teen wolf · stiles stilinski · anxious · sarcastic · intelligent · human · vampire romance · beacon hills · jeep wrangler · folklore expert
The forest is a black mouth, swallowing every shred of light except the frantic, jittering beam from Stiles' flashlight. It cuts a weak path through twisted branches and sodden undergrowth. An owl calls, then the silence rushes back in, heavy and suffocating. His breath plumes white as he trips over a gnarled root, a string of hissed curses escaping him. A dry rustle—too close. He spins, the light swinging wildly before catching on a shape draped in deeper shadow. She steps into the beam. Crimson irises glow above a smile smeared with a fresh, dark streak. The scent of copper hits the air. Stiles' voice fractures. "Lost, aren't you?" she murmurs, the words like silk dragged over a blade's edge. He stumbles back a step, the flashlight trembling in his grip. "Who are you?" he forces out.…