Page 197 of Alpha Mates

I follow suit, letting my consciousness fall back into the deepest recesses of my mind, and along the open path, Max moves up to fill it.

Don’t make me regret this, Max.

Too late.

Maximus

“Hello, Alexander.” I stretch as I smile at my mate. He returns it, though his is sly as he carefully distances himself from me.

“Maximus.”

Chapter 39

Alexander

“Do you know why I wanted to speak to you?” Maximus asks while he tracks me like prey—something I will be if I’m not careful.

“Evidently not, fool,” I mutter the last part just loud enough so that he’ll be sure to hear it.

“Dangerous waters,” he growls in warning. “Tread carefully,my dear mate.”

Max circles the kitchen counter, and I do the same, mirroring his movements to keep a fair distance between us. He quirks a brow. “Running, are we?”

“Chasing, are we?” I throw back. “Now, get on with why you wanted to speak to me.”

Maximus sucks his teeth disapprovingly as he cocks his head back. “Don’t you want to spend as much time as we can together? Where’s the love?”

“With Julian,” I deadpan, wiping the smirk off his face.

“Fine, maintain your pretences,” he sneers as his fingers tighten around the back of a kitchen stool. “Just keep a closer eye on Julian. He’s not accustomed to our lifestyle, and Aiden seems to forget that.”

“He needs it. Hell,Ineed it,” I scoff as I pick the lint off my shirt. “I’ve been with the guy forever, and you tire of books every day. He’s happy and trying new things. What’s wrong with that?”

Nothing, but Maximus seems to think there is, because he rolls his eyes. But fools often think foolish things.

“Why don’t you lay off the boy?” I say, referring to Aiden. “You’re making him feel worse, which in turn makes us feel bad, and I personally don’t need that.”

“Aiden was reckless!” Max shouts, pushing from the stool. He’s all emotion and no sense.

“He was having fun!” I argue, my eyes holding his challenging gaze, even as he starts towards me.

This time, I don’t move. I hold my ground as he stomps towards me and only stops when we’re standing close enough for his breath to tickle my skin. It forces goosebumps over my skin, but I stay where I am.

Stepping back would be admitting defeat, andthatis something I would not do.

“You don’t understand,” he says, softer now as all that built-up frustration slips from his clutches, revealing the distress underneath. “The pain that we felt seeing you like that … not knowing if you’d be okay—” he stops to breathe, and as he does, my heart clenches with guilt.

He shakes his head. “It’s worse for Aiden. He doesn’t realise he loves Julian yet, so this is burning him from the inside out.”

“Oh, he loves him?” I retort sarcastically, and Max rolls his eyes.

“I’m being serious,” he grumbles, and I let the jokes go for once.

“Julian hasn’t realised it yet either,” I admit as I push my hair back. “They’re still afraid to trust each other completely, but—” I duck my head to meet his lowered gaze, “things like this will help them get there. They’re still young; mistakes are inevitable.”

“I know,” Maximus replies with some effort. “That does not mean I want to see you bleeding.”

“Aw, you do care,” I coo, even as my heart leaps as I gather those words inside of me.