The Alpha's Shatter Zone
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“Was I too harsh on him?”

Charles scowled, gripping his coffee mug tightly. Lexi snickered and placed a hand over his. “My dear Alpha, if it was my mate disrespecting me so disgustingly, I would send him packing too.”

Charles growled lowly at the impossibility of the statement, but nodded in agreement and affectionately rubbed his wife’s hand.

“You know I can’t do that,” Chesca spread Nutella on her slice of bread, each action hasty and rough like they were the least important things on her mind. She angrily took a bite, “It would kill me. Well, not literally, but…”

“I know. The mate bond. It would hurt you both to be so far apart,” Lexi sighed and looked at Charles, silently begging for answers to their Alpha’s predicament.

“Not that I care if he hurts, but …. You know, maybe I’d be able to handle it. Maybe I should….reject him.”

“What?” “No!” Charles and Lexi both leapt to their feet and gave her horrified looks.

“Aaaand...why not?” Chesca eyed her top command and best friends curiously. “Look, I was kidding anyway,” she muttered when they just continued looking absolutely aghast, their mouths opening and closing in tandem like a couple of stunned fish. “Half kidding...maybe… I don’t know,” she slumped at the counter and buried her face in her hands.

Lexi snapped out of her stupor and rubbed circles on Chesca’s back comfortingly. “I know you guys are going through a rough patch like every couple does, but I think you can work it out. Kaiden really is a great guy beneath all his bluster and macho-ism.”

“Is that even a word?” Charles grunted, earning a heated glare from his mate.

“And and I’ve seen the relationship you’ve slowly been growing, believe it or not. We all knew from the start that having another Alpha around would be hard, and take some getting used to. But you just need to take it slow and figure out his place in this pack. His place in your life and heart. Because I know you need him, Ches. You can’t give up on him.”

“I know,” Chesca whined, hating that she sounded like a grumpy teenager going through puberty. “But he keeps doing things that could destroy this place.”

“I think that’s exaggerating—”

“Elah’s dead, because Kaiden couldn’t tell him to keep his grimy paws to himself—“

“Elah’s dead because he’s a pathological pervert,” Lexi growled in disgust.

“—More of Kaiden’s guards keep crossing our borders. And pretty soon we’re going to have an all-out war and I just can’t handle losing anyone else because of his arrogant, selfish, impulsive behaviour,” Chesca finished her tirade long enough to take a breath, her hands twisting together as if wringing the life out of something.

“There’ll be no war if I have anything to do with it,” the determination in Charles’ statement sent waves of optimism and a sliver of relief through the Alpha. She had always known she could count on her Beta.

“We’ll focus on making sure everyone stays safe and things run smoothly. You concentrate on working things out with your mate, okay?” Lexi offered.

“Finding your mate is an extraordinary blessing, Chesca,” Charles took her hand gently and sincerely. “You two were meant to be together. And rank, positions, territories, and boundaries aren’t going to alter the bond you share with Kaiden. Everything will become clear, if you just give it time and think clearly, and make the wisest decisions when problems arise.”

“Thanks, both of you,” Chesca pulled them in for a group hug.

“I’ll send you the bill later,” Lexi picked up a spoon and continued eating from a container.

Chesca groaned and looked over the pregnant guard’s shoulder. “Is that….frozen cucumber?”

Charles rolled his eyes and rubbed his mate’s shoulders affectionately, “Don’t even ask.”

After dinner, Chesca plodded up to her room, deliberately bypassing her office, and locked the door behind her. She was in no mood for interruptions or distractions or silly problems that her pack members could sort out themselves. She just needed a breather. Space to relax, chill out, roll her shoulders back trying to ease the tension, and forget about everything.

