The Alpha's Shatter Zone ✔️

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"And I want to invite you to my upcoming party," Jackson continued. "It's next week. You're welcome to stay if you want!" he smiled eagerly, seeming to enjoy this situation entirely too much, when all Chesca wanted to do was escape the house and run far away from the brooding Alpha beside her and the grinning Alpha opposite her.

"Oh no, I wouldn't like to impose on you like that—" Chesca began slowly.

"Yes, we should probably be heading back tomorrow," Kaiden added.

"Right. There's lots of work we need to catch up on at my pack," Chesca elaborated.

"And besides, we're not really into parties.." Kaiden remarked slowly.

"No, not really..."

"In fact, Chesca hates parties."

"I do?" she looked at Kaiden suddenly, his words catching her off guard. But not as much as the smirk that played on his face in that very moment.

"Yes, she was telling me just last week that parties are such a frivolous waste of time and she'd much rather stay cooped up in her stuffy office and work and work and—"

"On second thoughts, Jackson," she cut Kaiden off and squeezed his knee as hard and painfully as she could. "I'd love to stay for your party! It would be great to meet your friends and hang around here. It'll be like a mini holiday!" She ignored Kaiden's heated glare and instead focused on Jackson's beaming grin.

"That's super! I'll let my staff know, I'm sure they'll be just as delighted to accommodate you as I am," he lifted her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

Chesca smiled sweetly while casting a sideways glance at Kaiden, ignoring the low rumbling growl. He was fuming. The scowl coming from his face was hot enough to melt the gold picture frames on the wall.
And she was loving it.
_______

"And that's how it ended, with him marching from the room with threats against all of us. I think his bark is worse than his bite though. I couldn't help laughing, even when Alpha Asa glared at me, it was still funny," Roman recounted the details of the last meeting with Alpha Dennison, his chuckle an amusing sound, but Chesca's thoughts were elsewhere.

"He'll probably go bother someone else," she mused, watching the sand squish between her toes as they walked along the shoreline.

"Yeah, no doubt. But at least we're out of his sights for now."

"I wonder if he has a mate? I'd hate to be her, the poor woman!"

"Never thought of that." Roman rubbed his chin. "She'd have to be a doormat, to be compatible with him."

"Don't all men wish their women were doormats, so they can lord it over them?" Chesca sounded disgusted as she voiced her thoughts without much filter. It was good to talk freely with someone, and she'd know Roman ever since he was a baby. She trusted him like a brother with her thoughts.

"Not everyone," Roman observed carefully. "Alpha Asa is a great guy towards his mate, and Charles certainly doesn't disrespect his. He and Lexi get on well enough. And when I find my mate...." he broke off and looked out over the waves wistfully.

Roman's mate, now that was a strange thought. She'd never pictured him with one before, probably because he was a few years younger than her and had always been just a pup to her while growing up together. But he was mature now, and her Gamma. Perfectly able to have a mate. Wow, now she felt old.

"....I'd treat her right. Let her be anything, do anything she wanted. Not act like a strict husband who thinks he owns her, but I'd respect her."

"That's sweet," she bumped his shoulder with hers and grinned goofily.