The Alpha's Shatter Zone ✔️

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Wowsers I nearly forgot to update this chapter!!! I've had a crazy long week with lots on still this weekend, and I woke up this morning to a long list of house jobs then paused halfway through hanging up washing to mutter a few words I really shouldn't. It finally dawned on me that friday was over and I hadn't updated yet!
So sorry, but I'm sure this extra long chapter will make up for it being a few hours late ;)

4148 words

"Come in."

Chesca breathed a prayer for patience and calmness before pushing the door open.

She was met with an empty study, except for Kaiden who instantly rose from behind a large desk and smiled at her. "Hey, you found me! Welcome to my office," he waved his arms around but she just watched him closely, warily. Suspiciously. And she hated the feelings twisting her gut, but there was definitely something about this room that made her feel off...

"I just finished talking with Caleb, my head guard. We actually made a call to your new head guard, Eric, seeing as we'll be collaborating a lot between our packs..." he trailed off when he saw Chesca staring about, disinterested in his words.

When her eyes landed on a picture frame on his desk, she swallowed hard and forced a smile. "It's a nice office," she commented, coming around to stand beside him and see the picture front on from his side of the desk.

All her doubts slipped away as if a bucket of warm water washed over her in relief. Smiling back at her in the ornate gold frame was a beautiful young woman, with dark brown hair and even darker eyes, her arms around two young boys, holding them close. One boy looked a little like Elah, and the other was undoubtedly her handsome mate with the same caramel brown eyes and boyish smile.

"My mother..." Kaiden began and picked up the frame.

"She's beautiful," the words stuck in her throat as Chesca felt guilty for doubting and mistrusting her mate once again. She knew now the scent had to belong to his mother, as she recognised a few tones of familiarity as the same as Kaiden's scent.

"She used to work in this office, which is why I chose it as my own."

Chesca could only nod. "I understand. You feel closer to her here."

"Exactly."

She laid a hand on his chest. "If it's alright to ask, how exactly did your mum die? I won't push you if you're not ready to talk about it, but you accused your father of killing her..."

Kaiden took a fortifying breath before looking at the picture intently. "It was a car accident. She ran off the road going down the valley range. I had the car further inspected and found the brakes had been tampered with."

His bluntness surprised her, but more so did his words."So it might not have been Elbert directly—"

"My parents had been arguing on and off for years. I saw the toll it took on my Mum, all the hateful things Elbert would say and treat her in such a demeaning way. She had finally decided to go and stay for a while with some friends on the coast. Elbert never agreed. He needed a good loyal mate to maintain his perfect image, yet craved total dominance over her, I see that now. I hated him for it. But in a way, I nearly turned out just like him..." Kaiden's voice trailed off with regret and self loathing.

"But you didn't," Chesca placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face so he'd meet her eyes. "You're a much better man than your father ever was. You proved that to me, and to our packs. You may have wanted to take over and control my pack, since you temporarily lost yours under Elbert's thirst for power, but you never tried to hurt me. And I know you never will. You care about me, about our mate bond, and as an extension of that I know you care for my pack as well as yours."