Chained By The Alpha Jessica Hall

Zarek stirs, ready to pounce at any provocation

I clench my fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms while my heart beats a wild rhythm, eager for the clash

"Let's get one thing straight, Joseph," I growl, the words laced with venom. "I don't need to take anyone by force. Cleo is mine, and she came to me willingly, I've never forced your daughter into anything. Unlike you, I actually give a shit about her."

His eyes flash, a father's concern mingling with his rage, but I see through it all of it. It's control he fears losing, power slipping from his grasp like grains of sand. He's desperate, cornered, and dangerous. But so am I

"You think you're worthy of her?" he challenges, chest heaving with every heavy breath

"More than you ever were," I shoot back, each word a hammer strike to his ego

"Watch yourself," he warns, a low threat that vibrates through the space between us

"Or what?" I take a step down, closing the distance, our faces inches apart. "Because you'll lose more than just your pride today if you test

me

Joseph's nostrils flare, the scent of his anger mixing with fear. He knows he's outmatched, but his stubbornness roots him in place. I can almost taste his desperation-it's a sour tang on my tongue, a reminder of everything Cleo wants to escape

"Go ahead, Alpha. Make your move." My voice drops to a whisper, a taunt that could ignite a fight he'll lose

But he doesn't move, doesn't dare. Instead, he swallows hard, the sound loud in the tense silence. At that moment, I know I have him. Not Just because I'm stronger, but because I know nothing he says will convince her to go back to him now

With a smirk, I turn away from Joseph, climbing the stairs two at a time, the battle lines drawn

This house may hold memories for Cleo, but it's no longer her home. Her future lies elsewhere, with me, far from her father's tyranny

We reach the top of the stairs, and I pause for a moment, letting my silver gaze sweep over him as I try to figure out which one 1s her room. In this charged silence, the raw power of my alpha

presence fills the space, a reminder of the beast within that's ready to bare its teeth

"Her room. Now," I demand

Joseph's jaw clenches, his eyes narrowing into slits. "That one." he points to the last door in the hall and I move toward it while he pulls his phone from his pocket

I enter Cleo's room. Her scent envelops me, a mixture of wildflowers and something uniquely her intoxicatingly sweet making my mouth water

I begin to gather her things, each item a piece of the life she's leaving behind and the life we're about to build together. Joseph paces behind me, phone to his ear as he waits for her to answer

She does and he places the phone on loudspeaker

"Hey, Dad," She answers and I smirk hearing her voice

"Where are you, why is Zayn saying you're at his place, what about Boyd!" he demands not even bothering to say hello and I growl at his tone

We both wait for her answer. She is quiet for a secondText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Because I am, Dad," she finally says, her voice echoing in the silent room

The phone slips from Joseph's hand, landing on the carpet with a muted thud. His face pales, the lines of his face seeming sharper 1n his shock

The world seems to hold its breath

A moment of heavy silence follows that announcement. You could hear a pin drop. Then Joseph fumbles for the phone again, scrambling

to pick it up from where it lies forgotten on the floor. He's shaking - fury or despair, I can't tell

"But... Boyd... You are supposed to marry-" he stammers into the phone

"He isn't my mate, Dad," Cleo responds firmly

"Zayn 1s."

There's a finality in her tone that has Joseph reeling back as if slapped. He looks at me then, betrayal etched across his features. But there was also a grudging acceptance there; an

understanding that there was no denying a mate bond

"Cleo...," Joseph starts again but she cuts him off this time

"T love you, Dad," she says and I could almost see her there with us in that room, standing her

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 05s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! ground just like I was doing. "But I'm not rejecting my mate, you promised me if he was my mate you'd find a way out of that deal with Dane, he is my mate." Cleo says

Her words hang in the air. "Dad?" she asks when he says nothing, he looks on the verge of having a panic attack

"I'm here, I'm trying to process what you're saying," he mumbles, falling heavily onto the edge of the bed

I continue packing, listening as he tells her he has to go. Tossing her belongings into a duffel bag with more force than necessary, unable to shake off the bitter taste of victory. There was no triumph in tearing a father from his daughter, even if it meant claiming what's rightfully mine

Joseph ends the call without saying another

word

I zip up the bag, feeling the weight of it as I toss it on the bed beside him

"Can you think of anything else she needs from here?" My voice slices through the tension as I pivot to face Joseph. He's still perched on the edge of the bed staring at the phone in his hand, his worry carving deep lines into his weathered face

He looks at me, and for a moment, I see the years of worry, the weight of an Alpha pressing down on him. I know this must be hard losing a daughter and a pack to his rival. But that sympathy evaporates when I remember the pain he's inflicted on her the woman who owns my soul

Joseph swallows, his eyes flicking to me then

away from mine, a silent admission that he cannot win now with a mate bond involved