Chapter 85 : Unmasking the Threat

Scott and his pack sat in the living room, all eyes on Lydia. 

Scott said. "Forget about the dagger for now, Lydia. Tell me what kind of supernatural creatures those people are. Start with the ones you recognized." 

Lydia hesitated. "I don't know what Kate and Gerard are. I've known them before, so I saw them as themselves, not as supernatural creatures." 

Melissa interjected. "Gerard is a werewolf, I'm sure of it." 

Scott nodded. "And Kate is something like Victoria, a feline. I just don't know what kind. But don't worry about them right now. Tell me about the others." 

Lydia nodded. "One of them is a werewolf, I saw him in a form similar to Peter's Alpha form. Another looked like a brown bear, so I assume he's a werebear." 

Stiles leaned forward. "What about the others? What do they look like?" 

"There's a woman who had an energy aura around her that resembled a fox with six tails." Lydia said. "I think she's a Kitsune, and she felt like the most dangerous one after their Alpha." 

Chris frowned. "She's likely a Kitsune, and a very powerful one at that. The more tails a Kitsune has, the stronger they are. There are thirteen known types: Heaven, Void or Dark, Wind, Spirit, Fire, Earth, River, Ocean, Mountain, Forest, Thunder, Time, and Sound. Do you know what kind she is?" 

Lydia shook her head. "No, I couldn't tell." 

Chris nodded gravely. "We'll need to be careful fighting her. And Kitsunes can summon Oni." 

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What's an Oni?" 

Victoria answered. "An undead demon shadow ninja." 

Stiles looked skeptical. "Undead?" 

Victoria nodded. "Yes. They can't be killed, but they fear sunlight and can't cross mountain ash. That's how they're described in the Bestiary." She glanced at Chris. "But Chris injured one before." 

Allison looked at her father in surprise. "How?" 

Chris shrugged. "It was when I'd just become a hunter. I shot it in the face and shattered its mask. I know I didn't kill it. I'm not sure you can. But I slowed it down long enough for us to get out of there, and I'm not sure why exactly it was injured." 

Scott leaned forward. "What kind of bullet did you use?" 

Chris thought for a moment. "If I remember correctly, it was a silver bullet. Do you think silver injured it?" 

"Not sure." Scott replied. "But it wouldn't hurt to take some silver bullets and daggers with us. Since Lydia believes the Kitsune is the second-strongest in their pack, Mom, you'll fight her." 

Scott stood, walked to the chest they had taken from the vampire, and pulled out two daggers. Handing them to Chris, he asked. "Do you think these are made of silver?" 

Chris examined the daggers and nodded. "Yes, they're definitely silver." 

Scott took them back and handed them to Melissa. "You're going to fight that Kitsune, Mom. Just in case she has Oni, take these with you. Also, an Alpha werewolf's bite is poisonous to a Kitsune, keep that in mind." 

Melissa accepted the daggers. "I'll remember that." 

Scott sat down again and looked at Lydia. "What about the others?" 

Lydia said. "One of them is a huge bat with dead bodies around it, and they're moving." 

Stiles asked. "Wait, you mean like zombies?" 

Lydia nodded. "Yes, it can control zombies." 

Erica's eyes lit up. "I think I know what that is. When I was reading the supernatural books, I came across a creature like that. It reminded me of Lydia because it can use sound-based attacks, too. It's an Indian creature called a Veta or something like that. Let me grab the book." 

Erica went to the bookshelf where Scott kept the supernatural books. After flipping through one, she returned. "Found it." She showed the page to Lydia. "Is this what you're talking about?" 

Lydia looked closely and nodded. "Yes, that's it." 

Scott glanced at Erica. "What does the book say about it?" 

Erica read aloud. "It's called a Vetala. In Hindu folklore, the Vetala is an evil spirit that haunts cemeteries and can control corpses. They make their displeasure known by troubling humans. They can drive people mad, kill children, and cause miscarriages, but they can also guard villages. Its weakness is red-hot iron." 

Scott leaned back. "Got it. What about the others in their pack?" 

Lydia continued. "One of them is a lion with a scorpion's tail. I think it's a manticore." 

Victoria nodded. "That sounds like a manticore. They're very strong and poisonous, but since we're immune to poison, we should only worry about its strength." 

