Page 31 of Alpha Mates

I groan. Less than twenty-four hours ago, we were enemies, and now I’m sitting here feeling bad for pushing him off my bed? With the shit we’ve done to each over the years, that barely scratched the surface of things to feel guilty about. Knowing that doesn’t get rid of the guilt.

Things were bound to go south at some point, but they hadn’t yesterday. It could’ve all gone to shit when we discovered we were mates, but Julian andI had forced our way through it and gotten along better than we had in eighteen years.

We’d agreed to coexist for our packs, but I’d actually had a good time. Annoyingly, a pleasurable rush fills my chest when I remember how much we laughed—howhelaughed. We’d argued, as always, but Julian had also been relaxed, and smiling at me, and then—

The bathroom door opens fully, and Julian walks out, water droplets falling from his hair, a towel wrapped snugly around his waist.

My heart stops. It forgets how to function, along with the rest of me, as I run my gaze over my mate.

I’m sure I’ve seen Julian shirtless at some point, but I’m also sure that if I have, the sight of his body has never left my mouth so damn dry.

He’s slim, but Julian has always been slim. What I didn’t know, is that faintly outlined muscles run down the cords of his arms and legs, flexing as he moves, showing off how well-proportioned he is in every area. My eyes climb him slowly, lingering on his chest before I finally drag them to his face. Only to find he isn’t even looking at me. He’s too busy drying his hair, pretending I don’t exist.

Suddenly, mustering an apology doesn’t feel so bad.

I lick my dry lips, trying to remember what I’d been saying, and also what day it is.

“Julian—”

“I’m done in there, so you can go ahead,” he mumbles, shuffling through the folded clothes in his bag.

Julian ignoring me is nothing new. I usually like pushing him this far. What I’m not used to is the added sting of knowing I’m the cause of my mate’s anger.

“I’ll shower after we talk,” I reply, stepping towards him—only to still when his towel slides an inch lower on his hips.

The guy’s basically naked, and I’ve seen plenty of guys naked, but this is the first one that makes my stomach flip. I shake my head to clear it, but then Julian tugs underwear on beneath his towel before letting it drop.

More flushed skin. More Julian.

My eyes glide up his long legs, and I shake my head harder this time.Goddess have mercy, focus Aiden!

“I wanted to say sorry,” I manage, hoping he’ll at least acknowledge that, but he doesn’t. “Julian.”

Shrugging on a shirt and then pants, Julian doesn’t spare me a glance as he heads out the bedroom door. Stunned, it takes me a moment to follow.

“Seriously, Julian?”

Max whines painfully when Julian marches on. He’s aching from the cold-shoulder treatment, and I hate to admit it’s getting to me too.

“Hey!” I call after him. “I’m trying to apologise!”

Julian doesn’t budge.

I follow behind him like a fucking pup, and I fucking hate it, but I also can’t help it. I should just leave him to pout like a child, but the more he ignores me, the more desperate I become for his attention, until I forget all about apologising and focus instead on getting his eyes back on me.

He puts the kettle on and gets eggs out as if I’m not even here.

“Would you just listen to me?” I beg, and I’m practically shouting now. “Look, I’m sorry about shoving you off the bed this morning, okay? I freaked out, and I reacted without thinking. I’m really fucking sorry. I’ve said it a million times now, so can you please stop acting like this and just-”look at me.

Julian stills.

I hold my breath, but with his back to me, I can’t tell what he’s thinking. I take a step forward, but before I can take another, Julian turns around and finally looks at me.

And I wish he hadn’t.

“It was my fault,” he mutters, shame swarming in his eyes. “You told me not to touch you, and I did. I didn’t mean to, but I get it. I get why you would react like that.” He shrugs weakly. “I know that it probably felt disgusting to wake up like that, and that I grossed you out, so I’m sorry.”

“What? No.” Disgust was the last thing I felt. “That’s not why I reacted like that.”