Chained By The Alpha Jessica Hall

Chapter 136

"Then I should be there." The words tumble out

He shakes his head, the scar on his flank pulling tight as he crosses his tattooed arms

"No, Cleo. It's better if you stay here."

"Zayn-" But he cuts me off with a look, one that sends shivers down my spine and not from desire

The refusal stings, a bitter taste in my mouth

Excluded, left behind I'm his mate, yet I'm being pushed to the sidelines and left in the dark. But I know I can trust Zayn

My fingers clench into fists, nails digging crescents into my palms. "Zayn," I start, my

voice barely above a whisper, "I don't understand why I can't be there. This involves me too." My hands tremble slightly, betraying my attempt at composure

He stops short, just by the foot of our bed, and turns to face me. The intensity in his gaze pins me down more effectively than any physical restraint. "Cleo," he says, his tone softening as he approaches, "this meeting... I can't have you there, love. Old grudges and power plays. I need you safe here."

"Safe," I echo, bitterness seeping through. My thoughts spiral, and I imagine my father and Zayn caught in a snarl of aggression, each word a potential spark for conflict

"Hey," Zayn's voice pulls me back, his strong yet gentle hands capturing mine. He leans down, his breath warm against my cheek. "I promise I

won't let it come to blows with your father

Greyson 1s neutral ground. We'll sort this out."

I search his eyes, looking for the certainty I feel slipping through my fingers. But there's something else there that I can't read, a nervousness in him

"Zayn, 1f anything happens to you or my dad..." The words choke me, fear wrapping around my throat like a vice

"Nothing will. I'm not going there to fight with your father." He presses a kiss to my forehead. I want to believe him; every fiber of my being screams to trust in the bond we share. Yet doubt lurks like a shadow, cold and persistent. "What if..."

"Shh," he murmurs, his lips trailing down to capture mine in a searing kiss that stirs the

depths of my soul, silencing the turmoil within

His taste, wild and intoxicating, burns my lips when Vance clears his throat awkwardly, reminding me we aren't alone. Zayn pulls back, a silly smirk on his face

"Yeah, I don't want to see that. Especially now I know she is my half-sister." Vance states, and I shudder at the reminder

"I think that may take some time to get used to or wrap my head around," I admit. Vance chuckles

"Definitely.” he agrees, and I turn my attention back to Zayn

"Let me handle this," Zayn says as he pulls away, his breath hitching with the same need that courses through my veins. "Stay here, where I know you're safe. That's all I ask."

The conflict rages inside me, a storm of emotion that threatens to swallow me whole. But as I look into his eyes, I see the plea hidden behind the steel-the raw edge of fear for my well-being. It cuts through my reservations, knowing Zayn won't need the added distraction of me not doing as he asked

"Okay," I breathe out, the word heavy with the weight of my concession. "I'll stay."

His relief is palpable, and the tension releases as he nods, brushing a stray lock of blonde hair from my face. "Thank you."

As he stands, I curl up beneath the sheets, intending to sleep until he returns. And as the door closes behind him, leaving me enclosed in the silence of our bedroom, I find I won't be getting any sleep with the restless energy coursing through

me now

I must have eventually found enough calm to fall asleep because the next sensation is the harsh light of midday streaming through the windows and the distant sound of yelling. For a moment, I lie still, tangled in the sheets, my mind clinging to the remnants of a dream where Zayn's silver eyes held me captive as I writhed beneath him. It takes seconds for reality to seep in, cold and unwelcome, and I groan at my ruined dreaming, wishing I could jump back into the same place

"Kids," I mumble groggily to myself, hearing the yelling of the pack's children playing outside, their voices piercing through the tranquility of my dream I wish I were still in. Sweat coats my skin from the sun's harsh light blaring through the window onto the bed. I drag a pillow over my head, trying to force myself back to sleep, but even that does nothing to drown out the noise. With a huff, I toss the pillow, kick the

sheet off, and sit up. But as I rub sleep from my eyes and push back the golden strands of hair from my face, unease settles in my stomach as the yelling gets louder