The Selkie's Alpha

Chapter 12

A sign depicting a large seashell that glowed with all the beauty of the moon shining overhead welcomed Jasper and Gwen to the Silver Scallop. Although the Cowrie Cabana boasted a handful of other restaurants that provided a wide variety of food for its guests, none could compare to the elegant oceanside eatery.

Despite wearing a three-piece suit, black tie, and golden cufflinks, Jasper felt as if he was wearing nothing but an ice cream-stained t-shirt. Though they attempted to hide it by sneaking furtive glances from behind their menus, there was no denying that all eyes in the restaurant were on him.

For his part, he couldn't stop staring at Gwen.

Dressed in a dark purple dress with a platinum necklace that brought out the effortless confidence in her jade-green eyes, Gwen strode into the Silver Scallop as if she owned it. Though her beauty did not stir anything within him, he couldn't deny the Moon Goddess had blessed her.

"We have a reservation for two under Jasper Stillwater of Cedar Pack," he told the hostess.

The selkie's eyes widened as she signaled to some of the other staff, no doubt telling them a pair of Alphas had arrived. "You're a bit earlier than we expected, but we can go ahead and seat you now if you'd like."

"That would be lovely, thank you." Jasper offered her an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the inconvenience. I'm still sore from the hunt the other day, so we thought we might as well head to dinner early."

"It's no trouble at all." The hostess grabbed a pair of menus with a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Right this way, please."

She led them to a table on the far side of the restaurant, weaving through a maze of chairs and waitstaff as effortlessly as a fish navigating a coral reef. Jasper possessed no such grace as he limped after her, his aching leg protesting each time he tried to close the distance between them.

"No need to rush," Gwen murmured, resting her hand on his arm and matching his slow gait. "The table won't run away."

Jasper chuckled. "That's definitely a plus since I couldn't outpace a slug right now."

At last, the pair of them arrived at their table in a quiet corner away from the other diners. Jasper eased himself into his seat with a sigh, quietly thanking Gwen for her patience. The hostess brought them their water before returning to her podium, leaving the two of them alone. Only the live jazz band's velvet-smooth music broke through the other diners' indistinct chatter, leaving Jasper with no distractions from his own thoughts.

The day had gone well enough. Though his aching leg had restricted him to nothing faster than a stroll, Gwen had been more than willing to take plenty of breaks to soothe his muscles. If anything, she'd enjoyed the ample opportunities to talk to the museum's staff, cooing over pictures of baby sea turtles and gushing about the facility's partnership with Periwinkle Port's wildlife rehabilitation center. Watching Gwen's face light up as she learned about the local conservation efforts made it impossible for Jasper not to enjoy every moment they spent together.

"What are you thinking of getting?" Gwen asked.

Jasper flushed, his gaze darting to the menu. The words in front of him swam before his eyes as sheer embarrassment flooded his mind. How long had she been trying to talk to him? "I'm honestly feeling overwhelmed by all this," he admitted. "Sorry if I've seemed distracted. I promise I enjoy spending time with you. It's just..."

"A lot," she finished for him. "It's alright. I've been nervous, too."

"Really? But you always look so confident."