Marry Me for Valentine, Dear Alpha

HAZEL'S POV My palms are sweaty, Heart beat, moving quite unsteady. I reached out to my glove compartment as I parked the car, and grabbed a piece of tissue. Gosh! Why was I even panicking? This was nothing new. I was just meeting my boyfriend for dinner. Drawing the sun visor down, I dabbed my nose and my temples where beads of sweat had gathered. ‘This would totally ruin my makeup,’ I thought as I continued. “f**k!” I cursed as I glared at the piece of tissue that had stuck to my nose. “You need to calm down, Hazel.” I muttered to myself. My boyfriend and I haven't seen each other in weeks. Our calls were getting few and far between, we hardly even spent time together anymore. It was obvious our romance was losing its fire. Shaking my head, I pushed the thought away as I adjusted my eyeliner. Now, why was I panicking? Maybe it wasn't the fact that he asked for a dinner date out of the blue. No, it definitely wasn't that. If anything, it should be because of what I was currently putting on. Or rather, not putting on. Glancing down at myself, I sighted a loose button on my swing coat that seemed as though it was going to fall off at any moment. “Oh no you don't mister,” I muttered to it as I adjusted it, rolling it in to keep from snapping. It wasn't as though I was busty, but I would like to think that I was blessed in the chest area. I stuck my hand inside my coat and adjusted my n****e cover. Looking up, I caught the gaze of a passerby who took a glance at my hand and back at me. Arching my brows, I glared at him as I asked with my eyes, ‘What are you looking at?’ He simply shook his head and went on his way. My plan was simple. Derek, my boyfriend, had picked the location for our date. It was in a super cozy restaurant. Knowing him, he was probably going to get us a private booth for our dinner. So, in an effort to spark the flames of our love, I was going to seduce him. That's why I literally had nothing on, not even panties, except for the long sleeve swing coat that covered me. There was no way I was freezing my ass out in this cold January. The thought of doing the naughty deed in a public setting sent a shiver down my spine. We haven't been adventurous since our college days when we met. But now, it was going to stop. My online AI therapist had suggested taking the bulls by the horn, going for what I wanted this new year, and being a goal getter. My mini-horoscope reading had told me that I needed to be more spontaneous. So this was how I decided to go about it. I eyed the glove compartment that housed my ultimate secret plan. If my boyfriend, Derek, wasn't going to propose to me, I would take charge and propose to him instead. After all, I was a strong, independent woman who didn't need a man to get on his knees for her before she got married. I reached for the glove compartment once again in order to cross-check that everything was in place — the flight tickets. I had used a part of my savings to get tickets to one of the most exotic islands. Gosh, it cost a lot of money! But it was going to be worth it. This year's Valentine's Day would be one to remember. I tapped the tickets’ envelope as I tucked it in nicely and gently. Grabbing my bag, I clicked open the lock as I stepped out of my car, directly stepping on a pool of water. Luckily, I had my rainproof ankle boots on. A soft wind blew through the air as I locked my car, causing my knee-length coat to flutter at the ends, lifting slightly. “Oh no! You don't!” My hands immediately went to the sides, clasping it together. The only person that would be seeing my naked self was currently inside the restaurant. With my head high, I strutted inside the restaurant. Heading for the host stand, I wore a confident smile as I greeted, “Hi!” The receptionist smiled, “Hello, do you have a reservation?” “Uhm, yes I do,” I answered as I nodded. My brows creased slightly as I continued, “It should be—” “Hazel!” The sound of my name being called caused me to pause, distracting me. That voice. That was definitely Derek’s voice. Turning my head, I looked to the side and saw him seated at a table. Not in the private area, I noticed, as my brows furrowed together. ‘Okay, what the hell? This wasn't what I was expecting.’ The warning bells in my head were already clanging, getting ready to blast off. No worries, the plan could still work. Somehow. “I see him already. Thanks,” I muttered to the receptionist as I made my way towards him. “Hey!!” I greeted with a little wave, my voice chirpy and full of excitement. In response, he just nodded at me, barely acknowledging me. A tinge of hurt pierced my heart at his nonchalance. He didn't even make a move to pull out my chair, or even kiss me. Wow! We definitely had a lot to work on. “Hello stranger!” I greeted him again, teasing him as I sat down. Maybe it would lighten the mood. “I thought you said something about getting a private booth,” He furrowed his brows in question, a confused look on his face as though he didn't understand what I said, “No, I didn't...” “... and this is private enough.” “Is it? I twisted my head as I looked around. Sure, we were at the corner of the restaurant, but still, it wasn't private enough for what I had planned. Putting on a brave face, I adjusted the top button of my coat as I shifted uneasily on my chair. Suddenly, the coat felt a little too tight. “You can take it off if it's too hot,” Derek said, referring to my coat “Ohh!” a chuckle left my lips as I shook my head, “Oh no, I can't.” He frowned before shaking his head, “Whatever. I already ordered my food.” A second pang hit my chest at his words. He wasn't even going to ask why I wasn't taking it off? ‘Let it go Hazel. Remember you can't be too pushy.’ I thought to myself. “I can see that,” I eyed his food as I said,” I guess I'll order mine,” I moved to raise my hand, but he stopped me. “There's no need. We'll be done soon.” Glancing at his watch , he added, “I need to leave.” “What? But I just got here!” I exclaimed. His eyes narrowed as he gave me a look I knew all too well. A look that says don't cause a scene. “You told me the dinner was at six in the evening, and you know I had work.” “There was a little traffic on the way, and now you're just going to bail on me?” I asked, my voice getting higher as I continued. “Derek, we haven't seen each other in a while! We need to spend some quality time together!” “And whose fault is that?” he fired back. My eyes widened as I stared at him in shock. “What?” Shaking his head, he waved it off, “Never mind,” “No, I'll mind.” I stated, my voice firm, “What is that supposed to mean?!” “I can't believe we're arguing right now!” I said as I waited for his answer. Leaning back on the chair, he released a long sigh, his eyes were full of exhaustion. Furrowing my brows, I took a good look at him. He seemed tired. “Is it about work?” I asked, my voice filled with concern, “What happened?” I stretched my hand towards his to offer some comfort. At the same time, he removed his hands from the table, and crossed his arms against his chest. I blinked once at the action. Then twice. Oh-kay! That was weird. This wasn't looking good. “We need to talk,” he started. “Can't this be done after I've eaten? I didn't get to eat all day, I'm starving!” I said as I glanced around, looking for a waiter. Wrong! I had every opportunity to eat. But it was a bit nerve-wracking trying something this risky. Also, there was the struggle to fit into this coat. It seemed to have shrunk in size during summer. And, it was a little too late to get a new one. “It can't,” I turned to look at him as his tone turned serious. “Okay, what is it?” “I can't do this anymore, Hazel.” My brows furrowed together as I tried to understand his words, “Are you–” “Are you going to quit your job?” He had been complaining about work recently, but– “No,” he answered, pulling me away from my thoughts. I pressed my lips together as I waited for him to continue. “I can't do this relationship anymore. I think it's best we go our separate ways,” he stated as he looked directly at me. My jaw dropped as I stared at him, unmoving. Okay, what?