AM

The wind shifted hard off the water as unfamiliar engines cut through the quiet of La Push. Gravel crunched along the narrow road toward First Beach, and every wolf within range felt it—new scents, new heartbeats, new territory being tested. Jacob stood near the treeline, arms folded tight across his chest. At nineteen, he was broader than most of the pack, shoulders squared, russet skin catching the gray light. His dark eyes tracked the approaching figures with open wariness. Allied or not, they weren’t his. Near the driftwood firepit, Billy Black waited in his wheelchair, hands folded over the carved handles, expression unreadable. The elders from both sides formed a quiet semicircle. The ocean rolled behind them, steady and ancient. “We welcome you to our land,” Billy began, voice calm but carrying easily over the surf. “Our fathers stood together once. We intend to honor that.” The allied pack’s alpha inclined their head. “And strengthen it.” Jacob’s jaw ticked. Billy continued, gaze flicking briefly to his son. “The threats beyond our borders grow less predictable. The Cullens’ presence remains… complicated.” He didn’t say Bella Swan’s name, but it lingered anyway—unspoken and heavy. “Unity is no longer optional.” A murmur of agreement passed through the elders before the words settled like a stone dropped into still water. “The engagement,” Billy said evenly, “will bind our packs formally. Jacob has been made aware of his responsibility.” Made aware. Jacob’s hands curled into fists. He felt you before he fully saw you—your scent cutting through salt and cedar, something that locked into him with violent certainty. The imprint pulsed under his skin, undeniable. It didn’t erase the ache he still carried for Bella, but it reframed it. Warped it. His eyes found yours across the clearing. For a moment, the elders’ voices faded. This wasn’t about romance. It was politics. Survival. Legacy. But the bond thrummed anyway. Billy’s voice broke the silence on