Page 82 of Chained By the Alpha (Claimed Duet #1)

· Zayn ·

The chill of the stone beneath me seeps through my clothes, a cold reminder of the bleak situation I’m in.

My head throbs, a steady beat that syncs with the pulsing pain from the wounds inflicted by Alpha Dane’s men.

Blood, warm and sticky, trickles down the side of my face, matting my hair.

Despite the physical pain, my mind is alert and calculating.

The pain, the blood, it’s all part of the game now. I knew the risks when I let them capture me. My pack, Maya, Vance—they’re all positioned where they need to be, unbeknownst to Dane.

“Not long now. How are you holding up?” Vance’s voice echoes in my head through the mindlink.

“You know, just hanging around, being pummeled by these twits. No rush, brother, by all means, take your time,” I retort.

“Maya was able to get in. She’s accessed Dane’s office. We’ve got what we need,”

The thought of Maya sneaking around Dane’s packhouse brings a grim sort of joy that she got in okay with the catering company.

She’s risking a lot, but she’s part of the plan.

The data she’s downloading could change everything.

It’s proof—proof Clara was coerced, her signature on that damning contract a product of duress, her handwriting shaky because Joseph was forcing her hand.

And then there’s the missing footage—old and grainy but clear enough.

“Zayn, I’ve also dug up some dirt on Alpha Samuel that changes everything. We now know his connection in all of this.”

“What did you find?”

“He’s been embezzling funds from the council. And there’s more, he rigged the council votes to secure his position as second in command. It should have been Greyson’s spot.”

“How certain are we about this?”

“Solid. Maya managed to download everything. We’ve got documents, transfers to hidden accounts belonging to rogues, and evidence of vote tampering. All linking back to Samuel, even voice recordings. Dane has been a busy man.”

“So, Dane has been blackmailing him with this, too? That’s why he’s pushing Lydia and the others into these alliances?”

“Exactly. Samuel’s been under Dane’s control to keep his secrets from coming out. If this gets exposed, he could lose his rank on the council, and his pack might revolt.”

“I’ll make sure our team is ready to move as soon as you give the go-ahead. Anything else on your mind?”

“Keep an extra watch on Cleo. With what we’re about to stir up, Dane might become unpredictable. We can’t afford to let our guard down. How was she?”

“Maya said she looked okay, shaken, but she couldn’t exactly approach her to ask.”

I swallow thickly.

I knew her father would hand her to Dane; I knew he’d do anything to save himself. It just sucks Cleo is being hurt once again by the man who raised her, and tomorrow, I am about to destroy her with everything we have gathered from the computer and what Greyson already had.

All this shows Dane’s true colors, his leverage over not just her father but Samuel as well. The implications are staggering, a web of blackmail and deceit that spans years.

“Everything’s ready,” Vance confirms. “We’re coming to get you.”

I cut the link, focusing back on the men, who watch me with a predator’s interest.

“Thinking of your next move?” one man taunts.

“Just counting down the minutes,” I reply. Suddenly, a surge of panic through the bond snaps my attention inward.

Cleo. Something is wrong.

I’ve kept her blocked out to spare her the pain, but this is different. It’s raw and terrifying, and it’s coming from her.

I feel through the bond, desperate for any hint of her situation.

No response, just escalating fear. My heart races, not just for me but for her. Dane’s men don’t notice my distraction, too caught up in their false victory as I hang limp from the chains still while they discuss wanting a break.

“Vance, something’s wrong with Cleo,” I mindlink. “Check on her.”

“No, it’ll blow our cover,” he replies, though I can hear the tension in his voice.

I grit my teeth, rage building. “Fuck the plans,” I growl internally, feeling Zarek stir within, ready to tear through anyone or anything. “If they hurt her...”

Vance hesitates. “I’ll call Maya. She’s still there keeping an eye out.”

Cleo’s fear doesn’t abate; it worsens. And when it does, it’s like a switch flips inside me. No more waiting, no more hiding.

“Fuck this,” I snarl internally.

The heavy door slams shut as they swap out.

This lot tired of beating the living daylights out of me.

The echo reverberates through the old council chambers like a prelude to the storm that is about to erupt as four new men step in.

The room’s stale air carries the scent of rust and dried blood, reminders of the cruelty these walls have witnessed and my body.

Zarek presses against my skin, and my vision changes as it switches to my wolf’s vision. “The others tired already?” I ask, weighing up my chances with this refreshed lot mentally, while Zarek sends his rage through the bond to Cleo, trying to get her to fight whatever has her so petrified.

