Chapter 49
Aiden
“Would you stop looking at me?”
Julian asks the question without glancing up, so I come to the completely logical conclusion that he’s not talking to me. While he waits for a response from his imaginary friend, I keep staring.
He makes it to the sixty-second mark before his stubbornness cracks and he looks up at me—well, glares at me. He looks annoyed as fuck, but it’s also the most he’s looked like Julian in days.
“Aiden.”
“What?”
He gives me a look like he actually expects me to reply to his first question.
“I don’t think I can.”
And just like that, the frown disappears, and colour spills into his cheeks.
If I loved Julian’s blushes before, I fucking adore them now.
He fixes his attention back on the menu with mock determination.
He pretends to read it, so I pretend not to know what I’m doing when I rub my ankle against his under the table.
He jerks in surprise before his wide eyes jump up to mine again.
The glare returns in short order, and it’s like I’m falling in love all over again.
Jewels’ blue eyes dart around every inch of the low-lit restaurant we chose for dinner, scouting for witnesses. Unbeknownst to his anxiety, nobody here gives a damn about us, and even if they did, the long tablecloth draped over our table keeps them from seeing a thing.
Still, Julian was and always would be a goodie two-shoes, so he gives me a warning look before returning to the menu. I continue my teasing, inching my foot higher, but he doesn’t falter again. He acts like nothing’s happening.
My lips twitch. That’s fine. I can play that game too.
Eyes on the menu, I fill my stage role as the studious patron who can’t decide what to eat while I take my shoe off.
I start with a nudge to his thigh, just enough to make him stiffen.
Then press further, prodding his legs apart.
Julian groans, and a chuckle slips out as my foot slides between his legs and over his crotch.
“Aiden,” he hisses, leaning over the table. His hair hides his flaming face from everyone else, but I get a front-row view as he shoves my foot away.
“What is wrong with you?” he says once he’s done adjusting himself.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I think I got a taste for something I like very much, and now I want more.”
Julian’s lips part with shock, like he’s hasn’t tasted the pure filth from my tongue himself. I chuckle as his blush deepens and he hides behind his menu.
I suck my teeth. “I’ll get angry if I can’t see you,” I warn. But he doesn’t budge, even when I lean over to wrench it down. “Jewels …”
“No,” he snaps, and well, I tried the diplomatic route.
Sliding my foot back between his legs, I make him squeak as his tense hands struggle to hold the menu upright. He fights to look unaffected, and it’s adorable to see him try, even when I press my foot against his growing cock.
“Either you let me see you …” I drawl while I play with him like a cat with yarn, “… or I have some fun.”
“F-fine,” he stammers, lowering the menu so I can see his face, beautifully lit with the colour running up to his ears. He lets out a breath of relief that completely contradicts the disappointment in his eyes when my thwarted foot eases away. “Now behave.”
“I will,” I concede before I give the menu a little shake. “Know what you’re getting?”
“The Vegetarian Wonton special.”
“Of course you are.”
“You?” he asks, ignoring my comment.
“I think a couple of fried wontons, egg noodles, the sweet and sour chicken …” I list as I skim through the menu. “Ribs? Should I do ribs? I’m going to do ribs.” I glance up. “What? You know I love Chinese food.”
“Clearly,” he mutters, setting the menu down and giving me all the attention I deserve. “So …”
“So,” I echo, resting my chin in my hands.
Julian’s lips quirk before they spread into a smile.
“You gonna say something to me, Jewels, or are you just vying for my attention?”
“Vying,” he retorts with his usual speed, and fuck, it does some dangerous shit to my heart.
After all the shit we’ve been through, it feels fucking amazing to just be us.
Reaching out, I lay my hand palm-up on the table, and Julian fills it instantly. His fingers are soft and warm. His grin widens when I tighten my hold on him.
I won’t lose this.
“Alright,” our waiter breathes as they saunter from the table next to ours with an open notepad. “Sorry for the wait. Are you ready to order?”
“Yeah,” I reply before I start rattling off my order.
The waiter blinks but turns to Julian, pen at the ready. “And you?”
I glance at Julian, but his gaze remains fixed on the centre of the table. It’s empty, like he’s lost or zoning out, and he doesn’t snap out of it, even when I give his hand a squeeze.
There’s nothing there or in our bond. It’s just empty, like all of him is suddenly cast in shadows that turn him grey from the inside out.
“Julian,” I call as I tug his hand, trying to find him.
