The Alpha's Shatter Zone ✔️

|5|

"Hey, what's wrong with them getting on with each other? You certainly aren't being a good friend to Kaiden. Just let them hang, ok," Lexi tried calming her down, but only managed to rile her up more. "Sis...I'm sorry. I'll just stop talking now."

Both girls watched as the two men laid the wood by the growing bonfire. Kaiden interacted happily with the other men of the pack who were building the fire.

"Just give him a chance, ok?" Lexi said softly. "It's Fire Night, come on," she tugged on her arm.

"Ok," Chesca finally surrendered, and linked her arm through Lexi's. She couldn't ever stay mad for very long or say no to Lexi's big brown puppy dog eyes.

"Yippee! Tonight's gonna be so fun!" Lexi sing-songed. Charles came up beside her.

"Did you have something to do with this, Charles? Trying to get me out here too?" Chesca asked sternly with a hint of a smile.

"No Ma'am," he shook his head quickly. "Honestly, I thought Lexi was going to bite poor Eric's head off!" he wrapped his arm around her neck and ruffled her hair.

"Yeah, well, he did challenge my position! He said I wasn't good enough," Lexi whined and patted down her hair.

"As long as you're able to take down a big tough Alpha, you'll always be my head guard, Lexi," Chesca reassured her. She would have to have a talk with Eric about it later. There was no way she would tolerate this kind of disrespect and insubordination.

"And how long will that be? I bet you couldn't even best our Alpha in a contest," Charles teased.

"Ha ha ha! You don't know me very well," she giggled.

"I know you better than you know you, Lexi baby," he grinned and she poked him in the ribs, but he held on tighter and smushed her against his chest. Their tousle ended in a kiss, and Chesca walked ahead to give her friends some privacy. They were opposites, but oh so good together when they decided to get along.

She headed over slowly to the bonfire that was beginning to take shape. It already rose 6 feet into the air, and still men were piling sticks and wood on. Families were coming from all directions, woman and mothers carrying food for dinner and little pups running and playing tag with each other, some kicking a ball in an impromptu soccer game. That's what Chesca liked about these nights. Once a month, everyone would forget their differences and worries, and usual pack stressors, and just have fun. Share a meal together, sing some songs, tell scary stories around the glowing fire, and of course toast marshmallows.

She reached the group by the fire, staring at the kindling and wondering if it would light ok.

"Hey," the deep voice nearly startled her.

"Hi," she looked up at warm brown eyes and a genuine smile. She couldn't help smiling back. No avoiding him here.

"Should be a fun night," Kaiden remarked, dusting off the twigs from his hands.

"Yeah, it usually is," she nodded. Suddenly her mouth was dry and she scrambled for something intelligent or witty to say. All of a sudden she was nervous around this guy, and she had no idea why. Every other time she'd just argued with him, and that seemed easy compared to now.

Thankfully Roman rescued her from either shouting or stuttering at him.

"Hey Alpha, has Kaiden told you about our camping trip?"

Her eyes flickered to Kaiden's before narrowing on Roman. "Yes, I did hear something about an unauthorised trip through my territory," she said coldly, putting her hands on her hips.