Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
the way forward
BLAIR
Iclutch onto Matty's hand like a lifeline as we enter the Goldenleaf bar, my nervous gaze flickering over the crowded interior. This place is always packed on Saturday nights. I’m instantly overwhelmed by the noise and bodies, instinctively tucking closer into Matty’s side as he guides us through the fray.
I’ve been here countless times, but tonight’s different.
All week, Matty and I were holed up in the command center together, working hard and existing in our own little bubble.
This is our first time stepping out in public as a couple, and it feels like a big deal.
Even though I’ve come to terms with my own issues, Matty’s still a human.
He’s still a former hunter. And part of me is still anxious about how people may react when they realize we’re dating.
Not that their judgment would change my mind.
I’ve been happier this week than I have been in months, all because Matty refused to give up on me.
I won’t give up on him, but I also don’t want to have to defend my choices to anyone else.
I don’t want anything to make me question or doubt the decision I’ve made.
I’m choosing this. Choosing him. Choosing happiness.
If Matty has any fears about our first public outing, he definitely isn’t showing it.
He leads me through the sea of people with a confident stride, his head held high and a wide grin stretching his lips.
Spotting Cam and Avery at a table near the back, he tosses up a wave to them, then glances down at me.
“Drinks first?” he asks.
“Yes please,” I reply eagerly, clasping his hand tighter as he diverts us in the direction of the bar.
There’s a thick crowd of people gathered around it, but Matty shoulders his way through with ease. We’re almost to the front when he abruptly stops, prompting me to look up as he comes face to face with Caleb Faulkner.
My breath catches, heart tripping over its valves.
“Hey, what’s up, man?” Caleb greets, clutching a beer bottle in one hand and landing a playful punch on Matty’s bicep with the other. “How you been?”
“Good, you?” Matty drawls, grinning back at him like they’re old friends.
I just stand there frozen as I watch their exchange, blinking in confusion.
Caleb shifts his attention to me, an easy smile stretching his lips. “Hey, Blair.”
My brain is still working overtime to piece together what the hell is going on here, panicked eyes bouncing between my new boyfriend and my dead mate’s best friend. "You two... know each other?" I stammer.
"Yeah," Matty replies casually, clearly unaware of the connection between me and Caleb. "We work out together sometimes.”
"He hasn't been around much lately, though," Caleb adds with a chuckle, lifting his gaze to Matty again. "Thought maybe you'd given up."
"Been busy," Matty shrugs, a sly smile pulling at his lips.
“Uh huh,” Caleb teases, rolling his eyes. “This the girl you’ve been going on about?” he asks, nodding toward me.
I choke on my own saliva, but Matty doesn’t miss a damn beat.
“Sure is,” he declares proudly, letting go of my hand to sling his arm around my shoulders.
This should probably be my cue to tell Matty who Caleb is to me, but there’s a brightness to him tonight that I don't want to dim, so I keep my mouth shut. The pressure on my chest feels like it’s cutting off my air supply as the two men trade a few more comments, making plans for their next gym session.
“How’ve you been, Blair?” Caleb asks, shifting his focus to me.
Matty slips his arm from around my shoulders, tossing a thumb toward the bar. “I’ll be right back,” he murmurs. “What do you want to drink, babe?"
“Anything,” I manage, my breathless tone dripping with desperation.
He nods, beaming a grin at me before slipping away and disappearing through the crowd, leaving me alone with Caleb.
My brain goes into instant panic mode. I clasp my hands together, wringing them in front of me as I hesitantly lift my gaze to meet Caleb’s. “I know how this must look…”
He shakes his head with a soft laugh, cutting me off. “I’m happy for you, Blair,” he says, those five little words punching the air from my lungs.
I feel my jaw drop, my usual sharpness blunted by shock. “You are?” I ask, blinking in disbelief.
Caleb nods, stepping in closer and reaching out to set a hand on my arm. “Everyone deserves to move on,” he states, his voice gentle but firm, eyes rounded in earnestness. “It’s what Dylan would’ve wanted.”
There’s no bitter undertone, no anger– nothing I’ve braced myself to face from the best friend of my late mate. His heartbreaking sincerity makes my chest tighten, my throat suddenly clogged with emotion.
"Matty’s a good guy,” Caleb continues. “He actually reminds me of Dylan in some ways. Pretty sure those two would’ve been fast friends.”
The sharp sting of tears prickles behind my eyes. “You really think so?” I rasp.
He smirks, dipping his chin in a nod. “I know so,” he says, winking as he lifts his beer and takes a swig.
Someone calls Caleb’s name from across the bar, prompting him to glance in that direction as he swallows down his gulp of beer. Wiping his mouth off on a wrist, he tells me he’ll see me around, sauntering away to join his friends.
I just stand there shell-shocked as I watch him go, his presence leaving a void that’s quickly filled with the clamor of the bar and my own tangled thoughts. A mix of awe and gratitude swirl inside me, and odd sense of peace taking hold.
When Matty returns with a couple of beers, the tightness in my chest is gone, replaced by a warmth that feels completely foreign. One that makes me wonder if maybe I’ve been too quick to judge this entire situation.
"You okay?" he asks as he slings an arm around my shoulders, clearly picking up on how deep I’m buried in my own mind.
I turn to look at him– really look at him– and see something I’m not sure I have in a long time.
A future.
"Yeah," I reply, a genuine smile breaking through. "I think I am."
Matty leans in to smack a kiss on my lips before taking my hand again, the two of us weaving through the crowd to join Cam and Avery at their table near the back.
