Page 155 of Alpha Mates

“It is,” he says, smile wide, “but we’ve got to go soon.”

The words wipe mine from my face. “Why? There’s still four more lanes left. The big one’s coming up.”

“Exactly.” He stands abruptly, throws me over his shoulder, blanket and all, and sprints for the car.

“Aiden!” I yell as I try to keep my face from hitting his ass. “What the hell?!”

He dumps me in the passenger seat and bolts to the driver’s side.

I barely manage to get the door shut before he floors it. I can smell the tyres burning.

“We might be too late,” he says, glancing frantically at the mirror.

I turn to look through the car’s back window—fireworks still streaking skyward—but before I can count how many are left, he swerves down a small dirt road at a frightening speed. There’s only our pounding hearts, the skidding tyres, and the fireworks exploding behind us, before those too, fall quiet.

The silence that follows is almost terrifying.

“They give you a couple of minutes running time, but the guy told me that’s a scam and you need a couple more,” Aiden says. When he glances at me, he doesn’t look scared. No, it’s rather the opposite with the way his electrified eyes gleam as he takes another sharp turn.

“Why are you like this?” I groan, but of course, Aiden only laughs.

I sigh and press the button overhead. When the sunroof opens fully, I twist and stand so I can see outside properly.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he shouts, tugging on my shorts for me to sit back down.

“Getting a front-row seat,” I reply, kicking him off while I hold on to the car’s roof, desperately praying I won’t go flying as Aiden veers us onto astraight, paved road.

“Take my shades. I don’t need you going blind.” At his insistent patting, I grab the glasses and slide them on before I look skyward again.

“When is it going to—”

A deafening boom cuts me off. An explosion rings through the woods in a deadly warning. One moment, the sky is dark, and then it’s shredded by a blinding coat of red that blots out every trace of black. Then comes the wind. It’s forceful, like the backblast I imagine from a rocket launch, and as it spreads out, it almost sends me flying as the car shakes violently.

There’s another explosion, this one louder, and in its wake, the red coat shifts into a blazing blue as the sky is lit up with a million fireworks, stretching for miles.

“… Holy shit …” I whisper. Aiden cackles below me as he pulls onto the highway, and every driver and passenger has a look of shock stretching across their faces. I slide back down into my seat, watching the never-ending explosions from inside the car; they are plenty visible down here.

“Amazing, right?” he asks, still laughing like a madman.

“Aiden … holy shit,” I repeat, as the sky continues to be invaded by exploding light. “Holy shit!” I shout as a laugh slowly bubbles its way up my throat. “What the fuck?!”

Aiden beams at me as we drive down the mostly clear freeway, since everyone with sense has pulled aside to watch the spectacle. I stare at him, wanting to kill him and kiss him and nevereverlet him go.

This is insane—completely and utterly insane—but I can’t remember the last time I felt this alive.

I lean over, moulding my lips to his, and the car swerves a little as he tries not to let me kill us.

“You’re insane,” I whisper as I kiss his cheek.

“So are you,” he says with a wicked grin.

I laugh, rolling the window down so I can climb halfway out. The wind pushes my hair back and slips into my bones, and I fucking love it. I lift my arms up high and bathe in the glow of the now-yellow sky, and I let it all out.

“WOOAHHHHH!”

I scream until my throat hurts. I scream until I can’t scream anymore.

“WOOAHHHHH!” Aiden shouts, letting out his own cry.