Phoenix || Malia Tate

02

Intruder.

That is the first thought that crosses her mind. And it should be. She doesn't know this boy, this strange, tall boy who's just standing there, looking at her, as if he's waiting for her. As if he's been waiting for her. Her entire body is alert because of him; because he is where he shouldn't be.

The intruder alarm causes her to get defensive because instinct tells her that this is her damn property and this kid is on her goddamn lawn. She gets into her stance, and the familiarity of it is alarming, especially because she hasn't taken this stance in a while (with Scott doing his job properly, she hasn't needed to.) But she pushes aside the emotion and focuses on him. She lets her claws extend and lets her eyes flash electric blue and lets her teeth bar at him in a dark, vicious growl... And he doesn't flinch. Doesn't even blink.

Confusion is the new emotion that takes over. She straightens up a little and tilts her head. He smiles a little when she does that, she can see it in the light that streaks across his mouth, and it just confuses her all the more.

The claws retract, her eyes dim back to brown, and the fangs vanish. She is normal once again.

"I like the blue," he says. His voice is smooth, velvety almost. She didn't even know a voice could sound like velvet, especially when it just said 'I like the blue.' He continues with a nod of his head towards her. "It suits you."

He's speaking as if he knows her, but she's certain she's never seen this guy a day in her life. Malia steps further into the den. It is dimly lit and she can barely see him. She can see his mouth and can make out the blue t-shirt and dark jeans he wears, but that is all. "Do I know you?" She asks.

He shakes his head. "No. But I know you."

"Oh?" She quirks an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You're the coyote who used to live here."

Malia freezes. No one is supposed to know that. She's worked so hard to make sure no one knows that.

The boy raises his head a little and Malia realizes he's watching her, watching her reactions and expressions. She hardens her face, forces her shoulders to relax. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He laughs at that. Genuinely laughs as if it's something genuinely funny. "What?" she demands.

"Oh, nothing," he shakes his head and kicks at the dirt. "Just that I know you know exactly what I'm talking about. But for the sake of the secret, for the sake of keeping the people of this godforsaken town safe, I'll play along."

Malia's nose scrunches a little. She covers it up quickly and tries not to falter. She tries to make herself seem a little taller, a little bolder, like she's completely calm and in control of the situation when they both know she's not. She takes a step further into the cave, and he does the unexpected. He steps back. Malia smirks at that. "Wanna tell me who the hell you are?"

"Me?" He actually puts his hand on his heart and then waves it as if to brush the question off. As if to brush his own importance off. "I'm nobody. You, on the other hand. You're someone. Malia Hale, the were-coyote who's come home."

Malia swallows. "I'm not – that's not –"

He's smiling again. She can practically hear it.

Shit.

He knows.

Malia rolls her head and closes her eyes. "What do you want?"

Up until this point, he's been very cryptic. Keeping to the back, keeping to the dark, and not letting her know anything about himself. But now he's walking towards her, and for the first time since she realized there was someone in her home, Malia is nervous. She stands still, prepared to fight but calm so not to provoke him. She keeps her expression relaxed the entire time, but when he does finally step into the light she can't help but let her mouth open the slightest in surprise.

His features are strong, harsh almost in the sharpness of his jaw and hardness of his eyes. And though he looks like someone who's seen their fair share of darkness and war, he can't be older than twenty. One thing is for sure: whatever she was expecting, he is not it.

He walks until he is in front of her, close enough for her to see just how green his eyes are but not close enough for him to be in her face. He stops, tilts his head, and trails his eyes over her. Malia stands still, though she does scoff as his eyes return to hers.

He smiles. "I don't want anything from you, Malia," he says. He steps to walk around her, to walk away, but then stops to lean his mouth close to her ear. "At least not yet."