Chained to the Enemy Alpha

Lily's eyes widened in shock. Zayn's question echoed in her head. She shook her head frantically, refusing to believe it was true. In heat? No, that couldn't be right.

But the burning sensation spreading through her body told a different story. Every inch of her skin tingled with hypersensitivity. Zayn's scent filled her nostrils, making her dizzy with desire and lust.

"No," she mouthed silently while shaking her head, her hands trembling too much to sign properly.

She shook her head frantically in denial, even as her body betrayed her with waves of undeniable heat flowing through her veins. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not with him.

She tried to step back, to put distance between them, but her legs wobbled treacherously. The mere brush of fabric against her skin felt like torture, heightening her sensitivity to unbearable levels.

Zayn's nostrils flared again as he caught another wave of her scent—sweet, intoxicating, and unmistakable.

"I can smell it, Lily," Zayn said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. His pupils dilated as he inhaled deeply. "Your scent has changed."

Lily tried to pull back, mortified by what was happening to her body. She lifted her hands to sign an apology, but Zayn caught them gently.

"Don't apologize," he said firmly. "Heat cycles in she-wolves can be unpredictable. There's nothing to be ashamed about."

His understanding only made her feel worse. She'd never been more aware of his presence. His strong hands holding hers, the hard planes of his chest visible through his shirt, the way his jaw clenched as he struggled with his own control.

"Can you walk on your own?" Zayn asked, his voice tight with restraint.

Lily tried to take a step, but her knees buckled beneath her. The heat pooling in her core made it impossible to focus. She shook her head helplessly.

"I'm sorry," Zayn muttered before scooping her off the ground.

The sudden contact drew a soft moan from her lips. She immediately clamped a hand over her mouth, mortified by the sound. But the damage was done. Zayn's body stiffened, his arms tightening around her.

"Lily," he groaned, his voice strained. "You need to try to control yourself. Your scent is…" He didn't finish the sentence, but the tension in his body told her everything.

"We need to get you to your room," he said through gritted teeth. "You need… privacy."

Zayn hurried toward the connecting entrance to the packhouse, holding Lily against his chest. Her body burned everywhere they touched. She bit her lip hard, trying to distract herself from the overwhelming urge to press herself closer, to touch him, to taste him.

She just wanted his hands on her burning skin, his lips on hers, his body pressed against hers.

She cut off her thoughts, horrified by their direction, yet unable to truly banish them. Her mate mark throbbed on her neck, a pulsing reminder of their connection.

Just as they approached the doorway, footsteps echoed from the corridor ahead. Zayn froze, his body going rigid.

Zayn froze suddenly, his head snapping up. "Footsteps," he whispered. "Someone's coming."

He looked around frantically. They were trapped. Without hesitation, he darted back into the kitchen, his eyes scanning for somewhere to hide.

"We can't be seen like this," He whispered, quickly retreating into the kitchen.

His eyes scanned the kitchen for an escape route. The footsteps grew louder, voices accompanying them now. It was the night shift guards on patrol.

Lily could hear Zayn's heart pounding in his chest. Realizing they were in danger, she did her best to concentrate her vision to help. Being found like this would fuel gossip for months. Worse, in her current state, she didn't trust herself not to do something inappropriate.

She tugged at Zayn's shirt, drawing his attention. With shaking hands, she pointed towards a half-open door. The pantry.

Without hesitation, Zayn darted across the kitchen. He slipped through the door, careful not to bump Lily against the frame, and eased it shut behind them with barely a sound.

The pantry was small, lined with shelves of preserved foods and cooking supplies. There was barely enough room for both of them. Zayn had no choice but to hold Lily a little tighter, so that they would not bump into the shelves.

The pantry quickly filled with Lily's scent, making it impossible for them to ignore what was happening. Lily's breathing grew more labored with each passing second. Being confined in this tiny space with Zayn was both torture and bliss.

His scent surrounded her, calling to her on a primal level.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't stop herself from leaning closer. Her fingers clutched at his shirt collar as she nuzzled against his neck, instinctively baring her own to expose her mate mark.

The mark pulsed with heat, throbbing in rhythmic pattern with her heartbeat.

"Lily," Zayn whispered, his breath hot against her ear. "You need to try to resist the urges. If…"

He clenched his jaw, his free hand curled into a tight fist, knuckles white from the strain of maintaining control.

"If you don't stop," he continued, voice barely audible, "I'm worried I'll lose control too."

Outside the pantry, footsteps entered the kitchen. Lily let out a whimper. Worried the guards would hear her, Zayn covered her mouth gently, his eyes pleaded with her to remain silent.

"Did you hear something?" a male voice asked from the kitchen.

"Yeah, sounded like it came from in here," another responded.

"What's that?" The first voice was closer now.

Lily held her breath, terrified of being discovered in such a compromising position. The mate mark on her neck throbbed painfully, demanding attention. Her body trembled against Zayn's, not from fear but from the overwhelming need building inside her.

"Look at this mess," one guard said. "Someone spilled food all over."

"Check over there," the second guard ordered, footsteps approaching the pantry door.

Footsteps approached the pantry door. Lily's eyes widened in alarm as she stared at Zayn. His expression remained calm, though she could feel the tension in his muscles.

The door handle jiggled slightly. Lily held her breath.

"Hey! It's break time! You coming or what?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Probably just some kitchen staff being sloppy. Let's go."

Zayn and Lily listened as the footsteps retreated completely, until the kitchen fell silent once more. Relief flooded Zayn. He waited a few minutes more before removing his hand from Lily's mouth.

"That was close," he whispered.

He reached his hand towards the handle, turning it slowly before pulling the door inwards. Light from the kitchen shone into the pantry. Just as he was about to peer out, Lily pulled Zayn back.

"Lily, what—" Zayn's words were cut off as Lily pressed her lips against his.

The contact sent shockwaves through her body, intensifying the heat tenfold. Her hands clutched at his shirt, drawing him closer.

'Please,' she mouthed against his lips, the word clear despite her silence.