The Alpha's Shatter Zone
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“What about this one?” Charles handed the paper to Chesca.

“Hmm...Oh wow, haven’t we been dealing with this alpha for a few months now?”

“If I recall, yes, our communications began 5 lunar seasons ago.”

“And he’s still not getting the message! Just look what he’s written, it makes no sense.”

Charles scanned the letter and frowned, nodding his head. “I see. How do you reason with someone who thinks they know everything?”

“That’s what you’re going to figure out,” Chesca leaned back in her chair and turned to another letter that needed a response.

“Me?” Charles looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“You are my beta, now get to it!”

He sighed as much as Charles ever sighed, which wasn’t often so this was a big deal for him. “Ok, I’ll draft something for you.”

After another half hour of her and Charles working quietly, going through pack paperwork and other things in Chesca’s office, she looked out the window at the midday sun. “Hey, aren’t the warriors supposed to be out working by now? Where are they all?”

Charles got up and peered out the window. “Good question.”

Soon a guard came after Chesca had mind-linked him, and she regarded him carefully when he hesitantly entered and shifted on his feet multiple times. “Where are Roman and the other warriors? And Head Guard Lexi, for that matter? I can’t reach them, and besides, they’re meant to be working on the road today.”“Yes, Alpha. I know, but they are...they’re um,” his eyes shifted nervously to Charles.

“Well, come on, spit it out!” Chesca snapped.

“They’re out on a hunting expedition. With Alpha Kaiden. They passed the border which is probably why—”

“They’re what??” Chesca and Charles both shouted at once.

The guard swallowed convulsively. “Out hunting. Alpha Kaiden organised a team to go and hunt in the Precipice Pass, saying with the new cold front of snow, the pack needed more meat—”

“Without telling me? They crossed the border, left my territory without once asking their Alpha’s permission?” Chesca drilled him with her hardest stare.

“I—I’m sorry, Alpha, but Kaiden’s an Alpha too, so I guess they thought—”

She growled and Charles shot her a warning look, knowing how she was taking this.

“Get out. Just get out! And when you see them, send Lexi, Roman, Eric, and Kaiden to my office,” Chesca ordered darkly, turning her back before she might inadvertently burn holes in the poor guard with her heated gaze.

It was another agonizing 2 hours before anyone showed up. She felt them re-enter her territory, but was distracted by another knock on her door. The same guard as before quickly came in and shoved an envelope in her hands. “This was found nailed to a tree near the border.”

“Which?” she took it.

“The northern border.”

Charles and Chesca exchanged a glance. Did that mean anything?

She tore it open, and a single small note was folded inside. On it read a few lines in a neat scrawl, and Charles breathed down her neck in order to see it too.

I am writing in regards to my son Kaiden, the Alpha of Razestone Pack. Last sightings have pinpointed his location as somewhere on your territory. If you see him, use any force necessary to return him to his pack. He is shirking all rightful Alpha responsibility and I will not tolerate this.

-Alpha Elbert

She stifled a gasp, “Didn’t ...didn’t he tell us that his father kicked him out of the top job?”

“That his father thought he wasn’t fit to be an alpha,” Charles agreed.

“Then why is he searching for him, wanting him back?”

“Someone’s lying.”

“Kaiden?”

“Or his father.”

“But why? That doesn’t make sense…” Chesca rubbed her forehead, all other problems pushed to the back of her mind. She’d known all along Kaiden couldn’t be trusted, and this letter just proved it. If he was out prowling around, not pulling his own weight back at his pack but instead wanting to take over another for some insane reason, then she had all the more reason to despise him. She couldn’t wait to confront him about it—

The door suddenly opened and Chesca stuffed the letter in a drawer. Lexi and the rest all tumbled into her office.

Chesca scrambled to regather her thoughts, which was hard when Kaiden’s eyes followed hers as he crossed the room and leaned against the back wall. She swallowed hard. “I want an explanation,” she demanded and crossed her arms.

“I only went to ensure my warriors stayed safe,” Lexi said quickly. “I didn’t agree with what Kaiden planned, but had to go.”

“And you couldn’t tell me before running off?”

“I’m sorry Chesca, I only found out about it just as they were leaving. I barely had time to follow. They didn’t listen to me when I said they should’ve asked you first.”

“Ok Lex, you’re off the hook. But the others?”

“Alpha, we were just going hunting. Is that so bad? It was only—” Eric began, but was cut off by Roman.

