Page 126 of Alpha Mates

I laugh, forcing myself up to find something to eat.

I’m elbow-deep in ground beef when the door creaks open and my heart leaps into my throat. Like a trained mutt, I rush towards it and, when Julian steps in, crack a grin so wide it hurts.

“Hey,” I greet, only to waver when I notice the nervous look in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Julian sighs and shuts the door behind him. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then why did you say that like something’s wrong?” His shoulders slump, and my heart drops. I’m already imagining the worst, and I can’t do anything but stand here with bloody fingers and wait. I lick them clean. “Julian?”

“We’re good,” he says, dropping his bag. “I just wanted to do this later after I had a second to think about it.”

“Think about what?” I press. “You’re freaking me out, Jewels. What happened with Beckett?”

“Nothing happened,” he dismisses quickly. I stay where I am, not wanting to spook him, but thankfully he comes towards me. “We just talked about what went on earlier.”

“Which part?” I ask. I haven’t seen a whole lot of it, but I doubt Beckett and Julian’s friendship runs on the same overly-candid lines as mine and Emitt’s.

Julian scratches the back of his neck. “Every part.” Looking at me again, he adds, “I thought it was weird—how we reacted. How we keep reacting.”

“I guess,” I say, trying to piece together where he’s going with this.

“It just doesn’t feel normal, the way I reacted to you today,” he carries on, and my lips tug at the corners.

“Jewels,” I soothe, folding my arms over my chest. “I know you’re not the most experienced wolf in the woods, but it’s pretty normal to come your brains out when you’re turned on.”

“No, you idiot!” he snaps, blushing. “Iknowthat. It’s different, Aiden, and after you made that ‘heat’ comment—”

I still. “I was joking.”

“Yeah, but I couldn’t help thinking about it,” he admits, moving into the living room and sinking onto a couch. I follow but sit opposite him, giving him the space to continue. “And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.”

“Sense?” I echo with a laugh. “Julian, there’s no world where either of us can experience a heat. Not when we’re mated to each other.”

“But what if we are?” he presses, looking entirely too serious now. “We’re desperate for each otherall the time, defensive and protective too, and the smallest things are making us act like animals.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re in heat,” I protest. “Yea, it’s weird, I’ll admit that. But a heat? That’s crazy.”

“Maybe,” Julian allows with a raised hand. “Maybe we’re not in one—but what if we’reenteringone?”

I laugh again, because I have to. Alphas don’t go into heat. It’s unheard of. But the longer I laugh, the clearer it gets that I’m the only one who finds this hilarious.

“That’s ridiculous,” I say, looking at my brilliant, yet sometimes silly, mate. “In case you forgot, we’re alphas. Alphas don’t go into heat. A rut, maybe, but those are rare and only between an alpha and an omega. We’re both alphas, Julian—we’re not in heat.”

“I know that,” he insists, “but maybe it’s different when two males are mates. Or when two alphas are mates.”

For the first time, I notice the nerves behind his solemnity, and I feel a similar trickle echo through me. If he’s right, then this is a terrifying notion. But he’s not right.

“Julian—”

“Come on, Aiden,” he whispers in a near plea as he pushes himself onto the edge of the couch. “Think about it. Think about everything that’s happened these last few days.”

“Work in the pack, school, patrols and—”

“And we’ve been intimate. A lot,” he cuts in. “Haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have,” I admit, wary. “And it’s been great.”

“Sure,” he replies, eyes rolling before they return to mine. “But think about what’s been going on between us.”