They’re the ones who coaxed us into coming out tonight, insisting we deserved a night of fun after putting in long hours in the command center all week.
Truthfully, neither of us mind the work.
Especially when we get to do it together.
Avery scooches over to make room for us, Cam giving Matty a nod in greeting as we claim the only empty seats at the table.
Matty hands me a beer as we settle in, and the anxiety I thought I'd ditched comes crawling back with a vengeance as I sweep a glance over the people seated around us. Avery’s friends are all six-pack royalty, hailing from the Alpha families of the alliance.
I can’t help but feel out of place amongst them.
Matty doesn’t seem to have the same problem. His arm is a reassuring weight across my shoulders as he greets everyone warmly, seamlessly slipping into the conversation. For a human, he fits in awfully damn well here. Even better than me.
“Glad you lovebirds made it,” Avery teases, winking.
“And here I was doubting the rumor mill,” Lo chuckles from her seat across the table, aiming a smirk in my direction. “When did this happen?” she asks, pointing between Matty and I.
“Uhh,” I breathe, suddenly too aware of all the eyes on me. “It’s still pretty new.”
I shift my weight uncomfortably on my stool, bristling under the weight of their attention.
It doesn’t help that every couple around this table is a fated mate pairing, leaving me feeling like a square peg in a round hole with my very human boyfriend.
But then Matty turns and gives me that look, like I'm the center of his universe, and the world shrinks down to something I can handle.
"We’re just taking things one day at a time," he says, blue eyes twinkling.
“Definitely makes for a better work environment now that they’re not bickering all the time,” Cam chimes in.
"You can say that again," Avery laughs, exchanging a look with her mate. She gestures to the table, filled with drinks in various stages of emptiness. "Another round?"
I should say no, because I can already feel the warmth from the first beer hitting my bloodstream and my defenses. But Matty’s right beside me, solid and steady, and when he nods, I find myself nodding too.
The conversation dips and swells around me, punctuated by bursts of laughter.
Matty has a way of making everyone feel like they're in on a joke, and before long, even the rigid posture I didn't realize I was holding loosens.
When Lo leans an elbow on the table and zeroes in on me again, resting her chin in her palm, there's no judgment in her eyes, only curiosity.
"So," she says, dragging the word out. "How'd you two end up together, exactly?"
"More like, how long were you sneaking around before we found out?" Avery cuts in, waggling her brows.
I feel a blush creep across my cheeks like a wildfire. Matty, on the other hand, takes it in stride.
"What can I say?” he quips, leaning in a little closer and grinning down at me. “Blair just couldn’t resist my charms.”
"More like you wouldn’t take no for an answer," I counter, snorting a laugh. I swing my gaze back over to Lo, shrugging a shoulder. “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how this even happened.”
"I know that feeling,” she muses, leaning back against her mate’s chest with a contented smile. “Sometimes the best things in life are the most unexpected.”
Her words settle something in me, validating the feelings I tried to fight off for too long. Matty must sense the shift, because he scooches in a little closer, the solid line of his body against mine anchoring me to this moment.
Avery leans in conspiratorially, a smirk curling her lips. "C'mon, how long has this been a thing?" she probes.
I look to Matty, hoping he'll field her question, but he turns the tables on me with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Yeah, Blair," he drawls, flashing me a teasing grin. "How long have we been a thing?”
“Who says we’re a thing?” I shoot back, unable to fight my own smile.
The table erupts into laughter and I find myself caught up in it, despite how exposed I feel. Maybe because of it.
"Oh, we’re definitely a thing," Matty growls, pulling me in closer and stealing a kiss.
Someone across the table whistles and I blush fiercely as I push Matty away, smoothing my hair and reaching for my beer.
“I saw you talking to Caleb earlier, is everything copasetic there?” Lo questions, arching a curious brow.
My heart stutters in my chest.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” Matty laughs.
Shit. Guess it’s time to let the cat out of the bag.
I suck in a deep breath, settling my nerves and shoring up my composure. “Caleb was Dylan’s best friend,” I reply calmly.
Matty’s blue eyes pop wide, brows shooting up to his hairline.
“It’s fine,” I quickly tack on, sliding my hand over his atop the table. “He said he was happy for us. That you’re a good guy and Dylan would’ve wanted me to move on.”
He nods slowly, digesting my words. Then he flips his hand over, threading his fingers with mine and giving me a reassuring smile.
“Everyone has a past,” Cam comments, tipping his beer in our direction as he gives us a pointed look. “It’s the future that’s important.”
“Damn right,” Avery agrees.
There's an echo in the sentiment from the others around the table, a shared history and a fresh start, all wrapped into one. I’m surprised by the tears I have to blink back as a rush of gratitude overwhelms me.
The conversation shifts to lighter topics, more laughter and teasing, and little by little, I start to feel like less of an outsider.
Matty’s arm remains steady around me, the easy rhythm of his breathing drawing mine into sync.
We’ve gone from awkward and unsure to something so natural that I can hardly remember why I was so against this in the first place.
By the time the next round of drinks arrives, the tightness in my chest has loosened to something that lets me laugh along with the others.
The little moments– Matty brushing his thumb against my shoulder, Avery's animated retelling of Cam's latest ‘new shifter’ mishap, the warm buzz of alcohol and acceptance– meld together into a night I never expected.
It's not the disaster I imagined. Far from it. As the hours slip by, so do my fears. They're replaced by Matty's closeness, the low thrum of conversation, and the realization that I'm not just part of the noise. I'm part of something bigger.
And maybe, finally, I'm starting to believe I deserve it.