"The two of you are not going to Mexico!" Sheriff Stilinski cried.
Tessa crossed her legs on the couch, watching their conversation unfold. "Dad, Scott and Kira have been kidnapped and taken to Mexico. Okay?"
Tessa nodded. "That's a perfectly logical reason to go."
The sheriff shot her a look before focusing back on his son. "Okay. Even if Deaton is right about this, the best thing is to go through the proper channels."
"Dad-" Stiles began.
"That means calling the right law enforcement agencies, border patrol, putting out an all-points."
Stiles shook his head. "Dad, I can't just wait around for the wheels of bureaucracy to start spinning in five different government offices. Okay? Someone needs to go down there, find them, and rescue them. Besides; Tessa had a demigod dream about them and she knows something's wrong. We're going."
Sheriff Stilinski narrowed his eyes. "I can keep you from going."
"I'd find a way."
"I can throw you in a cell."
Tessa frowned. "You're not throwing me in any cell. I'm smart enough to find a way out."
The sheriff turned to her. "No, I'll just send you back to your aunt."
Stiles glared. "I'd still find a way."
He sighed. "Stiles, please. Just give me a little more time to verify something slightly more concrete than a psychic vision with some guy with a third eye. Or a demigod dream of some dark cave. Look, I will call every law enforcement agency all the way down to South America if I have to. If nothing turns up, then I'll book three flights to Mexico. We'll all go, okay?"
Stiles' impatience showed when he shifted from one foot to another. "Okay, great! That's great! Do I get a gun?"
The sheriff turned to his son. "No!"
Stiles turned to Tessa. "Do you have another dagger, Tess?"
She shook her head. "I'm not giving you a weapon."
They swung by to get Malia and made their way to Scott's. They rushed to his room and Stiles tossed an article of clothing. Tessa threw a jacket to Malia. "Maybe this?"
Malia sniffed it and let out a sigh. "Fabric softener."
Stiles ran into Scott's bathroom and Tessa glanced at Malia. "Oh, no."
"What?"
"Your boyfriend. I apologize."
He reappeared with a pair of dirty underwear, causing Malia to glare at him in disgust. "Remember, Scott's life is on the line," he told her, shoving the boxers in her face.
She shot him a look before grabbing a pillow from Scott's bed. She sniffed it and smiled. "Got it."
Stiles let out a sigh. "Yeah. That works too."
They walked down the stairs and saw Liam sitting at the kitchen table. Stiles frowned at him. "Oh! Liam, go home. You're not coming with us."
"Why not?" Liam wondered.
"Because it's a full moon. And I don't feel like driving all the way down to Mexico just to have you rip my throat out or my friend's throat out."
Tessa glanced at him. "This'll be his first full moon without us."
Liam nodded and pointed to her. "Thank you, Tessa! You can lock me up, right? Chain me to the back set or something?"
Malia frowned. "You tore through the last chains, remember?"
Stiles let out a sigh. "Yeah, we would have to freeze you in carbonite to get you down there."
Liam glanced between them. "Okay, then where do we get carbonite?"
"Oh, my gods," Tessa muttered.
Stiles glared at Liam. "Seriously? You haven't seen it either?"
Liam's eyes widened. "Wait! What if we put me in the trunk?"
Malia shook her head. "You'd get out of that, too."
Tessa crossed her arms, standing across from him. "You've been a werewolf for a month. You don't have to do this."
His eyes met hers. "I know, but I want to. There's gotta be bigger chains, a bigger trunk or something. There has to be."
Tessa could see the wheels turning in Stiles' head. "Maybe there is."
He shot her a smile; the smile he gave when he was planning something.
They drove to meet up with someone and arrived at an old plane hanger. A black van pulled up at the same time.
Tessa frowned, glancing to her friend. "Stiles? What is-"
He glanced to Tessa. "Braeden. She arranged all this." He hopped out of the Jeep and turned to Braeden. "How did you manage to get a prison transport van?"
Braeden gave him a smile. "I'm a U.S. Marshal."
Stiles nodded slowly. "Yeah, I just thought that was just a cover."
Derek stepped out of his car and saw Liam. "Are we really bringing him?"
Stiles, in turn, saw Peter. "Are we really bringing him?"
Peter moved closer to them. "We're bringing everyone that we can. And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going."
"What's that mean?" Malia questioned.
Peter turned to her. "If Kate took Scott back to the same temple she took Derek, how do we know that she's not planning to do the same thing to him?"
Liam frowned in confusion. "What? She wants to make him younger?"
"Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf," Derek said.
Peter nodded. "A werewolf can't steal a True Alpha's power. But maybe a Nagual jaguar, with the power of Tezcatilipoca behind her... Maybe she can. So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going."
