All Chapters of The Alphas Next Door: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

KAIAHailey’s nursing quietly, her tiny fingers clutching the hem of my shirt like it’s her lifeline. I’m halfway through humming something off-key and dozing off when the front door opens.I don’t look up right away. He usually mumbles a half-hearted hello and disappears up the stairs since he's always in a foul mood after work.But then I hear it.A thud followed by the unmistakable scrape of luggage wheels.I pause, blinking before looking up. And indeed, Robert draws a brown Versace luggage into the living room.“Hey Rob.” I call in a whisper. “Are we expecting anyone?”He scoffs as he leaves the box by the sofa and proceeds outside again.Robert is weird.I turn back to Hailey who's still sucking me eagerly, eyes closed, sweat framing her chubby cheeks.The door opens again and I turn back to see Rob. My breath catches in my throat because this time… he's not alone.He holds a pink bag, his other hand intertwined with another lady I've never seen before.She's stunning.Luscious

~ KAIA ~•Three days ago•“Hey booboo, I got you the job!”Ashby’s voice was all sunshine and breathlessness, like she hadn’t just dropped a bomb in the middle of my exhaustion.I was curled on the mattress in the studio apartment, eating peanut butter straight from the jar because everything else was gone. Rent was overdue. Even my soul felt overdue. Hailey was burning up and I hadn’t slept in two nights.So when she said it—got you the job—I didn’t even register it at first.“What?”Ashby huffed. “I said—you got the job! That clinic I told you about in Sundale? They loved your résumé. You're officially their new in-house nurse. Full-time, benefits, housing included.”I sat up, peanut butter forgotten. “Wait… seriously?”“They even paid a sign-on bonus. It’s already in your account. Like, bitch—you’re officially employed!” And just like that… the crack of light I hadn’t dared to hope for broke clean across the dark, my eyes darting to the mold in the ceiling of the studio apartment.

~ KAIA ~His smirk falters just slightly.Then he stills completely.His nose twitches once… twice… and his grip on my wrist loosens like I just turned into something too hot to hold.“What did you say?” His voice lowers, almost guttural.“I said I’m your neighbor,” I snap, yanking my arm back. “The one with a sick six-year-old who was finally sleeping until you decided to DJ hell’s playlist next door!”His gaze darts toward the half crowded dim hallway, then back to me—only this time, his pupils are dilated. His chest rises and falls like he’s trying to catch a scent in the air.He inhales sharply then takes a slow step back.“You’re… hu… man,” he mutters.I blink. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Am I supposed to be an object?”But he doesn’t answer.He just stares.No. He studies me like I’m a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit.Then… he growls.A low, feral sound that doesn’t come from his throat. It rumbles out of him, like it came from somewhere deeper and his jaw ticks like

KAIAJust like that.Not a threat. Not even theatrics.Just me stylishly staring at a locked vault of a man who's staring me down with those icy blue eyes like he already knows I’ll fold.And maybe I will because I’m not stupid enough to walk away from stability.So, I inhale deeply, summoning that courage from hell as I stop skimming through.I straighten my posture and gently slip out a blue pen from my scrub pocket and flip the damn thing to the back before scribbling my signature in the waiting space.Then, I cap it and turn my gaze to him. He stares at me. I stare back.He says nothing as he breaks the silence first, his hand latching to a box of ink and a smooth plastic case on the table and he wordlessly passes them to me by sliding it across the smooth table.I stare at them for a moment before leaning forward.“Thumb or index?” I ask.“Index.” He says.Fingerprint signature.I put a dab of ink on the plastic case and press my finger down with slow, steady pressure. Index not

CAUIS Silence detonates between us. I don't blink. I don't move. And maybe that's because I wasn't expecting it. And there's just something about muttering the word, “mate” beside me that switches something off inside my head. And it sure as well isn't something those two should be anywhere near. “No.” I say, my voice low. “Wrong answer.” Ronan butts in with that smirk that makes me want to break things, especially his head. “Your reply should be why did we use ‘our’ but obviously, you are slow.” I blink once. Because for a second—just a second—my brain stalls. Their our wasn’t a slip. They meant it. But before I can ask what the fuck they’re implying— Maddox beats me to it. His voice is almost quiet this time. Cautious. “Caius… you’re older. You’ve studied more of the lore. Is it possible... for two people to have the same mate?” My blood goes cold. I lock eyes with him. The grin’s gone. Ronan too—he’s gone still. Waiting. They’re not playing anymore. They mean thi