Page 7 of Bonding with the Beta

I nod towards him as his eyes float down to my lips and even further to my chin. I’m frozen to the spot. His gaze hardens on the corner of my mouth.

“You got a little…” He gestures to my face, but I don’t make any effort to move.

He leans forward and brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. I stop breathing. My lungs have given out. I stare into his eyes as he continues to move agonisingly slowly. I begin to tremble, blood rushing through me at an alarming rate.

My body tingles…from him touching my lip.

Then, after what feels like an eternity, he pulls his thumb away. I expect him to wipe it on a napkin, but no. He raises it and sucks his thumb into his mouth without a care in the world.

I evaporate.Literally.

Kayden watches me as he does so, and right now, I feel like I’m watching some kind of soft porn video. It shouldn’t make my core clench, but it does. I’m stuck in the same trance I was in when I first met him for less than a minute.

Okay.I need a timeout.

“Thanks.” I gulp pathetically.

“No problem.” He smiles knowingly.

My mouth opens, but nothing comes out, and he tilts his head.

“I–uh.” I stop. “I’m gonna go find the bathroom.”

Before he can respond, I push my way through the sea of people in the kitchen. I step out into the hall and locate the bathroom with my jelly legs, then quickly shut the door and scoop up cold water to splash my neck gently.

My hands rest on the sink basin as I glance in the mirror. I’m horrified at the sight. Flushed cheeks. Dilated eyes. “Oh, God,” I groan and press my forehead against the mirror. “Get your shit together, Kayleigh.”

3

KAYDEN

Something weird is going on.

That something being Kayleigh and her wandering thoughts. The most important question is, why can I hear them?

It doesn’t make any sense. Wolves are only meant to hear their family's and pack members' thoughts. And of course, their mate, but Kayleigh is one hundred percent not my mate.

I would know. I’m sure of it.

Kayleigh is attractive; anyone with a set of eyes can see it. But when I saw her for the first time over a year ago, my wolf didn’t stir inside me at the sight and scent of her. I didn’t get that infamous urge of overwhelming protectiveness that everyone always talks about—including Jaxon.

All day at the baby shower, I’ve been hearing glimpses and repeated sentences in my head as if she’s trying to get herself together. At first, I thought there was some kind of misunderstanding, but when I realised her lips weren’t moving and her voice was in my head, I knew something strange was happening.

Most importantly, how?

It’s been driving me insane despite how well I’ve been trying to conceal my expression. It probably explains why I’ve been following her around like a lost puppy. It's embarrassing, but I’m eager to find out what the hell is going on.

Although, what I found most bizarre was when she zoned out during Jaxon’s speech about Ava. I couldn’t hear a single thing she was thinking. She had completely gone into her own head. It was like she was replaying a memory, yet I was pushed out of the experience.

She’s not the only one who has a headache.

My mind is so loud, filled with her thoughts and mine alike.

I’m going insane, I’m sure of it.

I watch her from across the kitchen as she stands with Ava. Her light curls brush her shoulders as they fall, perfectly framing her face. Her vibrant baby blue eyes flick between Ava’s as she speaks, and I don’t miss the pink tint on her cheeks—most likely from the endless glasses of champagne she’s had.

Deep down, I know I shouldn’t be entertaining the situation like I was earlier. The second I saw the little fleck of icing on her lip, I couldn’t help myself.

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