The Hellhound's Mate

Chapter 101

"NO!" Chloe screamed as she broke free of where her father and grandfather held her back after she'd appeared next to them when the illusion broke, and she ran for her uncle. As she ran, Jordan swore he saw flames curl around her feet as she tackled Stiles just as the grenade went off and sent them flying backwards.

"Chloe!" Jordan screamed.

"NO!" Angie cried from where she'd sat up after being knocked down and unconscious by the Nogitsune.

But as the creature lay on the Nemeton as it started to get up, everyone turned to the ball of flames that had landed on the ground. And then the flames began to move.

Stiles lay unharmed on the floor as Chloe Stilinski-Parrish rose to her full height, her body aflame as she roared at the Nogitsune, and nothing and no one was going to hurt her uncle before her adrenaline crashed and her flames died out as Derek and Scott jumped back up grab the Nogitsune's arms, holding it back.

"Parrish!" Scott called as the hellhound ran over. He'd burned off his clothes, as normal, his pants still on as his body was covered in soot. He growled as he tried to hold the Nogitsune but he couldn't do it himself.

"Burn the fucker up!" Derek demanded.

"I can't! You'll get burned with him and I can't hold him myself," Jordan shouted back.

"Parrish," Derek said as the Nogitsune laughed as they struggled to hold him.

"What?"

"You and Angie take care of Eli. He'll need someone to be there for them," he said and both Scott and Jordan grew worried.

"What are you talking about?" Scott asked and he barely had time to process what was happening as Derek threw him off the stump.

"Do it now!" Derek said as he helped Jordan hold down the Nogitsune again. But before he could even try to burst into flames, a hand gripped Derek's shoulder.

"Like fuck you're dying in front of your son," Angie said before she shoved him off the stump, she and her husband held an arm each of the Nogitsune as Chloe stood with Stiles, so very stressed after hearing her mother's request. She had to be the spark. The spark that lit the fire that ended all of this.

"I-I can't do this," Chloe stuttered. "Uncle Stiles, I -"

"Hey, listen to me," Stiles said gently as he held her hand. "You're not just a Parrish, you're a Stilinski. And Stilinskis protect people. You can do this. What does your mom always say?"

"You have to-to feel it. Don't think, you have to feel it," she answered.

"Exactly and you just did it. Feel it. Don't think and you'll be fine."

"I-I can't. I- I-"

"Not to rush you, Chlo, but I don't know how much longer we can hold this," Angie shouted as Theo and Deucalion jumped up to throw a few punches to try and buy them some time.

"Chloe. Chlo," Eli said as he got up from his father's side and moved over to his best friend. "Calm down and listen to me," he said as he took both her hands in his, forcing her eyes back up to his. "It's like fourth grade. Remember when you wanted to be an actor, so your mom signed you up for the elementary school musical. But when you got up on that stage, you froze. And what happened after that?"

"You-you got up and did the whole scene with me," she answered, her bottom lip quivering as she focused solely on him.

"And it didn't feel like acting. It felt like every other game we used to play on the playground at recess. So just pretend like we're back on that stage. Back in the fourth grade."

"But what if I-"

It was a pretty bold move on Eli's part but it was the only thing he could think of. He had no idea if it would work but in all the stories he'd heard, it was the only thing that got her parents prepared for battles involving fire. The power-up kiss. Or in this case, a confidence kiss.

Her heart stopped dead in her chest at the feeling of Eli kissing her. And she forgot about her worries, her anxieties, everything other than the feeling of his lips on hers.

And when he pulled away, he got his answer as her eyes opened and they were fiery orange like lava as she let go of Eli and turned to the Nemeton.

"Get clear!" Eli called as Deucalion grabbed Theo's shirt and the two wolves jumped as Chloe shifted and finally summoned the power she knew burned inside her, waiting to be called on, letting it manifest as her hands caught fire. And she roared as she let the flames loose.

There was nothing, absolutely nothing everyone else could do but watch as Chloe set her parents on fire and the Nogitsune roared in agony and the flames got so bright that you couldn't see the bodies inside it.