Page 226 of Alpha Mates

“I didn’t even tell my parents what I did with it, but I’m supposed to tell you? You, who—” He stops, but it’s enough to rouse the pain lurking between us. It rises like smoke and wraps around my throat until I can barely breathe beneath it.

“I was going to tell you,” he whispers under his breath, voice catching as he reins himself in. “I was even going to bring you here. I wanted to tell you everything.” His expression turns absolutely miserable. “But then …”

He doesn’t have to finish. The reminder is enough.

I want to wash it away, to washallof it away, until we’re how we were before—happy and safe with each other, when he trusted me.

“Aiden,” I plead, reaching for him, but he stands before I can touch him. “Aiden, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve said that,” he affirms tersely.

“I mean it.”

“I know that,” he snaps, finally looking at me. His eyes burn red. “But it doesn’t make it all better.”

If he notices, he doesn’t care. He doesn’t turn away or try to hide like he used to. He faces me head-on.

“You hurt me, Julian. You fucking—” He stops to breathe, seemingly to curb the emotions that have his clenched fists shaking. But the emotions bleed from him anyway, making his shoulders slump and his hands hang limp.

His eyes are full of grief when they find mine.

“You hurt me.”

And then Aiden leaves. He heads outside, and the door slams shut behind him—hard enough to make the glass rattle.

Chapter 45

Aiden

Back pressed against the door, I breathe, but each inhale comes out uneven. I try to slow them, but even with my eyes shut, they stay short and unsteady. Then I hear it—Julian’s soft cries spilling from inside. Each one cuts through me like a blade, slow and poisoned.

I should go back in. Hold him. Tell him it’s fine, that somehow we’ll make it work, that I’ll find a way to make us right again. But we’re not fine, and I don’t know how we could ever be like we were.

I push off from the door and force my legs to move, heading for the edge of the field I’d been clearing before Julian came running outside, a mess of blonde hair and scared, bright blue eyes.

I didn’t expect him to find me.

I should’ve known he would. Julian’s never been the type to give up on anything he cares about. I should’ve known it’d be the same with us, with our bond. But I still wasn’t ready for it.

The shock of finding him kneeling on the borders of the property had left me paralysed. I’d watched him sway, looking like he’d fall apart right there, and I had no choice but to catch him.

At that point, there was no fighting my instincts. My mate was sick, fading, and he needed me. Jewels needed me.

I picked him up, brought him to the house, and cleaned him up before I even thought about it. While I wiped down his damp body, I tried not to panic when I realised just how bad it was. He was skin and bones. He lost all his muscle, weight, colour. His cheeks were hollow, and heavy bags sagged under his puffy eyes.

I barely recognised him.

I couldn’t feel Alex,Max says nervously with a low whine that reverberates through us both.

I jolt. He’s been less than vocal since we left. He was hurt too, but he didn’t want to leave, not when we had a mate to consider now. But he knew why I had to.

That was before I saw him,he growls.He doesn’t look good, Aiden … and I can’t feel Alex.

Don’t worry. I bet he’s fine,I say trying to calm him, but he fades with a curse before I can say anymore.

I sigh as I pick up my axe and head back to the tree I was cutting down.

Sanctuaryis the last word I ever thought I’d use to describe this place, but that’s what it is. My sanctuary.