Page 161 of Alpha Mates

I see the way relief floods him before he rushes towards me. I barely manage apologies to the people I shove past until I can reach him. His body crashes into mine, and for a moment I just hold him, breathing properly for the first time as we come together—until he shoves me away and then hauls me back in with fiery rage in his eyes.

“I’ve been looking for you for two hours!” he barks.

“Me too!” I say, clutching him. “Well, I don’t know if it was exactly two hours, but—”

“Where the hell were you?” he asks, cutting me off.

“The gym. Needed to hit something,” I say as the anxiety finally settles, and I remember what drove us apart in the first place.

“I’m sorry,” he blurts, beating me to it.

“No, I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I shouldn’t have thrown atantrum and left you like that.”

“True,” he says, his gaze hardening again. “You shouldn’t have thrown the pack in my face either.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” I mumble, barely resisting the urge to cower. “I didn’t mean to guilt trip you. I just—”

Moment of truth, Aiden.

I take a breath. “I don’t like you putting yourself in harm’s way. The thought of losing you scares the shit out of me.”

“Well, I’d hope so, Aiden,” Julian snaps as he lets me go. “Did you think I enjoyed watching you jump off a mountain with only a rope keeping you alive? I didn’t, but I knew you wanted to do it, so I went along with it, for you.” His shoulders slump and fresh misery chills our bond. “I wish you would’ve done the same for me.”

I duck my head, have to now, cowering for real. I feel too shit to hold my head up.

“I’m sorry, Julian,” I whisper. “I should’ve stayed—should’ve done a lot of things, but I am sorry.”

He studies me, and I hope to Goddess he sees that I mean it.

“You look like a kicked puppy,” he sighs, but when I peek up at him, there’s a soft smile on his face. “It’s alright. I forgive you.”

He opens his arms, and I dive into them. I hug him for dear life while he laughs, his chuckle warm against my ear.

“Is it too late to start the day over?” I ask when we draw back.

“It’s not,” he replies, eyes soft. “Once you’re willing, I’m happy to give this another go.”

He says it like he means it—for everything, not just this. Like, no matter what happens, he’ll be there to try once we both put a foot into the ring.

It’s crazy how safe that makes me feel, and how much it makes me want to tell him everything. I shouldn’t want to, but with Julian …

“I’m more than willing.”

Chapter 31

Julian

“Alright,” I say as we reach the edge of the hotel’s borders, where a paved trail begins. “We’ll need this.”

Aiden turns just in time to watch me pull the thin strip of cloth out of my back pocket.

“The blindfold, again? Really?” he asks as I dangle it from my finger.

“Yeah. Really,” I reply, pressing it to his chest. “I really like surprising you.”

“Apparently so,” he sighs, but he takes the cloth and dutifully ties it around his eyes.

I wait to see if he’ll react like he had on our way down here, but when I slide my fingers between his, his breathing remains steady.