Chained to the Enemy Alpha

Lily stirred awake. The sunlight made her squint while she waited for her vision to refocus. She blinked several times, pulling the soft covers closer to her body as she rubbed her eyes. A familiar comforting scent enveloped her, bringing a soft smile to her face.

However, as Lily's vision began to clear, it hit her.

This wasn't her room.

She was completely naked under the sheets.

The bed was larger, the sheets more luxurious. The familiar comforting scent that surrounded her wasn't her own. It was Zayn's scent.

Lily sat up with a jolt, clutching the sheets to her chest as memories flooded back. The pantry. His hands were on her body. The way he'd taken her against the door, on the floor…

Her cheeks burned hot as she buried her face in her hands. She remembered how she pleaded with Zayn to take her. How had she been so bold? The heat had driven her to do things she never imagined herself doing.

Zayn stirred next to her. His muscular harm reached across the space to where she had been lying. Lily froze. He opened his eyes slowly, dark lashes framing those intense eyes that had watched her come undone beneath him.

"You're awake," he said, his voice husky from sleep.

He let out a yawn, quickly noticing Lily's expression.

"Are you alright?"

Lily nodded quickly, too embarrassed to meet his gaze. She needed to escape, to process what had happened between them. She slid toward the edge of the bed, but Zayn's hand caught her wrist.

"Where are you going?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. He sat up, the sheet falling away to reveal his chiseled chest covered in scars. "Lily, talk to me."

She pulled away gently, spotting a robe draped over a nearby chair. She darted across the room, grabbed it, and wrapped it around herself, tying it securely at her waist. She fumbled with the robe belt in her panic, making things more difficult.

'I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't expect… I was in heat… I need to go back to my room,' She signed, hands trembling but moving quickly.

Zayn frowned, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't have to run away."

But Lily was already heading for the door, her bare feet padding silently across the room. She needed space, needed to think clearly without his intoxicating scent clouding her judgment.

Once in the hallway, she hurried into her room, grateful that it was early enough that no one else seemed to be around. She closed her door behind her and leaned against it, her heart pounding in her chest.

What had she done? She'd practically thrown herself at him in that pantry. The memory made her slide down to the floor, her legs too weak to support her.

She wrapped the robe tighter around herself, only to realize it smelled like him—sandalwood and something uniquely Zayn. The scent brought fresh memories of his body pressed against hers, his lips on her skin…

A knock on the door startled her so badly she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Lily? It's me." Zayn's voice came through the wood. "Please, I just want to make sure you're okay."

She remained silent, pressing her hand against the door. She bit her lip, uncertain if she was making the right decision. What if Zayn mistook this as her rejecting his touch? She pressed her ear against the door to listen.

She could feel Zayn lingering just outside the door. But after a few seconds, she heard footsteps moving away. Lily sighed in relief, resting her forehead against the door. She wasn't ready to speak to him just yet.

A noise from behind made Lily turn sharply. She watched with wide eyes and an open mouth as Zayn climbed over the balcony. His movements were swift and precise.

Before she could even speak, he was already inside her room,

"I'm sorry," he apologized while holding up his hands in surrender. "But when you didn't answer, I got worried."

He approached her slowly, as if afraid she might bolt. When he reached her, he cupped her chin gently, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.

"Why did you run away?" he asked softly.

Lily hesitated, biting her lip. She signed, 'I'm sorry about what happened. I was embarrassed by how I acted.'

Confusion crossed Zayn's face. "Yesterday?"

Lily nodded, her cheeks burning again at the memory.

A small smile played at the corner of Zayn's mouth. "Lily, that wasn't yesterday. That was the day before."

Color drained from Lily's face. The day before? How was that possible?

"You slept through all of yesterday," Zayn explained, his thumb brushing lightly across her cheek. "I tried to wake you for meals, but you were out cold. I was starting to get concerned."

Lily stared at him in disbelief. She'd slept for an entire day? That couldn't be right. But the serious look in Zayn's eyes told her he wasn't joking.

"I guess I wore you out more than I realized," he added, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes.

Lily's cheeks flushed an even deeper red. She buried her face in her hands again, mortified. Zayn chuckled, the sound low and warm as he gently pried her hands away from her face.

"Don't be embarrassed," he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "There's nothing to apologize for. What we had was…" He paused, seeming to search for the right word. "Exhilrating."

The way he looked at her, with heat still simmering in his gaze, made her pulse quicken. There was something different about him now, something softer in the way he regarded her.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, changing the subject. "We could go down to the dining hall for breakfast."

Lily immediately shook her head. The thought of facing others, of them somehow knowing what she and Zayn had done, was too much to bear.

'I can't,' she signed frantically. "Everyone will know. They'll see it on my face."

Zayn's expression softened. "No one saw us, Lily. We were careful."

'But the gap in the door…'

"You have nothing to worry about. No one saw us or heard us. I swear it on the Moon Goddess herself."

His words were reassuring, but Lily still felt exposed, vulnerable. She pulled the robe tighter around herself, suddenly aware that she was wearing his clothes, surrounded by his scent.

"I promise you," Zayn continued, his voice gentle but firm. "No one knows what happened between us except for you and me."

The sincerity in his eyes made her believe him. If Zayn was willing to swear on the Moon Goddess, then it must be true. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly as she let out a shaky breath.