I wake up in the hospital. What did the hell happen? Void Scarlett. An IV cord coming from my arm and a cannula in my nose. It's a good thing because I can feel my throat closing up. I try to move but I'm weaker than before. My mom comes into the room with a replacement bag for my IV. She glances at me as she switches out the bag. She pulls up a chair and sits at the side of my bed. I turn my head to her and I see she's been crying. I lift up my hand as much as I can to grab hers. "Scott says you and Stiles are getting worse. He's so worried about you. Scarlett, do what you do best. Fight. I can't lose you. Not again."

I nod my head and close my eyes. One question still stood from an earlier conversation. Who is Derek Hale?

Derek's POV

I use the lighter to aid to Ethan's wound. I snap it close. "You should be fine in a couple hours. Unless, whoever shot you, manages to find you again."

Aiden starts walking toward the door. "Lydia's with Scott. We need to go."

"You're gonna try and convince her to go with you?" I ask.

"I'm gonna try and convince her to run and hide. Like any sane person would do."

"And Danny?" I ask, looking at Ethan, who has taken his place at his brother's side.

"Allison is dead, Stiles is dying and Scarlett lying on her death bed as we speak. What do you think?" he replies.

"I think Danny won't believe you and Lydia will never run and hide."

"Because of Stiles and Scarlett?"

"Because of the McCall twins. You've been trying to find a way into their pack, trying to fight for them, trying to earn their trust. But you've had it wrong the whole time. You don't fight for a leader. You fight for a leader's cause."

"What cause?" Aiden asks.

"McCall twins have always been about one thing: saving their friends. They will do anything and everything to save the people they care about. There's no chance of winning, they keep fighting. When all hope is lost, they find another way. When they're beaten down, they stand up again. You wanna earn a place in their pack, to earn redemption? Find another way to stand and fight."

There was a long pause. "What about Scarlett? She's been beaten and it doesn't look like she's getting up again."

"Scarlett is a fighter. She'll make it."

In the back of my mind, I fear she won't.

Scarlett's POV

I snap awake in the back seat of the Jeep, next to Stiles. I see Lydia in the passenger seat and Scott driving. "Where are we going?" I whisper.

"Scar, you're awake. We're going to the school," Scott replies.

When we get to the school, we all get out. Kira steps out from the other side of the Jeep. I step to the ground. Me and Stiles have to use the rail for support. Scott wraps his arm around my waist and Lydia supports Stiles.

I look at Stiles as we go toward the door. "Scott, wait," Stiles says. "I know what you're all thinking. If it works it might kill me and Scarlett, too."

"But, even if it does, you have to go through with it. Stick with the plan, okay?" I say.

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

I hear low growls coming from the bridge. I walk there and see Derek, the twins, some Oni, Void Stiles and Void Scarlett. I speed walk to Derek and wrap my arms around his neck. I pull his head down for a kiss. I feel him start to transform back to normal. He grabs my waist and holds me closer. I pull back and look into his eyes. "How sweet. You two were the greatest couple," Void Stiles says.

"Unfortunately, it all won't matter in the end," Void Scarlett adds.

I spin around. "Were?"

He gestures and one of them stabs him through the chest. He clenches his teeth and I feel a sharp pain shoot through me. Derek catches me in his arms. I see Void Stiles' wound heal completely. I see Derek go back into full wolf form. He helps me to my feet and I step closer to the two Voids. "Why another me? You possessed Stiles."

He smiles, like usual. "I needed someone close to him."

"Why not Scott? Or Malia?"

"Neither of them mean as much to him as you do."

I squint my eyes. "How do you know?"

"I was in his head. I know all his secrets and feelings. He cares for you more than you can imagine."

Void Scarlett steps forward. "No romantic feelings, yet it seems you two have a bond too strong to break."

I start to back away, toward the school. "Derek!"

As soon as I run, he and the twins charge forward. I manage to go towards the door and run in a snowy opening. I see Scott, Kira, Lydia and Stiles surrounded by Oni and the bandaged man standing in front of me. He turns and chuckles.

