But it doesn't have to be so hard," they heard Douglas say behind them.
They turned back and spotted the teacher walking toward them, his hands clasped behind his back. He smirked, bring his hands to his side, revealing the coiled whip. "You followed our scent," Scott accused as he, Steve, and Malia moved between Douglas and the two banshees.
"I followed your desperation," Douglas corrected. "We're all in a tough spot. Desperate to get inside and save everyone, and hoping to find a way to stop this army of the dead. We all want the same thing.
"He has a point," Lydia stated, moving up to join the others along with Fiona.
"If he doesn't kill anyone," Malia told her.
"Else," Scott corrected. "If he doesn't kill anyone else."
"We've all made mistakes," Douglas replied, smirking at Steve.
"I never killed to gain power," Steve replied. "Only to save others."
"Well, I only did it to get through the rift and save everyone."
"Well, you're out of luck," Malia told him, holding up the melted pipe.
"The rift burns everything that tries to pass through it," Lydia added.
"Even alpha werewolves," Fiona told him.
Douglas smirked at the banshee. "Perhaps not everything." Parrish stepped out from around the corner, walking toward them before stopping at Douglas's side and roaring at the group, his eyes glowing a ghostly green.
"Jordan," Lydia said, her voice quivering.
"Jordan," Fiona echoed calmly. Steve turned to her, recognizing the force behind her voice.
"If the Hellhound can open the rift, we all go together," Douglas stated.
"You're the bad guy, I'm pretty sure helping you is a bad idea," Malia stated.
"We can deal with that after we get the others back though," Steve barely whispered to her.
"Besides," Douglas said, causing Steve to turn back to him, surprised. "When has anything ever been so black and white?"
"World War II," Liam panted as he and Jay caught up to the group.
"He's a Nazi," Jay added, looking to Steve.
"He wants the Hunt for himself," Liam explained.
"And he's stronger than he looks," Jay stated. "We need the link."
"We're not letting you through that rift," Scott stated as Douglas let the whip uncoil.
"You're not going to stop us," Blake stated as he stepped around the same corner Parrish came from. Steve's red eyes started to glow as he roared at his former alpha, causing Blake to smirk. "Hi, Steve."
Steve took a step forward as Douglas pulled back the whip. Fiona grabbed him and pushed him back as she said his name, causing his red eyes to fade. The whip passed just behind the banshee as the others jumped back. Scott shifted and roared at them before the whip came back toward them, causing him to jump out of the way.
"Still need help I see," Blake mocked, walking forward with Douglas and Parrish. Lydia and Liam ran down the other tunnel, out of reach from Douglas's whip. Fiona unleashed a scream at Douglas but Parrish stepped in front of him, absorbing the blast. Fiona looked back to Steve wide-eyed . Steve glared at Blake as the whip cracked in front of them again.
Malia and Fiona ran back to the others. Scott and Steve both shifted and roared at the three again.
"We'll fight another day," Fiona called back to Steve. As Douglas flung the whip toward them in rapid succession. Scott nodded and ran to the others. Steve hesitated, keeping his eyes on Blake before the whip passed right in front of him and cracked on the wall. The alpha grit his teeth before ducking behind the wall with the others.
"Hollenhund," Douglas called as the three of them made their way toward the rift. The group watched as Parrish reached into the rift before starting to pull it open.
"Parrish, stop!" Scott shouted.
Blake turned toward them, shifting and roaring as Parrish finished opening the rift. "Wunderbar," Douglas muttered, looking at the now opened rift as Parrish moved to join Blake. The pair roared at the group and prepared to step forward. "Hollenhund, werwolf, kommen," Douglas ordered before stepping through the rift.
Parrish roared at the group again before following Douglas. Blake snarled, looking back to Douglas before returning to normal and following after, a snarl still on his face. "Now," Malia said and they ran to follow after them, but slid to a stop as the rift started to close.
The rift sealed completely as they watched Parrish and Blake fade from view. "No," Lydia whimpered as two Ghost Riders stepped out, dispersing the rift.
The group slowly backed away as the Riders approached. "Liam, take Lydia and Fiona to the bunker," Scott ordered.
"I'm not going anywhere," Fiona stated defiantly as the other two ran off.
"Protect them so that Scott and I can save Stiles and August. And I can kill Blake," Steve told her, his eyes flashing red. Fiona nodded slightly before running after the others. "Malia, you should go to," Steve added.
"Not happening," Malia replied before the three of the shifted and roared at the Riders. One of the Riders snapped his whip at Scott. The rope wrapped around Scott's neck and the Rider pulled him forward causing Scott to gasp for air. Steve and Malia reached Scott, pulling the Rider back before they could remove the rope from Scott's throat.
The three toppled backwards, landing in a pile. "Why didn't they take you?" Steve asked as they started to push themselves off the ground.
"I don't think they're trying to take us. I think they're trying to kill us," Scott replied as they returned to their feet. The three took off after Fiona and the others, but the other Rider wrapped his whip around Malia's waist, tossing her against the wall. The first Rider sent his whip back as Scott and Steve ran back to Malia. The true alpha grabbed the whip, pulling the Ghost Rider toward him before throwing him against the wall. Steve ran at the Rider who still had his whip around Malia's waist, but he was kicked back and knocked over as the Rider swung Malia into him.
Steve pushed himself off the ground, but Malia's foot kicked Steve's face as she was thrown back to the other wall. Scott ran to catch her and the two slammed into the wall as the whip release Malia. The Riders pulled out their revolvers, one aimed at Steve's head while the other pointed his toward Scott and Malia.