Turning her shower on steaming hot, she slowly washed her hair and tried to think happy thoughts. Butterflies on summer days, daisies waving in the meadow breeze, ocean waves lapping and whispering secrets from the sand. Her mom’s laugh when her dad wrapped his arms around her from behind, the twinkle in her eyes when she gave Chesca a new book for her birthday, her dad’s scolding tone when she snuck back in the pack residence after being out late playing pranks with Lexi. The red grimace on Charles’ face when he realised Lexi stole all of his socks off the washline and dyed them pink, the laughter and fun between her friends as they splashed in the lake on the last day of school, the water dripping off Kaiden’s nose when he leaned in to kiss her after their spontaneous water fight.

Snapping off the water, she daydreamed about her mate’s beautiful smile while preparing for bed, drying her hair and brushing her teeth. It went a long way to calming her tightly strung nerves. When she stepped from the bathroom, a familiar scent hit her nose, making her stomach clench and her heart race. In a good way as well as bad, if that was possible.

When it came to her mate, though, anything was possible.

“Kaiden.”

“Chesca.”

His eyes met hers, as he leaned against the back of her door and regarded her carefully. His arms were crossed, his hair tangled and messy, a bruise growing on his left cheek. Otherwise, he was a handsome sight that went entirely against her better judgment.

“You’re looking awfully free for a man who’s meant to be in a dungeon cell,” she remarked while folding her clothes before putting them away. However she just laid them on the bed, wary to go in her closet and turn her back to the menacing Alpha in her room.

His dark stare continued to be directed at her, glowering, and stripping beneath the layers of adamant she’d built against him. Her mental shields were failing miserably at protecting her, and she knew she would soon be in deep trouble if her knees began shaking and her heart racing even faster. His lips curled in a small grin, further inducing her fear to spike. “You obviously don’t know how many of your guards are loyal to me.”

A growl erupted from her throat and she took a step towards him with clenched fists. All it did was produce another smirk to lazily spread across his face. He most certainly deserved top marks for making her infuriated in ten seconds or less.

“How did you get in my room? I thought I locked it,” her teeth were clenched so hard her jaw hurt. But not as hurt as his would feel if he didn’t start explaining himself.

“You really think a flimsy lock could keep me out? And besides, I thought it was our room,” he kicked off from the door and slowly stalked towards her.

She watched him warily like he was a predatory lion, afraid that if she made one wrong move he’d pounce and end her life with a wild gnashing of teeth and flying tufts of fur. The image of her blood splattered all around the room jumped to mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Why was she being so paranoid? This was Kaiden, her mate. He’d never do anything to her like that just as much as she wouldn’t to him, despite her numerous threats.

“It was. I mean...it could’ve been—until you went behind my back and tried pulling my control out from under me. Starting a fight with your own guards and getting my warriors hurt.”

“They’ll be fine,” he shrugged with an air of nonchalance.

“Your pack members are dead, and Roman is still at the clinic!” she exclaimed, and felt the urge to strangle him growing stronger. “He’s stable, but he got messed up bad. It’ll take at least a week to a heal.”

“He’ll get over it. He’s strong,” he said dismissively, while his eyes roamed around her place as if something else was on his mind. When they landed on her, she shivered. His swirling black irises conveyed the notion he definitely did have something else on his mind.

Her.

“What are you doing?” She backed up when he came closer.

“Chesca, let’s just forget our problems and be friends for once. Mates, even.”

“Seriously?” She squeaked when he reached for her wrist. When he caught it in his firm grasp, she couldn’t ignore the tingles and sparks, the almost magical pull that sucked her in and had her heart pounding for him.

“You smell like dirty dungeon,” her attempt to dissuade him fell on deaf ears, because he only pulled her closer.

“Do you even know what it’s like down there?” his hooded gaze twisted into a grimace.

“Yeah I do actually. Spent a few days behind those bars as part of a dare,” she rose on her toes to meet his intimidating gaze head on.

“You did? What about food and water?”

She shrugged, “It was a good opportunity to fast. Lost a few pounds,” she said almost proudly. That crazy time in high school brought back fun memories. Her parents used to think she’d never grow up, that she was stuck in a perpetual cycle of irresponsibility and childish behaviour. If they could only see her now.

