Chained By The Alpha By Jessica Hall

“Lydia…” I start, but the name tastes like betrayal on my tongue, sour and sharp, not that I expected anything else from the evil wench. Yet still, her deceit stings because I know she did this out of spite over Deacon, making it more cutting than I would have imagined. The mere thought of her sly, self-satisfied smile makes my insides twist with hatred. “You’ve embarrassed me after all the drama he caused the other day; now this, you look like you are defying me and picking his side!” My father accuses. I glance at the two enforcers, wondering what their purpose here is, yet they don’t meet my gaze, instead ignoring what is going on

“Dad, please” I try again, desperation edging my voice. The plea hangs unfinished, my words

faltering under the weight of his glare and aura

“Enough.” He stands, and the motion has the finality of a gavel’s fall. “You will end this..

toying with Alpha Zayn, or suffer the consequences. You are promised already, and running around with him makes me look like a weak alpha who can’t control his own daughter!”

“Consequences?” The question comes out with a choked noise

“Your future, our pack’s stability, your place in this family. You’ve put all of that at risk.” Each phrase is a heavy stone added to the burden already pressing on my shoulders. I struggle to keep my composure, to remain upright under the onslaught

“Dad, you can’t mean—’

“No, I don’t want to hear excuses. End it, Cleo!” His voice booms, and I flinch. His expression 1s unyielding, a mask of merciless fury. “You defy me once more.” he doesn’t finish

But he cuts me off from saying anything more with a dismissive wave of his hand, silencing me more effectively than any shout could. “Save your breath, Cleo. I don’t want to hear it.” The finality in his tone warns me not to argue right now

“From now on, you’re under guard at all times.” I glance at the two enforcers with him

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

My heart pounds a desperately against my ribs

Each beat echoes the gravity of his words. I search for something to say, some plea that will soften the edge of his anger, but the presence of

the enforcers a silent, oppressive force- strangles my voice

“Seeing Zayn isn’t a crime,” I muster the courage to argue

He stands, towering over me, his stature alone a reminder of the power he wields. “Have you no respect for me? It’s about what’s expected of you, of us.” His eyes, the same light blue as mine, now hold the chill of a winter storm. “Your actions put everything at risk.”

The room feels smaller, the air thinner, as if my very existence has become an offense. My gaze flickers to the window, where the last traces of dawn are giving way to the harsh light of day, mirroring the reality I’m forced to face. “Do you hear yourself? All this is because you made a deal with Alpha Dane and refused Zayn’s protection! Why do I have to be the sacrifice for your damn ego? It’s wrong!”T snap at him

My father listens to my rant stone-faced. “Right or wrong, you’ll do as you’re told.” He steps closer, his proximity a clear threat. “You will marry Boyd. That’s final.”

“Dad, please” My plea is cut short by the look in his eyes, a harsh reminder that this isn’t a negotiation

“Understand this, Cleo,” he continues, his voice lethally calm. “You belong to the pack before yourself. Before whatever fleeting desires you think you have. You are alpha first. We don’t

always get to do what we want.”

“This is your last warning, Cleo. You are to end whatever this is with Zayn. You will marry Boyd, and so help me, if you step one foot out of line, I will give the Pack to Lydia,” my father

warns, his voice a venomous whisper that wraps its icy fingers around my throat

I can almost feel the demand behind his threat, the way it claws at the fragile veneer of control I’ve managed to maintain. Lydia’s jealousy and drive to steal my pack has hung over me for years. A bitch that now threatens to devour everything I hold dear and all I have left of my mother

The fight drains from me, leaving a hollow emptiness behind. I nod, the gesture mechanical, as thoughts of Zayn flood my mind

“Good. Now get ready for class; these two will wait at the door for you; you do not

leave their sides outside this dorm room.” With that single word, he turns and strides from the room, his enforcers following. The door clicks shut behind them, the sound

final

Alone, I collapse onto the bed, Zayn’s lingering scent woven into the clothes I’m wearing. The room feels smaller somehow, the air thick as my mind races at the ultimatum I’ve been given

If I don’t end things with Zayn, my father will disown me. Give the pack to Lydia. A coldness seeps into my bones as I contemplate the ramifications

My mind still reels at the amount of trouble Lydia has caused recently. I know her intentions; the pack would fall into ruins under her watch. I have no idea how I will end this with Zayn, not when my heart already belongs to him. Forcing myself out of bed, I look for some clothes and get dressed quickly before grabbing my books and bag and heading out the door, only to groan when I notice my father’s enforcers waiting outside the door for me

Locking my door, I stomp past them

I shuffle down the hallway, my boots clicking against the cold tile, feeling the scrutinizing gaze of the two enforcers at my back. Their presence is a suffocating cloak I can’t shake off, a constant reminder that my every move is monitored and judged. It’s not that I’m prone to trouble; it’s just that trouble-namely, Lydia has a liking for finding me