Chapter 100: Hidden Beneath

Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Hidden Beneath The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the field into a furnace. Ragnar wiped sweat from his brow, leaving a streak of mud across his tanned skin. Two days of digging had left the warriors exhausted, their muscles aching from the repetitive motion of breaking through the hard-packed earth. “Moon goddess, this heat is unbearable,” Ragnar muttered, plunging his shovel back into the dirt. The shovel struck something solid, sending a jarring shock up his arms. Jett looked up from his section a few feet away. “Found something else?” Ragnar carefully brushed away the soil, anticipation fueling him. “Just another rock,” he sighed, tossing it onto their growing pile of discarded stones. “How many of these crystal things does the Alpha expect us to find anyway?” Axel grunted from his position. “As many as Luna Lily can unearth, apparently.” There was no malice in his tone—just tired resignation. “Speaking of unbearable,” Ryker whispered, his voice low enough that only those nearby could hear, “I’m starving. We’ve been at this since dawn with no break.” Ragnar was about to complain about the heat again when movement at the edge of the field caught his eye. He squinted against the sunlight, making out two figures approaching with what appeared to be a wagon. “Look there,” he said, nodding toward the newcomers. The wolves turned to see Lily struggling to pull a wooden wagon across the uneven ground, Martha walking beside her. Even from this distance, they could see the effort it took for Lily to haul the heavy load, her small frame straining with each step. Despite the obvious difficulty, she refused to stop, determination etched on her face. “She’s pulling that by herself?” Axel asked, his tone incredulous. Before anyone could answer, the scent of fresh food wafted toward them on the breeze. The warriors dropped their tools and ran towards Lily. “Luna Lily brought us food!” Jett announced unnecessarily, already jogging toward her. Ragnar watched as the wolves swarmed around the wagon. Lily stepped back with a smile. Martha began distributing warm, wrapped meals to the warriors. “Toasted sandwiches,” Ryker said reverently, unwrapping his portion. “Still warm!” Lily moved among them, handing out water canteens with a gentle smile. Her hands moved swiftly despite their obvious redness from pulling the wagon. She didn’t wait for thanks, just made sure everyone received their share before stepping back. Ragnar accepted his sandwich with a nod of appreciation. “Thank you, Luna.” Lily’s hands moved in the sign language he was still learning to understand, but he recognized the gesture for ‘you’re welcome’. As soon as the food was distributed, Lily picked up an abandoned shovel and moved to an unworked section of the field. Without hesitation, she began digging, her slender arms driving the tool into the earth with surprising force. After receiving the maps and information Ezra and Zayn had gathered about the crystal totems, she had mapped out the most probable locations. Though she still wondered about her own connection with the totems, that wasn’t important now. Zayn had assigned her a task, and she intended to do her best. Exceed his expectations to prove her worth. “She doesn’t even rest,” Jett observed between bites, watching as Lily worked. Axel nodded. “Been that way since we started. Worked twice as hard as any of us.” “And finds more totems, too,” Ryker added. “I don’t know how she does it.” The warriors gathered in a loose circle, enjoying their unexpected meal while keeping their voices low. Ragnar walked over to the other warriors. All of them were formerly from Thunderpaw. Though they were blending well, Ryker and the others, the divide was still obvious on occasion. Especially when they wanted to talk about Lily. “It’s a shame, really,” Ragnar said quietly, making sure Martha and the others were out of earshot. “If she weren’t so weak, if she had her wolf, she’d make a great Luna.” “She’s earned my respect,” One of the other wolves admitted reluctantly. “Never thought I’d say that about her.” One of the younger warriors looked at Ragnar curiously. “If you think she’s weak, why did you pledge loyalty to her first during the ceremony? Why not directly to Alpha Zayn?” Ragnar spat the water he was drinking on the grass, “Zayn will never truly be my Alpha. Right now, Lily is all we’ve got. She’s the logical bet.” “Alpha Zayn still treats her like shit most days,” another warrior muttered. “After everything she’s done—” Unbeknownst to them, Martha heard their conversation. Without a word, she walked over to Lily. She was now kneeling in the dirt, carefully extracting something from the ground. “They’re talking about you again,” Martha said softly, kneeling beside Lily despite her aging joints protesting the movement. “Ragnar thinks you’re weak without your wolf, but he respects your effort.” She hesitated. “And they’re saying unkind things about Alpha Zayn’s treatment of you.” Lily paused in her work, a small crystal totem cradled in her palm. She looked over at the group of warriors, then back to Martha. Her hands moved gracefully. ‘They’re right about me being weak,’ she signed. ‘But I will get stronger. I have to.’ Martha frowned. “You heard them?” Lily nodded, her expression calm. ‘Their words don’t hurt me. They fuel my determination to work harder.’ She carefully placed the totem in a basket, already half-filled with similar crystals. With renewed determination, she resumed digging, her movements precise despite her obvious fatigue. Martha patted her shoulder affectionately. “That’s my girl.” Just as they were about to resume digging, a commotion caught their attention. Warriors scrambled to their feet as they saw who approached, quickly returning to their assigned areas. Lily stood up straight, brushing dirt from her clothes as best she could. A smile began to form on her lips at the sight of Zayn. But she quickly noticed a familiar silhouette walking next to him. One that made her heart ache. It was Victoria. She wore an impeccable white sundress, completely inappropriate for a work site. She positioned herself uncomfortably close to Zayn, her hand brushing against his. Lily’s smile faltered, but she maintained her composure, waiting as the group approached. Victoria walked with exaggerated care across the uneven ground. As they neared the workers, she stepped directly in front of Ragnar, who was returning to his section. Ragnar extended his foot out. Victoria’s ankle caught against it, sending her face-first into a muddy patch of freshly turned earth. The warriors fell silent. Some struggled to hide their chuckle and smirks as Victoria shrieked. Her pristine white dress was now splattered with dark mud. “My ankle!” Victoria wailed dramatically, clutching at her leg. “That brute tripped me on purpose! Zayn, did you see what he did?” Zayn’s eyes flicked to Ragnar, who maintained a carefully neutral expression, then to Victoria sprawled in the dirt. He didn’t acknowledge her. He walked past her to get to Lily. “Show me what you’ve found so far,” he said, ignoring Victoria’s continued complaints. Lily nodded, showing him the basket. She held up some of the larger crystal totems for Zayn to inspect. His eyebrows rose in appreciation. “Impressive, is this all you’ve found?” he asked, taking one of the crystals and examining it against the sunlight. Lily shook her head. She pointed to a wheelbarrow in the distance covered by a piece of cloth. Martha wheeled it over and unveiled its contents. Zayn’s eyes widened as he saw the wheelbarrow filled with crystal totems, “You’ve found more than I expected. Good work.” Victoria struggled to her feet, her face contorted with fury. “Alpha Zayn! Look at my dress! My ankle is sprained!” Lily glanced over at Victoria for just a second, then back at Zayn. If he was going to ignore her, she would do the same. “These will help us greatly with funding. We might just be able to tide us through winter with this,” Zayn continued. Lily’s hands moved quickly. ‘You plan to sell them?’ “Yes,” he confirmed. “The raw material alone is worth a small fortune. Ezra did the calculations.” Lily hesitated, then signed again. ‘May I make a suggestion?’ Zayn nodded, curiosity evident in his expression. ‘Perhaps we should consult an expert before selling them,’ Lily suggested. ‘There might be more to their value.’ Zayn studied her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “That’s a good idea,” he acknowledged. “These markings look ancient. They might have historical significance we’re unaware of.” Pride blossomed in Lily’s chest at his approval. It was rare for Zayn to praise her ideas so openly. Victoria, seeing she was being ignored, limped dramatically to Zayn’s side. “Alpha, my ankle—I need medical attention,” she whined, clutching his arm. “Ezra,” Zayn called without looking away from the crystal in his hand. “Yes, Alpha?” Ezra stepped forward immediately. “Take Victoria back to the packhouse. Have her ankle checked.” Victoria’s mouth fell open in shock. “But Alpha—” “We’ve seen enough of your little act for one day,” Zayn cut her off dismissively. Victoria was fuming but unable to speak. Ezra ushered her away, but not before she shot Lily a venomous glare. “I’m feeling a little hungry. Let’s head to the dining hall for a meal,” Zayn said without skipping a beat. Lily blinked, momentarily stunned. The warriors were quiet, watching the exchange with undisguised interest. Lily hesitated, her eyes darting to Martha, who gave her an encouraging nod. ‘Now?’ she signed. “Now,” Zayn confirmed. “The fields can wait until tomorrow.”