The Alpha's Shatter Zone
|33|

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, hey. I’m just ah...um, on my way to the trash out back,” Kaiden greeted them with an innocent smile.

“What are you carrying?” The temperature in the air dropped as the icy words left Chesca’s lips.

“Just old stuff, I didn’t think you’d need it anymore. Uh, wait-” Kaiden dropped the box and followed Chesca as she stormed into the old supply room. The very same one she’d been hiding in a few weeks before.

“What have you done to this place?” Chesca turned in circles, taking it in.

“Oh, wow…” Lexi poked her head in and marveled at the transformation. Bookshelves were emptied, bench tops had been cleared, and boxes of old documents had been removed from the floor. On the main oak desk sat a new laptop, some fresh paper, and a half empty mug of coffee. It was clear someone had made themselves at home.

Chesca paced around and dug her fingers into her hair, “What have you done with my stuff?”

“I’m just clearing it out, so I can use the space. I needed somewhere to work out of—“ Kaiden began explaining, but was cut off by a screech.

“The files!” Chesca gaped wide-eyed into an empty filing cabinet.

“They were dated back ten years ago,” he said.

His justification would pass under most ordinary circumstances, but this was no ordinary office. “They were my Dad’s!” the Alpha of Steelheart leveled a heated glare at Kaiden, before she opened the main drawer in the old yet sturdy desk. Then she backed away, a look of panic on her face and her jaw clenching hard. “The diaries. What did you do with them?”

“Again, they were just old junk—“

“What did you do with my father’s diaries?” she gasped, her voice rising nearly to a shriek yet with perfect enunciation as if weighing each word with a threat.

“I chucked them out.”

The bang from the slamming of the drawer made everyone jump. Chesca inhaled a deep breath, then expelled it through her nose in a measured fashion.

“I can’t believe you. I honestly can’t believe you, Kaiden,” her words came out deadly low and through clenched teeth. The veins stood out on her neck, the obvious restraint summoning great control. “What do you think you are doing in here, destroying my property?”

He rounded the desk and stood up close in front of her, looking down at her with calculated precision. “I’m an Alpha. Am I not entitled to my own space to work from? This room was unused—“

“You threw away my good things!” She waved an arm, indicating the bare walls and empty shelves where once maps and charts, documents and books had graced the areas. It had been a meeting room where her dad had discussed things not as private as that in his office upstairs. It had become a storeroom in recent years due to a shrinking of the command, but it was still an important place. To her, it was a retreat that still held her most treasured memories, as well as her father’s scent and legacy.

Her mate just shrugged casually, “I didn’t think they’d be good for anything anymore. Maybe just for fire starters, or garden mulch.”

Chesca just stared at him, containing the boiling anger that raced through her veins and threatened to blind her vision. Her fist shook as it ached to connect with his face and show the arrogant Alpha just what she thought of his callous and inconsiderate behaviour. “Go ahead. Take it. Get rid of it. Use my place for your work, see if I care,” she jabbed his chest with a finger. “But let me warn you: I’m watching you. If you mess with my people, the dungeons may become your new home.”

And with that, she marched from the room, her Beta and Head Guard following silently. They knew her mood was not to be trifled with. Her anger burned quietly and controlled, and it was something they’d all come to respect and fear. Her reaction to this kind of insubordination and blatant challenge to her authority was something they didn’t want to become too acquainted with. Pity on the arrogant fool who dared to cross their Alpha.

Chesca hurried out of the residence and disappeared into the forest. Thankful that no one was stupid enough to follow, she slowed her heavy steps and felt the strain ease from her shoulders and the hot anger give way to a simmering resentment. She was mad. Super mad, and wanted to scream and shout, and punch something, and run as fast as she could. Tearing her hair out would work too, but she liked having something to absently braid while thinking of a million things as soon as she she awoke in the morning.

So instead, she shifted and felt the cool earth beneath her paws, the quiet breeze ruffle in her fur, and the air whistle in her ears as she bounded along the path between trees. Ignoring the ferns that slapped in her face, and the low hanging branches that clawed at her angrily, she pushed on while deep in thought.

