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

Jacob's P.O.V

Ellie and I walked in silence, our boots crunching against the gravel as the late afternoon sun dipped low on the horizon. The pack house stood ahead, perched on its familiar hill like a silent witness to our every step. A breeze swept past us, cool and gentle, tugging at the strands of hair that had slipped free from Ellie's braid.

I kept stealing glances at her, trying to figure her out—not as a warrior, but as a person. Today was her birthday, and yet she walked like it was any other day. No spark in her eye, no hint of excitement. Just the same calm, unreadable face that pushed everyone away.

What do you even get a girl like Ellie?

With Emily, it had always been easy. A hardcover book, a bookmark, maybe a visit to that quiet little bookstore tucked in town. She used to light up at the thought of organizing a library one day, and I had loved that about her—her gentleness, her dreams, her warmth.

But Ellie... Ellie was fire and silence. She kept her thoughts close, her feelings closer. Everyone knew what she'd been through. Rejected by her mate. Left behind. Still, somehow, she never crumbled. Never begged. She fought harder. Trained longer. Carried herself like pain was something she wore like armor.

I wanted to give her something today. Something real. Something she didn't expect.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, "what do you want to do today? It is your birthday."

She gave a small shrug, her gaze still forward. "Anything. Doesn't matter."

I frowned. That answer said more than she realized. It meant she wasn't used to anyone caring enough to ask.

"Well," I started, thinking on my feet, "we could go to the movies. Or get ice cream. Pizza, burgers. Ooh—or we could drive out to the beach."

She turned her head slightly, giving me a look. "The beach? Jacob, the nearest beach is in human territory. That's like a nine-hour drive."

I smirked. "Yeah, but come on. Picture it: waves, fresh air, no pack duties. After that, we catch a movie, eat burgers and pizza like maniacs, then finish with ice cream. And if you're feeling bold, we throw in a cake. Chocolate. Or red velvet, if you're secretly fancy."

She blinked at me. And then—she laughed.

It was soft at first, like she hadn't done it in a while. But it grew, lifting the corner of her mouth into something warm and almost... free. It was the kind of laugh that made everything around her seem brighter. And I stood there frozen, because in all the time I'd known her, I'd never seen her smile like that.

I smiled too, watching her with quiet awe. "There it is," I whispered under my breath.

Then—

FWIP.

A gust of air sliced past my cheek like a slap. Something fast. Dangerous.

An arrow.

Instinct kicked in. I turned sharply—just in time to see Ellie snatch it out of the air with her bare hand, inches from her right eye. The motion was fluid, effortless, like she'd done it a thousand times before.

My breath caught in my throat.

She stared at the arrow for a second before tossing it to the ground like it was nothing. Not a flicker of fear on her face.

She looked up.

I followed her gaze.

A girl stood at the top of the hill, bow still in hand. She looked our age, maybe a little younger, her posture relaxed, her smirk anything but friendly. She made eye contact with Ellie and tilted her head slightly like they were playing some long-running game only the two of them understood.