Page 75 of Twisted Mates

Kai sighs and lays his head against the headrest, keeping his eyes on the road. “I don’t know. I know I should have, but I just couldn’t. I wasn’t sure how in the hell it happened that I had another mate when I already had Alexia. It didn’t make any sense. It still doesn’t. And with Sophie being human, it’s not like she’d be able to explain it either. I haven’t even talked to her yet, for fuck’s sake.” He runs his fingers through his hair again. “I just wanted some answers before I talked to anyone. And I still don’t have any.”

I exhale and think before I speak again. “I understand that.”

“I just didn’t want to upset her even more, you know? Shechoseme, and I wasn’t into it. And I am aware she wasn’t in love with me or anything. But I’ve known Alexia a long time, Xan. Me telling her I think I found another mate when I’m mated toher? That kind of rejection was going to crush her. It was better forme to just leave and keep it vague while I tried to figure it out. But no excuses. I was wrong, and I know that.”

He’s right. That would’ve made Alexia feel even worse, even if she wasn’t 100% in it with Kai yet. “And with Clayton breathing down your neck about completing the bond...” I say, “I’m sure that didn’t make it any easier.”

“No, it didn’t. And I still say there’s something fishy about that. I can’t put my finger on it, but I just couldn’t take it anymore. There’s no way I could even think about pursuing a relationship with Alexia when I’d met Sophie and there was even achanceshe was my real mate. And I knew in my heart she was.”

I turn in my seat and clap him on the shoulder, deciding to alleviate the pressure a bit. “I’m glad you didn’t lay a hand on Alexia. I would have hated to break your fingers one by one. Your suspicions were right; she’smymate, Kai.”

Kai’s lips part and his green eyes nearly bug out of his head as he glances at me before focusing back on the road. “She is? When did you find that out?”

“Last night.”Shit.Was that really just last night? How is that possible? So much has happened.

“Wow. How did you...” Kai wrinkles his nose. “Wait, if this has anything to do with hearing about your sex life, I don’t?—”

“We fucked, then we shifted afterward, and it obviously wasn’t a full moon,” I say with a shrug. “So not only are we mates, but we’re moon-bonded mates.”

Kai makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat. “Congrats, bro, but come on. Ireallydon’t want to think about your naked ass.”

I let out a deep laugh and then clutch my ribs. “I think I broke something.”

“Probably. Let’s hold off on the belly laughs until we can get you checked out, okay?”

“Fair. That was a fluke anyway; I don’t feel much like laughing until I know my mate is okay.”

“She will be. My father has too much use for her to kill her. Her bloodline and mine is what he wants. He wants her to be queen and ensure the royal line stays with his last name. In his mind, there is no better way to make that happen than breed some of the most powerful shifters within this land, if not the world. I may not be sure how this mating mix-up happened, butthat,I know for sure.”

The rage within me makes my skin burn and my teeth gnash. Clayton wanted her to be his prize mare. Nothing more. The title of queen was just a way to distract her family, keep them blind from the truth. Because what could be better than being mated to the future king?

“No one else knows about this, right? About her not being my mate?” Kai asks, drawing me away from my irate thoughts.

I close my eyes and shake my head. “She told Carrington before we left my apartment.”

“Damn,” he mutters. “That’s not good.”

“Tell me about it. I didn’t even get a chance to stop her. You know how she gets when she’s passionate about something, and Carrington was needling her and pushing every button.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We’ll make it,” Kai says, pressing down a little harder on the gas.

“How did this happen anyway?” I ask, staring straight ahead. “How the hell did she think you were her mate when it was really me?” I know he doesn’t have the answers either, but not knowing is killing me.

“I don’t know. Ever since I met Sophie and felt the pull, I’ve spent countless hours trying to figure it out. It just doesn’t make sense. Especially after she’d been through the cleansing,” Kai says, lost in thought.

For every truth we uncover, one more remains unknown to us. The web that Clayton wove with all of this is complex and may never be fully revealed. At this point, it doesn’t matter if we never get all the answers. All I need is Alexia returned unharmed.

“For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry for leaving Alexia behind,” Kai says quietly.

“I know. But it’s not me you need to be telling,” I say gently.

He nods. “Trust me. As soon as I get the chance, I will be begging her forgiveness.”

Kai pulls his SUV into a parking lot at the edge of town in front of a sleek office building that looks like it hasn’t ever been used. The multi-story structure is nestled into a hillside. Its mirrored siding and glass door give a perfect view of the all-white reception area.

“What is this place?” I ask.

“This is where Care and I were supposed to set up our office. I figure if he didn’t trash the company yet, he might have held onto this as well.”

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