Page 208 of Alpha Mates

It feels like he’s hiding from me.

“Don’t you want to do something together?” I ask quietly, my voice sounding more desperate than I intend. “We’ve barely spent any time together lately.”

His gaze drifts down, lined with what looks like shame. “We’re together all the time,” he mumbles.

“You know what I mean,” I argue, resting my hands on his chest. “I … I miss you, Aiden.”

“Don’t,” he hisses, grabbing my wrists and dragging my hands away like I’ve burnt him.

He curses under his breath as if he didn’t mean to do it, but it’s too late. My chest contracts, then threatens to cave in as he eases me off so he can escape.

“Aiden,” I call, but he doesn’t stop. “Aiden!”

“What?” he snaps over his shoulder while he grabs his discarded clothes from the floor.

“Talk to me,” I beg, dragging myself to the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” he says flatly. “I just wanted to relax. To do nothing for once, and you can’t let that be.”

The jab hits its mark, but I place it aside to deal with later. Right now, he needs me.

“I know that’s not it,” I whisper carefully. “Not fully. Something’s wrong; I just wish you trusted me enough to tell me what it is.”

Aiden stops. Shirt in hand, back straining with each breath, he stands still.

Now more than ever, I want to see his face. I want him to look me in the eyes so he can see for himself what he surely feels—that he can trustme. But he doesn’t give me that.

He doesn’t give me anything.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he mutters at last, tugging the shirt over his head before heading out the door.

“Aiden,” I try, but he’s already gone.

“An entire week and no mate!” Isabel says loudly enough for anyone passing to hear.

I should tell her to quiet down, remind her that I don’t necessarily want anyone in the pack seeing their alpha drinking in the woods, but I can’t summon the energy.

“You didn’t even want a mate,” I mumble as I palm the mug in front of me.

“That was before everyone got one and made it look like the best thing on the planet,” she retorts.

“It’s still early.”

“It’s been an entire week, Julian,” she snaps. “It took me half that time to check every guy in the pack.”

“Maybe he’s hiding from you,” I mutter.

When no sniping retort comes, I glance up and sadness clouds Isabel’s eyes before she takes a swig of her drink.

“Hey, you know I’m kidding, right?” I whisper, but she shakes her head.

“You don’t make jokes,” she mumbles. “I don’t think he’s in the pack.”

“Probably not,” I admit, earning another scowl, though I’m not sure what for.

Isabel’s birthday passed last Friday, and unlike the rest of us, her mate hadn’t been there waiting. She’d flipped the pack over looking for them, and still nothing.

“You’re supposed to be supportive,” she scolds. “Help me out, give advice, be a decent friend.”