Page 95 of My Broken Mate

“I am sorry. I overstepped, didn’t I?”

“Are you kidding?” Ayden mutters. “That was eye-opening!”

“Yeah, I had no idea!” Kata exclaims. “Can you help me find an outfit that won’t make me look like an idiot?” she asks. “Something that says: Bitch, shut up, I know what I am doing!”

“Yes,” I say. “I can definitely help you with that.”

Kata grabs her notebook and stretches down next to me on her bed. My gaze falls on her neck. She has pulled her hair into a ponytail, revealing her neck to me. There is a pull inside me, an urge that I can’t describe, and at the same time, I am terrified.

If my wolf won’t emerge, I will never be able to mark her.

I push my anxiety back for now and focus on helping her. Together, we find three to four outfits for her, which she can alternate and combine in different ways with things she already owns. That way, she is safe for the next couple of occasions she must accompany her brother to.

Meanwhile, Ayden has to leave for his part-time job, leaving Kata and me alone. The moment he is gone, she puts her notebook away and snuggles closer to me, playfully kissing my neck. I usually don’t like when people come too close to me or even hug me, but her warmth just pulls me in. I could lie like that with her forever. I have been with girls who wanted to sleep with me, and I usually gave them what they wanted so they wouldn’t drop me immediately. But I have never dated anyone. This is all new to me, and maybe I should feel stupid for acting so silly witha girl, but I couldn’t care less. It’s Kata, and I don’t mind being silly with her.

Noise coming from the kitchen startles us both. Kata smooths her hair and sits up, while I make sure to leap away from the bed and take the place Ayden had before. Not one moment too early because there is a knock on the door, and Evander peeks in.

“I have brought leftovers from the business meeting Joel forced on me. Do you want some?”

“Yes, I am actually hungry,” Kata admits.

I am not, but then, I never truly am hungry. Still, I nod. “I wouldn’t mind either. Thank you, Beta E—”

“Goddess,” Evander gapes. “Don’t call me Beta! I am getting a panic attack.”

“But you are the beta,” Kata points out with a frown.

“I am Evander,” he says while we follow him out of Kata’s room and into the kitchen. “Just call me by my name, Remy. Formalities stress me out.”

This family is so unique and so weird, but they are also endearing and honest, and stand up for themselves. Kiki keeps saying that they don’t have a stick up their ass and that others should be more like them, and I am beginning to agree.

In the kitchen, Alpha Joel is waiting for us, beaming once we arrive.

“Joel,” Evander says seriously. “Tell Remy, immediately, to call you by your name and not some rank. He is not going to do it otherwise.”

“Don’t worry,” Joel laughs brightly. His grin is even broader than Kata’s, but hers is brighter to me. Always. “Remy is Kata’s friend. Just like Ayden, he would never address me by my title, especially not in private.”

Evander stares at him before turning to me. “What’s your opinion on that?”

“Actually,” I admit. “Protocol tells me to—”

“Fuck, you were right,” Joel groans. He makes puppy eyes at me. “Please, call me Joel.”

“Could you two stop being weird?” Kata chastises them. “Seriously, it’s not a competition to see who is the most embarrassing.”

Joel jumps off his chair and dashes towards her. My heart makes a stutter in fear, dread settling in. I can’t let her get hurt. Running on instinct, I step forward just to see that Joel hugs Kata and twirls her around, making her laugh and smack his shoulder. “Let me down, you brute!”

Goddess, I almost embarrassed myself. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants, relieved that neither Kata nor Joel noticed what I was thinking. I was only one step away from attacking an alpha.

It’s impossible for me to let Kata get hurt.

I take a couple of shaky breaths, raising my gaze to look at Evander. He has his head tilted slightly, his expression – usually either dreamy or absent-minded – is thoughtful now as he looks at me. Swallowing thickly, I wonder what the fuck to do or say now, but he just smiles all of a sudden, handing me a plate, before turning around and smacking the back of Joel’s head.

“Hey, what was that for?” Joel complains, letting go of Kata.

Kata glares at him, her hair completely disheveled now. She redoes her ponytail before sitting down next to me.

“Kata is right. Behave!” Evander says shortly and shoves a plate full of food towards Joel before he can complain further.