Chapter 10: Barely Breathing

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Barely Breathing The room spun around her as Lily tried to open her eyes. She lay still on the bed, her skin damp with sweat. Fever burned through her like wildfire, leaving her delirious. Her wrists, though now free, still throbbed from the chain that had once bound them. She didn’t remember being unchained. She didn’t remember anything but pain. Everything hurt. Her head. Her chest. Her heart. But through the fog, she heard soft crying. It was a voice she knew. Martha sat by Lily’s bedside, her hands trembling as she wrung a damp cloth into a bowl. Lily’s face was flushed, her breaths shallow. Sweat soaked her hair. The fever had taken hold fast. “Stay with me, child,” Martha whispered, pressing the cloth to her forehead. Lily felt a warm hand brush her hair gently from her forehead. Then another hand slid into hers, squeezing tight. Martha... she tried to mouth, but it was so difficult moving her cracked lips. “I’m here,” Martha said shakily, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m right here, sweetheart.” Lily blinked slowly, trying to focus. Her vision blurred and doubled. Why... she mouthed, her lips dry. Why did you stay? Martha sucked in a breath, wiping her eyes quickly with her sleeve. “Because someone had to,” she whispered. You should’ve left, Lily mouthed, the words forming inbetween deep breaths. I’m not... worth it. “Don’t you dare say that.” Martha’s voice cracked. “You didn’t ask to be born into a family of monsters. And now... that damn Alpha. He’s lost his heart. How could he do this to you?” Her mind suddenly flashed back to when he had forced himself inside her. Pain had burst through her like fire. She had gasped silently in tears. Her body had frozen with shock. But the pain hadn’t lasted. Slowly, it dulled, giving way to something warmer, a pressure in her belly she didn’t understand. Her body had moved on its own, hips twitching, breath catching. She felt everything, his frustration, his pain, his need to control everything. Then, something changed. He slowed down. His movements faltered, like his mind had gone somewhere else. She felt him hesitate, like he was suddenly unsure. His breathing hitched. Lily dared to glance up. His face wasn’t angry. It was in anguish, like he was trapped in a hell he couldn’t escape from. And just like that, he pulled away. He cussed at himself and pulled at his hair. He didn’t look at her. He just got up and left. He hadn’t finished what he started, and she didn’t know why. But whatever had stopped him, had shaken him. Lily shook her head. Her breath came in slow, shaky pulls. The Alpha... he’s not cruel. Martha drew back a little, startled. “Not cruel?” Her eyes flashed. “Lily, after what he—” I saw it, Lily continued, eyes glazing. His pain. In his eyes. The way he looked at me... He’s suffering too. She coughed weakly, and tears slid from the corners of her eyes. What they did to him... what his people went through... it’s worse than what I’ve suffered. Martha shook her head in disbelief, but Lily’s mouth kept moving. I don’t blame him. The maid stared at her, completely heartbroken. I just... Lily mouthed, her eyes starting to roll back. I just wish I could help him through his pain. He’s lost so much. Her mouth stopped moving and she went still. “Lily?” Martha leaned closer, panic creeping into her tone. “Lily?” She slipped under again, her breathing uneven. Martha bit back a sob and clutched her hand tighter. “I’m not leaving you,” she whispered fiercely. “No matter what he does... I’m not leaving you.” *** The moon hung high above the forest, casting a cold silver light over the trees as wind whispered through the branches. Zayn’s wolf tore through the woods like the wind. Fast, wild, and untouchable. Leaves scattered beneath his paws. His breath came hard and hot. Through the trees, over roots and rocks. But no matter how far or fast he ran, Lily’s scent still clung to him. A mix of wildflowers and pain. It soaked into his fur and seeped into his skin. He tried desperately to escape the feel of her warmth, the sound of her silence, the scars and the blood on the sheets. Guilt followed him like a ghost. It’s been a long day for him and he didn’t