Chained By The Alpha By Jessica Hall

I follow him back up the stairs and into the kitchen, where he is pulling out plates. “So, what did you want to talk about?” he asks, and I suddenly find myself tongue-tied. “My father..

he um,” Fuck why 1s this so hard? How do I dump someone I am not even dating. “Let me guess, your father said to dump my ass so you can marry Boyd?” he asks

“But technically, we aren’t even a thing, so I wouldn’t be dumping you,” I tell him. He raises an eyebrow at me

“Then what are we?” he asks, his eyes flashing dangerously, yet the smirk on his lips tells me he is toying with me

“Friends,” I offer awkwardly. He seems to think for a second

“I don’t like that title,” “T’m not being your fuck buddy,” I deadpan

“Good because I want you, not a fuck buddy,” he tells me, turning toward the oven to check the steaks he is cooking

“And you’re not dumping me because you are scared of your father.”

“T have a boyfriend,” I remind him

“Had a boyfriend. He is not your boyfriend. He is a fleabag,” I raise an eyebrow at him, and he shuts the oven door before turning the stove down

“Well, my not boyfriend this is me officially

dumping you before shit gets more awkward,” I tell him, and he chuckles

“You say that like you believe you can stay away from me,” he chuckles, moving around the island bench. He stops in front of me

“Someone’s got tickets on themself,” I mock and he laughs, gripping my chin

I swallow thickly as he leans down and captures my lips with his hot, demanding mouth. His taste is intoxicating, his tongue sweeping inside, searching for mine. I gasp into the kiss and lean into him, placing my hand on his chest, and I feel the steady beat of his heart

He pulls away, breathing raggedly, and I am left panting. “Do you always kiss friends like that?” he purrs. My face heats at his words

“I might not be able to stay away from you, but that doesn’t mean we’re good for each other. It’s this sire bond once it wears off, things will go back to normal,” I argue, my voice firm despite the lingering heat from his kiss

Zayn smirks, moving back to the kitchen and dishing out food before placing a plate of food in front of me. “You’re not dumping me, Cleo

That’s not how this works.”

I sigh, picking at the food. “Zayn, we’re causing drama in the packs. It’s not just about us. I have responsibilities, and I’m supposed to… to marry Boyd.”

He remains quiet throughout the meal, his silence stretching into an uncomfortable void. I can’t help but feel the tension building, the unspoken words hanging heavy between us

Finally, once I’ve finished eating, I stand up, knowing he can’t use feeding me as an excuse to stay any longer now, and my chair scrapes against the floor. “I should go back to my dorm

Classes start early tomorrow.”

“T’ll drop you off before classes,” Zayn says, his voice devoid of any emotion

“No, Zayn, you’re not listening!” Frustration boils inside me. “I can’t be with you. This isn’t right.”

He steps closer, his presence overwhelming

With one swift move, he pulls me into a searing kiss, leaving me breathless. “You will be with me, Cleo,” he whispers against my lips, his eyes burning with intensity. “Because I’ll kill anyone who dares to touch what’s mine.”

I push against his chest, my heart racing. “You

can’t just claim me, Zayn. I’m not a prize to be won.”

He leans in, his breath hot on my ear. “I already did, Cleo. The moment I laid eyes on you, you became mine. And nothing, not even pack politics, will change that.”

His words send a shiver down my spine. The mix of danger and desire in his eyes 1s intoxicating. Our argument comes to a halt when Zayn pulls me in, his grip firm on my waist. His ice-cold gaze softens as he closes the distance between our lips with a predatory certainty. I don’t fight him this time. Instead, I allow myself to be consumed by the magnetism of his touch, the raw need radiating off of him

He tastes like temptation intoxicating, addicting, a taste that instantly lights an infernal fire within me. His tongue deftly explores the

contours of my mouth as if it’s territory he needs to conquer and claim for himself

“Zayn,” I gasp into the kiss, shivering under his intense gaze, the way every flicker of response engraved in my features

his eyes devour

His hands wander down my spine, tracing each curve and dip before settling at the small of my back and pulling me closer until there’s no space left between us. I melt into him involuntarily, drunk on desire and drowning in the heated haze

My mind whirls with conflicting emotions. On one hand, I can’t deny the magnetic pull

between us that defies all logic and reason. But on the other hand, the weight of our duties and obligations threaten to suffocate any chance of happiness we might have

I take a deep breath and meet his gaze head-on

“Zayn,” I say firmly, trying to convey the gravity of the situation. “We need to think about more than just ourselves. There are consequences to our actions.”

He sighs, a mix of frustration and desire evident in his eyes. “I understand that,” he replies. “I just don’t care,” he growls, his lips claiming mine again

His hands grip my hips, lifting me and sitting me on the counter and after a few seconds I give in, my hands gripping his tank top to pull him closer and I feel him smile against my lips. His lips move lower, trailing lower

My heart races as he nibbles on my jawline and ear, leaving a trail of shivers in their wake. His scent-masculine and wild-envelops me entirely. My body arches into his touch 1n a

silent plea for more when he grips the fabric of my shirt and rips it apart, revealing my lacy black bra. The cool air hits my warm skin, sending goosebumps down my spine

I moan softly at the sensation as his lips press against my collarbone, his teeth grazing over my pulse point just enough to make it throb deliciously

He smiles against my skin before pulling back slightly to look at me once again. “Tell me to stop, tell me you don’t want this?” he murmurs and I swallow thickly

“Tell me to stop and I will,” he whispers as one of his hands finds the hem of my shirt, pulling it upwards, revealing my stomach before he peels it off. He groans softly against my skin, his warm breath tickling me as his teeth graze it playfully, nipping

softly. “Beautiful,” he

whispers against my neck

Something inside me melts at his touch-it’s a feeling I’ve never experienced with anyone else, a sense of belonging and longing that makes me want to give in to him completely

“So what’s it gonna be?” I open my mouth to answer, but no words come out while he waits patiently

“Fuck it,” I growl jerking him closer and he purrs against my lips the sound sending thrills through me. My lips crash against his, my hands moving to graze over his abs as

I give in, my father will be furious but for now he won’t know. “Good girl,” Zayn mumbles against my lips dragging me closer. He grips my thighs lifting me and I wrap my legs around his waist

The consequences I will think about tomorrow because right now, all I can think about is how good he feels