Page 43 of Alfie

He opened his camera app and got the video ready. They knew Alfie’s plans, and he hoped it all went off without a hitch.

Alfie and Myla walked in, dressed up from her brother’s wedding, and Nathan’s chest got tight. He freaking wanted that so much. Wanted a female who looked at him the way Myla looked at Alfie. Like he hung the moon, or the sun wouldn’t set unless he wanted it to. He knew it went both ways. Alfie would raze a city to keep her safe.

Someday, Nathan would get his happily ever after, just like Hyde and Amadeus would. And their friend group would change as their lives changed, with mates and kids and lives intertwined with the safari park.

It would happen.

He just hoped it was soon.

“Oh!” Myla said when she recognized the bar that Alfie parked in front of. “This is where we met.”

He grinned at her, leaning over and giving her a sweet, long kiss. Her heart pounded and her skin flushed. Maybe they should just head home to the park.

“No,” Alfie said. He opened his door and got out.

“No what?” she asked.

“No to just going home. You sexy thing, thinking sexy thoughts.”

“Oh yeah? You think you know me so well? What sexy thoughts am I thinking right now?”

He laughed and shut his door, then came around to hers. He opened it and leaned down, whispering in her ear, “You’re thinking about giving me the best blow job of my life.” She barked out a loud laugh, covering her mouth when he gave her an amused look. “It wasn’t that funny,” he said.

She caught her breath, giggling a bit more, then said, “It was a little funny, though.”

He drew her to her feet and shut the SUV door. “So, what were you thinking?”

“About going home while it’s still Valentine’s Day.”

“We wouldn’t be home before midnight, though. But I will totally rock your world again on February fifteenth, as soon as we have a drink and maybe a dance, and then we’ll head home.”

“Sounds like a perfect way to end the night.”

“I think so too. Anything with you is perfect, though.”

Stars, she was crazy about him. She definitely had romance on her mind after spending the day with Alice and being part of the wedding. She loved dancing with Alfie most, but she adored getting to dance with her brother and dad. It had been a wonderful day, even if she’d spent a lot of it missing her soulmate.

“So we’re back to where we met,” she said as they walked through the door into the dimly lit bar. The first time she’d been there, she was stressed out and bummed at the way her night had gone, and then he’d shown up and saved the day.

“It’ll be different this time,” he said. “A good memory all around instead of one that started crappy for you.”

“But it ended so nicely, since I met you.”

They stopped at the bar and ordered drinks, talking over the events of the wedding. He fit in so well with her family, and she felt like she fit in with the pack too. Two vastly different worlds, but somehow it worked. They moved to a quiet corner to finish their drinks, watching as the crowd dispersed slowly as it passed midnight, going from the most romantic day of the year to a regular one. But she knew from experience with Alfie that every day was romantic, no matter the date.

They set their empty glasses on a nearby table and he pulled her to the dancefloor when a slow song came on. He’d turned her around the dancefloor of the reception, but this—even in the middle of a bar—felt more intimate. “I think this is better than the reception.”

He tipped her back and she giggled as he kissed her throat, and then he righted her. “I think so too.”

“It’s also the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had. And that includes the one when my dad got my mom a box of candy, but it was all caramels and she hates caramels, so I got them.”

He chuckled and spun her away from him before drawing her close. “I’m glad this tops that one. It’s the best one for me too, since I’m with the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.”

She felt a subtle change in Alfie’s tone and caught the barest flicker of his wolf’s amber eyes. He’d gone serious, and it made her breath catch.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said.

“Me too.”