Page 112 of Alpha Mates

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, apologising for so much.

But Julian doesn’t know that, so he only hums and snuggles closer. He slumps as if he could fall asleep right here, and as warming as that image is, I feel cold for keeping him waiting while I … it’s not so easy to remember why with my mate in my arms.

I lift Julian up, and to my surprise, he doesn’t complain. He wraps his legs around me and settles himself in the crook of my neck, staying there while I walk us to our room. The lights are on here as well, and I turn them off before I lay Jewels down.

He barely lets me strip before he pulls me back to him and plasters us together.

I breathe him in, and as his arms come around me, I finally relax.

“How was it?” he whispers into the night.

“Huh?”

“Your dad,” he mumbles against my neck. “What did he want?”

Violent strokes of red, tarred blood in the air fill my mind. I open my eyes.

“Nothing,” I rasp, tightening my hold on him. “He … he just wanted to bug me about what type of alpha I should be.”

“Whatever he said, ignore it. You’re better than that.”

Minutes later, his breathing evens out, and he drifts to sleep, leaving me with only those parting words and the weight they dropped on my chest.

I should be out cold too. I’d gone on a hunt, and those always made it easier to sleep. And now, with Julian curled against me, it should be even easier. And yet, I still can’t find peace.

Chapter 22

Julian

Deep breaths, brave face. Take a deep breath, make a brave face, and you’ll be fine.

Oli’s voice runs through my head as I trudge up the steps to my family home. It’s what got him through dealing with our parents, and I’m praying it’ll do the same for me.

I stop in front of the familiar oak door, fighting back a grimace.

I don’t want to be here. In fact, it’s the last place I want to be. But I’m all out of excuses, and if I keep avoiding them, they’ll eventually find a way to corner me. And that’s the only thing worse than me coming on my own.

I raise my fist and take a deep breath before I finally knock. Time to get it over with.

The door swings open almost immediately, and my mother stands on the other side. I tense, ready for the sharp glare and the berating that always follows, but neither comes as our eyes meet. Instead of icy curtness, my mother quells her naturally aloof expression to offer me a smile.

A smile.

I step back.

It isn’t that she never smiles. She does, and often, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her smile like this. It looks almost real.

“Julian,” she greets, following my retreat to wrap her arms around me.

I go stiff as dry wood, too shocked to think, let alone hug her back or push this imposter away. If her warm smiles were rare, her hugs were anomalous. My mother had never been a hugger, even before what had happened with Oli.

Our family was not an affectionate one, which was to be expected when wewere an alpha household. Being the leaders of a pack didn’t leave much room for displays of love, so this is odd, especially when I know how hugs are supposed to feel now.

Aiden’s felt … warm and safe—like home. This feels like a marred attempt at that. Especially since the last time I’d seen my mother, she’d been trying to maim me with her eyes.

It takes her longer than it should for her to notice that I’m not reciprocating her random display of affection, but when she does, she steps back with an awkward smile and waves me in.

“Come in,” she breathes, smoothing her hands down her legs. “I’ve just finished setting the table. Your father is waiting inside.”