He Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 1)

Christmas in Wisconsin II

Tyler

Matt’s cousin Colin reminds me so much of my cousin Jordan. Pick a topic, any topic, and dare to have an opinion or tell a personal story and he will have an argument and a better story to top yours before you can even finish. He’s funny, and charming in his own way, but I’m pretty done listening to him. And he’s what, like 14? The nerve on this kid, man.

So, it goes without saying that I’m pretty glad when Matt’s dad bursts into the room, interrupting Colin’s story about some girl he’s been trying to get with. He comes straight over to me, smiling in a way that is borderline creepy and engulfs me in a hug.

“Uh, hi again, Mr. Taylor,” I say awkwardly as I hug him back. Normally he is more of a handshake guy, except for with Matt, so this is surprising to say the least.

“Hi, Tyler. I’m so glad you could join our family this year,” he gushes.

I wonder if he and Matt’s uncle sent the kids in the house so they could dip into the holiday booze. That would make this whole encounter make a lot more sense. Even Matt seems to think it is odd, judging by the amused but confused look he is giving us.

“What’s up?” I ask him as I start to laugh nervously. The dude has yet to release his hold on me.

He finally seems to realize that he’s being weird and pulls back, blushing just like Matt always does.

“Uh, actually I was wondering if I could borrow your girl Aly for a minute so she and my dad can compare notes on some things from back home.”

Matt gives him a quizzical look, but tells him, “She’s in the kitchen with Mom. What things from back home?”

“Just some stuff your grandpa was telling us about that I was wondering if we could get her opinion on,” Mr. Taylor explains, although even his explanation seems weird.

It occurs to me that he might be wanting to know more about her, in terms of all the werewolf stuff like what pack she is from and such. Matt’s uncle could probably smell her. I wish I could think of some way to tell him Matt and I know about all that without just saying it outright in front of all these people.

“I’ll go see if I can steal her from your mom then,” he says, awkwardly shuffling out of the room.

I turn to Matt and shrug my shoulders at him questioningly. He shrugs back, meaning he has no idea what that was about either.

“Do you figure he got a little carried away with the eggnog or something?” I ask jokingly.

“Must have, though to be honest, I have never seen him drunk before so I wouldn’t even know what it looks like,” Matt admits. “Good news is he seems to like you. He’s never even hugged Trevor before, and Trevor has been coming over here since we were little kids.”

“Well, I’m honored. I just hope Aly is in the mood for hugs because it looks like she is his next victim.”

We laugh together about that and then slip out of the room so that Matt can take me upstairs and show me where we’ll be sleeping. I don’t know how his parents will feel about it, but Matt wants us to stay together like at Aly’s. Fortunately, unlike at my place, he has a king-sized bed and a decently large room so there’s plenty of space for our stuff. I approve his plan and then the two of us get to work unloading Aly’s car.

I catch a glimpse of her in the garage with Matt’s dad and an older man who is presumably his grandpa, though I’ve never met him before. She’s smiling, so that seems like a good sign.

-

-

Aly

Somehow, I was not surprised when Mr. Taylor came to me in the kitchen and asked me to come to the garage so he could speak to me privately. And I was similarly unsurprised when I was met by Matt’s Uncle Marty and his grandpa who were still in the garage waiting for us.

It seems the werewolf blood runs way back in this family tree because I sense that his grandpa is also one of us. Well, I guess that answers the question of how his uncle could be a werewolf. I was dead wrong about that, though I’ll blame it on the wishful thinking.

“Hello, Alyssa. I’m Matt’s grandfather, Gabriel,” the eldest Mr. Taylor greets me warmly, with an inviting smile. “But you can call me Gabe, or Grandpa Gabe, if you wish. Since you’re basically already family.”

“I, uh, yeah,” I answer awkwardly, surprised by him telling me that when he just met me, but then recover myself and smile back at him. “Hi. You can call me Aly.”

“Alright, Aly then,” he chuckles. “And don’t worry. This is a friendly chat. I’m realizing it might seem a bit like an ambush, but it’s not. We just wanted to pull you aside to get a sense of what all you know, and what Matt and Tyler might know. There’s things we need to tell them, so I thought it would be best to start with you.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. And I figured that’s what was going on,” I begin, figuring on just laying it out for them, saving us all some time by not making them ask questions.

“So that you know, Tyler is well aware of our kind,” I continue. “I told him before Thanksgiving, and he came to visit my pack twice now. As far as Matt, he is aware, but it’s quite recent. He’s still processing, and it’s been a little bit delicate with him. He came to visit my pack just before we came here, but he’s still … uh, did you know that he remembers seeing Uncle Marty shift one time in the middle of the night at the campground? It really messed with him and made it so much harder on him when I told him it was all real.”

“I had wondered that,” Matt’s dad mutters, while his Uncle Marty looks at the ground as though he feels guilty about it.

“I didn’t mean for that,” Marty insists when he looks up and meets my gaze. “I was going through some stuff then and got angry and my wolf took over.”

