The Hellhound's Mate

Chapter 100

"Do you remember Scott, Evangeline, the gift that you gave me?" the creature asked as it dropped to one knee. "The bite of the alpha, the power of the werewolf."

And as the Nogitsune began to tear at its bandages, Stiles spoke to Deaton. "I thought it couldn't be a fox and a wolf at the same time?"

"That's only in a host. It hasn't possessed anyone," Deaton reasoned as the frayed, browned bandages fell away to reveal the mutilated face of the Nogitsune, glowing green light shining from where its eyes should be.

"I think you lost the title of Demon Wolf, Duke," Angie remarked as they beheld the creature.

"So it would seem," he agreed as all the wolves let their eyes glow.

It was a beautiful combination of blue, red and yellow, with a little orange thrown in for Chloe as they all stood side by side and the alphas roared before the betas joined in.

But though they were loud that some of the humans had to cover their ears, the Nogitsune's roar shook the earth.

And then as they charged, they were trapped in another illusion.

Each wolf was by themselves, trapped in a room that was the colour of their eyes. Angie, Scott and Deucalion were trapped in a room of red, Chloe in orange. Peter, and Derek in rooms of blue and Eli and Theo in rooms of yellow.

"Derek, Angie," Scott called from his room and both of them seemed to understand what was happening.

"It's not real," Angie said.

"It's just another illusion," Derek finished.

"Dad?" called Eli's voice. "Chloe?"

"Eli? Mom?" came Chloe in response.

"Chloe?! Chloe, can you hear me?!" Angie called as her head whirled, scanning the empty room for threats and coming up empty.

"Eli?! Can you hear me?" Derek asked.

"Yeah. I can hear you," the two called in unison.

"It's so nice to be included in things," Peter said sarcastically.

"Agreed," came Deucalion's voice.

"Ditto," added Theo.

"All of you need to get a life," Angie sighed before they heard Eli grunt and Chloe groan. That was soon followed by Derek's grunt and roar. Then it was Angie's turn.

The Nogitsune struck at her back as she cried out before she turned and swiped at the air with her claws.

"It's picking us off one at a time," Peter shouted and Angie could smell blood.

"Harris had his chance," came the Nogitsune's voice, echoing through all the Japanese-styled rooms. "Now it's my turn, my revenge. I'm going to kill them all. Starting with the son of Derek Hale."

"You wanna kill someone, start with me!" Derek challenged, anything to get the attention off his son. And he got his wish as the creature struck at him and he healed just as quickly.

"Eli!" Chloe called and you didn't have to be a wolf to hear the pain in Eli's voice.

"I'm-I'm ok," he coughed.

Angie struck at the air again, trying to let her senses do the work for her, but they ended up being fooled as the Nogitsune swiped at her legs and she was winded as she landed on her back.

"We can't fight him alone," Angie said as she stood, her head a little dizzy as she realised how hard she'd hit it on the floor, blood staining the tiles.

"He's too strong," Theo said.

"We must break the illusion," Deucalion advised.

"Because catching him is going to be cake," Peter snapped back.

"You can't catch me," the Nogitsune taunted. "You can't kill me. You can't even find me."

"You're right," Angie said as Scott figured out the same thing she had. "We can't find you."

"But we can find each other," Scott finished and they had to admit that it was a genius idea - outfoxing the fox.

"A wolf howls to signal its location to the pack," Chloe said a smirk spreading across her lips.

"What about a werewolf?" asked Eli.

"A werewolf roars," Theo answered, glad the term finally applied to him properly.

And each of the eight wolves let out thundering roars as their locations finally became clear.

They took turns wailing on the demon and then being knocked down, black blood spilling from the creature's mouth as they tussled and finally the illusion shattered.

They were atop the Nemeton and when the illusion broke, there were only three of them fighting the Nogitsune, the others were either knocked to the ground or back with the group.

And when the Nogitsune managed to free itself from Derek, Theo and Eli's grips, the next person to jump up onto the tree stump, had no supernatural ability at all. And as Lydia, Jackson, Ethan and Isaac finally joined the group, Lydia had to cover her mouth with both hands as she tried to keep the scream that was building inside her throat from coming out.

It was exactly like her dream.

Stiles stood atop the Nemeton, the place that really started it all, the Nogitsune's hand around his throat.

"I'm not afraid of you," Stiles said even though his whole body trembled and the trickster chuckled darkly.

"You lie. You are scared. And now you will die."

"But you'll still lose," Stiles said and the Nogitsune tightened his grip and it became harder for Stiles to breathe. "You play tricks, you play your game," he gasped, "But you always play alone. But me? I have a whole family. I have a pack. And I won't let you hurt them," he said as he raised his arm in the air, his last grenade in his fist, the pin gone and Stiles' grip on the lever the only thing keeping it from blowing up.

"That little toy will not kill me," the Nogitsune growled.

"It's silver dust and mountain ash - it'll weaken you at the very least. It will give them time to finally kill you."

Its grip grew tighter.

"I. Call. Your. Bluff," the fox spirit spat.

"No bluff," Stiles said as a single tear slid down his cheek. "Just the cold hard truth."

And he let the grenade fall as it began ticking.