Page 66 of Alpha Mates

He sighs, all heavy and dejected. This time when he looks at me, there’s fear in his eyes. “I think … I think Julian hates me,” he whispers, looking around as if Julian will pop out just from uttering his name.

“What? No, he doesn’t,” I scoff, almost laughing at the idea. “Julian only hates me, or he used to. He just doesn’t like most people. Don’t take it personally.”

“No, Aiden. Julianreallyhates me,” Emitt insists as we head towards English, the subject was surprisingly hard, given we speak the fucking language.

That or we’re just dumb,Max interjects.

Or that.

“He was glaring at me the entire drive to school. Every time I checked the mirror, he was there, just staring at me.”

“Maybe it was one of those things where you looked at the same time he did, and it was awkward.”

“Or maybe he wants to skin me alive.”

I roll my eyes. “Sure, Emitt.”

But then he grabs me by my shirt collar and shakes me like a fucking lunatic.

“Do you know how fucking scary it is to see a guy like Julian just staring at you?” he asks, eyes bulging. “He’s fucking scary, Aiden!”

“Stop overreacting.” I palm his face and shove him away. I fix my shirt as we head into the slowly filling classroom. “He looks at everyone that way.That’s just Julian. Trust me.”

Julian is just a little weirdo. I know that better than anyone after spending a literal lifetime at war with the guy. Before we were mates, I’d always found it disturbing that he could switch his face off and walk around with that blank expression, but that was before I got a glimpse of what he kept behind that mask.

When he let it fall, like he did when it was just the two of us, he had sweet smiles, shy eyes, and warm cheeks that had a way of making me forget myself. He might act like a hardass—which he one hundred per cent was—but he’s secretly also a very cute wolf.

Tugging me away from my favourite memories, Emitt makes a pitiful whining sound as he all but stomps his feet on the ground.

“I can’t believe you’re my beta,” I whisper, watching the show with disgust before I sink into my seat.

“He’s going to be my alpha, and he already hates me,” he says, still whining.

“Goddess, Emitt, calm down,” I rock back in my seat. “Why don’t you come to lunch with us and—”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Emitt,” I start, but he shakes his head so hard his brown curls go flying everywhere.

“No, I’m not fucking suicidal.”

“No, you’re just dramatic,” I counter. “Come to lunch with us, and you’ll see for yourself that the cold shit is just how he is with everyone. It’s nothing personal.”

“I don’t think he’d like me just showing up,” Emitt argues, but I can see his resolve flagging. “He’s expecting some time with just you.”

“If that were the case, then it would be just us, but his friends will be there too,” I remind him. “Don’t you want to get to know them, maybe talk to his beta more? It’ll make things easier when we join the packs if you guys are already friendly.”

Emitt gulps, but he mumbles, “I guess.”

“Then stop whining like a little bitch and say that you’re coming.”

Snorting, he nods. “Fine. I’ll be there.”

With that settled, Emitt finally sits. I stare out at the football field, turning it over. I’m not admitting this to Emitt, but Julian actually had been acting kind of strange earlier. He’d been closed off and a bit moody, but I’m pretty sure that’s because Emitt had just shown up this morning, and Julian hates surprises. Sure, Emitt said he looked like he wanted to kill him, but that’s just Julian’s face. Even with his friends, he looks like he’d rather be lying down intraffic. He barely speaks to them, not even his beta. When I think about it, he’s really only talkative around me … bold, too.

My thoughts shift to that moment in the diner, to the look he gave me when he’d sucked his thumb between his lips, his eyes never leaving mine. I knew Julian wasn’t the most experienced wolf in the woods, and I’d assumed that would hold him back, but fuck was I wrong.

When he wants to be, he was confident and forward—and it was stupid hot.