Page 3 of Swipe Right on the Alpha (Fur Real Love #1)

Dylan arrived at Aurelio’s twenty minutes early, a combination of anxiety and punctuality that his pack often teased him about.

The upscale Italian restaurant had been Theo’s suggestion—“Neutral territory, good food, romantic lighting”—though Dylan felt distinctly out of place among the white tablecloths and ambient lighting.

He tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his only dress shirt, a charcoal button-up that felt too tight across his shoulders. He’d forgone his usual jeans for black slacks that Theo had practically forced him into, insisting that “showing up in hiking boots would send the wrong message.”

What message am I trying to send anyway? Dylan wondered, fidgeting with the silverware. “Hello, I’m a werewolf alpha and I think you might be my fated mate, but surprise! You didn’t know supernatural creatures exist!”

The hostess approached with a smile. “Your dining companion has arrived, Mr. Silverwood.”

Dylan’s head snapped up, his senses immediately on high alert. And then—there he was.

Aiden walked through the restaurant with the easy confidence of someone accustomed to being watched.

In person, he was even more striking than his photos—lean but toned, with perfectly styled hair that looked effortlessly tousled, and green eyes that caught the light.

His scent hit Dylan like a physical force—clean cologne layered over something uniquely him that made Dylan’s wolf stir possessively.

Dylan stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. Several nearby diners glanced over, but he barely noticed, his focus entirely captured by the man approaching his table.

“Dylan?” Aiden asked with a smile that transformed his entire face.

“You smell incredible,” Dylan blurted out, then immediately wanted to sink through the floor.

Aiden blinked, then laughed—a genuine sound that made something in Dylan’s chest tighten pleasantly. “That’s definitely a first as far as opening lines go, but I’ll take it. New cologne, so I’m glad it’s working.”

It’s not the cologne, it’s YOU, Dylan’s wolf wanted to howl. Instead, he awkwardly gestured to the chair across from him. “Sorry. I’m… not great at this.”

“Dating?” Aiden asked, sliding gracefully into his seat.

“Human interaction,” Dylan admitted, which was closer to the truth than he could explain.

Aiden’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Well, you’ve already set yourself apart from my usual disasters, so you’re ahead of the game.”

A waiter appeared with menus and a wine list. Dylan watched, fascinated, as Aiden charmed the server with easy banter, ordered wine with confidence, and somehow made the entire interaction seem effortless.

Everything about him was magnetic—the way his hands moved when he talked, how he leaned forward slightly when asking questions, the subtle shifts in his scent that Dylan’s enhanced senses picked up with each emotional change.

“So,” Aiden said once they were alone again, “your profile was intriguingly minimal. Tell me about yourself, Mountain Man Dylan.”

Dylan shifted uncomfortably. He’d rehearsed this part with Theo, carefully constructing a human-friendly version of his life. “I work in… wildlife management. My family owns land outside the city where we… monitor forest ecosystems.”

“Vague but environmentally responsible. I like it,” Aiden teased. “And what brought you to LunaLove? The app’s a bit… unique.”

My pack elders threatened to start arranging mating ceremonies if I didn’t find a partner soon, wasn’t an acceptable answer. “My friend recommended it. Said it had a good… matching system.”

Aiden cocked his head slightly. “You don’t talk much, do you?”

Dylan grimaced. “Sorry. I spend most of my time with people I’ve known my whole life. My communication skills are rusty.”

“Hmm, the strong, silent type. Works for me,” Aiden said, his heartbeat picking up slightly in a way only Dylan could detect. “I talk enough for two people anyway. Occupational hazard.”

“Your occupation—you make videos about dating?” Dylan asked, genuinely curious but trying not to reveal he’d spent hours last night watching Aiden’s content after matching with him.

“I document my disastrous love life for the entertainment of the masses,” Aiden confirmed with a self-deprecating smile.

“Started as therapy after a bad breakup, turned into a career. Now I have sponsorships, a book deal in the works, and 347,000 people waiting to hear about my next romantic failure.”

Dylan frowned slightly. “Isn’t that… difficult? Sharing private moments with strangers?”

Something flickered in Aiden’s eyes—surprise, perhaps, at the directness of the question. “Sometimes. But I control the narrative. And honestly? It’s easier to laugh about disaster than admit I might be sabotaging myself.”

The honesty was unexpected, and Dylan found himself leaning forward, drawn to the brief glimpse beneath the polished surface. Before he could respond, the waiter returned with wine and to take their orders.

When Aiden excused himself to the restroom a few minutes later, Dylan took the opportunity to text Theo:

DYLAN: He’s perfect. And human. And has no idea supernatural creatures exist. I’m fucked.

THEO: So he’s hot in person too? Sniff check? Compatible?

DYLAN: Beyond compatible. My wolf is going crazy. I almost growled at the waiter for standing too close to him.

THEO: DUDE. That’s mate behavior. Did you scent him yet?

DYLAN: WE’RE IN A PUBLIC RESTAURANT

THEO: Just casually brush against him. Or “accidentally” spill something so you can touch him. You need to confirm.

Dylan shoved his phone away as Aiden returned to the table, that intoxicating scent preceding him.

Throughout dinner, Dylan found himself cataloging details: how Aiden used his hands when telling stories, the specific pitch of his laugh when something was genuinely funny versus politely amusing, the way he absently touched the compass tattoo on his forearm when thinking.

Despite his awkwardness, conversation flowed more easily than Dylan had expected. Aiden was quick-witted and engaging, drawing Dylan out with questions about his “wildlife work” and family (“So is it like a family business, this forest monitoring thing?”).

Dylan carefully navigated around supernatural landmines, describing pack dynamics as “close-knit family groups” and territory disputes as “land management challenges.” When Aiden asked about his living situation, Dylan described his cabin without mentioning the specialized reinforcements for full moon nights or the running trails designed for four-legged pack members.

