He Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 1)

Party Blues

Matt

A sense of déjà vu washes over me as I look around and realize that this is just like Welcome Weekend, when my friends and I all went out to a party together, and I was the only one riding solo. It was different then. So much has happened. It didn’t feel like this without Jessica, not back then. Though it's lonely, part of me is relieved because without her, I can just relax and enjoy myself.

Except I can’t. As much as I appreciate that Tyler has been sharing time with Aly with me, seeing them here together just drives home how alone I still feel. She isn’t mine, though sometimes I manage to forget about that for a bit and just enjoy being around her. There’s something about sleeping next to her that calms and soothes me in ways I’ve never experienced before. It never felt like that with Jessica, and I’m left feeling more certain than ever that Aly is who I’m meant to be with.

And yet, something in me won’t let me just break it off with Jess. Fear, I’m pretty sure. I’m terrified of the moment when Aly tells me that she wants Tyler, not me, leaving me completely alone and devastated. I know it’s wrong, but I think I keep putting off the conversation I know I need to have with Jess because while we’re still engaged, I don’t have to face the reality of being alone.

There’s also the fact that my feelings for Jess are real. They’re fading, or at least paling in comparison to how I’m coming to realize I feel for Aly, but they’re still there. I know that I’m going to hurt no matter what I choose, so I’m putting off choosing.

I saw Jess heading downstairs a bit ago. Instead of going over and talking to her, something I haven’t done since we had our talk about taking a break, I found myself instinctively turning around and heading the other way. Classic cowardly Matt. Knowing that she is here has me a little on edge and being more careful about how I interact with Aly. I don’t want to give her any more reason to have a problem with my relationship with Aly or inspire her to make a scene.

Trevor seems to have a sixth sense for when I’m on the verge of falling apart, and he always gets protective and hovers around me to make sure he’s there when I crash. That’s what he seems to be doing now, sticking to my side like glue, even turning Meredith away when she came to ask for a dance. I know I must be in rougher shape than I realized if he is turning down an opportunity to have his girl grind on him and show everybody that he’s cool and sexy enough to have such a hot girlfriend.

Starting to feel like a massive burden or a weight dragging my friends down when they’re trying to have a good time and enjoy their last Saturday night before finals, I decide to release Trevor from his babysitting duties, find an available bathroom to relieve my beer bladder, and then get out of here. The half-bath on the main level is occupied and so is the guest bath upstairs. Remembering when Aly found a private bathroom in one of the bedrooms the last time we were here, I make my way down the hall to that room.

I notice that the door is closed, and I can hear the distinct sounds of a couple enjoying each other in the biblical way. Mission aborted. I should be able to hold it until I get home.

But then I realize I recognize those moans. My blood runs cold and I freeze in place, trapped in the hallway listening to my fiancée moaning some other guy’s name. Because I’m apparently a masochist and can’t just leave it alone, I quietly open the door and peek in. Sure enough, there’s her long blonde hair spread out over the side of the bed. Her eyes are closed but it’s undeniably her, and that is definitely not me kneeling between her open legs and slamming my pelvis into hers.

I shut the door and fight back my urge to let loose an animalistic howl filled with rage and sorrow and I don’t even know what else I’m feeling. My eyes are already clouding over with tears and I am vaguely aware of how I’m trembling so much that it’s a struggle to walk. I’ve lost control of my body, but somehow I dash out of the house and make my way back to the apartment, throwing myself on my bed and shoving my face in a pillow to let the tears and screams flow freely, the needs of my bladder already forgotten.

-

-

Aly

Matt had been sticking close to us, even taking some turns dancing with me at one point, but then he went off with Trevor and it’s just been Tyler and me for a while. He’s such a fun guy to dance with, equal parts sexy and goofy. He also seems to have a gift for tracking down the good booze, a talent I have come to appreciate. Cheap beer just isn’t going to cut it for a werewolf.

“Babe, I need to find a bathroom,” he announces after we’ve been doing some shots together.

He leans forward to place a sloppy kiss on my lips, the drinks obviously starting to affect him at this point.

I laugh and pull him back for another kiss.

“Need any assistance with that?” I ask when we break away the second time, wondering if he thinks he can walk himself.

“I’m good,” he assures me, “unless you’re offering to hold it for me?” he hints suggestively, winking and waggling his eyebrows at me.

“Get out of here,” I scold him, laughing and playfully smacking his arm.

I track down Meredith after he leaves me. She’s dancing with Trevor and they invite me to join. He seems to enjoy having a girl on either side of him. We both rub up on him, since I know she isn’t the jealous type and understands I’m just playing. Tyler comes back right about when Trevor spins me around and smacks my ass, making us all laugh.

Tyler grabs my arm and pulls me away from the others, and for a moment I worry that he is suddenly jealous, though he’s never been that way previously. I quickly realize that something else is on his mind, though, judging by how worried he looks.

“Have you seen Matt?” he asks, scanning the room.

“No, not since before. Why?”

His tension is contagious, and now I’m worried too, though I don’t even know why.