“That is in the past, though. What’s important is right now,” Grandpa Gabe reminds us. “I have spoken to the Elders, who informed me of your situation with the boys. They told me Tyler even completed the mate trials for you -"

I cut him off, realizing he might have information I don’t. “The Elders? Did they tell you about their decision?”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “No, when I left them, they were still deliberating. And when I was with them, they only told me of the investigation they had opened in order to figure out how and why you could have two mates.”

“And did they sort that out?” I continue pressing him to tell me more.

“Well, yes, but those are sensitive details that I feel like we should wait to tell you with the boys,” he responds. “You see, you’ve stumbled into a family with a lot of buried trauma and secrets, and it seems like you’re meant to be the light that shines on the darkness of the past, making us whole again.”

“That’s heavy, but also seems accurate,” Marty comments thoughtfully. “It is kind of like that, isn’t it.”

Yikes. That is heavy. And unfortunately, all three Taylor men insist that they won’t tell me more until later. I get the feeling they mean much later, like after most of the extended family has left for home in a couple days. Matt’s dad pleads with me to keep it under wraps so that he can enjoy a happy Christmas with his family, promising that all will be revealed after that.

-

-

Tyler

Matt’s parents have been weird this time. There’s no nicer way to say it; that’s just the truth. I don’t remember them being like this when I was here last summer, but this time around, they’ve been super cuddly with me and I keep catching his mom staring at me when she thinks I’m not looking.

I’m beginning to feel a little bit like those kids that get kidn*pped by a witch and then she tries to eat them or whatever. Hansel and Gretel, I think? I guess that would make me Hansel and Aly Gretel, because they’ve been a little weird with her too. It’s fine, though. I’d rather parents that are too cuddly versus parents that are too cruel and strict, and I’m a hugger too. It just was not at all what I expected.

On the third day here, most of Matt’s aunts, uncles, and cousins leave. Only his Uncle Marty stays behind with his wife, Alice, and their son Christian. I like Christian, though. He reminds me of a blonde version of Matt. Matt’s grandparents also stay behind, which Matt seems excited about. The grandparents apparently only come around once a year for the holiday gathering, and each year they pick one of their kids to go home with for a few days. This year, it’s Matt’s family.

Lucky us because his Grandpa Gabe is amazing. It’s cold enough this year that he decides to take us up north to go ice fishing, and even Aly comes. Matt’s mom and Aunt Alice decide to stay behind, which makes Aly the only woman to come along with us. Grandpa Gabe has seemed to like her from the start, but that only makes him like her more. And Matt seems to be soaking in all the attention his family has been giving her, appreciating how well she fits in here. Not surprisingly, his family wasn’t all that fond of Jess, so this is a new experience for him.

Just as I’m sitting there on a folding camping chair and zoning out to the sight of my line swallowed up by the hole in the ice, relaxing and finally starting to understand that fishing isn’t all about catching fish, Aly clears her throat beside me. The sound jolts me back to reality, but also makes me appreciate all over again the sight of this amazing woman who I’m lucky enough to have by my side. And then she says something unexpected.

“It occurs to me that Christmas is over, and all your human family has left now. So, now I’m just wondering when we’re finally going to talk about what the Elders told you,” she says, seeming to direct it to Grandpa Gabe.

Now I’m wondering if she’s been doing that thing she does where she talks to other werewolves in her head, because she obviously knows some things Matt and I don’t.

Christian looks as surprised as Matt and me, but Matt’s dad and uncle squirm in their seats while Grandpa Gabe just chuckles, his eyes sparkling as he looks at Aly.

“There’s the Alpha shining through,” he remarks fondly. “No nonsense or beating around the bush. I respect that. And quite honestly, I’ve been wondering when we’re going to have this chat, too.”

He turns to Matt’s dad and gives him a pointed, questioning look.

Mr. Taylor clears his throat and repositions himself in his seat.

“I, uh, I’ve just been waiting for the best time. I don’t want it to interrupt our family time,” he explains, but it sounds more like an excuse.

I know Aly, and I assume there is a reason why she chose now and with these people to confront them about whatever it is. If I had to wager a guess, it’s because we can’t run away. This must be intense.

“Alright, well, I’ll get us started,” Aly continues to push. “For those of you who may not be aware, I discovered that Matt was my mate years ago, and then this past summer we were reunited. At that time, I met Tyler, and was immediately drawn to him in ways I can’t even explain. At this point, I’ve realized I’m meant to be with them both, and when I told my dad, he informed me that the Elders agree.”

“You met Matt years ago?” Mr. Taylor seems surprised. “How? When?”

“Remember when we went down to camp for your 20th anniversary?” Matt answers him with a question. “She was the girl, the one I wanted you to turn around and go talk to.”

“Oh,” Mr. Taylor says softly, his face falling as he thinks it over. “I’m so sorry, Matt. I didn’t know, and there wasn’t much I could do about it. Because … well, I guess I might as well just say it. I’m a werewolf too, but I have to be careful about trespassing on pack territories, and I was aware that the place you saw her was exactly that. I couldn’t stop there, or I probably would have been apprehended by their patrols.”