By dessert, Dylan had relaxed enough to ask, “Doesn’t it get tiring? Creating content from your personal life?”

Aiden paused, fork halfway to his tiramisu. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m stuck in a loop of dating disasters because that’s what my audience expects.” He shrugged, vulnerability disappearing behind a practiced smile. “But hey, bad dates pay the bills.”

“And what happens when you have a good date?” Dylan asked, holding Aiden’s gaze. “Does it still become content?”

Aiden’s heartbeat quickened—a sound only Dylan could hear. “I… guess I haven’t had to figure that out yet.”

The check arrived, and Dylan insisted on paying despite Aiden’s protests. As they walked out into the cool evening air, an awkward tension settled between them—the unspoken question of what happened next.

“I’m parked over there,” Aiden said, gesturing vaguely toward the far end of the lot.

“I’ll walk you,” Dylan replied immediately, his protective instincts flaring.

They moved in silence through the dimly lit parking lot, close enough that their hands occasionally brushed. Each accidental touch sent electricity through Dylan’s body, his wolf pushing closer to the surface with each step.

When they reached Aiden’s car, he turned with a smile that was softer than the ones he’d worn all evening. “This was… not a disaster. I’m actually not sure how to process that.”

“No content for your followers?” Dylan asked, moving slightly closer.

“Oh, there’s definitely content,” Aiden replied, his eyes dropping briefly to Dylan’s mouth. “Mysterious mountain man with old-fashioned manners and biceps for days? My comment section will go wild.”

Something possessive flared in Dylan at the thought of Aiden sharing their evening with thousands of strangers. Without conscious decision, he stepped forward, crowding Aiden against his car. “Maybe we should give them something worth talking about,” he said, his voice dropping to a rumble.

Aiden’s pupils dilated, his scent shifting to something spicy and enticing. “Bold move for someone who could barely maintain eye contact over appetizers,” he whispered, but his body told a different story—leaning in rather than away.

“I’m full of surprises,” Dylan murmured before closing the distance between them.

The first touch of their lips sent a shock through Dylan’s entire system.

His wolf surged forward with a possessive MINE that nearly escaped as an audible growl.

Aiden’s lips were soft, yielding for just a moment before he pressed back with equal intensity, his hands coming up to grip Dylan’s shoulders.

What started as a relatively chaste goodnight kiss rapidly transformed into something else entirely. Dylan pressed forward, one hand finding the small of Aiden’s back while the other cradled his jaw. Aiden made a small, needy sound that broke the last of Dylan’s restraint.

Dylan deepened the kiss, his tongue seeking entrance which Aiden granted immediately. The taste of him—wine and sweetness and something uniquely Aiden—made Dylan’s head spin. He was vaguely aware they were in a public parking lot, but his wolf didn’t care, wanting only to claim, mark, possess.

Aiden wasn’t passive in the exchange. His hands roamed over Dylan’s chest and shoulders, exploring the muscles beneath his dress shirt before one hand slid into Dylan’s hair, gripping just tight enough to make Dylan growl low in his throat.

At the sound, Aiden pulled back slightly, eyes wide and lips swollen. “Did you just… growl at me?”

Dylan struggled to regain control, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. “Sorry,” he managed, voice rough. “You just… do something to me.”

Rather than being put off, Aiden’s pupils dilated further, his heartbeat racing. “That’s… unexpectedly hot,” he admitted, before pulling Dylan back in for another kiss.

This time, Dylan let his hands wander, tracing down Aiden’s sides to his hips, then boldly cupping his ass and pulling their bodies flush together. The friction drew groans from both of them, and Dylan could feel Aiden hardening against him.

I need to stop before I do something I can’t explain, Dylan thought hazily as his canines began to lengthen slightly—a physical response to intense arousal that no human date would understand.

With immense effort, he pulled back, breathing heavily. Aiden looked dazed, his lips red and hair disheveled where Dylan’s hands had mussed it.

“That was…” Aiden began, then laughed softly. “Not what I expected from someone who sniffed me as a greeting.”

Dylan couldn’t help but smile, though he kept his lips carefully closed to hide his slightly too-sharp teeth. “Like I said, full of surprises.”

“I’d like to discover more of those surprises,” Aiden said, his usual confidence returning as he straightened his rumpled shirt. “Maybe somewhere that’s not a restaurant parking lot?”

“I’d like that,” Dylan replied, forcing himself to step back though every instinct screamed to stay close. “I have a place outside the city. Maybe you could come for dinner this weekend?”

“Your mysterious forest cabin?” Aiden’s eyes sparkled with interest. “Sounds either wonderfully romantic or the start of a horror movie.”

“I promise not to eat you,” Dylan said, then immediately winced at the unfortunate phrasing. At least not in the way you’re thinking.

Aiden laughed, the sound bright in the quiet parking lot.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Mountain Man.

” He opened his car door but paused before getting in.

“For the record, this is the first date in years I’m actually excited to tell my followers about…

even if I might leave out exactly how good you are with your hands. ”

The possessive satisfaction that surged through Dylan at those words was almost overwhelming. He watched as Aiden drove away, only returning to his own vehicle when the taillights disappeared from view.

As he slid into the driver’s seat, his phone buzzed with a text:

AIDEN: Thanks for dinner. And the… dessert. Looking forward to seeing your natural habitat, Wildlife Manager.

Dylan smiled, allowing himself a moment of hope before reality crashed back in. He was an alpha werewolf who had just inadvertently started dating a human with no knowledge of the supernatural world. A human who shared his life online with hundreds of thousands of followers.

And his wolf had already decided this human was his mate.

What could possibly go wrong?