“Mine.” Kaiden’s low whisper turned her stomach to mush, as her heart did a traitorous flip flop. He gripped her waist and pulled her much closer until his lips brushed her ear. “You are mine, Chesca. I am your Alpha, and nothing is going to change that.”

“Ok, back up!” She pushed on his chest and shot him an astonished glare. He barely budged. “Are you serious? After everything I’ve told you, that’s what you take away from it? That you own me? Rule me?”

He quirked an eyebrow, superiority oozing from his whole posture. “I’m happy to do this together, to run your pack with you by my side helping me. But you keep demanding—“

“Well, it’s my pack. I never agreed to hand it to you.”

“You don’t really have a choice. It’s just a matter of when I finally subdue you, my mate.”

Chesca took another step back, not understanding what had come over him. She had always known he was an arrogant Alpha, but this wasn’t the gentler Kaiden she’d been coming to know. Maybe he was finally snapping. Finally turning into the cruel, merciless Alpha male she’d always considered he was. The thought made her throat go dry, and she could only stare at the hard and dark expression on his face, at his clenched fists.

“Subdue? There’s no way in heaven or hell you’ll ever subdue me,” she managed to stutter.

“Oh? Well, how about seduce? I’ve heard that’s just as effective...if not more,” he chuckled darkly, his eyes roaming up and down her body.

She blushed….with anger. “You disgust me, Kaiden. I am not sleeping with you anytime soon.”

“Maybe it’s something I should have done a long time ago,” he came closer once again and backed her against the wall. She felt the support behind with her hands, and glared up at the serious brooding Alpha before her.

“What are you saying…”

“I’m saying, my dear mate,” he growled, the tone of his voice decidedly stern and laced with Alpha deadliness, “that if I had claimed you immediately, demanded we complete the mating ritual as soon as we met, then we wouldn’t be constantly having this power struggle. We would be ruling together. You belong to me, and everything of yours is mine,” his hands found her backside and squeezed, pressing her to his hard body.

One of his hands then slid up to her waist, his fingers slipping under the hem of her shirt. A wave of undeniable pleasure followed the scorching trail his fingertips left on her skin, as he caressed her hips and stomach. She should push him away, she knew it in her mind, but her body just wasn’t cooperating. His touch had her paralyzed and nearly begging for more, her wolf howling with desire and passion.

His voice lowered to nearly a growl, his lips brushing his mark on her neck, “Maybe Elah wasn’t so wrong after all—“

Chesca had had enough. Acting on pure instinct, she did something she’d wanted to do for a long time.

With a smooth motion, she pulled back her fist and sent it flying straight into his face. His head snapped to the side as he stumbled back, and he carefully moved his jaw back and forth to see if it still worked. She hoped it wouldn’t, maybe stopping the filth that had been pouring from it. She had wanted to punch him ever since making his acquaintance, and she finally felt the satisfaction it brought.

“You wish you had raped me?” The word felt even dirtier coming from her own mouth. “I will never let you touch me like that,” she jumped back from him and snarled with plenty of venom clearly lacing her tone. “I want you out.”

“Excuse me?” His eyes swiveled to hers with shock.

“You heard me. Out,” she pointed her finger at the door. It was shaking and no matter how hard she tried to control it, the tense emotion from the situation was getting to her, washing over her like a tidal wave of confusion.

His gaze turned on her, spilling dark threats that nearly cut her down but she didn’t falter. He had gone too far. Basically insinuating he should’ve forced himself on her so he could be in charge of her pack? It was so disgusting and sickening, and her heart felt like it was crumbling even as fury pumped through her veins.

“Fine. I’ll leave. It’s going to kill you, Chesca, but I’ll be strong enough without you as my mate.” He spoke with an acid tone that ate at her soul, each word slicing and shredding like sharpened knives. “I don’t need you as a means to a pack. I’ll find one elsewhere.”

“Sure. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be just peachy without you!” she snapped back at him as he stood at the open door. “You can take this too,” she yanked the necklace from around her neck and threw it at him while shouting, “I never want to see you again!”

