Page 124 of Alpha Mates

“Careful, Jewels. That tongue of yours is getting nasty.”

It isn’t that Julian never curses. Just that it used to be rare, only slipping out when he was pushed. But since spending time with me, they’d started surfacing more and more.

“I wonder why,” he replies with a pointed look while he gathers his things. He heads for the path around the back of the school to get to the front lot.

I follow after him like a witch’s conduit, well aware that I’ve become a simpering pup for Julian Heil, but even knowing it, I find it exceedingly hard to care.

“What’s that look for?” he asks, glancing at me over his shoulder.

“Just admiring my mate,” I say, eyes tracking over every inch of him. “I hit the jackpot.”

“Yeah?” He snorts with a hiked brow.

“Yeah,” I confirm as he slows. “He’s annoyingly smart, hot as hell, adorable—” He scowls at that, and I laugh, lacing our fingers to tug him closer. “—andsweet as hell. If I wasn’t obsessed, then I’d be the imbecile he loves to claim I am.”

His lips twitch, and I struggle not to lean forward and kiss him. It makes no sense how badly I want to touch him today, to pull him to me and not let go. I’m not a fiend but fuck, I feel like one today.

I resist, though. We had fun today, but it was a lot and … new. A repeat so soon might taint it.

Julian, however, doesn’t seem to share those concerns. He kisses me with all the hunger of a starved alpha, rather than a well-sated one. My eyes widen as his hands slide over my chest and curl around my shirt, pulling me closer. And that’s all it takes.

My resolve and momentary shock burn off in a heartbeat, replaced by instinct and want. I kiss him back hungrily, groaning as my hands find his assand—

“For the love of Goddess and all her Plains!” Emitt hollers, forcing us to pull apart and face him. He stands at the end of the path we’d barely made it down, his horrified eyes blown wide. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you guys?”

Julian is breathing too harshly to manage a response, and when I try, all that comes out is a snarl as I glare at my best friend. I want to rip his throat out. He shouldn’t be watching us. Julian is my mate, my—

I stop short, frowning as the lust slowly fades, taking the mad thoughts with it.

“You can suck each other’s faces off at home, but can we please—please—go home?”

“Yes, sure,” Julian blurts, already untangling himself from me and beelining for the lot. “I’m going with Beckett!”

“What?!” That shocks me out of my thoughts. “Why?” I shout, chasing after him.

“We need to look into something,” he calls as he races across the lot, heading straight for the wolf waiting for him. Beckett pops his truck door open, letting Julian slide in before I can grab him. The door locks as I try the handle.

“Julian,” I growl before I glare at the lumbering beta about to get in too. “Leave, and I’ll kill you, Beckett.”

Beckett pales, hesitating, and Julian’s muffled groan clears as his window lowers a crack. I duck so he can have my full glare.

“I need to do something, so you ride with Emitt,” he says with a calm I envy. I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin. “I’ll see you at home.”

What are you going to do? Why can’t I come with you? Why are you trying to separate us?

“Aiden,” Julian half-groans, half-whines. “Stop frowning. You’re too young for frown lines.”

“I’d make them work,” I mutter as I feel my shoulders slump. “Why can’t I come with you?”

His eyes dart between mine before his smile turns into a shit-eating grin I’m not used to seeing from him. “You’re kind of cute when you’re being clingy,” he muses.

“I’m always cute.”

He laughs. “Go.” He nods back at my car. “I’ll see you at home.”

Reluctantly, I nod and step back, allowing Beckett to peel out of the lot and take Julian off on their secret mission. I stare after them like a lost pup, already itching to chase after him.

“I knew you liked him, but shit …” Emitt says as he strolls up to me. “You look like a kicked puppy right now.”