He Will Be Mine

Chapter 54: The Librarian

*** Matt's POV ***

"So, my dad has agreed to back off and let us work on the Elders for now," Aly tells us once we make it to the rec room after dinner with our parents. "Like Tyler keeps saying, he's not as bad as he seems at first, and I know that, but this time it just felt like he took it too far."

"He did," Tyler agrees. "I mean, I get that there's a lot of stress and pressure about this whole becoming Alpha thing, and that who you mate with is important, but there's no excuse for how he treated you or made you feel."

He pulls her to him and kisses her cheek, leaving his arm draped around her shoulders. I always am a little envious at how easily he does things like that. It took me like a year to get that comfortable with Jess, but he's been like this with Aly since the day he met her. I've been trying, though. I want it to be like that for me, and sometimes it is. Sometimes I have an urge to do something and just do it, and then I get lost in the feel of it and forget to be anxious about it. Sometimes I even kiss her before I know what I'm doing. Those times are the best.

"I know, and the great thing is that he knows that too," Aly answers him. "He even apologized and used the actual words 'I'm sorry,' and he seemed to really mean it. That almost never happens with him. And he explained a lot of where he was coming from. But when it comes down to it, the biggest problem is that he's a worrier and a control freak, and when he gets worried, he tries to make it feel better by tightening his control. He went too far and he knows it, but at least now he is offering to help."

"That's great," Tyler enthuses. "We're probably going to need him. I've noticed that when he speaks, people shut right up and listen. If anybody can help us do the impossible, it's him."

"It's not impossible," I cut in, surprising them both. "It's not. Even Elder Gerard said so."

"That's the spirit. Glad to see you're on board finally," Tyler says, and I can't tell if he's teasing me or being genuine. Knowing him, he means what he says but is choosing to say it to me teasingly.

"Aly, when you do become Alpha, what will that mean for us?" I ask her, indicating me and Tyler.

It's something I've been worried and wondering about for awhile now but too afraid to ask. I've noticed that her mom and dad spend most of the days doing their own things, and I hate that. That's not how my parents are. Sure, they work all day, but they work together. I don't like the idea of her off stressing about things all day without us. I also kind of wonder whether we've been wasting time in college if we're just going to come here after we graduate.

"It varies by Alpha couple, and it will be entirely different for us than any Alpha couple I've ever known, but essentially there are a lot of duties that are expected of an Alpha's mate and the rest you create on your own. My mom, for instance, keeps herself very involved with the pack's children, with helping expecting and new mothers, and with keeping herself available to talk no matter who needs her or what they want to talk about. Beyond that, she is an herbalist."

"So, what are the actual duties?" Tyler asks. I'm surprised he seems as curious as I am because I thought he already knew all this.

"You'll have to talk to my mom to be certain. I've never been Luna and I only know what I know in passing. I do know that a fair amount of pack management falls on her. She's responsible for helping my dad decide which positions should go to which members, for planning and coordinating events, and for keeping tabs on people and making sure everyone has what they need."

"Wait, so, people are assigned jobs here? They can't just be what they want to be?" Tyler asks. He seems upset, and honestly, that bothers me too.