Chained By The Alpha Jessica Hall

"And all this because Clara petitioned for full custody of Cleo. You knew once my father signed off on it, you would be exposed for forcing her to sign. Cleo was your leverage; you had no pack without her, so you killed Clara." Zayn chimes in, filling in the blanks

The crowd turns to my father, their expressions a mix of horror and disbelief. I stare at my father, my heart is breaking under the weight of his betrayal. My legs feel weak, and I struggle to keep my balance as I slowly nod my head. My father's betrayal hits me like a ton of bricks, shattering the image I had of him

"I... Lcan't believe it," I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion, and Zayn looks at me

in apology like he knows exactly how crushing this is for me to hear

The room stays silent for what feels like an eternity until, one by one, people start to speak up. Some asking for more evidence, some expressing their disbelief, and others whispering among themselves about what this could mean for our packs

I watch in shock as my father's once loyal followers turn against him, disgust and anger written on their faces, while he tries to convince them he didn't do it. It's clear that they no longer see him as the strong and just leader they once believed him to be. Desperation has him turning to face me

"He's lying, baby girl," My father pleads, looking at me. "He doesn't know what he's talking about." he says, moving closer to try to

take my hands, but I step back. "Cleo?" my father pleads, but tears stream down my face. He killed mom, stole my pack, and tried to sell me off for a pack alliance

"No," I whimper, shaking my head. I can hardly breathe; the betrayal is too much, too sudden. I feel the lump in my throat grow larger, my vision blurrier as tears flood my eyes once more

I shove away from my father, stumbling back

"You're not my father," I choke out through clenched teeth

The room falls silent again, the atmosphere thick with tension, and I can feel every ounce of it pressing down on my chest. The betrayal is too much to bear

"Cleo," he pleads once more, his voice cracking

His eyes are filled with unshed tears. But his desperation doesn't move me anymore. Not after

what he's done

My knees feel weak, and I almost crumble under the weight of this revelation. But Zayn is there by my side, his touch a comforting balm on my soul. He takes my hand in his, intertwining our fingers, grounding me

Linda, who had been silent until now, stands, her expression one of dawning horror. "Joseph?" she whispers, her voice crackingNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

My father turns to face her, a mix of fear and guilt evident on his face. Linda's eyes search his for answers, but all she finds 1s betrayal

"How could you?" she asks, shaking her head in disbelief. "All these years we've been married and you kept this from me?"

"T-I had no choice," my father stammers, his

voice weak and unconvincing. "I was doing it for our pack."

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"And what about our bond? Us? Your daughter!" Linda asks, turning to look at me with tears in her eyes. "Did you even think about what this would do to her? To us?"

My father looks at me with a pained expression on his face. It's clear that he knows he's been caught out, that his lies have finally caught up to him

My father, now visibly shaken, looks at his wife and then at the crowd, his facade crumbling. "I did it for us-for the pack! She was taking everything!" he exclaims, but his voice is hollow, the truth echoing louder than his words

Zayn steps forward to address the crowd and media, and the final blow 1s ready it seems

"And here," he says, holding up another piece of paper, "1s the proof. This is the original title of the pack, signed over to Cleo by Clara," he states before turning to my father. "She was three steps ahead of you; she knew you would force her. That's why she signed off on it the day before you forced her before my father. That is why my father agreed to witness. He knew she no longer owned the pack. Cleo did. And this document was just another Alpha Dane was blackmailing you with. What he didn't know was that Greyson had the original, which Clara gave him for safe keeping."

The evidence is overwhelming. The room is thick with tension and betrayal, every eye on my father as he collapses to his knees, defeated. As Zayn''s words hang in the air, Alpha Greyson steps beside him, nodding in agreement