JEOPARDY: The Cursed Soldier.

32. Interventions.

"Alex, is there a problem?"

Kayla and Alex turned in unison and faced Ivan.

Kayla's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe that that tone had come from Ivan, or that it had targeted Alex. But looking at Ivan, she saw that it was indeed him. With his face tight and hard like there was an invisible thread pulling it. And his eyes a calm storm that felt like it was creeping for an opportunity to swallow Alex and drown him in their depth.

Kayla had to heave out a confused breath.

But Alex had a different reaction. Strutting forward until he was literally in Ivan's face, he growled at him. A warning for Ivan to watch both his words and tone. Ivan must have lost both his mind and sense of preservation because he responded with a smirk. A relaxed, you-don't-scare-me smirk.

Kayla had to intervene.

But before she got to them, she heard Alex's obnoxious taunt, "And if there is, what will you do about it?"

Kayla didn't wait for another word or movement. She just walked between the two pieces of Alpha males and pushed them apart. A hand on either chest. Ivan's heart thundered steadily under her arm. Rhythmic and warm. While Alex's vibrated violently, shaking and burning her hand in its intensity. She could feel just how close Alex was to shifting and hurting Ivan.

So she turned Ivan's way and glared at him. A warning. A look that said, 'Alex may look like a 23-year-old human with a weightlifting obsession to you. But he's an elite epsilon who can crush your bones faster than you can muster a smart, ego-inflated retort. So, stand back.'

Ivan met her glare with a frown. But Kayla couldn't use her words and argue with him. Another, firmer glare was all she could use to save his life before she swiveled her head to Alex and glared at him next and said. "Stop this. Let's go."

Alex put his hands on either side of her hands as if to push her aside, but Kayla swatted his hands away and glared at him harder and added. "This is none of your business. Let Angela introduce him to her parents."

"Yeah! And leave Kayla alone," Ivan remarked, gaining a look from Kayla.

What?

What is he even talking about?

Before Kayla could make sense of his words, Ivan turned to his left, where Angela was suddenly standing and running her eyes between the three of them. A troubled frown on her beautiful face. "Babe, isn't Kayla supposed to accompany us into the house?"

Angela's frown deepened upon Ivan's words. She, again, ran her eyes between them as if there was a puzzle and the answer to that puzzle in their faces.

"Kayla is off the clock on weekends." Alex retorted and did that move he always did whenever Kayla walked into a room and he wrapped his big arms around her and covered her in his scent.

For some unknown reason that simple gesture was like a bomb of tension that exploded in their midst. Both Ivan and Angela followed that move like it was the single, most important detail in the world. Angela looked shocked before her eyes lit up with understanding and then disgust. While Ivan's eyes narrowed and hardened with each tracing of their connection, and somehow, it made Kayla feel so awkward she wanted to push Alex's arm off.

"I knew you had a poor taste, Lex. But I didn't know you could stoop this low. I actually thought you were dating the Chinese girl." Angela crunched her face and entwined her elbow with Ivan's.

"Jinny is Korean. The Hans are from South Korea. You should know stuff like this," Alex snapped. "Kayla is coming with me. You can murder your toy without her."