He Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 1)

Her Two Mates III: Tyler

I can tell Aly is worried about her dad with Matt so I try to console her as best as I can, pulling her against me and rubbing up and down her arms.

“He’ll be okay,” I assure her. “Your dad was good to me when he took me for a tour, and he didn’t even like me then.”

She rolls her face around on my shoulder, moaning in frustration. “Yeah, but Matt is already on edge. What if he has another panic attack?”

I take one of my hands and wrap it around the back of her head, gently pushing it against my shoulder more securely so that she can’t move it like that. I’ve noticed with her that if I gently still her restless body parts, sometimes that helps her calm down.

“Then your dad will take care of him. He’s a good guy, Aly. You know that.”

“But so is Matt,” she sighs. “I just hope my dad can see that and see past the nerves and anxiety. He’s sensitive, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak.”

“I think he already likes him. He doesn’t glare at him the way he used to do to me.”

“True,” she laughs. “And hopefully he’ll accept you more now that …” she breaks off what she was saying, pulling her head away from my shoulder and looking up at me.

“So, I have to tell you something. I was going to wait for Matt, but maybe it’s better if I don’t. I can tell him privately when he’s ready.”

“Okay, tell me what? What your dad told you?”

“Yeah, exactly,” she grins at me. “Guess what!”

I can’t help laughing at how excited she is, especially considering how worried she was seconds ago. “What, babe? More chocolate?”

“No,” she laughs, shaking her head at my stupid joke.

I grin back at her and wait for her to tell me more.

“He told me that the Elders think that you and Matt are both my mates. I don’t know why they think that or how it’s even possible, but I’m excited about it anyway. You’re my mate! Just like you always wanted!”

“For real?” I ask, and she nods, still grinning.

I feel a rush of excitement surge through me and I have her lifted into my arms and start spinning her around without really even thinking about it.

I don’t understand it either, but it must have something to do with their tests they gave me for the trials. They found something in my brain, maybe. Who knows. I don’t really care, though. She’s right. It’s what I wanted.

And then right there in the middle of the rec room where anyone could walk in and see us at any moment, I kiss her. I can’t help myself. I have to. And just like always, it feels incredible and I have a hard time breaking away from her because I don’t want to go back to not being physically connected to her.

But then I realize that she didn’t say I’m her mate, she said I’m one of her mates. Matt is still her mate. Wait, what?

I pull away suddenly, confused. “Aly, how does that work? How do we both be your mates? Is it like a polygamy thing? You have relationships with both of us?”

“Yeah, basically,” she confirms with a shrug. “I was already leaning that way anyway. I want you, but I also want him. I don’t want to have to choose. Originally, I was thinking of marking him but being with you both, but only because usually you can only have one official mate and only mark one person. Mari was insisting that it be her true mate. I have no idea if that changes now that you’re both my true mates, but Dad said that eventually the Elders are sending someone to explain it all and tell us their decision about you. So, I don’t have all the details, but yes, I want a relationship with both of you. How would you feel about that?”

I don’t know. I mean, I’ve basically already been sharing her with Matt, and I’ve been fine with it. She somehow manages to divide her attention between us without making me feel neglected or like she desires me less. But now I’m thinking about the mechanics of it, like, physically.

If I’m going to be with her, I want to go back to having s*x. Not only do I miss it, but that’s part of a relationship. Images of all the videos I’ve seen of two guys sharing a girl come to mind. I’ve never done anything like that. It would be awkward. But I don’t know. Maybe I could get used to it. Most importantly, I’d have Aly, and I wouldn’t be responsible for wrecking Matt in the process.

“I mean … I guess I’m on board. I’m a little stuck on the logistics of it, but I think we can work it out. Matt, though, I don’t know how he’s going to react.”

“I know,” she exhales slowly. “I’m worried about that, too. I think I might take him aside and tell him privately to give him more breathing room to take it in.”

“I think that’s a good idea, and I’m willing to hang back and let you focus on bringing him up to speed with everything. I’ve been trying to help, but honestly, I feel like I do a crap job and just end up upsetting him more. So yeah, I’ll bow out and let you guys talk.”

“Thank you,” she says, her smile as warm as her hands which I can feel creeping up the back of my shirt and rubbing up my back. Damn, that feels good.

“Thank you for everything, Tyler,” she repeats, and I can tell she is feeling a lot of emotions right now.

She continues explaining, “I know I always tell you you’re amazing, but that’s so vague. Every time I say it, though, I mean thank you for always supporting me and understanding what I need. I mean I appreciate how thoughtful and kind you are, and how much you care about Matt and consider his feelings in all this. I mean I appreciate how you put up with all my crap and deal with my moods, and how you’re always down to cuddle. I mean thank you for following my lead, giving me what I need when I need it, and never pushing for more. I mean so much, but all that ever seems to come out is the word ‘amazing.’ It’s true, but I just need you to know that it goes so much deeper than that and means so much more than you realize.”

Wow, that was a lot of feelings, and it has me feeling a lot of feelings of my own. I can’t think of what to say, so I just pull her tight to me and bury my face in her hair.

I mean to tell her thank you in return, but when I open my mouth, all that comes out is, “I love you so much, Aly.”

I feel her tighten her hold on me, and then the most amazing thing happens, the thing I’ve been craving for months. She looks up at me, her gorgeous green eyes shining bright with emotion, and tells me, “And I love you, too, Tyler.”