“I just wondered if he’s been upstairs," he explains. "I really hope not. I just walked in on Jess and some other guy.”

“Oh.”

A mix of rage and worry settles into my gut as I turn to Trevor, hoping he has kept better tabs on Matt.

I must look pretty serious because he stops dancing and sobers his expression to ask, “What’s up, guys?”

“Where’s Matt?” I ask him in return, already pulling out my phone to text the man in question.

“He told me a bit ago that he was going to find an available bathroom and take off. He wasn’t feeling the whole party scene tonight,” Trevor explains. “Why?”

Tyler repeats what he saw to Trevor and Meredith. They decide to look around and see if he is still at the party, while Tyler and I decide to head back to their apartment and see if he went home. My gut is telling me that Matt is hurting, and I need to get to him. Tyler is right there with me, his concern for his friend overtaking any feelings he might have about leaving early from a party he has been looking forward to.

Their apartment is dark and quiet when we get there, but my nose tells me that my mate is here. I follow his scent to his bedroom, taking in the familiar sight of his shadowy bundle under the covers. I don’t wait for an invitation, rushing to the empty side of his bed and crawling in with him, lifting the covers and wrapping them around me.

It’s dark so I can’t see him, but I can feel him. I don’t need to mark him to know that he’s aching and lost. I pull him into my arms and settle his head against my shoulder. I can feel him shake as he cries, and I just pull my arms tighter around him and lean my head against his. Tyler comes in and joins, sliding in on the other side of Matt and rubbing gentle circles on his back. None of us say anything, but we don’t need to.

-

-

Meredith

The nerve of this b***h. I hear her shrieking laugh from across the house, and all I can feel is rage. We took her under our wing when we first came here and she was all alone. I’ve always known that she’s difficult for most people to get along with, but I grew to like her over time. Sure, she’s spoiled, selfish, and will do anything for attention, but under all that, she’s a lonely, scared little girl who was never loved enough as a child.

But this is unforgivable. Next to Trevor, I care about Matt more than any other person in the world. And Aly? She isn’t the villain Jess likes to make her out to be. She hasn’t done anything to deserve the way Jess treats her. She just dares to be beautiful, outgoing, and everything Jess isn’t.

Jess has been on this whole thing lately of blaming Aly for her separation from Matt and talking about Matt as though he has somehow wronged her by asking for space to get his head sorted out. He’s a deep, sensitive person. Things affect him more than other people. I’ve tried telling her that he is miserable and lost, not off screwing everything with legs the way she likes to say, but she’s Jess. He’s not paying attention to her, so he’s a monster.

And now this. I can already picture her explanation for why she is the one caught screwing someone else. “Mattie hasn’t been treating me like he should, but this guy does. He sees me. He appreciates me. Blah blah blah,” she would whine at me as if I should take her side. No. I don’t care if we’re supposed to be friends and roommates. This has gone too far.

I see her come into the living room where I’ve been sitting with Trevor. She’s laughing and hanging on that other guy’s arm, and I lose it. Before I even know what’s happening, I’ve somehow closed the distance between us, and my fist has connected with her perfect nose. I just stare at my now bloody fist, and look back up at her, completely mystified.

My rage helps me quickly recover. “That’s for Matt. I know he’s too much of a gentleman to ever do it himself,” I force out, trying to keep myself from hitting her again.

Her nose is bleeding, and she is shrieking and squealing as she cries and stamps her feet, but she’s not my problem. I turn on my heel and leave. I sense Trevor at my side at one point, but I’m still too upset to say much. I just focus on breathing in and out, putting one foot in front of the other.

“We should probably get some ice on your hand,” he says, not bothering to lecture me or give his opinion about my altercation with Jessica, and I love him for that.

We make it back to the guys’ apartment and he takes me directly to the freezer, pulling out some frozen vegetables for my hand. I’m starting to feel it now, so the cold is soothing and appreciated.

“I can’t believe I did that,” I say finally, still feeling somewhat in shock that tonight really happened.

“I’ve never been prouder,” he smirks. “It was a solid punch, too, and a satisfying crunch. Probably going to be an issue with you guys rooming together, though.”

“I refuse to live with her. She’s been a nightmare this semester. Either she goes or I do. I’ll stay here if I have to.”

“You make it sound like such a sacrifice to live with your snookum snuggle bear,” he pouts, and I can’t help but laugh.

After he has cleaned up my hand and the peas have gone soft, we quietly make our way to the door to Matt’s room to check on him. Aly and Tyler came back earlier, and it makes me smile to see all three of them in there cuddling together. Honestly, if the bed were any bigger, we’d probably join too. For a minute, I wish Aly and Tyler weren’t together because I think she could be good for Matt, which is exactly why Jess has always hated her. But I love Tyler, too, and I’m glad he’s happy.

Trevor and I make our way to his room at the end of the hall. Now that the adrenaline rush and alcohol are wearing off, I’m exhausted and craving some cuddle time with my snookum snuggle bear.