“Big talk for a mutt in chains,” one sneers, stepping closer. “You won’t be so smug when we’re done with you.”

“Boss wants you to remember this night, not long before your mate is married, and our pack owns the city,” another one chuckles darkly, rolling his shoulders in preparation.

“Right,” I say with a mock sigh. “Because clearly, I’ve been having trouble with my memory.”

Laughter ripples through them. “Any words before we start, Alpha?” the third man taunts, raising a fist.

“Make it count,” I challenge, locking eyes with each of them in turn. “So who’s first?”

Their laughter turns uneasy, a shadow of doubt flickering across their faces as they exchange glances. But it’s too late; I’ve already planted the seed of uncertainty, already taken control even as I hang from these darn chains.

“Let’s just get this over with,” the first one growls, stepping forward with clenched fists, while the others sneer and laugh.

“Then I guess it’s time to introduce you to my wolf,” I say, my voice low and steady, the calm before the storm. The laughter dies abruptly, replaced by a tense silence.

“Let’s see how well you dance with Zarek,” I say, the edges of my vision tinged and changing rapidly, the heat of shift beginning to simmer just beneath my skin when my wrists crack and I hold Zarek back.

And with that, I let Zarek forward, giving him enough control to break out of the chains. The chains that bind me are nothing to the fury that fuels my wolf. My captors step back in shock.

The concrete room becomes a blur as Zarek takes over, and I cringe as he breaks our wrists to get out of the cuffs. His only thought is to protect our mate as he melds with my human form merging with me.

Chaos erupts as the men scramble, their bravado melting into pure terror. Their shouts and curses fill the dank chamber like a discordant melody of their deaths, but it does nothing to shake Zarek. We are one force now – a brutal, merciless storm they’ve brought upon themselves.

“Come on, gentlemen. Don’t be shy.”

Their terrified eyes dart around the room in a panic, seeking an escape that isn’t there as I stand between them and the door. I can smell their fear seeping through their pores, heavy and intoxicating in my nostrils.

One of them breaks from the group, lunging headfirst toward me. With an instinctive snarl, Zarek meets him head-on. It’s not even a fair fight; within seconds, his limp body crashes against the dusty floor and lies motionless.

The others watch in stunned silence as I turn toward them once more. One down, three to go.

The deafening silence is broken when another gathers his wits and charges at me, trying to catch me off guard, not realizing Zarek and I are one and we sense the attack even before he launches it.

Zarek forces the shift taking control completely, and his powerful jaws clamp onto the man’s throat. A strangled cry echoes around the room before being abruptly silenced.

Each punch thrown our way is met with a swift counterattack, leaving them whimpering on the cold concrete floor. The once cocky bunch is reduced to panicstricken lambs ready for slaughter.

By now, terror dictates their every move. One tries to run, while another lunges with a knife he’d apparently concealed. Neither poses any real threat - their fate is sealed just as much as their companions was. One by one, we take them down before turning to the door.

The door to my prison bursts open under the force of my escape, and I’m out.

My senses tuned to one thing only; finding Cleo as we run through the rest of Dane’s men.

We barrel out of the council chambers only for me to run directly into Alpha Greyson and Vance coming to rescue me.

Greyson tosses his arms in the air in exasperation.

“Ten more minutes, you couldn’t wait a few extra minutes?

” he snaps and folds his arms across his chest.

“Dane would have felt their deaths, you know? Always getting ahead of yourself,” Greyson snaps and Vance tosses his tranquilizer back through the car window. I am about to leave and go get her when Vance speaks.

“Maya alerted Lydia. Lydia got to her in time. You aren’t ruining this because you’re a hot head,” Vance snarls. Great, now we have Lydia involved, but it was fast thinking on Vance’s and Maya’s end.

“You wanna take them down, we stick to the plan. Dane has every news outlet covering that wedding,” Greyson reminds me.

Zarek shifts back, leaving me standing naked in the old council chambers parking lot.

“Not a chance.” Greyson snaps, stepping into my path.

“We have a wedding to crash, and there are only a few hours left to figure out the rest. Get dressed. Cleo is fine,” Greyson tells me, and I press my lips in a furious line knowing he’s right.

The worst part is I can’t even check on her.

She needs to think Dane still has me. I can’t risk her refusing at this point.

We need those cameras there, and if Dane gets wind of us closing in more than he already knows, he may just hurt her.