It was the night of the full moon. Quiet with a soft breeze. The leaves rustled gently as anticipation filled the woods. Much like the night Deaton first found Ashley.
All the preparations for the sacrifice ritual had been completed. The pack had gathered around the Nemeton saying their last goodbyes to Derek.
Finally, the hour came to perform the ritual. Deaton stepped in front of the Nemeton stump – the altar on which the sacrifice would take place – and began his chant. Derek took off his shirt and got ready to shift into his wolf form. If he was to meet his end, he would do so in the form that he had inherited.
Just as he was about to take a step into the runic circle around the Nemeton, Ashley appeared and entered instead. The moment she did, a barrier went up around the Nemeton preventing anyone else from entering.
Ashley's appearance caused momentary confusion and Derek began hammering the barrier asking what was going on. She stood on top of the glowing Nemeton and that's when Derek realized what was happening. She was taking his place.
An agitated Derek subconsciously phased into his half-wolf form and rushed towards Ashley. He punched the barrier and for a minute, the barrier's glimmer seemed to weaken.
Noticing this, Deaton yelled for the others to hold Derek back. Instinctively, the pack tried to stop the former Alpha but failed. Driven by anger and desperation, Derek overpowered his packmates and continued punching the barrier.
Then out of nowhere, Deucalion tackled Derek to the ground and injected him with a sedative. The two werewolves wrestled on the ground before getting up. Deucalion holding back Derek whose strength was faltering.
"Let her go." Deucalion whispered into Derek's ear. The older Alpha did not want to see Ashley die either but had been asked by the girl to help save Derek. He owed it to her and that's why he was there tonight.
Ashley, still standing on the altar, gazed melancholily at Derek. She was trying to memorize every feature on his handsome face hoping she won't forget it and to remind herself of why she was doing this in the first place.
Derek watched in horror at the scene that unfolded. They say your life flashes at the end of your life. For Derek in this moment, his life with Ashley flashed before his eyes. While they may have fought, she still held a big place in his heart. The thought of losing her crushed him.
At last, Deaton finished the spell. A bright light flashed, and a portal appeared in thin air. It was time.
Ashley gave Derek a smile and whispered under her breath knowing Derek could hear it:
"Goodbye Derek."
I love you. She said the last line in her mind but they both felt what she was saying. Then she stepped into the portal as the willing sacrifice.
"NOOOOO!" Derek howled in anguish. "ASHLEEEEYY!"
Lightning hit the Nemeton and the girl disappeared as mysteriously as she had appeared.