Stiles shook his head. "Not yet. Not without Lydia."
Tessa called Lydia and got no answer. She noticed a frown from Derek and shot him a questioning eyebrow to which he answered, "What's she doing at the school anyway?"
Stiles turned to Derek. "Well, we got Kira's sword, but we needed something with a stronger scent. Lydia went to get a jacket out of her locker." He attempted to call her. "Nothing."
Braeden shrugged. "If she has a car, she can catch up to us."
Peter turned to her and nodded. "That's a good point. We'll call her from the road."
Tessa narrowed her eyes at Peter. "I don't like that idea. What if something happens to her?"
"Would you like to stay?"
Liam's eyes flicked to Tessa. "I could call Mason. He has a study group at school."
Without taking her gaze from Peter, Tessa said, "Excellent idea. I'm in back."
He nodded and smiled. "Good. Thanks, Tessa."
Stiles turned to Malia and asked, "Are you gonna be okay riding with Peter?"
She nodded. "He is my father. Perhaps we can do some bonding."
Stiles frowned. "No, don't do that. If you want to bond with him, play the radio, and play it loud." He walked back towards Tessa. "I don't like you in back. Maybe you should sit up front with Malia or Braeden."
Tessa frowned. "All due respect, Stiles, I can handle myself."
"But you don't have any powers."
"Neither do you."
"I just don't want you getting hurt, Tess."
"Dully noted, Stilinski. Are you done?"
"What's with you?"
Tessa pursed her lips. Honestly, she was jealous of Malia. The blonde's feelings had grown and she could honestly say she liked him. He'd seemed interested and suddenly didn't seem to be.
Stiles, meanwhile, was looking at the girl he'd been in love with since he was eight. All he wanted to know was if she felt the same way, but it seemed she only saw them as friends. He just wanted her to be safe, but of course, she had to argue with him.
"Tessa?" Stiles called, grabbing her attention. "What's with you?"
The demigoddess shook her head. "Nothing. Come on. We have a werewolf and a kitsune to save."
Peter continued. "Remember what we're dealing with. It's not just Kate. It's Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume there's any humanity left. Oh." He noticed Liam's wide eyes. "Don't worry, my friend. It is that fear that will keep you alive. A reminder to everyone. You do not fight Berserkers to survive. You fight to kill."
Tessa smirked. "Well, then they're just like every monster on quests. Perfect."
She followed Derek and Stiles into the back of the van. Derek immediately cuffed Liam's wrist and questioned, "All good?" Liam pulled the chain and Derek continued. "Okay, I brought something to help you."
He pulled something small out and Stiles laughed sarcastically. He held up the triskelion. "This has been with my family for centuries. It's a very powerful, supernatural talisman. We use it to teach betas how to control themselves on a full moon."
He handed the talisman to Liam, who stared at. Stiles cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, it's powerful. Very powerful."
Liam focused on the talisman and all seemed well. That is, until he started grunting. "Whatever you were gonna teach me..."
His breaths grew heavier and he gripped the talisman tighter while jerking the chains. "...I think you better start."
Tessa leaned forward and said, "Liam, I know you can do this. Stay calm. Derek?"
He stepped closer to the beta. "Liam, are you with me?" The latter looked up at Derek. "We have a mantra that we use. You repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating. You say the words until you feel it coming back to you."
Liam gave a slow nod as he rocked back and forth while scraping his claws along the talisman. "Okay, okay! What are the words?"
Derek's voice took on a sense of urgency as he said, "Okay, look at the triskelion. See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back. It's the same thing. Each spiral means something."
From his spot next to Tessa, Stiles said, "Alpha, Beta, Omega."
Derek nodded. "It represents the idea that we can always rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas."
"Alphas can become betas."
Liam looked between them. "Can Alphas become Omegas?"
Derek nodded. "All you have to do is say the three words. And with each one, you tell yourself you're getting calmer, more in control. Go ahead."
"Alpha, Beta..." Liam said quickly.
"Slower."
He slowed his voice down. "Alpha... Beta... Omega. Alpha... Beta... Omega." His groaning resumed.
"Good," Derek encouraged. "Say it again. Remember every time you say the words, you're getting calmer."
"Alpha... Beta... Omega."
"Say it again."
Tessa frowned, watching Liam's face. "Derek, this isn't resonating. Your talisman doesn't work."
Liam grunted and Derek cried, "Liam, say it again!"
Derek moved closer to Liam, wary of his claws and fangs. "Tessa, back up."
Tessa shook her head. "No. I can get through to him."
"Derek?" Braeden questioned from the front.
Stiles glanced at Liam. "I think we're gonna need to go a little faster. Keep going!"
A chain broke and Liam's hands were soon free.