I hurry past and literally fall into Scott's arms. "What is this? Where are we?" Scott asks.

"Between life and death," the nogitsune replies.

"Bardo," Lydia whispers.

"You're dying Stiles and Scarlett. And now everyone you care about is dying too. I've captured almost all the territories of the woods. The hospital, the sheriff station and now the animal clinic. But let's not forget Derek Hale."

I start to weep. "Why are you doing this?"

"Do you know the Seppuku ritual?"

"No," Stiles replies. "I don't think I want to."

"It's from Japan, Stiles. The samurai would stab himself in the stomach to disembowel but it is the Samurai's trusted friend or 'kaishakunin' who would then finish him off by beheading," I explain.

"Very good, Scarlett." The nogitsune has cast Scott as me and Stiles' kaishakunin and says everyone will die unless Scott kills Stiles and me in that manner. Stiles asks him why and the creature says, "To win the game."

Me, Stiles and Lydia duck for cover. The garden is alive with the sound of Kira's katana and Scott's growls as they battle the four Oni as the nogitsune watches. The four Oni begin to get the upper hand against Kira and Scott. Kira loses her katana in the snow.

Stiles manages to recover Kira's sword and makes as if to stab himself. I take my claws and put them on my stomach. "Stiles! Scarlett! No!" Scott exclaims.

"What if it saves you? What if it saves all of you?"

"What if this is just another trick?" Lydia suggests.

"No more tricks, Lydia. End it, Scott. Let your friend and your sister fall on their own sword. Or do what you can do but they cannot do for themselves. Do it, Scott. Give up the game."

I prepare my claws and Stiles grips the sword. I glance at the reflective surface of the sword and see a textbook in the snow. I look at Stiles and we both look back and see a snow-covered classroom desk in one corner of the garden. "You have no moves left," the nogitsune says.

"We do," I say.

Stiles throws the sword back to Kira. I grip his hand. "A divine move," we both say.

"Stop fighting them," Stiles yells. "It's just an illusion."

"It looks real and it feels real. But, Scott, trust me. It's an illusion," I say.

The Oni line up and slash at all of us as the flows but we walk toward the door. Blood flows but we all remain standing and push through to the Nogitsune. Scott pushes it back through the door and into the school hallway. We are alone in the school. There's no more snow, no more Oni, and no more Nogitsune. "We're okay. We-"

Scott gets thrown into a locker and Kira gets knocked down. I look up to see Void Stiles and Void Scarlett. He grabs me by the throat and slams me down. I wince. Void Scarlett kicks me and slams me into a wall. "This was my game. You think you can beat me at my own game?"

The two are pissed. They rush toward Stiles and Lydia rambling. "Divine move, divine move, you think you have any moves at all? You can kill the Oni but me? Me? I'm a thousand years old! You can't kill me!"

"But we can change you," Lydia says.

I look at Scott and he nods. Kira slowly stands with her sword on hand. "You forgot about the scroll."

I grab Void Scarlett and Scott grabs Void Stiles by the shoulders with our claws. We then both bite them on the arm. We release them. Right after, Kira stabs them both through the chest. They scream, the lights flicker and a fly comes buzzing out of Void Stiles' mouth and flies down the hall.

The triskelion box comes out of nowhere and Isaac, holding it, traps the evil fly inside. The two voids' body begins to twitch and jerk. Suddenly it stills and then begins to dry out and crack like clay, collapsing into a pile of dust on the floor which quickly dissipates to nothing. I walk outside to check on Derek and see Ethan, on the ground, holding his brother. I smell his blood all the way from where I'm standing. Tears immediately filled my eyes.

I run toward them and almost throw myself at him. "Aiden!" Derek holds me back by wrapping both his arms around my waist. "Aiden, no! Please!"

