The Alpha and The Enforcer [TATE] (STILL EDITING)

Chapter 38

I've always found the way that Christian and Carl act around each other to be funny and cute because they are always bickering like teenage siblings who can't stand each other but is always there for each other and is always with each other. "Oh...I forgot you guys use to date," he blurted out all of a sudden, taking me out of my head and back to reality. They found me in the forest...naked...how am I going to explain that to them when I don't even know the answer myself. They started bickering back and forth but I didn't pay attention to them. What if they told Jacob? Or Uncle Ted?

I don't need everyone worrying about me. Honestly, I have not been doing a good job as the new Enforcer of the pack. So far, I have had more drama than anyone that is causing people to lessen their attention on the pack which is facing a threat they can't find. It just feels like all they are doing is worrying about me because I am not doing anything right. I can't have that. "OK I'll shut up now," Carl said, again taking me out of my head. 

"How about you head back to the pack house? I'll be there in a while," Christian told him. "Why? I wanna know why Ellie was on the forest ground naked too," Christian hit him in the back of his head again. "I am not telling a kid that," I told him and I folded my arms across my chest. "When are you guys gonna stop calling me a kid? I'm 20 years old for goddess's sake!" he exclaimed. "You're still a kid," Christian said as he patted his head and we both chuckled. I've always known that Christian teased Carl about being the "kid" of the group because he was one year younger than me and 4 years younger than him and Jacob. 

I've never participated in this but I got to admit that it was fun. "Seriously though," Christian started. "I need to talk to Ellie in private," he added. Carl narrowed his eyebrows together before looking at us both suspiciously. "I keep forgetting you two used to date," he said again and Christian and I rolled our eyes before Christian pushed him into the direction of the pack house. "OK OK fine, I'm going," Carl said as he started a jog back to the pack house. Now it was just me and Christian. 

"Sorry about him," was what he said as soon as Carl was a fair distance away and we could no longer hear his footsteps. "That's fine. That's just the same old Carl," I waved it off and he nods. Now, this is awkward. The last time I spoke to Christian I snapped and went all "fire" on him. I haven't seen him since and I don't know how he would react. 

"How about I walk you home," he offered but I quickly rejected it. "No that's fine I don't need you to," I said to him. "I know but I thought we could talk," 

"There's nothing for you and me to talk about in private Christian. Not unless it concerns the pack," I'm not trying to make him feel any worse than he's probably feeling but I can't take another visit down memory lane. But I am not as angry as I was with him as I was yesterday. Talking about it with Miranda cleared my head and helped me understand things a little bit better. Like the fact that maybe back then he had commitment issues. He did after all just get out of a bad relationship with a girl that he really liked and was still hurting. We were a distraction for each other and we shouldn't have been in a relationship in the first place but we did anyways. 

"Look Ellie, I know I am probably the last person that you would want to talk to right now. Especially after what you said to me the other day," he paused and for a second I thought he was going to take a step forward but he didn't and I was grateful for that. "But it took me a year to finally have the guts to face you for what I've done and apologize for hurting you. And during that year I hurt you even more...because instead of telling you that I am sorry, I took the easy way out and turned away...I am not going to make that mistake again," he looked at me with this newfound determination in his eyes. 

Is this the Christian Underwood that I dated two years ago? The Christian I knew was childish, playful, and friendly with every female that crossed his path. The Christian in front of me is a newer and older version of the one I met.