"Braeden, you might want to go more than a little faster!" Tessa yelled.
Liam's hands wrung around Derek's neck. "Liam!" Derek cried. "Liam!" He tried to pull Liam's hands away.
Braeden glanced to them. "We're almost there."
"Keep focus!" Derek yelled.
Stiles shook his head. "Derek, I don't think alpha, beta, omega is resonating with him."
"You know any other mantras?"
Tessa nodded. "Liam, listen to my voice. What three things cannot long be hidden?"
He turned to her and frowned. "Liam, focus on me. What three things cannot long be hidden? What three things?"
Liam let out a grunt. "Sun... The moon... The truth."
She gave him a nod. "Good. Again."
"Sun, the moon... The truth."
"Derek?" Braeden called.
"We're okay," Derek said in a relieved tone.
Liam finally started gaining control. "Sun... Moon... And the truth."
Stiles smiled at the demigoddess. "That was smart. Using Satomi's mantra."
When the van stopped, Liam looked between them. "I can't believe I did it. For a minute there, I thought I was gonna tear the three of you apart."
Stiles flicked his eyes between Tessa and Liam. "Yeah. That would have made for an awkward ride home. So, thanks. For not killing my friend."
Stiles focused on the young beta. "Liam, think you can bring the same level of control and strength to La Iglesia?"
He smiled and flicked his wrist to reveal his claws, and Stiles returned his smile. "All right. We might actually be able to do this."
Derek opened the door and they saw a Berserker waiting for them. It grabbed Derek's collar and pulled him from the van. Tessa stepped back to avoid getting grabbed. Derek fell to the ground and the Berserker's claws entered his stomach.
"Braeden!" Tessa yelled. "Derek's in trouble!"
She winced as she heard a gunshot and pulled out her dagger. Braeden cried, "He's gone!"
They rushed over to Derek to find him lying against a rock. He noticed Tessa's expression and gave her a small smile. "I'll be okay."
The blonde frowned. "No, Derek. You won't. You're dying."
Derek continued smiling. "I'll be fine, Tessa. Go help your friends. Save Scott and Kira."
"How bad is it?" Peter wondered.
Derek winced, reassuring his uncle. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just get to Scott. Just find him. We'll be right behind you. Go. Go!"
Tessa glanced to Braeden. "Don't let him die."
She nodded. "I'll try not to."
They group, excluding Derek and Braeden, ran into La Iglesia.
Tessa felt like she was taking a stroll through the Underworld and glanced around warily. To say she felt uneasy was an understatement. They kept a good pace until Peter stopped, causing the teens to crash into him. "Okay, everyone stop, stop, stop, stop!"
Tessa stared at him. "We're stopped. What is it?"
Peter turned to them. "We gotta figure out where we are, then we gotta figure out how to find Scott and Kira."
Stiles' phone began ringing and they shared a look. He frowned. "How do I have any service?"
He answered. "Hi, Dad. Okay, Dad, I know when you're angry. Okay, well, when I get back, you can ground me. You want me to lie? Uh, Lydia was at the school when we called Mason to look for her, but now we're not hearing back from either of them. I don't know, Dad. I don't know what I'd be doin'. You know, I'm just... I'm trying to save my friends. Dad, if it's one of the Berserkers at the school, you're gonna need firepower. A lot."
When he hung up, Tessa let out a wry laugh. "You're in for a whole spiel, aren't you?"
Stiles nodded. "Oh yeah."
Liam glanced between them. "What do we do now?"
Something caught Malia's eye and she yelled, "Duck!"
They fell to the ground, seeing a Berserker's arm dart towards them. Peter cried, "Get down! Get back! Go! Go, go, go, go!"
They ran down a dark hallway and the first thing that crossed Tessa's mind was the dark corridors of the Labyrinth. She'd heard countless stories from Annabeth about Daedalus' workshop and the Labyrinth.
Malia tossed Kira's sword to Stiles and Tessa unsheathed her dagger as she followed him. She figured it was smarter for him to have some protection; at least until they found Kira.
A noise caught Tessa's attention and she stopped. "Listen."
He gave her a quick nod. Tessa ushered him behind her as she shined her flashlight around, still holding her knife. She saw a face and smiled. "Oh, thank the gods, Kira."
Stiles jumped. "Oh."
Tessa looked the kitsune over and saw blood trickling from her mouth and a stain on her shirt.
"You okay?" Tessa asked.
Kira nodded. "I'm okay." She met their eyes. "Stiles, Tessa, it's Scott."
Tessa nodded. "I know. I had a dream."
Stiles asked, "What do you mean "It's Scott"?"
"The Berserker," Kira said. "Kate did it."
Stiles frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"She made him into one of them. I don't know how, but it's him. If they don't know it, they could kill him."
