Hate Mates (The Alpha Shifter)

At one point, they had no choice but to hold hands as the cuff wasn’t helping.

After fifteen minutes of nearly hurting one another, they sat at the dining room table, near the bottom corner, their hands locked together as they enjoyed some toast and their coffee.

The silence wasn’t awkward, which was a welcome relief.

“So, your work?” Landon asked. “What do you do?”

“I help out whenever it is needed. I do take time to study though. I’ve got several online classes going at the moment. I mean, we’re taking a short break as the teach has had a personal emergency, but I do have a few assignments to do.”

“I will help as much as I can.”

She nodded.

With their drinks finished and their toast complete, there was no other option but to attempt to clean the kitchen.

It turned into a disaster and a screaming fest. At one point, Alexa nearly hit the floor, and if it wasn’t for Landon, she would’ve hurt herself. This was a damn nightmare.

She couldn’t believe her family thought this was a good idea. It was stupid. They were not going to make it.

****

Being an alpha in training was one of the single most rewarding jobs Landon had ever had. He loved helping the pack, being the person to help make another’s life better, or to solve a problem.

His father had always taught him the value of being patient, open, and willing. With Alexa by his side, he didn’t know what was happening, but he’d managed to cause more trouble than help.

This was his chance to shine, and so far, he’d smashed a cup that a couple was arguing over, which had resulted in his father getting involved. He’d trampled on some roses a small group of children had lovingly sown. He’d then given the wrong order for some building equipment that his dad had to clean up.

All in all, before lunchtime, he had fucked up big time and was looking more like a screwup than a reasonable, responsible young alpha.

He didn’t even have the time to berate himself in the damn mirror for fucking up. The pack always looked at the damn cuffs, and he’d noted how happy they looked to see the both of them chained together.

For their lunch, they’d gone to the diner, and he was aware of people staring at them.

“I think it’s sabotage,” Alexa said.

He looked up, expecting to see humor or her being critical of him. Instead, he saw something else … something he wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly.

“I’m usually good at this.”

“I know you are.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, you think just because we have our issues that I haven’t heard what people say about you?”

He winced. “Is it good?”

She chuckled. “Of course it’s good. You didn’t drop that cup. Wallace dropped it.”

“I thought he did. Damn it. I can’t believe I fell for it.”

“They’re pushing us,” Alexa said. “Have you seen the way everyone, and I mean, everyone, is looking at these?” She held their bound wrists up.

“Yeah, I have.”

“I would bet the next full moon that they’ve been told not to make it easy for us. It kind of makes me a little afraid about tomorrow. Being at the diner is hard, but if they’re going to make it difficult, I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

He put his hand over hers. “We’ll get through it together. I wish I knew why they were making our lives difficult.”