Chained By The Alpha By Jessica Hall

Yet nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brutality that awaited us as we ventured back into pack territory. As we approached the pack gate, a thick haze of smoke from the decimated buildings engulfed us, causing my stomach to plummet to my toes 1n dread. Zayn’s grip on the steering wheel was so tight, his knuckles turned bone white, his jaw clenched as we race around the corner towards his territory

With screeching tires, he brought the car to an abrupt halt in front of the ravaged pack house, and we both leaped out, our eyes scanning the destruction

The sight of twisted debris and charred wood sent shivers down my spine, a haunting reminder of the savagery that had taken place

here

“Zayn!” Andrea’s voice, filled with both relief and anguish, pierced through the eerie silence as Zayn searched for where her voice came from

We run through piles of debris and charred wood, searching madly for any sign of life until we finally find her – coughing and wincing in pain. Andrea’s weary eyes met Zayn’s as he scooped her up gently in his arms, cradling her fragile form against his chest. Without wasting a moment, he carried her back to his car, her gasps filling the air. But before she could even utter a single word, Zayn’s voice trembled with concern as he demanded answers, “Where’s Vance?” he demands to know before she can even speak

“T don’t know,” Andrea managed to whisper

through ragged breaths. “He was helping guide everyone to the bunkers beneath the packhouse… We… we were ambushed, the doors wouldn’t lock to the bunkers, the power was cut, I had to remain outside to manually lock it, he was covering me… he…” Her voice trailed off as she scans around her looking for him, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air, as we absorbed the enormity of the situation and judging by the state of her she had to have been caught in the fray

Suddenly, a faint whimper resonated nearby, Zayn rushes towards the sound, and I race to catch up to him when we find his brother. It wasn’t Vance who emitted that pitiful sound; it was a rogue, one whom Vance had apprehended and was now dragging back to the packhouse

“Vance,” he growls, voice rough and full of distress. “You okay?” He runs his hands over

Vance’s body, feeling for any injuries; he seems to be covered in blood but none of it being his

“I caught one, the rest fled, our men have driven them east,” he tells us

“Well take him down to the basement,” he says calmly, but there’s an edge to his voice that makes it clear he doesn’t want any arguments when the rogue man starts wailing

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“Please, I will tell you anything, you don’t need to torture it out of me,” Zayn pauses and looks at Vance. “How many?” he asks Vance. My brows furrow

Vance’s response offers a glimmer of reassurance amidst the chaos. “None,” he states firmly. “They mainly made a mess, set fire to a few houses, and injured a handful of men. No deaths.”

The man looks at Zayn pleadingly, his face is cut from Vance’s claws and his hair is that bloody and matted. Yet, despite the disfigurement, his blue eyes shimmer with fear, a reflection of the terror that has consumed him

Through sobs that echo with remorse, the man’s words stumble forth. “No, not kill. Only scare you,” he manages to choke out. “It was a warning. He said we only had to scare you all.” His admission hangs in the air, making me confused on who ordered them to attack, it could be anyone with Zayn being at war with half the city

Zayn’s piercing gaze fixates on the mysterious man for a fleeting moment, demanding

answers

The air crackles with tension as he demands,

The man, his voice trembling with fear, pleads

for mercy. “I don’t know! I was merely given orders. We were never told his name, only that he 1s from the small pack on the other side of the city—the one with the snotty blonde woman.” His words hang in the air, each syllable resonating with a deep sense of unease

Small pack… My father’s pack. The realization hits me like a thunderbolt, and I exchange a wary glance with Zayn. The gravity of the situation dawns upon us both simultaneously

“Your father!” Zayn’s voice is laced with raw anger. While I only feel disbelief. I bite my lip, murroring his thoughts

“Please, that is all I know,” the rogue begs, his voice quivering under the weight of his fear

Andrea steps forward, her touch gentle as she rests her hand on Zayn’s arm

“Zayn, we are not monsters,” she reminds him, her voice carrying a note of compassion as she looks at the rogue man, not with hatred but pity

Yet the look on Zayn’s face betrays an internal struggle, torn between his instincts and the desire to maintain his humanity

“What reason does he have to lie?” Andrea adds firmly, her eyes searching Zayn’s troubled furious expression

Zayn’s response is swift and cutting. “Depends on what he was offered for doing this,”

he snaps back, his words laced with a bitter skepticism

The man interjects hurriedly, his voice tinged with desperation

“Food, he offered us food, the lands are bare this

time of the season, nothing left.” My eyes drift over the rogue taking in his emaciated

frame, it

also makes me think back to the rogue attacks in the city over the past year how they’ve gotten worse. Are things really getting that bad outside the city borders and desperation is sending them in

Yet, despite everything I have been taught about rogues-wild and uncontrollable creatures this man before us appears no different from any other. His appearance is marred by dirt and blood, but his eyes hold a flicker of humanity that defies the stereotypes I’ve been raised to believe

“Zayn, I think he’s telling the truth,” I whisper and his gaze cuts to me

“They attacked our pack,” he reminds me

“We killed no one, no one!” The man wails and sobs and I swallow the lump in my throat threatening to choke me

“They’re starving, you can’t say you wouldn’t have done the same if in his place, especially if you haven’t been in his situation,”

“How can you say that? Your mother was killed by rogues,” He tells me like I have forgotten her suddenly

“That was different Zayn and you know it, this would be different if they killed people

but they haven’t, everyone got to the bunkers, and our men pushed them back. Like he said no deaths, I thought they were attacking but they could have easily killed me and didn’t, I was outnumbered once I lost Vance,” Andrea says looking at the man

Zayn averts his gaze, jaw clenching tightly as he considers her words. His eyes back to the

flick

pathetic man before him, who is now shaking in fear, awaiting his fate. I chew my bottom lip trying to think of something to say but nothing comes to mind

Zayn however chooses not to answer Andrea instead waving one of his men over as they start appearing out of the tree line having driven the rogues out

“Send out teams to scout the northern borders keep an eye out for any suspicious activity increase training sessions with our warriors and send word to Alpha Grayson of our newest addition please,” he says as he still has a death grip on my hand. I look up at him in question, remaining silent

“I don’t want any slip-ups if your father sends more our way,” he says gruffly before

turning away rubbing a hand over his face. The pack

member rushes off when Vance asks

“What about him?” I glance at the rogue

“Take him inside, I want to be sure before we let him go,” Zayn states and my stomach sinks

“Zayn?” Vance and Andrea ask simultaneously

“I want to be sure.” Zayn states leaving no room for argument