MATL, 8 bytes

t2L)P5M(

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###Explanation

t     % Implicit input. Duplicate
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi'
2L    % Push [2, 2, 1j]. This represents 2:2:end when used as an index
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi', [2, 2, 1j]
)     % Get entries at those indices
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'bdfh'
P     % Flip
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb'
5M    % Push [2, 2, 1j] again
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb', [2, 2, 1j]
(     % Write entries at those indices. Implicit display
      % STACK: 'ahcfedgbi'

MATL, 8 bytes

t2L)P5M(

Try it online! Or verify all test cases.

Explanation

t     % Implicit input. Duplicate
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi'
2L    % Push [2, 2, 1j]. This represents 2:2:end when used as an index
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi', [2, 2, 1j]
)     % Get entries at those indices
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'bdfh'
P     % Flip
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb'
5M    % Push [2, 2, 1j] again
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb', [2, 2, 1j]
(     % Write entries at those indices. Implicit display
      % STACK: 'ahcfedgbi'

MATL, 8 bytes

t2L)P5M(

Try it online!

MATL, 8 bytes

t2L)P5M(

Try it online! Or verify all test cases.

###Explanation

t     % Implicit input. Duplicate
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi'
2L    % Push [2, 2, 1j]. This represents 2:2:end when used as an index
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'abcdefghi', [2, 2, 1j]
)     % Get entries at those indices
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'bdfh'
P     % Flip
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb'
5M    % Push [2, 2, 1j] again
      % STACK: 'abcdefghi', 'hfdb', [2, 2, 1j]
(     % Write entries at those indices. Implicit display
      % STACK: 'ahcfedgbi'