Stiles turned to Lydia. "What else?" 

Lydia frowned. "There's one I don't fully understand. It's like a centaur, but instead of a horse body with a human torso, this one has a full horse body with a human torso on its back." 

Chris's expression darkened. "Do you mean the man and the horse are merged?" 

Lydia nodded. "Yes. Do you know what it is?" 

Chris nodded grimly. "It's called a Nuckelavee, a nasty, evil creature. It's very strong but has one critical weakness, it's terrified of fresh water." 

Stiles made a face. "What does it drink, then?" 

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to know?" 

Stiles quickly shook his head. "Never mind." 

Scott looked at Lydia and asked. "What about their Alpha? You haven't told us about him yet." 

Lydia hesitated before speaking. "He's... scary, Scott. He looks like a werewolf, but his entire body is engulfed in flames, as if he's burning, and he seems to control the fire." 

Victoria frowned. "That sounds like a Hellhound. That's... troublesome." 

Lydia continued. "There's something else. When I looked at him, it felt like I was looking at three people, not one." 

Victoria's expression darkened. "That's even more troublesome." 

She glanced at Chris. "Do you think it's what I think it is?" 

Chris looked uneasy. "It shouldn't be. Those things were thought to be extinct." 

Stiles said. "Can you two stop talking in riddles and just tell us what it is?" 

Chris exhaled and said. "Based on Lydia's description, it might be a Cerberus. But no one has seen one since the Middle Ages." 

Stiles asked. "Cerberus? You mean the three headed dog?"

Chris nodded.

Scott asked calmly. "How dangerous is it?" 

Chris replied. "If it's a Cerberus and also an Alpha, fighting it is like battling three Alphas at once. And don't forget, it wields fire, very, very hot fire." 

Instead of looking worried, Scott smirked. "Great. After tonight, I'll be able to control fire too." 

Chris blinked. "You're not scared, Scott?" 

Scott shrugged with a grin. "No, I'm excited. Sure, his fire will be a problem, but my healing ability is strong. Plus, I absorbed the power of a frog that can regenerate lost limbs. I'll be fine." 

Stiles grinned, his excitement matching Scott's. "Alright then, what's the plan? How are we handling this?" 

Scott stood and began assigning roles. "I'll fight their Alpha. Mom, you'll take on the Kitsune. Allison, the Manticore is yours. Victoria and Chris, you'll handle the werewolf." 

He turned to Lydia and Erica. "Lydia, you and Erica will deal with the Vetala. Lydia, since you can fly and use sound attacks, you'll fight the Vetala. Erica, you'll handle the zombies. If you don't want to touch them, use the sword I took from Gerard. It's in the chest." 

Scott looked at Boyd and Isaac next. "You two will take on the Werebear." 

Finally, he turned to Malia and Stiles. "You two will fight the Nuckelavee." 

Stiles grinned mischievously. "Then I'm bringing a few bottles of fresh water." 

Chris hesitated. "What about Gerard and Kate?" 

Scott's expression hardened. "They're both dying tonight. Gerard sealed his fate the moment he attacked my mom. And as for Kate, I spared her life so many times because I didn't want Allison to hate me or feel sad. But I'm sure she's the one who brought that pack here to kill me, even after I saved her life, twice. This time, I'll show her no mercy." 

Allison nodded grimly. "Dad, what Kate did to the Hales was disgusting, but because I loved her, I couldn't let her die. I asked Scott to save her from Peter, and even though he hated her, he did it. Then, when Gerard shot her, I shamelessly begged him to save her again, and he did. But now, she's brought those people to Beacon Hills to kill Scott and my pack, and if not for Lydia, she was going to get you killed tonight. I can't forgive her. If I hated her before but couldn't bear to see her die, now I want to kill her myself." 

Victoria placed a hand on Chris's shoulder. "Allison is right. Kate isn't the sister you remember. She's a monster now, just like Gerard. If you can't handle seeing her die, don't come with us." 

Chris sighed heavily. "No, I'm coming. How can I stay behind while you and Allison are fighting? As for Gerard and Kate... they've dug their own graves. I won't stop you from doing what needs to be done." 

Just then, Chris's phone rang. He answered, and Kate's voice came through the speaker. "Hey, Chris. How are you?" 

Everyone in the room fell silent, listening intently. 

