Page 11 of Twisted Mates

“What are you doing out here so early?”

The same deep voice that sent a shiver down my spine yesterday startles me from my racing thoughts, and I glance up to see Xander standing in front of the door. He’s dressed in athletic wear—the kind that clings to your muscles that aren’t reallymything, butI have to admit he wearsvery well—and he’s gripping his ankle as he holds his leg up behind him in a stretch.

“Shit, you scared me,” I say, setting my mug down on the table near the swing. “I couldn’t really sleep last night, so I just thought I’d go ahead and get up.”

“I wouldn't think sleep would be an issue after your first night mated. Are you okay?”

It takes me a second to realize what Xander meant by that comment, and when it sinks in, I crinkle my nose and shake my head. “No, it’s not—it’s not like that with me and Kai. There wasnochance of that happening last night. That wasn’t it.”

He drops his foot and pulls a hair tie from around his wrist. His hair sits in caramel and chocolate waves around his shoulders. He gathers it to the back of his head and wraps the tie around it. “Was it because you had to sleep in the same bed? You should have spoken up if you didn’t want to do that.”

I swallow hard and shrug one shoulder, not able to meet Xander’s icy stare. “I tried. Kind of. But Clayton just kind ofbulldozes over you when you try to talk. Before I knew what was happening, we were going upstairs. But Kai didn’t really want to do it either. But I mean, it’s Kai. He’s my friend. It’s not like he’s a stranger or something. If that were the case, I would have refused for sure. But it was awkward, you know what I mean?”

“I get it. Just don’t let Clayton make you do something you don’t want to do.” He pushes up the long sleeves of his tight shirt, displaying the black ink covering both his arms. “I know how hard it can be to fight back against him, but you’re going to have to learn to do it. Remember you will be queen and he’ll be demoted to the king’s father.”

I shiver and it doesn’t have anything to do with the cold. “Now that’s another thought that keeps me awake at night. The thought of being queen. Whoever thought that would be a good idea... maybe Luna took a day off last night,” I joke.

He lets out a long slow breath and looks me over from head to toe. “Luna knew what she was doing. Kai needs someone like you by his side. He’s had too much dark and a constant light will balance him out. But I also remember you being a headstrong and intelligent young woman; you two are going to butt heads. I think the goddess knew you would keep him on his toes.”

I roll my lips together and despite the freezing cold temperature and the snow beginning to fall, my cheeks heat up, a blush spreading down my neck and across my chest. I’m glad I have on a hoodie so he can’t see how his words are affecting me.

“Thanks, Xander. That’s really kind of you to say. Because right now, I’m feeling anything but intelligent.” I look up at the ceiling of the porch before continuing. “He asked me if I preferred a certain side of the bed, and I told him it didn’t matter because I’m usually like a starfish... and I proceeded to demonstrate.” I cover my face with my palms and hang my head. “What am I doing with my life?”

He chuckles and slides his hands in his pockets. “You’ll have to demonstrate that for me one day. Until then, I’d advise you to get ready for a major change in your life. The next year might be the hardest you’ve ever faced. You’ll need Kai and he will need you too.”

“Yeah,” I whisper, grabbing my empty coffee mug and looking into the bottom of it.

“You’re shivering. You should go in the house and curl up next to your mate. Or you can go for a jog with me.”

I scoff and wrap the blanket tighter around myself. “I don’t know which one would be more uncomfortable at this point. I’m not exactly a runner in my human form. I’d definitely slow you down.” I shoot him a grin. “But under the full moon? I’ll race you all night long. And as far as the other option goes... considering Kai slept like a literal statue last night, I think if I touched him, he might actually melt or something.”

“We wouldn’t want that.” He steps off the porch and looks back at me. “On a serious note, I got your back for the next couple of days while I’m here. Or if you just need a listening ear while you figure this all out.”

Xander doesn’t give me a chance to thank him. He turns toward the woods behind the house and sprints through the trees. I stare in that direction for a long minute after he’s gone. And when my mind finally starts functioning again, all I can think is that I wish the conversations I had with my mate last night felt as natural as the one I just had with his brother.

FOUR

Xander

The soles of my running shoes pound on the trail behind our house, the grass worn down from years of use. Every morning that we stay at the mountain house, I start my day with a run on this path. And every full moon I spent here in my younger years, I’d run it in wolf form too. When Kai and Carrington came along and shifted for their first time, I made sure I showed them the trail.

Usually, if I need to get myself together, my exercise routine does the trick. But not today. Today, my mind is all over the place. It’s traveling to destinations it’s never traveled to before, and it’s confusing the hell out of me.

I cannot get Alexia Rush out of my head.

And it makes no damn sense. Because other than pleasantries, I’ve never said much to the girl over the years. In fact, I missed the moment she became this gorgeous woman. She’s no longer my kid sister’s best friend with round cheeks and cartoons on her t-shirts. She still has that sense of humor that I remember, but Alexia now has an air of sophistication,intelligence, and beauty... and those curves. She hasso manysoft, sexy curves.

Fuck! See, that’s what I don’t need to be thinking about. She is Kai’s mate. It doesn’t matter how my body reacts to her. She’s an attractive woman, sure, but that’s it. It’s not like it’s been decades since my last sexual encounter or anything. Far from it. However, I can’t recall a woman ever taking up so much real estate in my head.

As I approach the house, I slow my pace and start my cool down stretches. Even more puzzling than my wayward thoughts is why Kai is so hesitant, and why he’s not all over Alexia. If she were my—well, let me reword that. She’s an ideal mate for him. Why is he not over the moon and showing her how happy he is to have her? It’s baffling to me.

If he’s not careful, he’s going to mess this up.

I finish up my stretches and walk into the house, finding that everyone is awake and downstairs, except Clayton, who is probably in his office again. According to what Carrington said last night, he spends more time up there than anywhere else these days. I’m not complaining; the less I have to interact with my stepfather, the better.

I lift my shirt and wipe the sweat away from my forehead as I walk into the kitchen.

“Ew, come on, bro, trying to eat here,” Carrington whines, throwing a wrapped muffin at me and hitting me in the stomach.

---