Chained By The Alpha By Jessica Hall

The sun blazes through the white curtains, burning my skin to a crisp as I jerk up from my slumber. Where am I? A violent headache has taken over my body and I groan in pain

Squinting against the bright light, memories of last night flickered in my mind some of which were very hazy

I groan in pain as my head throbs some more. I scrunch my eyes shut against the light and rub them, trying to remember what happened

Finally, I open them and my eyes dart around the large room, searching for a familiar face

Eventually, they land on him – s standing by the window, looking out into the cityscape. His

hair is wet, looking as though he recently showered. A pair of gray sweatpants cling to his frame

Confusion bubbles inside me as I glance down at my unfamiliar clothing. It’s not mine or Lydia’ s. My fingers nervously graze the fabric before I shift my gaze back to him, no longer able to contain my curiosity or anger

“Did we…?” The words almost die on my lips, but I say enough to make him understand. He shoots me a wicked smirk before his expression softens into

seriousness. An uncomfortable tension hangs in the air. Anxiety surges inside me as dread begins to fill my veins

“Oh, you were being serious?” he laughs, and I glower at him. His laughter only grows louder, and I can’t help but feel embarrassed

“Trust me, if we did, you wouldn’t be questioning if we had,” he replies, a hint of amusement laces his tone, but I notice the way his eyes flicker

I want to look away, but instead my gaze lingers on his face. His expression is unreadable, and he seems to be lost in thought

I take a deep breath before speaking up again

“Well, someone’s got tickets on themselves,” I retort and immediately regret it when his face hardens

“No, I’ve seen every inch of you, Cleo,” he spits angrily. “I know exactly the damage I would have caused you had I helped myself to your body.” My face heats up as I tug the shirt down, trying to cover myself up more

It’s then that realization starts to fill me up-this

isn’t just some small mistake, this could have been a lot worse than what it already is, and it scares me deeply

He must sense my fear because suddenly, his expression softens, and he crosses his arms over his massive chest, causing the muscles to ripple beneath his skin

“Tf I wanted to fuck you, I could have easily

You’re just lucky that I’m not into Somnophilia with drunk girls.” My heart hammers in my chest, and I try to process what he is saying

“Stress less, I never stole your virginity,” he mocks with a roll of his eyes

My mind races, searching for any signs that I’d had too much to drink. But all I could remember was arguing with Zayn, then after that nothing

My eyes widen. Why don’t I remember anything after speaking with him?

My mind mulls that over for a second. Oh, my what does Deacon think, did he see me leave with him? Why didn’t he stop me? My eyes move to Zayn, who is watching me, the intensity in his gaze holds me for a few seconds before a thought flickers through my head and comes out my lips ina snarl

“What did you do to me?” He seems taken aback by my words

“Did you drug me? Is this some sick revenge to get back at my father?” I accuse, outraged that he would… he would… not steal my virginity?

“You did not just accuse me of raping you!” he scoffs. I say nothing, just stare at him, not knowing what else to do. I don’t remember coming back here, I don’t remember anything after seeing him. I shake my head, only the

motion makes my head pound worse and I clutch it regretting the action instantly

“Why don’t I remember anything then?” I mutter, panic coursing through me. I can feel the tension in the room, thick and palpable like a heavy mist clinging to our skin. When I open my eyes, Zayn presses his hands on either side of my hips. I move away from him as he leans closer. I swallow at how close he is, his scent overwhelming my senses

“Maybe ask Deacon that question?” My brows furrow and shoves off the bed

“Your so-called boyfriend is great at watching over you. Someone slipped something

in your drink while he was grinding against your sister on the dance floor,” he spits, anger seeping through his words

“She is not my sister, and I told you they are…” I start to say, but he cuts me off

“Yeah, I know they’re just friends right, the kind that rub genitals together on a dance floor? I saved your ass, just in case you’re wondering. I

could have left you, but I…” he doesn’t finish, just shakes his head

In the overwhelming silence following Zayn’s words, my mind races with a whirlwind of emotions. His gaze lingers on me, intense and unsettling, as if he’s trying to decipher my thoughts. The air between us 1s charged with a tension that I can almost touch

His proximity is disarming, the heat from his body mingling with mine. Despite my turmoil, I can’t help but notice the way his muscles move under his skin, the way his eyes hold mine with a fierce intensity. It’s a dangerous dance, this

push and pull between us, and I find myself both repelled and drawn to him at the same time

I wrap my arms around myself, feeling suddenly vulnerable in the oversized shirt. “Why should I believe you? You could be making all this up just to… to get back at me for something.”

Zayn’s eyes darken, and he runs a hand through his hair in frustration. “I have no reason to lie to you, Cleo. You should be thanking me, not accusing me of lying or accusing me of– I saved you, that is all that matters.”