"That's why Lydia isn't here," Stiles realized. "They won't know they're killing Scott. Tess, go."
Tessa ran back to the fight and Liam grinned as soon as he caught her eye. "Oh, good. We need your help."
Berserker Scott saw Tessa and ran towards her. Before he could injure her, she swatted at his arm. One of his claws struck her arm in retaliation and she ducked out of the way before he could hit her again. "Scott! It's me! It's Tessa!"
Stiles and Kira ran in. Scott was holding Tessa hostage by her neck, causing her to start choking. She felt a tear fall down her face. "I won't hurt you, Scott. I won't hurt my family."
If the Fates decided to cut her string, so be it.
Stiles stared at the scene before his eyes, horror evident all across his expression.
Scott's claws inched closer to her neck and Stiles yelled, "Tessa! No!"
Liam pushed Tessa out of the way and she fell to the ground. Scott held him hostage and Liam called out to his alpha. "Scott. Scott, Scott, listen, listen, listen! You're not a monster! You're a werewolf! Like me."
Scott hesitated for a second, and that was all he needed. His fist fell and Liam dropped to the ground. Scott ripped the pieces of bone armor off. He pulled apart the helmet and let out a roar fit for an alpha. Golden light came from the skull. His face appeared, completely shifted.
Liam glanced at the demigoddess. "Are you okay, Tessa?"
Tessa nodded, looking at her cousin. "Thank you, Liam. Come on. Let's kick some ass."
"Kick it in the ass?" he recalled, remembering a line from her favorite show.
"Exactly. Let's go kill some evil sons of bitches and raise a little hell."
The two joined the fight.
Liam was knocked down before he could do much of anything. A column crashed over his head and Scott jumped up, joining Tessa in attacking Peter.
Scott deflected and avoided each of Peter's punches. Tessa landed a couple swings on Peter before Scott made him crash into a wall. He jumped on the altar and said, "You were never an alpha, Peter. But you were always a monster."
Peter began to rise, but Scott jumped off the altar and punched Peter in the jaw, knocking him out.
The group ran out from the cave as the sun rose.
Argent turned to the others and smiled. "There's enough yellow wolfsbane to keep Peter out for the trip in the back. But be careful."
Scott took Kira's hand and questioned, "You're really going with them?"
He nodded. "I made a deal with the Calaveras weeks ago. They'll leave you alone. All of you. But only if I help them catch Kate."
"What if you can't?" Kira wondered.
Argent met her eyes. "I'll find her. Someone has to."
Tessa turned to Derek. "Don't be a stranger."
Derek offered his arms and she accepted. "I won't. Just call if you're ever in danger, okay?" Tessa nodded and he gave a small smile. "Bye, Tessa."
After goodbyes, they drove back to Beacon Hills.
Tessa snuck inside and was greeted by a disappointed Melissa.
"Where were you?" Melissa demanded.
"Mexico," Tessa replied.
"Mexico?! What the hell were you doing in Mexico?!"
"Saving Scott and Kira."
"Why were Scott and Kira in Mexico?"
"Hell if I know. Point is, they're safe now. And, if it makes you feel better, it was Stiles' idea first."
"No, it doesn't make me feel better, but I'm glad you're safe, Tessa."
"It's good to be home."
ONE MONTH LATER
Tessa heard flickering and looked up to see an Iris Message. She smiled as she saw who was on the other line.
"Hey, Annabeth," Tessa greeted.
Annabeth looked at her half-sister with tear-stained eyes. "Tessa, it's -- It's Jason."
Tessa's smile fell. "What about him? Annabeth, what happened?"
"He's dead."
"H-how?"
"Um, he sacrificed himself."
"That does sound like him. How's everyone doing?"
"Not great. Piper's having a really tough time. To be honest, we all are."
"Gods. Um, thanks for the update."
"I'd give anything to give you some happy news. Tessa?"
Tessa sniffled and brushed her hair back. "I have homework to do."
"I'll let you get to it. We'll talk later?"
"Yeah."
The Iris Message ended and Tessa was alone in her thoughts. How many more did she have to lose?
Scott stood outside Tessa's room. He hadn't heard the call, but he heard his cousin's soft sobs. He felt the emotional pain radiating from her, despite the closed door.
Ever since her dad's accident, he'd noticed her emotional pain getting more and more concerning. After Tessa had returned after her father's death, it was obvious the emotional pain was consuming her; both in anger and in overwhelming sadness.
Allison's death hadn't been as tough on her, but he could still tell it'd hurt.
But whatever had happened, whatever news Tessa had just received, the emotional pain Scott was getting from her was almost too hard for he himself to bear.
(If I made a continuity error, I'm sorry. And to all those who feel the pain of this chapter... You're not alone.)