The Alpha's Shatter Zone ✔️

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Opening her door the next morning for her usual run through the beloved forest, Chesca let out a yelp.

A familiar form fell back and knocked his head on the floor before his eyes opened.

"Kaiden?" she jumped back and placed a hand over her racing heart. Why did he insist on giving her a heart attack this early in the morning?

"Oh, hey," he mumbled, his voice husky and groggy. It tugged at her despite her will power. Grabbing his hand to haul him to his feet, she gave him her best glare even though he towered over her. His mussed hair flopped ungracefully across his face, and she nearly swept it back with her own fingers, but she kept them by her side and drummed them on her thighs instead.

"What are you doing sleeping outside my door, again?" she asked evenly, though the question was obvious by the way she raised her eyebrows high towards the roof. They nearly fell off her face, she was so inquisitive as to his reason this time.

"I uhh, just wanted to make sure...you were ok," he fumbled and leaned against her door frame, almost as if he knew better than to enter without her permission.

"Oh? Why wouldn't I be?" She tried ignoring the way his eyes roamed quickly up and down her body. She likewise tried to ignore his bare chest and inceptionally toned abs. She would never grow tired of checking him out..

"You never know who might be lurking in these halls, and I already know the lock on your door doesn't work," he gave a slight grin, and they both knew what he was referring to.

She smothered a chuckle and tried remaining serious, "You think someone might try and attack me?"

"Well.. maybe not attack..."

"What? And who?" She crossed her arms.

"My brother— I don't....I don't trust him."

"Why not?" She asked slowly, surprised at his revelation.

"I've seen the way he looks at you," a scowl darkened his features.

"And how is that?" She tilted her head, wondering just where he was going with this.

It took a moment for him to answer after a quick swallow. "With lust... and desire."

Tapping her fingers on her chin, she responded, "Rather like the way you're looking at me now?" She couldn't help but smirk at the way his eyes had darkened while looking at her.

"I'm your mate, I'm allowed to look at you like this," he scoffed, with a light dancing in his eyes now.

"Then since I'm your mate, surely Elah will not touch me."

Kaiden frowned suddenly. "You underestimate him." The serious tone in his voice set her on edge, wiping away the playful smirk.

"And you don't trust him?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "What gives you that idea?" He moved past her into her room when she stepped aside.

She knew his question was asked rhetorically, referring back to his very first statement. She blew out a sigh and sat at her desk. "Does he also bear the scars of your father?" She was going out on a limb here, but something prodded her to ask about the way his father had supposedly treated him, and maybe his brother also.

Kaiden shot her a look full of warning. "Worse. He bears the favour of our father."

"And is that such a bad thing?" She watched him pace back and forth across her carpet, like a caged lion.

"Depends how well you know our dad," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and posed the statement with careful consideration.

"Well, I had always heard of the Alpha of Razestone to be cruel and ruthless. Now I'm not so sure if they were referring to you or your father," she spoke softly, knowing this was a sensitive topic.