think it would end like this. He hadn’t gone in there with any plan in mind. But the moment he saw her, vulnerable and asleep—when everything he had loved had been ripped from him—he snapped. And now, he hated himself. He stared up at the moon and howled. This wasn’t the kind of Alpha Irene would have loved. What had he become? He ran until his muscles burned, limbs ached and the pain in his chest dulled the storm in his head. Then he stopped. A deer stood in the clearing, alert and frozen at the sight of him. Zayn’s wolf launched at it without hesitation. His fangs sank deep, and with a single violent twist, he snapped its neck. The animal crumpled beneath him, its blood warm and thick against his fur. He didn’t stop. He tore into it. Ripped flesh. Crushed bone. His growls echoed through the trees as he tore the creature apart like it had wronged him. And not far away, watching from the shadows, stood Victoria. She had seen him leave the packhouse—barefoot and shirtless. She hadn’t called out. Just followed the lingering scent he left behind. Now she stood behind the trees, hidden by brush, heart racing as she watched him tear into the carcass ferociously.) He shifted. Bones cracked. Fur receded. He stood there, broad, scarred, blood still clinging to his hands and chest. “I know you’re there,” he said calmly, voice low but clear. “Come out.” Victoria stepped into the clearing with a small, confident smile. She stopped a few feet from him, arms crossed loosely, head tilted as she looked him over. “You’re covered in blood,” she said, her voice soft but laced with curiosity. “Why are you out here running all by yourself?” Zayn said nothing. Victoria stepped closer, her sharp nose didn’t miss the scent clinging to him—faint but distinct. Lily. That was why she had followed him in the first place. She could smell the girl on him, even under the blood. And though she kept her face calm, her insides twisted with a quiet fury. “I was worried,” she said softly. “You stormed out so fast... I didn’t know if you were going to come back.” Zayn didn’t answer. His eyes narrowed slightly, the moonlight sharpening the hard lines of his face. “You’ve been through a lot,” she continued, voice like silk. “You shouldn’t be alone.” “I came out here to be alone,” he said flatly. Victoria took a slow step closer. “Zayn... you don’t have to carry all this pain by yourself. Let me share your burden.” Her eyes dropped to his bare chest, to the blood and sweat and the angry tension in his shoulders. “You’re tense,” she said softly. “Let me help. You need someone who knows what you like. Someone who doesn’t flinch when you touch them.” He looked at her, finally. There was no warmth in his eyes. She stepped even closer, pressing against him gently. Her hand moved to his chest, sliding upward. Her lips brushed his jaw. “Let me take care of you,” she said. He didn’t stop her. Not at first. But his body stayed stiff. His mind was somewhere else entirely. Victoria kissed his neck, dragged her fingers down his stomach. “I know exactly what you need, Alpha.” But the moment her hands slid lower, he stepped back. Her brows lifted, confused. “Zayn?” He shook his head slowly. She reached out, fingertips brushing along the line of his arm. Zayn caught her wrist and held it firmly. “I don’t want this,” he said, voice rough. “Not from you.” Her lips parted, stunned. “I need a clear head,” he continued, releasing her hand. “I’ve got a pack to rebuild. Two of them, now. One wrong move and everything we’ve gained will fall apart.” Victoria tried to recover, pushing a step closer. “Then let me help you take a load off your shoulder.” “What are you talking about?” Zayn turned to her. “Your little mute slave,” She pointed out. Zayn’s jaw tightened. “She’s mine to deal with.” “How about putting her to better use?” He glanced at her, saying nothing. “She could work,” Victoria offered with a shrug. “Out in the fields. Keep her out of sight and out of mind. Let me handle it, let me share your burden.” He met her gaze, steady and cold. “And you’ll make sure she survives?” “Barely,” Victoria said, forcing a small smile. “Just enough to keep her breathing.” His wolf stirred uneasily, but he hesitated briefly, then gave a slow nod. “Fine. Do it,” he said quietly.