Chris's tone was cold. "What do you want, Kate?" 

Kate chuckled. "Can't I call to check on my dear brother?" 

Chris snapped. "I'm not in the mood for games, Kate. Tell me what you want, or I'll hang up." 

Kate sighed theatrically. "Fine. I heard Victoria and Allison are werewolves now. I can help you get revenge on the ones who turned them. You've always hated Scott, I can help you kill him and his friends." 

Chris's grip on the phone tightened. "How? You know how strong he is." 

Kate's voice took on a sinister edge. "I'm not alone. I've joined a very powerful pack, and they'll help us take revenge on Scott, Derek, and their packs. How about we meet at the old Hale house tonight? I'll introduce you to them. Don't worry, they won't harm Allison or Victoria." 

Chris played along. "How can you be so sure your pack can kill Scott?" 

Kate laughed. "Let's just say our Alpha is... terrifying. You'll see." 

Chris asked. "What is he?" 

Kate's laugh echoed over the phone. "Now, now. Let's not ruin the surprise. See you tonight, Chris. Bye." 

As the call ended, Allison's eyes flared red, glowing with anger. "That bitch is dead." She snarled. 

Scott patted her back to calm her and said. "Okay, everyone, let's get ready. And remember, though we've learned how to fight, don't get cocky. Fight smart, and don't hesitate to fight dirty if it keeps you alive." 

Chris stood up, determination etched across his face. "I need to go home and grab my weapons." He said before turning to leave. 

Scott nodded and then turned to Victoria and Allison. "You two go with him. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, like charging in there alone. And all of you come straight back here. We go as a pack, together." 

Victoria stood. "Alright." She agreed and followed Chris. 

Allison walked up to Scott, her guilt plain on her face. "Scott... I'm sorry. If I hadn't asked you to spare Kate's life, none of this would've happened. They wouldn't be coming after you and the pack." 

Scott smiled softly, brushing a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Don't worry about it. In fact, we should thank her for bringing a few Alphas here to help us grow stronger." 

Allison managed a small smile and kissed him. "I love you, Scott. And I'm really, really sorry." 

Scott frowned, his tone sharpening. "I don't like your tone. You sound like you're saying goodbye. You're not planning to do something stupid, are you?" 

Allison tried to deflect. "What? No, I would never..." 

Scott cut her off, narrowing his eyes. "You know what? You're staying here. You're not going with your parents." 

He turned to Boyd and Isaac. "You two, go with Victoria and Chris. Make sure they come back here." 

"Got it." Boyd and Isaac said in unison before following the Argents out the door. 

Allison rolled her eyes. "You're overthinking things. I wasn't planning to go with them and fight that pack alone." 

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so I was right to keep you here. You were at least thinking about it, weren't you?" 

Allison looked away, muttering. "No..." 

Scott smirked, stepping closer. "You know, I can tell when you're lying, even without using my senses. I'll have to punish you later for being such a bad girl." 

Allison blushed, her eyes flickering with a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "And how exactly are you going to punish me, you big, bad wolf?" 

Scott was about to respond when he felt someone's gaze on him. Turning around, he saw Stiles and Malia watching, Stiles wearing a ridiculously perverted grin. 

Stiles wiggled his eyebrows. "Don't let us stop you. Keep going. I really want to know how are you going to punish her?" 

Malia chimed in, smirking. "Yeah, me too. This is getting interesting." 

Allison flushed a deep crimson and quickly darted away from Scott, seeking refuge beside Melissa. She buried her face in Melissa's back, trying to hide her embarrassment. 

Scott shot Stiles an irritated glare. "Don't you have fresh water bottles to prepare or something?" 

Stiles laughed as he darted toward the door. "Oh, right! I almost forgot. I'm on it!" 

Malia followed him, calling out. "Wait, dork, I'm coming with you!" 

Stiles groaned. "Malia, my name is Stiles. Can you stop calling me a dork?" 

Malia smirked. "Didn't you come to my house the other day to help Victoria torture me with those stupid books?" 

"Hey!" Stiles protested. "I was helping her teach you so you'd be ready for school next year!" 

"Whatever. Give me your keys. I'm driving." 

"No way! You're just learning how to drive, and I'm not letting you touch my Jeep. Not now, not ever." 

To be continued...