“Alpha Chesca, Kaiden has seen that this pack needs—”

“Oh, he sees a need, does he? I suppose he feels like making important alpha decisions for a pack that isn’t even his, huh?” She stared at Kaiden intently.

“We are mates, Chesca, which makes this my pack too. If I see something that needs attention, can I not do anything about it?”

“This is my pack, and always will be,” She clenched her jaw and spoke evenly despite the anger bubbling up. “I have not accepted you as mate nor pack member, therefore you have no right—“

“I am an Alpha! And you can’t dismiss the bond! I do have rights, and as male I would make the best leader of this pack!” He walked closer and glared right at her. Silence for a moment allowed her heart to regain normal rhythm after his outburst.

“Oh really? Really?? Because you’re male?” Chesca shook her head and took a seat, staring at the three men before her with incredulity. Charles and Lexi were now standing behind her, on her side of the large oak desk. It was her father’s when he had run this pack, and she always felt it gave her a certain confidence and courage. She needed all the help she could get right about now.

“Take a seat,” she ordered the men. “Now tell me,” she said when they had complied, “what makes a good Alpha?” Might as well give them the talking to she’d promised when Eric had challenged Lexi a few days ago.

“He needs to be strong,” Eric said vehemently, thudding his fist against her desk.

“And smart,” Roman added. “Wit and careful calculations,” he tapped his head.

“Very capable,” Kaiden said coldly.

“Alphas need to be fair and just, like your father was.”

“Yes, but don’t give them all the answers, Charles,” she huffed before looking over them carefully, glaring at them. She was finding it increasingly difficult to reprimand them with Kaiden just sitting there watching her.

“They should be understanding, and make decisions for the good of the pack,” Roman fidgeted.

“Be respectful of pack members, and listen to their opinions,” Eric jutted his chin.

“And give fair discipline when members deserve it,” Lexi countered with hands on her hips.

“That’s quite a long list,” Chesca concludes. “So which of those characteristics do you think female Alphas can possess?”

The men squirmed. She knew she had them, she just needed them to admit it so the truth sunk into their thick skulls.

“Men are stronger, and always will be!” Eric crossed his arms and glared at her.

“You’re not wrong,” Chesca allowed herself a smile. “I am one hundred percent sure that Kaiden would beat me in an arm wrestle right now. But is strength all that makes an Alpha? Is any one Alpha stronger than his pack?” She waited till Eric and Roman exchanged guilty glances. “That’s why we have Betas, and Gammas, and warriors: to make us stronger, to fight with us. To fight for us,” she pounded her fist in her hand.

Atta Girl! Lexi cheered through the mindlink.

Eric shifted in his seat and avoided her eyes.

“The same goes for Lexi,” Chesca added and threw a half smile in her friend’s direction. “So I ask again: does a female have the capability to be an alpha or head guard and lead with intelligence, wisdom, fairness and strength with an able command by her side?”

“Yes, Alpha Chesca,” Roman nodded his head with respect.

“I suppose, but what about in a fight? What if rogues attack? Women get scared and need protecting. By Alpha males.” Erica tone was really getting on Chesca’s nerves.

Lexi growled, and Chesca narrowed her eyes at Eric. “And I suppose an Alpha male has never been beaten by rogues? I suppose she-wolves have never taken down their enemies? Eric, you don’t get it do you? Does it take only brawn to win a fight? Does it take only muscle to lead a pack? To rule a dominion?”

He breathed deeply, staring at her with nostrils flaring, before finally lowering his head in submission. “You’re right. We work together, we respect you as leader, and I will trust you to use your intelligence and understanding to rule this pack.”

She wasn’t sure if he was being genuine with a side of arrogance, or sarcastic with a touch of honesty, but she took his submission anyway.

“Good. Eric, for the next week, you will work under Head Guard Lexi. You will answer to her directly and do exactly as she says. Any further insubordination will be dealt with swiftly, is that clear?”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Roman, next time you want to take orders from an Alpha other than your own, don’t.”

“Yes, ma’am. I mean Alpha.”

“And Kaiden?”

“Yes?”

She steeled herself against his penetrating gaze. “You are choosing to live on my territory. Therefore, you are under my authority. You are not permitted to give orders to my men as if they were your own.” Her voice quivered for a moment, but when his jaw ticked and his fists clenched, she knew she had to remain firm, no matter who he really was or what that potentially meant to her.