He has blood spilling from his mouth. I can feel his pain, just as much as Ethan can maybe even more. I kneel down next to him, bring him into my lap. Ethan sits beside him. I use my sleeve to wipe some of the blood from his mouth. I press my head against his and begin crying more. "Does it hurt you as much it hurts me?" he chokes. Me and Ethan nod. Aiden turns his head up toward me. "Please give me something to...hold on to. Please."

I move my mouth to his ear and whisper, "Let go."

I hold him close as he slowly dies. When I hear his heart stop, I break down even more. I carefully lay him down on the ground and stand over him. The next day, I can't even think straight. I don't even feel like the same person anymore. I take a shower. I change into blue jeans, red shirt, and just socks. I go into the kitchen and find Scott sitting at the coffee table. I sit next to him and lean my head on his shoulder. He slowly wraps his arm around me. I can't help myself. I start to sob. Allison. Aiden. They're dead because of me. Scott starts to sniffle himself and one of his tears fall on my cheek. We hold each other tighter. My mom comes and wraps her arms around both of us. We just sit there, holding each other.

Some might say that things are over. But, in reality, it's just the beginning. At least, for me and my friends.

I go to see Derek. He is staring out his window. "Hey," I say, in a soft voice.

He turns. "I thought you were with Scott."

"I was. But, I need to tell you about something. I saw your mom and she talked to me."

"My mom? What did she say?"

"Enough to help me realize something. She helped me see who I am. I'm not a monster and I'm not a predator. I'm Scarlett McCall, a True Alpha, and protector over Beacon Hills. Since she's gone, it's up to me to pick up where she left off."

I go to see Stiles next. He's standing in his room, trash all over the place. I knock twice on his door. "Hey, Stiles, what are you doing?"

"Just...um...clearing my head."

I sit on his bed. "Are you okay?"

He nods. "Yeah, I just...still feel like this is all my fault."

I shake my head and stand back up. "No, Stiles. None of this is your fault or mine or anyone else. We made it. That's all that matters."

"But Allison and Aiden didn't."

I sigh and grab his face. "Stiles, listen to me. They are not your fault. Stop beating yourself up for something you couldn't stop." He just nods. I sigh again. "Void Stiles told me how you really feel about me, the reason why he made another me. Do you really care that much?"

"Well, yeah. You're the twin of my best friend. You're like my sister, too."

I smile and wrap my arms around his neck. "Thank you," I whisper.

He wraps his arms, tightly, around my waist. He buries his face in my neck and I feel him begin to shake, crying. I lock my arms around him and we cry together. At school, Ms. Morrell calls me to her office. "So, Scarlett, after all this has happened, how do you feel?"

I want to tell her what she wants to hear but that gets me nowhere. I'm already doing that with Scott and my mom. "I sometimes still feel that darkness over my heart. Sometimes, I even still think the nogitsune is still there, controlling me. But I have friends and family who care about me so I know I can get through this."

"Deaton told me about your eyes. How are they?"

I make them glow for her. They are both back to being red. "I was scared I wouldn't be an Alpha anymore but, that night I conquered the nogitsune's control over me, I gained that status back."

She takes some notes. "Where do you think things will go from here?"

"I'm not sure. I still want to graduate high school and go to college but I want to work on myself, mentally, for a while. The last thing I need is for myself to be vulnerable to another dark spirit."

She smiles. "You're strong. I know you're going to grow and become something greater."

"I think the weirdest part is that I'm not living up to my Alpha name for myself anymore. Talia Hale is the only reason I haven't given up again. She wanted me to take her place as the protector of this town."

"You said 'again'. You've given up before?"

"Well, after the whole thing with Deucalion, I was done with all this crazy supernatural mess. I almost lost my brother and my own life but I didn't really escape that because I did die."

"So, what about you and Stiles?"

I scoff. "We are much closer since we were possessed. But, I feel like I've fallen out with Scott."

She slowly places her pen down. "What do you mean?"

"When I...was not me, I did some things. The way he looks at me..like I'm the monster now."