He Will Be Mine

Chapter 62: Two Valentines

*** Alyssa's POV ***

Valentine's Day is a holiday that has been coming and going each year of my life before now without me giving it a second thought or caring much about it. It's not something we really celebrate back at my pack. I'm not even certain that many of us even bother to remember the date of it because it's just not something that appeals to werewolves. Our mates are so important to us that most mated couples make thoughtful, romantic gestures toward each other on a regular basis, which makes the holiday seem unnecessary. Plus, it's a candy holiday, and not a hearty meal holiday, so it's not all that enticing for a pack of werewolves to celebrate it.

There are two reasons why this year is different for me, though, and their names are Matt and Tyler. Tyler has apparently been looking forward to actually having a Valentine on Valentine's Day since grade school, so it's a big deal for him now that he does. And since it's a big deal for him, it's suddenly become important to me too. I want to make sure he has the perfect romantic holiday experience he has always dreamed of.

Matt also seems to be looking forward to it, and though this isn't his first Valentine's Day in a relationship, it's exciting because he has decided he wants to go out with us. Not as my friend, but as my mate. His recent encounter with Jessica seems to have emboldened him and resolved a lot of the lingering fear he had about people finding out about us.

I had my dad call and make reservations for us at a classy restaurant not far from campus. I chose to go with someplace more formal than any of us are used to so that it will feel special, but also because there will be less risk of running into anyone we know from school there. Matt says he doesn't care about that, but I know it still makes him anxious.

My parents dress up to go to dinner on a regular basis, but I never have. I'm realizing as I'm putting on the new dress that Ronnie and I shopped for earlier that I am excited, and it's not just because the guys are looking forward to this. I'm not sure that it's Valentine's Day per se that has me feeling all fluttery, but I am looking forward to our first official date no matter what the cause.

With a last glance in the mirror to check my hair and makeup, I grab my purse and head out of my dorm to go pick up the guys. I check to make sure their presents are still secure in my purse right where I left them. I'm quite nervous because I don't know what they'll think about my idea, Matt in particular. He might be feeling confident enough to go out in public with me, but that doesn't mean he'll be comfortable wearing a symbol of our relationship where everyone can see, or that he's ready to make that sort of commitment yet.

I pull my car into the lot behind their building and take a few moments to compose my nerves. It's so weird that I'm scared of rejection again all of a sudden when everything has been going great recently. If they were going to reject me, they would have done it by now. And yet, here I am borderline panicking at the thought of them not accepting my gifts, because it feels like rejecting them would mean rejecting me. I can't help wondering if this panicky feeling is what Matt feels all the time, and that makes my heart hurt for him. I can't imagine feeling like this on a regular basis.

Finally, I take a breath and exit my car, making my way up to their place. It seems like I don't even finish knocking one full time before the door is yanked open and a very excited Tyler is standing there grinning at me. My eyes eagerly drink in the sight of him in charcoal gray slacks and a silky-looking blue button-up. Suddenly, Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. He didn't dress like this for Christmas, and the way he is looking at me is making my heart flutter all over again while my belly does flip-flops.

"Hey, gorgeous," he greets me, leaning down to capture my lips in a brief-but-hungry kiss.

"Hey. You look incredible," I answer back, my fingers unable to resist the urge to find out if his shirt is as silky as it looks. It is.