Chained By The Alpha Jessica Hall

Confused and still trying to navigate this flood of new sensations, I ask Luna, "How... how is he in our head?"

His laughter fills the bizarre connection, a sound that makes Luna's heart leap. "Because we're mates," he explains simply, his mental touch as familiar as if it had always meant to be there, kinda like a pack mindlink, but more I can sense the emotion behind the feeling and his tone making me wonder how strongly he feels me since I carry his mark

However, I don't have time to ponder long because Luna is too busy frantically licking his face and scratching at his chest like she can dig into him and bury herself inside of him. HeContent (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

chuckles, seemingly unfazed by her antics, and wraps his arms around her, brushing her fur with gentle hands. I can feel his contentment and warmth radiating through the bond we share

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to make her stop. I feel like I am floating in here," I shriek before begging her to stop because I feel like I have no control over her; I can't feel my limbs or feel anything like I'm merely consciousness floating inside a vessel

"Once you bond with your wolf, you'll be able to control more, feel her completely and her you

They are just a less filtered version of us; the human counterpart merges over the first few days with the wolf side. You'll fuse, but right now, I know it feels odd," Zayn explains

"But why is she scratching you," I ask, his skin

bleeding as her claws rake his flesh

"She recognizes me, and she wants to play with Zarek," Zayn tells me when she suddenly stops and leaps up and darts through the trees, the moon casting fleeting shadows on the forest floor. My human consciousness, still very much present, yells in panic, "Slow down, Luna! We're going to hit a tree!" I clench my eyes, or her eyes shut

"If you close our eyes, we will," she shrieks back, and I cringe opening them, not realizing I closed hers too, watching everything zip past quickly

But Luna just laughs, a wild, joyous sound that Zayn echoes. "Trust her," Zayn advises his voice both in my head and echoing around us

"She knows what she's doing. Trust yourself

She is only another extension of you." He laughs

As Luna races through the forest, every leap and bound filling her with more excitement, I begin to relax into the ride. The fear subsides, replaced by an exhilarating freedom I've never known. Zayn's presence, both as Zarek beside us and in my mind, steadies me, his confidence in Luna bolstering my own

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Until she decides she wants to go swimming, but it's damn freezing. "No, Luna, it's cold," I shriek, anticipating what she 1s about to do when we are suddenly tackled by Zarek's huge form. He nuzzles her neck, shaking his head, but doesn't latch on to hurt her. And I realize he is playing with her and distracting her from the river when he suddenly lies on her, squishing us in the dirt. All I see is Zarek's black fur as she bucks, trying to get out from under him when he

relaxes further, flattening himself on top of her

His laughter rings as loud as her expletives as she curses him out

"Luna shift back," Zayn laughs as she bites Zarek's paw. He shakes his paw like she is a naughty pup before plopping his paw on her head

"Please stop shaking your head. You're making me queasy," I tell her as she keeps fighting to get out from under him while trying to bite the paw on her head. I giggle as Zarek growls at her, pinning her down. She finally gives up and settles into a purring heap beneath him, and Zarek rests his head on hers. They remain like that for a while; she tries to get out from under him when she thinks he isn't paying attention, but he moves or adjusts his position. His patience for my wolf is astonishing, considering she 1s already annoying me

"You need to remember this is all new to your wolf. Zarek has had time to adjust, and we are merged. Think of it like she has been in confinement and finally set free," Zayn tells me, and Zarek seems to hum in agreement

"Great, so she is like a pup?" I huff, earning a growl from her

"Luna will settle. Zarek was the same when I first got my wolf, except he insisted on peeing on every damn tree around the packhouse like he could claim the trees." Zayn laughs, and Zarek snarls at him. "Don't tell her that!" Zarek snaps angrily at him. Zayn just laughs while I secretly hope Luna doesn't pee on him, thinking she can claim him that way now. He has put the idea in her head

Eventually, she tires herself out, and Zarek rolls off her and onto his back. He grunts because the

moment he does, she is attacking him, wanting to play

She pounces on him, trying to get to his neck, and I realize she is trying to claim him. She grows annoyed when he doesn't allow her to when Zarek suddenly shifts beneath us, leaving her no choice but to shift back. "Shift back,

Luna, and let Cleo forward," Zayn demands

Luna hufts, licking his cheek before doing as she is told. The shift back isn't nearly as bad as the initial shift, and I find myself straddling Zayn. He pulls me down on him, wrapping his arms around me. Looking up at him, everything slams back to me, making everything now even more complicated. Zayn was right; I am his mate, but I am engaged to another and don't see a way out of it without losing everything my pack has and without losing the last piece of my mother

Yet, that doesn't stop the nagging guilt I now feel. I couldn't imagine how much the past few days have been for Zayn