Hey There Delilah

Chapter 20 - Tainted One

"Stiles? Stiles!" I shout in the phone as quietly as I can. I look back over the girl watching me carefully. "I got to go..."

"Delilah! Don't, just listen –" I hit end and shove the phone back into my pocket.

"Delilah..." The girl studies me as if she finally recognizes me.

"Who are you?" I whisper.

"My name is Bryn." She tosses her hands into her large hoodie. "I believe we have a mutual friend."

I pause for a moment, going through a mental list of all the werewolves I know. Slowly I shake my head.

A grin pulls at the corner of her mouth, "Ethan and Aiden."

I furrow my brow, realizing that I have gripped my dagger even harder. Sure those boys had saved me, but all I know about them is that they were a part of the alpha pack that tried to kill us. That did kill Erica and Boyd. Knowing that they were friends with this werewolf makes me hesitate on whether or not to trust her.

"I'm not their friend," I state, "An acquaintance if that."

"Hm, I beg to differ."

"What do you mean?" I raise an eyebrow.

"They saved you, clearly you're friends. If not more," She smirks wickedly.

I shake my head, "Are you insane?" Maybe she was better friends with the two and that allowed her to crack these kinds of jokes, but there was no way I was having any part in it.

"Right," she nods. "Ethan is gay and Aiden...You're too weak for him." She laughs and it echoes around the trees.

I let out a huff of air, "What do you want?"

"I want, you to put away that dagger." She points to the sharp piece of silver in my grip.

"No way."

"Yes. You're a werewolf, what do you need it for anyway?"

She had a point. Besides, I was a stronger wolf than her too. Reluctantly, I slip the dagger into my jacket. "Now answer my question, what do you want?"

"Too see if you're all that he says you are."

I go to ask what she means when she shifts down into her wolf form and charges at me. I shift and put out my claws as she bares her teeth, snapping at me. I let out a low whimper when she takes a bite out of my left forearm. On impulse I jump high into the air, running at my full speed into the woods deeper and whipping around. I wait with my claws out, listening for her. She circles wide, trying to come up behind me but I hear her. I wait for the last second and whirl around, my claws slashing across her snout and chest.

She hesitates for a second, caught off guard by my attack. I use this to my advantage and lash out, placing a neat blow with my foot to her side sending her flying into the trunk of a tree. The impact causes the tree to shake, bending backwards slightly. Bryn shifts back to her human form, slowly standing up.

I shift back, holding out my hand to help her.

"So it's true." She takes my hand and I pull her to her feet.

"What's true?"

"You're the Tainted One."

******

"That's it, you're telling us!" Stiles points his finger at me accusingly and I just glare at it, making him pull it back in fear of losing it.

"I said I'll explain when Delilah gets back." I state, Aiden standing at my side with his arms crossed.