The Riders paused when they heard a roar come from behind them and turned as Peter ran at them. Grabbing the gun pointed at Steve and using his momentum to kick the other one into the wall.
"Why aren't you running?" Peter shouted as he threw the first Rider into the wall next to the other. He started to slash at both of them. The three jumped to their feet and sprinted toward the bunker. They stopped and looked back as one of the Rider's ducked under Peter's strike. The two Riders grabbed Peter's arms, pinning him against the wall as they both drew their revolvers. "Go!" Peter shouted before the Riders pulled the trigger. A cloud of smoke billowed up, before disappearing and leaving nothing behind. Malia froze until Scott grabbed her and the three continued to run to the bunker.
Fiona caught up to Liam and Lydia as they slid into a wall while rounding a corner. "That roar wasn't promising," Liam commented.
"Well, they rarely are, keep going," Lydia replied, pushing the beta forward. "Keep going," Lydia urged.
The three of them froze when they rounded the corner and found a Ghost Rider, pointing his gun at them. "Get behind me," Fiona said, pushing the two of them back.
"What's happening?" Liam asked as the Ghost Rider slowly lowered his gun.
"I don't know, but stay behind us," Lydia stated, moving up with Fiona. "Follow me," she added, stepping sideways. Lydia and Fiona shielded Liam from the Rider as they crept along the wall around it. The Rider's eyes followed them as they made their way down the tunnel, walking backward and keeping Liam behind them.
"It's afraid of you," Liam muttered once they made it to the end of the hall.
"It should be," Fiona replied raising her hand.
Lydia pushed the other banshee's arm back down, causing Fiona to turn to her. "We need to find the others," Lydia muttered, her eyes wide. Fiona nodded and the three started to run down the tunnels.
Scott sighed as he tried to dial his mom's number again. Steve tried to call Leonard again at the same time. "The number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number or try your call again. This is a recording," a woman's voice echoed over both phones. Steve grunted and chucked his phone into the couch.
"Calm down," Jay whispered, grabbing the alpha's shoulder.
"We left him alone," Steve muttered, turning toward him.
"He wasn't alone," Fiona reminded him, nodding toward Scott. The true alpha sat on the dining table, staring at his phone, expressionless. He tapped his finger and the phone and tried to call again.
"Scott," Malia whispered as the woman's voice repeated her message. The werecoyote walked toward him, gently placing her hand on Scott's shoulder for a moment before walking to the chair next to him. "Scott, your mom is gone. But she's still alive," Malia assured him before pulling the phone away. Fiona pulled Steve back into the dining room with the others.
"What do we do now?" Liam asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter.
"We can't hide from them," Malia said.
"And we can't fight them," Steve added, plopping into one of the chairs.
"What about Lydia and Fiona?" Liam asked, sitting at the table.. "The Ghost Rider was afraid of them."
"It wasn't fear," Lydia explained as she took a seat. "It was—almost like reverence."
"Doesn't matter," Scott stated. "The rift is gone. We're the only ones left in Beacon Hills."
"Scott's right," Steve shrugged. "There's nothing we can do."
The room fell silent. Lydia and Fiona shared a look before staring at their arms crossed in front of them. Jay turned to Malia, but her eyes stayed on Scott, a frown on her face. The werecheetah looked back to Liam who had joined the banshees in staring at the table. Steve shook his head slightly, but otherwise, he and Scott were staring blankly ahead.
The group jumped when they heard a knock on the back door. It opened and the sheriff stepped into the dining room with them. "I have a son," he stated. "His name is Michislav Stilinski. But we call him Stiles. I remember."
Steve and Scott broke their stares to turn to the sheriff. Scott's eyes filled with tears as the sheriff continued. "When he was little kid, he couldn't say his first name. Not sure why," he shrugged, grinning slightly. "It pretty much just rolls off the tongue. But—uh," he paused, becoming serious again. "the closest he could get was mischief. His mother called him that until—" he paused again, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I remember when Stiles first got his Jeep. It belonged to his mother. She wanted him to have it. The first time he took a spin behind the wheel, he went straight into a ditch. I gave him his first roll of duct tape that day. He was always getting in trouble, but he always had a good heart. Always. We're here tonight, because my goofball of a son decided to drag Scott, his greatest friend in the world, into the woods to see a dead body."
"How did you remember?" Scott asked, his eyes red and puffy.
The sheriff smacked his lips, before looking at Lydia. "It started with Stiles's jersey. Then I found the red string for his crime board. Finally, his whole room came back. And all the memories." Steve turned to Fiona as the sheriff spoke. The alpha smiled slightly, before looking to the table and wiping his eyes. "And then the strangest thing happened."
"What?" Lydia asked.
"I thought I saw him," the sheriff told her. Steve turned back to him, confused. "It's like, something opened right there in the middle of the room. Just for a moment. And then it was gone."
"A rift," Scott whispered.
The sheriff looked at him confused as the rest of the group perked up. "I thought there was only one rift," Malia muttered. "And we saw it disappear."
"And I didn't see August when I rediscovered his room," Steve stated, looking to Fiona.
"If you remembered Stiles, and a new rift was created—" Scott muttered, pointing to the sheriff as he leaned on the table.
"Then maybe Stiles is the key to opening the rift," Fiona said, shrugging.
"And if the sheriff can do it—" Malia started.
"Maybe we can," Lydia finished.
"But that rift closed—" Liam said.
"Then we'll open it again," Scott interrupted him.
"How?" Jay asked.
"By remembering Stiles," Scott told them. "We have to remember everything."