Page 30 of Alpha Mates

I’d warned Julian not to touch me last night, but I’d meant that I didn’t want his cold feet touching mine while I slept. I didn’t even consider this real-life interpretation of parasitic vines we have going on right now. But until I calmed down enough, my body wouldn’t let me move—it never did after a night terror. The only problem is, with my mate curled up against me, I doubt I’ll be calming down anytime soon.

With a muted curse, I force my gaze to the window. Light spills into the room—something I’d noticed earlier without really registering it. If I had, I’d have realised what it meant.

I can’t remember the last time I slept until morning. But birds are chirping, the sun is up, and it’s bright as day outside.

I’d gone an entire night without waking once. That hadn’t happened in years. And I can’t even blame it on the long night we had, because I’ve had plenty of those before, and it’s never made a difference.

My eyes fall back on Julian. I shiver.

It’s him. It’s him with his warmth and his scent and it’s making me feel …safe.

I’m never safe. Goddess taught me that a long time ago, and as that cooling reminder yanks my body back under my control, I shove Julian off me.

“Get the hell off of me!”

What’s meant to force him back onto the other side of the bed instead sends Julian tumbling straight off the edge with a surprised yelp before his eyes even open. He hits the floor with a thump that’s loud enough to make me wince.

I risk looking over the edge, and guilt slams into me like a semi when I see Julian rubbing at his tailbone. Pain is etched into his sleepy face, along with confusion as he tries to blink away the sleepiness from his eyes.

“I-I—” I start as I slide from the bed and onto the ground before I even realise it. “I’m sorry.”

I lift a hand to help, but Julian slaps it away as his eyes meet mine, and they’re as cold as ice.

“Do not touch me.” His voice is calm, waytoocalm, and I’d be lying if Isaid it didn’t scare me a little when I know better than most that an angry Julian is aterrifyingJulian.

Fix this!Max barks. Julian pushes to his feet with a hand still pressed to his back.

“Look, I’m sorry. You were holding onto me and—”

Julian’s hand stills, his blue eyes flashing. “So, you shoved me off the bed?”

I bristle. “I told you not to touch me.”

This is not fixing this!Max bellows as his panic crests.I said to fix this!

Julian’s lips part, chest filling as if he’s about to explode. I step back, preparing for the blow. He holds it like he’s resting a finger on a kill switch, contemplating whether or not he should end it all.

After a long moment, he releases the breath and stalks for the bathroom. “Whatever.”

By mercy or some sense of self-preservation, Julian doesn’t slam the door behind him, graciously leaving it cracked open instead.

Why the fuck did you do that?Max yells while I stare at the door.

I told you I’d put a stop to that weird cuddling shit the moment I could,I protest lamely.

I didn’t think you were going to shove him off the fucking bed, Aiden!Max growls while he paces.You hurt him!I wince.You hurt our mate!

I know!I snap, falling onto the edge of the bed. It’s the only support I have when another wave of guilt barrels into me. It comes alone, leaving behind the part of me that usually revels in Julian’s pain. If it’s still there, it refuses to appear with that confused look on his sleepy face now etched in my mind.

You must apologise,Max insists, which has me immediately reeling.

I tried, and he wouldn’t let me. Besides, this is Julian!

And Julian is our mate,Max snaps without hesitation.He is our mate, and you can justify it however you want, but he was only sleeping. He didn’t do anything intentionally, and you reacted unfairly!

That I can’t deny, no matter how much I want to, and Max’s rant isn’t making it any easier. But apologising to Julian? Spiteful, hateful Julian?

You did it just now, just do it again without the ‘but,’Max coaches.