Page 24 of Twisted Mates

If this makes her feel safe, then by the goddess, I’ll stay in this position all night.

EIGHT

Alexia

I pull out of the hazy fog of sleep and snuggle into the warm, soft bed. I can’t remember the last time I slept that good. It certainly hasn’t been in the days that I’ve been at the Braxton house. But in Xander’s bed...

Shit. I slept in Xander’s bed.

What am I doing? I’m pretty sure I fell asleep with his hand tucked under my face last night. Burying my head in the pillow, I groan as embarrassment washes over me. I also poured out my heart to him and he probably thinks I am such a fool. I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling.

Except... he doesn’t. Xander listened to me last night. He actually let me talk and didn’t make me feel like I was overreacting or like I was wrong for feeling the way I do. I meant what I said: He is the only one who makes me feel safe right now.

I glance over at his side of the bed, hoping he isn’t still here since I’ve been flopping around on the man’s mattress like a fish. Of course, he isn’t. He’s probably been up for hours and run five miles by now.

It’s already after nine o’clock. There’s no telling what happened outside of this room after we went to sleep. When Xander was in the bathroom last night, I sent Kai a text explaining where I was and why. He said he understood, and to be honest, that made me feel even worse. It was one of the reasons I let all my feelings out with Xander. I guess I thought that as my mate, Kai would be like... flipping out with jealousy or something? But instead, I just got a text back that said,ok, I understand. Night.

While Xander did listen and let me get out my feelings with no judgment, I know he was just saying it’s all going to work out for my benefit. Somethingiswrong. I’m just not sure what it is.

I slip out of bed and, albeit a little sloppily, pull the blankets up the way Xander did on his side. With one last look at his sparse room, I slip out and tiptoe down the hall to Kai’s bedroom to grab a change of clothes. The house is dead silent, and I wonder if everyone is already out for the day. I can only hope that Clayton is. He’s the one person I donotwant to see.

After my morning routine, I get dressed and jog downstairs to see Carrington sitting at the kitchen island, her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, leaning on the counter next to her and resting a hand on her shoulder.

She jerks away, startling me. I jump backward and place my hand over my chest to calm my racing heart. Before I can ask what’s going on, she says, “What the hell did you do last night?”

I recoil and shake my head. “What? What are you talking about?”

She scoffs and flips her hair over her shoulder. “After Dad talked to you guys and told you that you needed to sleep in Kai’s room. What the hell happened?”

“Nothing happened. Kai and I are not ready to take the next step yet, and your dad would not let it go. So instead of makingus both uncomfortable, I—” I pause. Do I really want to talk about sleeping in Xander’s bed right now? While she’s already mad? “I decided to give him space.”

Carrington chuckles, a dry laugh that holds zero joy. “Well, good job, Lex. You gave him plenty of it. He’s gone.”

My lips part and my insides begin to quiver with anxiety and dread. “What? Gone? What are you talking about?”

“He left. He took all his things that are important to him, and he isgone.” Her green eyes bore into mine, and her anger is masking the hurt she’s feeling. “What did you say to him?”

“I didn’t say anything, Carrington, truly. We didn’t even argue about it. We are both on the same page here. If I thought he was going to take off, I would’ve stayed and suffered through an awkward night,” I say, and it’s true. Kai being gone isn’t something I know how to handle.

She paces behind the counter, pulling at the roots of her hair. “I don’t get it. You felt the draw to him. Why wouldn’t y’all want to make things official? Our kind pray to the goddess for a mate, and you two have found each other. You obviously feel it, why doesn’t he?”

This is exactly why I didn’t want to stay in her room last night. She holds the same opinion as her father. She’s just not as harsh about it.

And even as she’s practically yelling at me, the panic etched into her face breaks my heart. She is normally so calm, like nothing in the world gets to her. Yet Kai not being here this morning is her breaking point.

I drop my elbows on the counter and plant my face in my palms. “I don’t know.”

My tears spill into my hands. This is such a mess. I felt a pull to Kai when I went through the ceremony. I know I did. And I was happy I chose him, but none of that negates the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something between us is wrong.But it could possibly be fixed and our bond could be so strong. We just have to make it past this hurdle.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I wipe my eyes with the heels of my hands and retrieve it. When I see the name on the screen and the words underneath it, I feel like I’m going to be sick.

I’m sorry, Lex. I just can’t do this.-K

The entire world goes fuzzy at the edges and my hands shake. I can’t look away from the text. This can’t be it.

“Lex?” Carrington’s voice cuts through the haze.

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