Page 97 of Chained By the Alpha
“Cleo, he…” Zayn starts, pausing as I glare at him.
“Leave him, hunger makes you do crazy things.” I grab the rogue man’s arm and I help him up. He looks at Zayn warily, yet doesn’t move a muscle, using me like a shield. Zayn growls at his hand clutching the back of my shirt. Turning, I push the man toward the kitchen instead of the basement.
“Cleo!” Zayn snarls. “What are you doing?”
“Feeding him!”
Zayn’s silver eyes lock onto mine, searching, probing, before he exhales sharply, the tension uncoiling from his frame.
“Fine,” Zayn grunts. “But if he tries anything—”
“He won’t,” I interject quickly, giving the rogue an encouraging nod. “Will you?” The rogue man looks between us, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. “No, Alpha… I’ll tell youwhatever you want to know. We just needed help; our pack is starving.”
“Pack?” Zayn raises a skeptical eyebrow, his Alpha aura dominating the room.
“Other rogues, like me. I guess we aren’t a pack, but by remaining together we haven’t lost our minds, or I hope we haven’t, maybe we have? We aren’t like the other rogues.” Zayn watches him carefully, cautiously.
“Other rogues?” I repeat.
“Alpha Dane and Alpha Samuel, they got rogues doing their dirty work. They ordered the attack at that hotel Council meeting a couple of months back. We don’t associate with them; they’re not safe, they have mostly lost their humanity.”
Zayn’s jaw clenches, the mention of Alpha Samuel and Alpha Dane sparking a dark fire behind his eyes.
“Come on,” I tell the rogue man, leading him toward the kitchen, so I can make him something to eat.
I motion for the man to sit on the stool at the island and open the fridge, looking for something to make him. I pull out ingredients for a sandwich. Zayn leans against the door watching me, his aura isn’t as angry and violent anymore, although I can tell he doesn’t trust the rogue at all, refusing to take his eyes off the man. The rogue’s eyes dart around the kitchen, his posture tense, like a cornered animal. His gaze settles on Zayn, and I can see the flicker of recognition in those haunted depths, a silent plea for some semblance of mercy.
I add layers of turkey and cheese, tomato slices, cucumber, lettuce - everything I can think of not knowing what he likes. Maybe I should have asked if he has allergies, I think to myself. Surely, he would have mentioned he was allergic to these things, since he is watching me. Glancing at the man, he doesn’t seem comfortable around us, which I can’t blame him for when Zayn was only threatening to kill him moments ago.
When the sandwich is ready; I slide it across the counter to him, he hesitates for a second, so I grab him a bottle of water from the fridge, all while being very aware of Zayn’s eyes watching me.
His hands shake as he tries to open the bottle of water, taking huge gulps of it down like he hasn’t had anything in days.
“Thank you,” he mumbles around a mouthful of food, staring at his sandwich.
“Eat, we’ll talk after,” I tell him before feeling Zayn’s chest press to my back. The rogue’s eyes dart to him behind me when he speaks.
“Eat, I won’t hurt you,” Zayn tells him before pressing his lips to my shoulder. The man takes a bite, and eats slowly like he is savoring every bite.
“So, what’s your name?” I ask
“Blake,” he mumbles around food. “Cleo, right?” he asks before taking another bite.
“Correct,” I tell him
“How long since your last meal?” Zayn asks Blake.
“Three days,” he admits, and I chew my lip.
“So why did you agree? You had to know it was suicide?” Zayn coaxes out.
The rogue man swallows his food before answering, “Mitchel the Alpha’s Beta said our Alpha would take us back, that we could come home. I haven’t met him, but Mom didn’t want us to go, she said she won’t ever bow to him.”
“Him? You mean Alpha Joseph?” Zayn asks when I point to the other half of the sandwich, telling him to eat. He shakes his head. “I’ll save it for my sister,” he murmurs.
I look at Zayn, but he doesn’t comment about Blake’s sister. “You said you didn’t know who sent you?” Zayn states.
“I don’t, it was the first time I had seen the Alpha. I only know the Beta’s name because of Jamie,” he states.