“Alright, I guess that makes sense,” he tilted his head and regarded her, and Oh how she wished she knew what he was thinking behind those intense eyes.

“That will be all,” she dismissed them, still wondering how to bring up to Kaiden the letter from his father—

The ground shook beneath them and Chesca grabbed the edge of the desk for support. Picture frames rattled on the wall and a glass vase fell from the desk and shattered.

“What in the world?” Kaiden braced himself against the doorframe while Eric fell to his backside.

“An earthquake,” Charles shouted and started tugging Chesca and Lexi from the room. “Get to the courtyard!”

It stopped as suddenly as it had come, the loud roar echoing and rumbling in the distance, but fading only to be replaced by shouts and yells from outside the pack residence.

Chesca listened carefully. “There’s been a landslide. Someone’s hurt!” She yelled and started running towards the road that led near the forest edge.

Pack members were filling the streets, talking loudly and checking to make sure everyone was accounted for. The buildings seemed intact, and the ground was only slightly upheaved in a few places, the main damage being done to the trees that lined the street through the houses.

Chesca and her group ran past, heading toward the latest construction site. The men there had immediately linked their Alpha, and Chesca wasn’t about to let them down.

They finally saw the damage as they drew closer: a huge section of the hill had slipped down, burying house foundations and opening up a gaping chasm in the hillside. The work crew were shouting at the edge, then turned when Chesca arrived.

“Alpha! He’s trapped! Terrance is down there—“

She scrambled up the uneven dirt and peered over the edge. They’d already formed a line, gripping arms and reaching down to rescue their brother. Roman and Charles dived in to help, and soon they’d brought up the man. Covered in dirt, he seemed ok, until Chesca saw the blood running from his side, red shiny liquid against brown soil. Her heart ached with his pain.

“I’ll get the doctor!” Lexi shouted and ran off. All was a rush of sweaty arms and furrowed brows as they laid Terrance down on solid ground, and Chesca knew her men were responding to this emergency as planned. But the sight of Kaiden ripping off his shirt and using it to stem the flow of blood caused her to stop and stare. He pushed the material against the man’s side, all the while talking to him calmly. She watched him from the back as Kaiden knelt beside the man. Her eyes caught disturbing lines as sunlight illuminated his tanned skin

—white scars tracking across the muscles that wrapped around his back.

She stood rooted to the spot. What had he been through that gave him those marks? What kind of torture had he endured?

Terrance was soon stabilised once the doctor arrived, and taken to the clinic. But Chesca remained rooted to the spot, her eyes on Kaiden as he got up and watched the retreating medical team with concern on his handsome face. He carefully slid down the rocky slope, his muscles rippling with ease.

“Wait, Kaiden!” she followed after him. “Wait. How— what…” she couldn’t think of a polite way of asking it, and knew her mind should be on other way more important things. But this was important right? In light of the letter from his father, they could be harbouring a dangerous fugitive. She needed to know.

He waited, looking at her intently as she debated in her own mind.

“Your back,” she finally managed. “What happened? How did you get those sc—“

His face twisted in some unreadable emotion; maybe surprise mixed with anger or annoyance. His eyes flashed at hers coldly. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” Then he walked away heavily, into the crowded street. Someone handed him a shirt and he slipped it on effortlessly, the mere action making Chesca’s heart beat faster as she watched him.

“But I need to know!” She demanded and chased after him, not caring that she was shouting in the middle of the crowded path. “For the pack’s sake.”

He stopped again. “Why in the world would this have anything to do with your pack? I’m nobody, I’m not even part of it, remember?”

So that’s what he took away from their little talk in her office, which she realised was the opposite to what she’d meant. Maybe. His stormy eyes kept messing with her reasoning.

She sighed and figured maybe playing nice would get her somewhere. “Ok, you’re living on my territory, so you’re a part of it. I just saw you help save that guy, so yes, you’re a part of this pack. Which I need to protect from potential threats like you.” Okay, so much for being nice.

“I’m not a threat, Chesca. Now just leave it at that. Believe me if you will, or not, I don’t care,” he growled before turning to leave.

“And I am your Alpha, so tell me now,” she demanded and grabbed at his arm.

He stopped and turned, a flicker of pain in his eyes as they bored into hers. She desperately wanted to know what it was he was hiding behind them.

His shoulders sagged slightly as if he’d just made a heavy decision, “I am your mate, and for that reason I’ll tell you.”

She held her breath, suddenly not wanting to know what he was about to say.

“My father gave them to me.”

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