Page 189 of Alpha Mates

“Both of you have to make out with Isabel,” Emitt instructs the twins, and I swear the girl is ready to cry as she places her hand on her heart and mouths a wordless thanks to Emitt.

The twins don’t seem to mind as they both turne to face her with broad smiles. I watch with something close to pride as Isabel literally milks those guys’ lips for all they’re worth, leaving them with tinted cheeks before springing up, lipstick smeared, to declare she’s going to dance.

“Having fun?” I ask my mate as we watch her disappear into the crowd.

He turns to me with a smile, eyes sparkling. “Surprisingly, yes.”

“Then we should dance too.”

The smile vanishes. “No, no. No,” he says, and then louder as I stand, taking him up with me. “No. No. NO!”

“Come on. It’ll be fun.”

“It willnot,” he declares, shaking his head and refusing to budge.

I take a second to look him over. “You’re too sober. You’re thinking too much, which means you need a drink.”

He doesn’t argue, more open to drinking than dancing. I lead him back to the liquor table and start mixing him up something Emitt likes to call my Knockout Concoction.

“What happened to beer and starting easy?” Julian asks, watching me pour vodka, rum, and tequila into a cup, topping it with juice and bitters.

“You outgrew it.” I lift the cup to his lips. “Drink up, Jewels.”

Hesitantly, he takes a sip, only for his eyes to bulge over the rim, but I tip the bottom up.

“Quitting is for losers, Jewels,” I sing. “Is that what you are?”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Julian’s eyes narrow before he commits, draining the rest while a smile tears my lips apart.

This is going to be so fucking amazing.

Chapter 37

Julian

“When I sayfuck, you sayschool!” I shout from atop my makeshift stage. “Fuck!”

“School!” everyone surrounding me chants.

“Fuck!”

“School!” they scream in unison.

Giggling into the mic, I take a swig of whatever I’m drinking while I try to brainstorm what I’ll make them say next. The harsh liquid burns my chest and makes me shudder, which makes sense ’cause it’s purple and that can’t be good, but … when did I get a purple drink?

“Shit,” I mumble as I look out at my waiting orchestra. “I’ll never know my fuck-it drink.”

“Alright,” comes Aiden’s voice from below as he raises two of his sexy arms—he must’ve hidden the others away. “Time to get down before you break something.”

“It’ll just heal tomorrow, stupid,” I snicker.

“Okay, seriously. Come down, Julian,” Aiden says, sounding all panicky as he grabs onto my hand, but I will not be stopped! I yank it away, stumbling back a little before I catch my balance, and once I do, I lift the mic to conduct our next symphony.

“When I saybuzzkill, you sayAiden!” I shout, making everyone laugh. “Buzzkill!”

“Aiden!” they roar back.

“Buzzkill!”