Page 38 of Never His Mate

Breakfast. Breakfast sounds good. Ever since I had to throw away that pizza from last night, I’ve been craving sausage. I think I have some of those little breakfast sausage links in the freezer.

And if sausage also makes me think of Ryker, then I just need to get my head out of the damn gutter already.

I’m moving toward the kitchen, completely focused on breakfast, when Ryker’s door opens.

I freeze in the hall.

“Gem. Can we talk?”

I turn toward him. There goes any hope that it was a coincidence he was getting up this early. Aleks has already showered and gotten dressed. Unless I’m wrong, he must’ve been up for a while, just waiting to start this conversation.

“Depends,” I say carefully. “What do you want to talk about?”

Aleks lifts his hand, running his fingers through his curls. “I want to apologize.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Yeah? What for?”

A soft exhale. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t make this easy for me.”

“You’ve got more than two centuries on me, Aleks. You should be an old pro at apologizing by now.”

“Not if I never believed I was in the wrong. I could count the number of times I’ve said ‘I’m sorry’ using one hand.”

“And I get one? I’m honored.”

His lips quirk just enough to shatter his solemn expression. I’m glad. I know we were fighting last night, but it takes two to tango. We both messed up. There’s no reason for him to approach this talk like he killed someone.

Unless he did.

Only half-joking, I say, “You didn’t drain Ryker or anything last night, did you?”

His gaze flickers over my shoulder toward the empty balcony. “Your puppy is gone?” he asks, then he winces. “Perhaps I should apologize for that remark, too.”

“Nah. He deserves that.”

“Then I’ll just apologize to you. I’m sorry. I never should have said what I did last night. When I—”

I hold up my hand. If he repeats himself, I’m not so sure I’ll resist the urge to slap him again. “I remember.”

“It was cruel and unnecessary. You’ve made yourself very clear and I… I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations out on you. I know where we stand. But when I think about how much that Alpha of yours hurt you.” He gulps, his light green eyes bleeding over to bright red. It’s a sure sign that he’s fighting his own bloodthirsty nature. “I was there. I watched you get over his rejection. I don’t want to see that happen again.”

So tell me you’ll never be my mate all you want. I know better. You’re mine...

“It won’t,” I say firmly. “And, if it counts for anything, I’m sorry, too.”

“It counts for everything.” The red staining his irises starts to fade. “Friends?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

It’s the best I can offer him.

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