Shattered by the Alpha Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7

By the next day, Ashveil Pack’s gossip was spreading like wildfire.

Kael and Riley were officially a thing

I was walking by with my Americano when I caught Riley on her tiptoes, fixing Kael’s tie, her cherry red nail polish flashing like a neon sign.

“Kael-” she purred, voice dripping with honey, “How about we hit my favorite steakhouse tonight to celebrate?”

Kael’s eyes flicked over her shoulder, locking onto mine,

He flinched, like he wanted to step back, but Riley looped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

She glanced back at me, flashing a smug, winner’s grin.

My phone buzzed with group chat notifications, blowing up with messages:

[Heard Riley rolled up this morning in Kael’s carl)

[Swear I Saw hickeys on her neck!]

[Is Talla okay 71

I swiped the chat away, my mind flashing back to last month’s department dinner. Riley had raised a glass of wine, smirking. “I can’t stand hanging with Omegas–they’re always so extra, you know, whining over nothing ”

She’d practically draped herself over Kael’s chair, her voice loud enough for the whole table. “Alphas and Betas are just more fun. No glass hearts to tiptoe

around=”

The other women exchanged knowing locks, their smiles tight.

The next morning, Riley posted a pouty selfie on her IG: [Guess I got iced out by the gir

girls again. Gotta love being real and getting shade for it-]

The photo showed a latte, captioned with a winlding emoji–courtesy of Kael’s “sorry you’re sad” coffee run.

Late that night, I curled up on the couch, venting to my parents.

Mom was arranging flowers, her shears snipping through a rose stem. “I’ve seen her type before, sweetheart,” she said, clipping off a thorn, “Steer clear of Riley, or she’ll drag you down with her.

“Tallding crap behind someone’s back isn’t cool, you know.

Kael’s voice cut through from the entryway.

He stood there, holding a bag of peaches David had sent over, his eyes cold as frost.

The living room went dead quiet, only the snip of Mom’s shears breaking the silence

Looking back, that was probably when he started seeing me as some petty gossip, a jealous nobody running her mouth

Riley, though? To him, she was the “real deal,” his untouchable white krught.

I swiped the coffee stain off my cup’s rim.

as hell.

It hit me later–way too late.

Somewhere along the line, Karl and Riley had built this “bond.”

Riley

ley was a wizard with PowerPoint, her slides sleek and polished, animations so sodoth they made Kael’s dreaded data charts look like art. Me? When I used to edit his reports, I’d nitpick. “This logic’s off.” “This color scheme’s giving me a headache.”

Riley didn’t do that.

She’d lean in close, her hair brushing his arm, batting her lashes. Keel, I turned your bar chart into a slick animation. Like it?”

His ears would flush, just like they did years ago when I’d speak a kiss on his check

It was glaringly obvious during our last team–building event–pool at a local bar.

I’ve never been great at billiards, fumbling every shot. Riley, though? She cleared the table like a pro, earning cheers and fist bumps. Chapter 7

Books

Kael’s buddies slung their arms around him, razzing, “Riley’s your match, man! Way better than that high–maintenance princess!”

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