To think, he’d thrown out her father’s diaries! The notebooks that she’d spent hours poring over in the years after her parents' deaths, gleaning valuable information. To help her become a better Alpha, she’d studied his personal reflections, tactics and strategies, disciplinary actions, methods and protocols in how to best run a pack. Chesca hadn’t become who she was today without guidance, but after spending much time with her dad when she was younger, and now learning from his legacy he left in his passing.

And it was all gone.

Thrown out like garbage by an arrogant, manipulative, conniving Alpha who felt he owned this place. The sense of loss sent a knife piercing her heart, threatening to slice it open all over again. Chesca threw back her head and released a loud and long howl. The leaves danced on the trees around her, birds took flight and small critters scurried for cover from the fury her voice contained. Her lungs deflated as her angst poured from her jowls, her lips curling back in a throaty growl.

Sinking onto a large boulder beside a quietly flowing brook, the weary Alpha rested her head against her paws and felt a hot tear run down the fur of her nose. The quiet gurgling of the water filled her ears, and she listened to it, trying to focus on the sound and drown out the racing rhythm of her erratic heart. The calm of nature always soothed her, and today it was especially needed. All that she’d lost came crashing into the forefront of her memory, blindsiding her determination and veracity. Was it Kaiden’s goal to destroy her carefully built and structured pack by dragging up the past to laugh in her face? Was he trying to tear down everything she’d so painstakingly reconstructed, melt her resolve, and push her to the limits?

Was he trying to display her weaknesses for all the pack to see, so they would turn on her and instead give him their allegiance?

If that was the case, he was winning.

The charismatic yet repulsive young Alpha of Razestone made no sense at all. Kaiden could treat her so beautifully, prepare a picnic and pay attention to her like she was the most important person in his world. And arranging a Fire Night for her while because she was miles from home? It was almost too sweet. Then there was the way he kissed her, so gentle and expressive, saying a million things words never could, causing her body to react in ways she never would have imagined.

But had she completely misread him? Because then he would do this to her, be so insensitive and twist a knife in her gut like she was just a rogue to walk all over. Invading her land and heart like she was something to be conquered. Like he didn’t care about her in the slightest.

But was she overthinking this, and being too emotional over it all? Really, it was just an old storeroom. But... he could have at least asked her before rearranging her things. Just because he too was an alpha and had a right to lead didn’t mean he could do whatever he pleased in her territory. This was her dominion. She’d vowed to never give it up, to never let anybody take her territory from her. Yet day by day, that’s exactly what Kaiden had been doing. Taking it from her.

But then again, he was her mate which did give him certain rights….

Shaking her head, Chesca changed her train of thought. Jackson had been right. She couldn’t trust Kaiden, and the sooner she figured out what he was getting up to behind her back, the better for everyone. Especially herself. Because despite her best attempts at being an untouchable Alpha, her heart couldn’t take much more rejection and loss.

And sobbing like a stupid pup in the forest wasn’t going to help, either. Snorting back the tears, Chesca rose to her feet and let out another long howl, this one filled with steely resolve and purpose. It was answered by a few of her pack, and she knew they were close by. The leaves and twigs crunched underfoot like a thousand tiny reminders of who she was—a strong Alpha and the ruler of this territory. Her dominion.

Kaiden might try and invade her kingdom, but she was clever and would remain vigilant. She would watch him.

After a few minutes, Chesca reached the edge of one of the villages on her territory, taking the shorter route through the forest, and shifted before jogging up on top of a small hill. It overlooked the construction work of the new estates, and pack members were hammering, sawing, flattening new roads, and mixing concrete and asphalt. The huge machines brought in for the undertaking were silhouetted against the western sky, the sun tracking down toward the horizon to disappear for another night.

The workmen would soon finish for the day, but there was a dispute Chesca had to resolve first. They’d mindlinked her about it earlier, and finally she could devote her time to it.

“Anderson, talk to me,” She motioned for the site supervisor and took a seat at the demountable office.

“Well, Alpha, those plans you sent through….”

