Alpha Hale

Chapter 10

Stiles took several breaths of manly courage, sparing a glance at the rogue werewolf loitering at the edge of the woods at a reasonably safe distance and watched its confused pacing- that looked as if it were awaiting the command of its demon master- with unsettling interest. He'd called his father, who'd in turn called Chris Argent though apparently he'd been less convinced about Stiles' announcement. Whatever.

When he finally bothered to show up, he'd see that the rogue wasn't Derek after all. And hopefully he'd kill it. Stiles wagged the jar in its direction as if in silent threat and hoped it didn't decide to take off before the hunters arrived. Because that would be awkward.

He heard Derek’s growling reply from within the house, and he resisted the urge to go in after him. Watching the rogue prowl outside was more important at the moment. The chance to kill it for good was something he couldn't pass up. Not even for Derek.

He didn't have to wait very long until Derek stormed out of the house again. Oh great. Here we go.

“I have to kill him,” he snapped, red eyes tracking the rogue prowling several metres away. Stiles ignored him, glancing at his cell phone to check the time. The hunters said they'd be fifteen minutes at least. He wasn't sure they had that long.

“You don’t have to kill it,” he pointed out. “You just want to, because you have a tendency to slash throats.”

Derek stopped pacing in front of him, too close for comfort and Stiles wondered what exactly he was planning on doing. Agitated Derek did not seem like a great combination.

“Break the circle.”

“Are you even in control right now?” he wondered, and Derek released a sharp breath and jerked away as if Stiles had hit him again.

"I have more control than you think."

By the time Stiles could think of a reply he was gone. The conversation unsettled him. Had he hurt Derek's feelings? Is that what that reaction was? Feeling more confused than ever Stiles sat down in the grass and watched the rogue pace again, jaws snapping with frustration.

Yeah, Stiles could understand the feeling.

He'd lost track of the time when the rogue abruptly jerked it's snout to the side as if hearing something. Stiles really hoped it was the hunters. There didn't seem like there was a chance to find out because the rogue snarled and took off toward the trees. Not towards the sound, or the hunters coming from him, but in the opposite direction as if it was running away, as if-

"No!" Stiles protested, stepping toward the edge of the barrier as if he was going to lure it back himself. And he was. This rogue needed to be stopped before it sunk its claws into anyone else, consequence be damned.

He darted forward but before he could take another step something yanked him back by the scruff of his shirt. Hard.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Stiles frantically tried to throw Derek off. "It's getting away. Don't-"

But the rogue was long gone. Fuck. Derek had ruined everything. And of course, of course that was when the hunters finally turned up. Stiles glanced over his shoulder but Derek had disappeared into the house again which seemed like the smart plan with so many hunters on the loose.

"It went that way," Stiles insisted, pointing in the direction he'd last seen it.

But Chris Argent only looked at him as if it confirmed his suspicions. That Stiles was a liar covering for Derek who was the rogue and that this was some elaborate ploy to persuade him otherwise.