Page 355 of Alpha Mates

“Well … shit.”

“Shit, what?” I ask, eyes darting between her and the freaky branch. “What does that mean?”

“Uhhh,” she drawls, plucking the sprig up, and the moss withers away. “It um … you see—”

Panic surges inside of me. Kat doesn’t do nervous.

“Kat,” I say sharply.

She clutches the branch to her chest. “I feel like we should wait for him to wake up first,” she says with another freakishly anxious laugh. “And oh look—he is. He must know a God is in his presence.”

I glare at her, sure she’s just trying to distract me, until a low groan rises between us.

Julian’s brows draw in tight as he slowly rouses. I shuffle closer to take his hand. He clutches it before he even opens his eyes, but when he does and sees it’s me, he relaxes.

“Hey,” I greet as he struggles to blink the sleepiness away.

“Hey,” he croaks, smiling slightly as he glances down at Levi. “I was having the weirdest dream, and then Katerina was there and—AHH!”

Julian jolts upright, scrambling closer to me as Katerina waves with a bright smile.

“Then you woke up and all your dreams came true. Lucky you,” she finishes.

Julian stares at her, unblinking. He takes one look around before he pales. “Am I dying?”

I laugh, can’t help it, before I press a kiss to his forehead. “No,” I say before I glance at Kat. “… Right?”

“Right!” she agrees quickly. “It’s actually the opposite … in a way.”

“Opposite?” I ask.

“Did Aiden call you?” Julian asks, sitting up straighter. “I just threw up,” he says, glaring at me. “You didn’t have to call Kat.”

“I didn’t, and you didn’t just throw up,” I counter. “You’re not well.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

“He’s right,” Katerina pipes up. We look at her, and she tries for a normal smile. “I mean, you are, but not really. It depends on your definition of fine, really—ha that rhymed … I think,” She giggles, then clears her throat. “It also depends on how accepting you are.”

We frown at her.

“What’s wrong with him?” I ask. “You said you’d tell us together, and I’m this close to losing it, Kat.”

“Well,” she starts, then looks down at Levi. “Do you mind waiting outside, little guy? They’re probably going to freak out, and you don’t need to see that.”

Levi’s already worried expression morphs into fear, and I glare at Katerina before I stoop down beside him. “She just means that we have to talk about adult stuff. Can you wait with Beckett until we’re done?”

“I—I can be quiet,” he mumbles, and my heart breaks.

“I know you can, kid,” I whisper as I smooth a hand over his head. “But this is the one time it won’t be enough, and that’s on us.”

“We’ll be out as soon as we can, okay?” Julian promises.

Levi chews on his lip with his gaze darting to Katerina before he forces a stiff nod. I lead him outside, sitting him down with Beckett, and promising to be right back before I force myself to return inside and close the door.

“Okay, let’s do this quick. I don’t want to leave him alone for long,” I say as I go back to Julian’s side. He’s sitting up now and looking far more attentive than he has in days. “What’s wrong?”