Fortunately, Aly already told him about his dad being a werewolf, and a rogue at that. I don’t know all the laws and rules about rogues, but I’m guessing that’s what he means. And since he was already expecting this revelation, Matt responds impressively well this time.

“Yeah, I know,” he tells his dad with a sigh. “Aly told me. She also told me that you being a rogue probably means something bad happened to you in the past since you’re not the kind of rogue who causes problems for other werewolves.”

“I … should I go wait in the truck?” Christian asks timidly as he stands and looks ready to bolt.

“No, son. You need to hear this too,” Uncle Marty tells him softly, but in a commanding tone. “I’ve always told you your uncle had good reason to become rogue. You’re a man now, so it’s time that you know.”

A man? The kid is 16. He looks and acts older, and even I was surprised to learn that he’s only 16, but I remember being that age. No one I know would have called me a man then. I respect that, though. I like that they don’t coddle their kids. That’s probably how you end up with a mature, responsible young adult like Aly.

Christian settles back into his chair, and Mr. Taylor fixes his gaze on Aly, smiling softly at her.

“I appreciate that that’s how you see it,” he tells her. “And it is partly true. The whole truth is that something good and miraculous happened to me, but it put me in a tough spot with my pack. Silver Crescent, the same pack where my father still resides.” He nods at Grandpa Gabe. “Are you familiar with it?”

“Yeah, sure, of course,” Aly responds, nodding with enthusiasm. “That’s the closest neighbor to mine. Elder Gerard is from there.”

“Yes, exactly,” Grandpa Gabe confirms. “And are you familiar with their views toward humans, Aly?”

“Uh, so, my dad is actually really good friends with the last Alpha there, so yes. I’m familiar with how Silver Crescent has treated humans in the past. In the past, though. Alpha Joel put a stop to that. He had to. It was part of the alliance agreement with New Horizon.”

“No, he didn’t,” Grandpa Gabe shakes his head sadly. “He put on a good show, but that’s all it was. And his son, Alpha Jesse? Even worse. I’ve even been considering leaving after all these years, since my Tammy is human. She’s never been received kindly, and our children had a fair amount of trouble as well, but it’s always been tolerable. Now, I can’t even claim that anymore.”

Aly crosses her arms and purses her lips together, looking extremely upset about that revelation. I wonder if she plans to tell her dad. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who will react kindly to being crossed like that.

“And for me, it wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t great. The others always loved to remind Marty and me that we’re half-human,” Mr. Taylor explains, getting this faraway look in his eyes. “And then my mate turned out to be human. I love her as she is, and she didn’t want to become a werewolf. I wouldn’t want it for her, anyway. It’s not a ‘gift’ to be taken lightly. You have to want it or it becomes more of a burden, and I wouldn’t do that to her.”

He shakes his head as if to shake away the old memories, and then continues, “So, Stacy and I decided we wanted to have children, though we also knew there was a pretty good chance of them being human. Obviously, that doesn’t bother me, but we knew it would be tough living there. Once she got pregnant, we started the process of trying to transfer to another pack or get approved to live in a town nearby but outside the pack territory, but for whatever reason we were denied the request. Twice.”

“Can I just … you and Mom are mates?” Matt cuts him off to ask. I can’t tell if he’s glad or upset to learn that.

“We are, and we fit together perfectly. We are also married, though, Matt. She is my mate and my wife,” his dad explains.

“That makes so much sense,” Matt comments softly, lost in thought. “So, you left to protect Mom?”

“Not exactly. Your mom is tough. She was happy to put up with all of it so she could be with me, since it seemed that the Alpha wasn’t going to let me leave. No, Matt, we left to protect you. It got so much worse after we brought you home, and we started receiving threats not just on our lives, but on yours. It got to be too much. Your uncle Marty and I were keeping watch on our house around-the-clock, but it still felt like not enough. Eventually, I realized my only choice was to just leave and get us far enough away that coming after us would be too much trouble to be worth it. I brought us here since there are no packs anywhere nearby. We left with barely more than the clothes on our backs, but it was worth it because I knew you were safe, and we could rebuild.”

I feel a tug on my line, and just start silently laughing to myself. Of course, this is the moment when I finally catch something, when there’s this intense conversation going on. I start to try to bring it in discreetly, but I’m not very good at this. It quickly turns into quite a spectacle, with me standing up and cursing at the fish. Everyone starts laughing and Grandpa Gabe comes to help me. The fish jumps off the line or something, though. All of that and nothing to show for it, though I guess I at least provided some comic relief for a minute.

“Sorry,” I apologize sheepishly. “I know I’m just meant to be the moral support guy, and here I am interrupting your moment. But don’t mind me. I’ll just be over here shutting up now.”

I sit back in my seat next to Aly, and she reaches for my hand.

Mr. Taylor is leaning forward, watching me fondly. I think I might even detect a tear forming in his eye.

“No, Tyler,” he shakes his head at me. “You’re not just the support guy. I haven’t gotten there yet, but this is as much about you as about Matt.”