Torment (Teen Wolf__Missing Family Book Two)

Chapter 24__The Divine Move

Isaac wanted to he there for Argent.

He'd told me to help Scott and the others.

Walking into the clinic with Deaton, Scott and Lydia, Scott told us, "Stiles and Kira said that it was the Nemeton that kept it trapped."

"The problem is that this isn't even a person you're fighting," Deaton told us. "It just looks like one. It's a spirit that's taken shape of a human."

"The shape of my best friend," Scott said.

"Someone caught it once," I said. "Someone can do it again, right?"

"I don't know," Deaton said. "This thing was trapped a long time ago, before the Nemeton was cut down. It's doesn't have the same power anymore."

"Is there anything that does?" Scott asked.

"Possibly. When the tree was whole, its wood was sometimes used to contain powerful objects. But those objects are very rare."

"Wait a second," Lydia said. "Powerful objects? Like an Alpha's claws?"

"Which Alpha?" Deaton asked.

"Talia Hale. Peter had them in this wooden box with a triskele carved on the lid. What if it was made from the Nemeton?"

"It was," Deaton said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because I made it."

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Scott hung up his phone. "Derek's got the triskele box. He's going to meet us."

Lydia took a step back, seemingly weak, unbalanced. I reached out to catch her arm. "What's wrong?"

"Something's happening," Lydia answered. "I had this sudden rushing feeling, like we're running out of time."

"Yeah," Stiles said from the door, making us face him and Kira, who was helping him stand. "Yeah, I kind of got that feeling too."

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Scott, Kira, Lydia, Stiles and I got out of the Jeep, Lydia helping Stiles up to the door when Stiles stopped us. "Wait, Scott. I know what you're all thinking. If this works, it might kill me too. But even if it does, you have to go through with it. Stick with the plan, okay?"

"The plan is to save you," Scott said. "That's the plan I'm m going with."

"You guys go," I told them. "When Derek gets here, I'll bring the box."

They nodded, walking in while I waited for Derek and the twins.

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I heard Aiden yell, "Where the hell are they?"

"The Jeep's here," Ethan said. "They have to be here somewhere."

"In the school!" Derek yelled.

I started to run in the direction of their voices until an oni appeared in front of me, swinging his sword.

I ducked under, running toward the others while I fought with him at the same time.

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I took hold of his arm as he spun to face me, pulling hard enough to make him flip forward through the air before landing on the ground, kicking him away as I ran toward Derek and the twins.

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Aiden flipped an oni onto the ground as I ran down the way, Ethan dodging a sword.

"We can't do this, we can't beat them," Aiden said.

"Take the box, we'll hold them off," Ethan said right before an oni tried to kill him.

Derek rolled him away, the oni trying to kill him when I saw Argent with a crossbow, shooting at the oni, killing him as Isaac flipped into view.

The oni took out the arrow, dying, disappearing into smoke and shadow.

"What was that?" Ethan asked.

"Silver," Argent answered.

Derek looked to me. "Natalie, the box. Get the triskele box to Scott."

I grabbed the box, starting to run when an oni tried to swing a sword toward me

I slid underneath on the ground, Isaac spinning him away as I ran, and as another tried to kill me, he ran after me and pushed them away.

Like a body guard so I could get the box to Scott without dying.

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We got there just in time to see the Nogitsune Stiles fall, the fly flying out of his mouth, buzzing its way closer to us down the hall.

Bad mistake there.

I closed the triskele box around it, and the buzzing stopped as I closed the lid, twisting it closed.

Nogitsune Stiles shook, froze, his skin cracking as he fell, turning into dust before disappearing completely.

Ashes to ashes. dust to dust, being a dead Nogitsune must have really sucked.

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We watched as Stiles fell, and we didn't know if he was okay or if he was. . . . dead.

After Allison, we couldn't lose Stiles too.

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Stiles slowly opened his eyes, looking around to Scott, Lydia, Kira, Isaac and me. "Oh, God, I fainted, didn't I? We're alive? We all alive?"

Scott nodded a barely noticeable nod. "Yeah. We're okay."

Stiles sighed of relief.

Lydia stood up, slowly looking toward the door.

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When Lydia ran out, we followed outside, seeing Derek standing ad Ethan cried over Aiden's dead body, Argent standing behind him.

Lydia immediately ran into Stiles' arms.

When I had said I had wished to see them dead . . .

Even after Erica and Boyd, this sight didn't bring me any relief or closure or anything good about it.

Maybe that was because he had actually deserved his forgiveness.

Only it was too late.

I looked down, no one speaking a single word.

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I stood with Isaac outside in the school courtyard, Isaac asking, "Why are you doing this?"

"Being here for you?" I asked.

Isaac nodded. "Yeah."

I tilted my head slightly. "You did the same for me when I lost . . .everyone. Mom, Camden, Dad, Erica and Boyd . . . Everyone except you. The least I could or would do for you is the same."

Giving me a small smile, he pulled me into a hug, and I held him tightly as he asked, "What about Aiden?"

"I know it's too late to tell him now, but . . .he died fighting on our side. He finally deserved his forgiveness."

"Yeah."

"But it's too late."

Allison and Aiden, gone.

What more left did we have left to lose?

Everything.