“Fine!” He snatched it from mid air before slamming the door behind him.

In the silence that followed, Chesca stood staring at the door, her chest heaving and her heart racing. She couldn’t believe what had just happened, but the empty feeling kept reminding her something had. They hadn’t rejected each other, but it was close. He’d hurt her big time, and she’d let her temper react and push him away. Though it still felt reasonable enough in her mind. No one was going to treat her like that; as Alpha, she deserved the utmost respect and deference. Even as her mate—especially as her mate—there was no way Kaiden should’ve done what he did.

Flopping onto her bed, her back fell against a hard object. She sat up quickly and picked it up, turning the brown paper wrapped package over and over. It was tied with string, with a note tucked under the knot.

Rescued from the tip.

I really am sorry,

-Your Mate

It didn’t take much to figure out what they were. Her father’s diaries. She could tell by the embossed titles that could be felt through the thin paper.

A knot curled in her stomach as tears welled in her eyes. Kaiden’s scent was all over the package, and it struck her painfully in the core. She clutched them tightly against her chest and closed her eyes, trying not to cry. Her wolf was whimpering enough as it was, pawing her face and pleading with Chesca to chase after her mate.

She barely slept that night. It seemed with each step Kaiden took further and further away from her, she grew more and more empty, her heart aching even as she told herself she really didn’t need him.

At some point in the night, Chesca stumbled to the closet and dug through a mess of clothes, using her sense of smell to locate just one article she wanted—Kaiden’s hoodie. It brought on even more loneliness as she immersed herself in its warmth and his faded scent. Truth was, she’d been falling for him. Falling for the sparkle in his brown eyes, the smile he’d give her when no one else was looking, and especially the one when everyone was looking.

Falling for the strong Alpha that had held her so gently amidst storms and nightmares; for the perfect way his skin felt against hers, warming her from the cold inside out. Falling for the sound of his gentle breathing during the night, and the sense of calm his presence instilled in her very soul. That’s what a mate was supposed to be: the perfect other half that completed everything you weren’t.

When she awoke the next morning, all she could see in the mirror were dark bags under her eyes and red lines traversing her normally bright white sclera of her eyes. A yellow pallor clung to her skin, and her mark tingled with a stinging pain like nothing she’d ever felt before. It radiated down her spine, sending messages of hopelessness to every cell. Energy escaped her and she stumbled to the kitchen, hoping no one would be around to witness the terrible state of their Alpha.

A glass of cranberry juice sat forgotten in her hand while she just stared out the window with an awful sick feeling, a deep sadness enveloping her. Was he missing her? Was her mate feeling this pain too? Did he regret, as he walked further away from her, everything disrespectful he’d done and said to her? Could there ever be anything for them in the future? Or was it over, like her heart was telling her it was?

Alpha, you’re going to want to see this, someone mind-linked, making her jump in startled fright. The glass fell to the ground and shattered in a million pieces. The tinkling sound echoed long after she’d gasped and clutched a hand to her racing heart.

Great, just great. She looked like a mess, she was a mess, and all she could do was make a mess. Who knew the absence of one person could turn the strong Alpha into such a puddle of fraying nerves?

Chesca’s hands shook, so she crossed her arms and quickly made her way out the front. A group of warriors were huddled together in the main courtyard, the dawn light casting a rosy glow on their panting bodies.

Eric stepped forward, holding something out to her in his hand. “The pre-dawn rotation of guards found this by the north border.”

She took it and felt a zap of electricity as it touched her fingers. What was happening? Peering at it closely, her stomach clenched at the sight of the blood that stained the black leather cord and steel pendant.

Kaiden’s necklace.

The image blurred as tears filled her eyes and her fingers trembled, holding it up to the light.

“Whose blood do you think…” Eric began slowly, a sorrowful look paining his features as he trailed off the sentence.

Chesca could only shake her head in denial, but the familiar scent was overpowering as it sunk into her senses.

The scent of her soul.

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