For the next couple hours the Alpha discussed and sorted out the problems with the new building plans, successfully pushing thoughts of her troublesome mate to the back of her mind. It was refreshing to be working outdoors in the cool brisk air and be alongside some of her faithful pack members. Even through heated arguments and a few disagreements between them, she could sense the loyalty to the pack and their commitment to making it a good and safe place to live. With spring peeping over the seasonal horizon, it warmed Chesca’s heart after such a trying winter to see her people with a hope for a better future.

When the sky darkened and they all headed home, Chesca managed to skip dinner with the usual motley crew at her pack house. She didn’t feel like facing anyone in particular after today’s earlier events. Instead, she sneaked into the kitchen after everyone had cleared out, and managed to scrounge together a few leftovers.

Because it was late, she headed up to her room, choosing to bring her laptop and just check emails before going to bed, instead of spending the usual amount of time in her office.

Her small desk by the window sat happy and inviting, and she munched on salad, crackers and cheese while replying to Alpha Asa in regards to something totally benign and easy to deal with. This type of alpha work she relished.

Her thoughts strayed, and her fingers began typing words that floated around in her subconscious.

You keep spinning, grinning,

Winning the argument

All the words I meant

I sent to you

You twisted, hinted, tainted

What we might have had

Could it be so bad

That you try

Try to fly and crash back down

I drown, frown, clutch the crown

You try and take from me

I was never so free

Until you captured me

“Hello, Beautiful.”

Chesca fell out of her seat and slammed the lid of her laptop shut and spun to face the source of the voice in one skittish movement. Wow, she was really talented at being an idiot.

“Kaiden! Don’t do that to me!” She proclaimed after catching her breath. Her ear still tingled from the heated brush of his breath, and he still loomed over her, only mere inches from her face. The cocky grin on his countenance was something she wanted to smack right off.

“Why? You’re so much fun to tease. The way you jumped was priceless,” he chuckled and leaned closer as his gaze fluttered down to her lips.

The rate of her already rapidly beating heart climbed even further, as she remembered all the angst he had caused her today, but she refrained from punching him in the nose. Her eyes traveled past his face to his bare chest and arms that rested on the desk on either side of her, to his boxer shorts and thickly muscled legs. He must be ready for bed, but seemed to enjoy toying with her every chance he got. Another reason for the distaste in her mouth and the suddenly sour food that churned in her stomach.

“What do you want, Kaiden?” She swallowed and forced as much steel into her voice.

He tilted his head slightly, “I could list a number of things.” The way his voice dropped a notch sent shivers cascading down her back.

“Just… just name one. Your top priority,” she managed to push past the growing fist in her throat. His proximity was stifling as he caged her in against her own desk, but what better way to do her detective work and figure out his plan than by being up close and personal? She was taking one for the team— that was to say, her pack. So the coy smile that settled on her face as she slid her hands across his shoulders was purely an act.

His muscles tensed beneath her touch. “What I really want?” One of his eyebrows lifted as she no longer leaned away from him, but came closer. “That shouldn’t be too hard to figure out, Ches,” he whispered with a breathy voice while his lips grazed her ear, before trailing down to her neck.

The shivers his touch incited would normally calm her, but they only tightened the knot in her stomach. Because, try as might to play the detective and put on an act, she was enjoying this way too much. She rose from her chair and stepped playfully into his arms, twining her fingers through his dark wavy hair before pulling his lips to hers.

Kaiden responded right away, as if he had been waiting for her to make this move. His lips moved in synchronisation with hers, his arms gripping her tighter and exciting her even more. It was magical how a mate could make her feel this good, and have her craving so much more. All the stress from the last few days seemed to seep from her body as her back hit the wall and he pressed deeper into the kiss, his fingers digging into her waist and running up and down her back with impatience.

She didn’t even notice when he tugged off her shirt, so gratifying was the heat from his touch against her skin.

She was falling in deep without even realising.

So it was to her dismay when they were rudely interrupted by a loud thump, followed immediately by all the lights going out, plunging them into total darkness.