He jolts, gasping as if he’s just surfaced from underwater. His eyes dart around the room like he doesn’t know where he is. His fingers almost slip from mine, but I don’t let go. His gaze settles on me, on our hands, and then he breathes—finally.
“Oh, sorry,” he stammers to the waiter. “Um, yeah. Can I get the …”
The rest fades. He speaks like nothing happened, like he didn’t just vanish in front of my eyes—like he’s fine.
But he isn’t. Julian didn’t zone out.
It’s not something his hyper-aware consciousness is capable of, but he’s been doing it a lot lately. A little at first, enough that I told myself I’d imagined it. But not like this. It’s never made fear claw its way up my ribs and sit heavy in my chest.
I knew something was off but I kept thinking it was me, or maybe us. I figured he just needed more time. We just needed more time. And sure, it wasn’t perfect, but we were getting there, bit by bit. Except now I can’t lie to myself anymore.
Something’s wrong with my mate.
I still can’t feel Alex, Max says, his voice gruff with worry that quickly becomes my own as he paces. I want to speak to him. You said Julian needed time, and he’s gotten it. He’s clearly happy with you, so it must be Alex.
My heart drops at that. If it was Alex, then Goddess help us. Trouble with our wolves never meant anything good.
I want to speak to him, Max demands, trying to take control. Now, Aiden!
No. Not now. I cling onto control, forcing my grip on Julian’s hand to stay gentle. Not here.
Aiden!
I’m not doing this here, Maximus! I growl, begging him to be calm. If it is Alex, then it won’t be any good forcing him forward if he doesn’t want to talk. You said it yourself—Julian’s happy with me, so let me talk to him first. Tonight, when we’re back.
Max shifts, his anger radiating through me until it feels like my own before he reluctantly relents, Tonight, Aiden. Tonight.
Tonight.
“Aiden?”
Across the table, Julian blinks at me, head tilted like a confused pup. The emptiness in his eyes is gone, and it’s like nothing happened, like he’s fine. But I know it’s not true.
My chest clenches, but I ignore it as I smile for him. “Sorry, I zoned out thinking about this hot fucking alpha I’m mated to.”
Julian rolls his eyes, but it does the job. The corners of his mouth twitch up, spreading into one of the bright things he only gives to me. I let myself enjoy it for now.
Dinner rolls past us too quickly. I don’t get enough time to fully savour Julian’s cherry cheeks and easy smiles. Goddess, I love his smiles—when they get big enough, they pinch his cheeks up, and he gets these little wrinkles at the corner of his eyes.
Sometimes when I look at him, it feels like we’re different people, like we’re not both trying to hold on to each other in the middle of the never-ending shitstorm we were born into.
And for a little while, in the sanctuary of Julian’s eyes, we’re not two alphas but two guys on a date that one of them prays will never end.
But since Goddess had never answered my prayers, I don’t expect her to start now.
“That was nice, right?” I ask, holding the door for Julian.
“Nice? That was great!” Julian shouts into the night sky as he steps onto the sidewalk.
It earns us a few looks, but he doesn’t care. I loop an arm through his to keep him close, and he giggles.
“What’s up with you? You’re not even drunk,” I snort.
He just grins and bolts.
I chase him down the sidewalk, laughing, catching up before he grabs hold of a lamppost and swings himself around.
“Trying out the stripper biz?” I call.
“Maybe,” he says, shimmying up the pole. “I already know my stage name—” Eyes finding mine, Julian spreads his legs for his drop. “Jewels.”
“What the fuck?” I cackle, clutching my stomach. “Julian,” I wheeze as I double over, “What. The. Fuck.”
He hits the ground laughing, then grabs my hand and pulls me across the street without even looking. I let him. I’m too enamoured by him to do anything else.
There’s a park a few metres away, and he brings us right to the locked gate. He looks at the chain fence, and the “No Entry” sign. Then scales it in two seconds flat.
My jaw hangs as I watch the imposter land on the other side and turn to me with a triumphant smile.
“Who are you?” I ask, but he only snickers. “No, seriously. Who are you?”
Dusting his hands off on his jeans, Julian inches his way back from the gate with a smirk that makes him look like sin brought to life.
“You coming?” he asks, eyes glowing before he strolls away as though he doesn’t hear my groan, but his chuckles tell me everything I need to know.
Sighing, I take a second to glance around before I follow my delinquent mate and scale the iron gate in pursuit of the wolf who knew exactly how to turn me into prey. Once I catch up to him, I grab him from behind and delve into a world of blonde as I kiss his neck until he laughs against me.