Page 196 of Alpha Mates

Closing the fridge, Julian tugs me closer. “What’s going on?”

Shoulders slumping, I admit defeat.

“I don’t even know,” I mumble. “I feel bad for how the night ended. I know you had fun and that you’re fine, but I still feel bad. Youwere hurt, and I’m the one who let that happen.”

“You didn’t,” Julian denies, but I shake my head.

“I gave you too much to drink and didn’t watch you properly,” I state through clenched teeth. “I didn’t take care of you, and knowing that makes me sick. Max won’t let up about how I should have been more careful with you, and he’s right. I should’ve—”

He tilts my chin, makes me meet his eyes. His expression softens into the gentle one he only shares with me.

“Aiden, I’m fine,” he says as he reaches up to push all his hair back. “See?” He points to his skin. “Not a scratch.”

“You were hurt though.”

“And it’s gone now,” he says. “I didn’t even feel it. I was so drunk.”

I hum noncommittally, and he sighs. Sure, it’s healed now, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

Julian frowns at me before he pulls my head down, bringing our foreheads together so that he can look me straight in the eyes.

“Max,” he says, voice hard. “Fuck off.”

I choke, coughing on the laugh that bubbles out of me.

He kisses me, softly, coaxing me to open for him, and I do with a smile still on my lips. I kiss him until my muscles unwind and my body gets the message. He’s okay.

When he pulls back, he lingers close, letting his lips brush mine while his clear blue eyes search my own.

“Max still buzzing around up there?” he asks with a slight glare that makes me smile widely.

“You silenced him a bit,” I say, and he grins back at me.

Julian is stubborn. I need to speak to Alex,Max grumbles with some annoyance.

My smile slips.I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Our wolves take control from time to time, controlling our bodies same as us, whether that’s in their wolf form or on two legs. Max speaking to Alex right now felt like a recipe for disaster.

I’ve been locked up long enough, Aiden,he growls, nudging against my consciousness.I want to speak to Alex.

“What’s he saying now?” Julian asks, sounding like he might just beat Max if he keeps this up. I snort at that visual.

“He wants to speak to Alex,” I answer, and Julian takes a step back.

“That sounds like a horrible idea,” he says.

“Agreed,but he’s a bit insistent, and Max rarely is.”

“They hate each other,” he whispers, as if that’ll stop them from hearing.

“Used to,” I mumble with a shrug. “And it’s bound to happen sooner or later, Julian. The longer we drag it out, the worse it might be.”

Julian grimaces, but nods. He agrees with me, even if he doesn’t want to.

You can resist your wolf, sure. But do it too much, and nothing good ever comes of it.

“Just don’t kill each other,” he mumbles as he lets his eyes fall shut.