Page 90 of Alpha Mates

“You’re not busy,” I groan as I dash after him. “Julian! Come on!”

“I’m busy!” he shouts over his shoulder as he races ahead.

“Emitt! Catch him!”

Hands spread, knees bent, Emitt stands in front of the double doors like a linebacker. I have faith in him, until he starts to shake as Julian rushes him. Giving up without trying, Emitt darts to the side and lets Julian run past him without protest.

I stop myself short, watching the doors swing shut behind him, then level my gaze on my very useless best friend.

“What happened to ‘catching him if I couldn’t,’ Emitt?”

“He’s scary! And fast!” Emitt protests miserably. “He’s like a ninja.” He frowns as he peers at his hands. “Or maybe a snake …”

Rolling my eyes, I stifle a sigh. Yetanotherfailed mission to talk to my mate.

Julian is avoiding me—has been for two days now. Ever since we’d finally stopped dancing around the want growing between us and ended up in his bed with him coming apart beneath me. It was great, hot as fuck, but unfortunately, Julian’s been on the run ever since.

I figured he was embarrassed, but I didn’t get why. So he’d gotten off on some dry humping and nipple play, we all had our vices. Julian was embarrassed, while I got hard just thinking about the way he spread his legs when he was beneath me and accepted every claim I made of his body. Fuck, his moans alone had reduced my mind to one big haze of lust. They pitched higher when I played with his nipples, so of course I didn’t stop, and then he was coming.

And Goddess knew he looked fucking unbelievable doing it.

But Julian clearly doesn’t see it that way. I don’t have a cluehowhe sees it, because he won’t talk to me. Unless, of course, it’s something pack related. And even then, always in the company of others so I can’t shift the topic. Outside of that, he is a ghost.

Next time, bring rope like I told you,Max chides, evidently still butthurt that his plan had been rejected.It was a good plan!

We both know we could never get him tied down that quickly,I argue as I stop in front of Emitt.

“You had one job.”

“So did you,” he shoots back with a smile way too bright for someone who failed so badly. “So we’re both fuck ups.”

I shove the idiot aside, heading through the library doors and down the quiet hallway. My pack archives aren’t nearly as large as Julian’s, so our library was the last place I thought I’d find him. But he was smart with his hiding places. Still, I thought if I cornered him, he’d be too proud to run away from me. I thought wrong.

“What did you do anyway?” Emitt asks, falling into step beside me.

“Why do you assume that I did something?”

“Because you’re the one trying to fix it.”

“Well, I didn’t do anything this time,” I grunt, keeping my eyes cast forward. “He just needs to tell me what’s wrong or get over it.”

“It?” he asks, brows raised.

I slow my steps as I look at my best friend, wavering on whether to tell him.

Before Julian, Emitt and I had talked about pretty much everything. He knew every detail of my first kiss, to my first time—there’s no such thing astoo farwith us. But did the rules change when a guy was involved?

“Come on,” he says with a nudge to my side, “maybe I can help.”

“Alright.” I drag my feet forward as I try to find the right words to describe what’s going on without incurring Julian’s wrath in the future. “Julian and I … we’ve been getting closer.” He nods. “And well, on Sunday we got evencloser.”

Emitt’s eyes widen. “Ohhh.” He looks around before he drops his voice to a low whisper. “And it was bad?”

“No, it was good.”Fucking sublime was what it had been. “But Julian’s been avoiding me ever since.”

“Why would he avoid you if it was good?” he counters before his gaze narrows. “Were you selfish?” Now he’s glaring. “Didn’t give what you got?”

“Fuck you, I’m giving. I gave solely, actually,” I correct as we step out the front doors and into the daylight. “But that’s not the point. The point is, he’s been acting like I’m fucking radioactive ever since, and I don’t know why.”