Page 16 of Swipe Right on the Alpha
“Mine is closer,” he said, covering Dylan’s hand with his own. “And I believe you mentioned something about making up for three days apart?”
Dylan’s smile turned predatory in a way that sent pleasant shivers down Aiden’s spine. “I did. And I intend to be very thorough.”
Chapter 9
Dylan’s version of “thorough” left Aiden breathless and boneless, sprawled across his own rumpled sheets as Dylan returned from the bathroom with a warm washcloth. The consideration was typical—beneath Dylan’s sometimes gruff exterior was a thoughtfulness that continually surprised Aiden.
“You’re staring,” Dylan noted as he gently cleaned Aiden’s stomach and thighs.
“Just appreciating the view,” Aiden replied lazily, though in truth, he was cataloging details: the fluid grace of Dylan’s movements, the unusual heat of his skin, the way his eyes sometimes seemed to reflect light differently in the darkness.
When Dylan slid back into bed, pulling Aiden against his chest in what had become their habitual sleeping position, Aiden found himself voicing the thought that had been circling his mind all evening.
“Your friends approved of me, I think.”
Dylan’s arms tightened slightly. “They did. More than approved.”
“What does that mean?”
Dylan was quiet for a moment, his breath warm against Aiden’s hair. “It means they see what I see. That you’re special.”
Something warm blossomed in Aiden’s chest at the words. “Special enough to finally tell me what’s going on with all the weird moon talk and pack references?”
Dylan tensed again. “Aiden—”
“Because I’m not stupid, Dylan,” Aiden continued, turning in Dylan’s arms to face him in the dim light. “Something’s going on. Something you’re all in on that I’m not. And I’m starting to think it’s a pretty big something.”
Dylan’s expression was conflicted, emotions chasing across his features too quickly for Aiden to interpret. “I want to tell you,” he said finally. “I just… I’m afraid of how you’ll react.”
The vulnerability in the admission caught Aiden off guard. He reached up to touch Dylan’s face gently. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. Unless you’re actually a serial killer with your friends as accomplices, in which case, rude of you to let me get attached before murdering me.”
The joke fell flat as Dylan captured Aiden’s hand, pressing a kiss to his palm with unusual intensity. “What if it changes everything? What if it changes how you see me?”
Something in Dylan’s tone made Aiden pause, the humor draining from the moment. “Dylan, you’re scaring me a little now. What could possibly be so—”
A sharp ringtone cut through the tension. Dylan reached for his phone on the nightstand, frowning at the screen before answering. “Theo? What’s wrong?”
Aiden watched as Dylan’s expression transformed from concern to alarm. “When? Are you sure?” A pause. “Keep everyone back. I’m on my way.”
He ended the call and was already moving, collecting his scattered clothes with urgent efficiency.
“What’s happening?” Aiden asked, sitting up in bed.
“Emergency at the property,” Dylan said tersely. “I have to go.”
“What kind of emergency?”
“Territory dispute,” Dylan answered without thinking, then winced at his own words. “I mean, property dispute. Trespassers.”
“At midnight? Call the police,” Aiden suggested, increasingly confused.
“It’s not that kind of situation,” Dylan said, fully dressed now and heading for the door. “I’ll explain later, I promise. Stay here where it’s safe.”
“Safe from what?” Aiden called, but Dylan was already gone, the apartment door closing firmly behind him.
Aiden sat in the sudden silence, mind racing. Territory dispute. Pack. Alpha. Full moon. The pieces were arranging themselves into a picture so absurd he could barely consider it—yet it was becoming harder to dismiss.
After a moment’s hesitation, he reached for his own phone and opened the LunaLove app, something he hadn’t done since matching with Dylan. For the first time, he carefully read the app’s “About” section, which he’d skimmed past in his wine-fueled download session:
