Chapter 139: Irreplaceable

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Irreplaceable Lily hurried back to the courtyard, her heart heavy with worry for Martha. The old woman had been her rock through everything, and now she’d have to face the Capital and all its dangers without her most trusted ally. As she approached, she spotted Zayn with Victoria by his side. His face was twisted with annoyance. “Where have you been?” Zayn snapped, his voice sharp. “We’re already behind schedule.” Several pack members glanced her way, quickly averting their eyes. Victoria stood smugly at Zayn’s side, her perfect lips curved into a satisfied smirk. The moment Zayn caught sight of Lily’s face, however, his expression shifted. His brows furrowed with concern instead of anger. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice softening as he stepped toward her. Lily’s hands moved quickly, explaining what had happened to Martha. Ragnar stood beside her, translating for those who couldn’t understand her signs. “Martha fell and sprained her ankle badly,” Ragnar explained. “She won’t be able to travel with us to the Capital.” Zayn’s face remained unreadable, but he nodded in understanding. Victoria let out a dramatic sigh. “All this fuss over a maid? Really, Lily, you act like she’s irreplaceable.” She stepped forward, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. “Martha is just a servant. We can easily find you another.” Lily’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Martha wasn’t just a maid. To Lily, she was family. She was the only person who’d shown her kindness when everyone else treated her like trash. “I have the perfect candidate for you, Luna Lily,” Victoria continued. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She snapped her fingers, and a young woman stepped forward and presented herself to them. “This is Elaine,” Victoria introduced, “She can serve as your maid for this trip, Luna Lily.” Elaine bowed her head respectfully, keeping her eyes downcast. “It’s an honor to serve the Luna,” she said softly. Lily stared at the woman, suspicious of how quickly Victoria had found a replacement. Something didn’t feel right. “And don’t worry,” Victoria added sweetly, “Elaine understands sign language. I made sure of that.” Lily glanced at Zayn. He gave her a reassuring nod and whispered to her, “If you don’t like her, I’ll arrange for someone else.” With his reassurance, Lily felt a little better. “Luna Lily says thank you,” Ragnar translated on Lily’s behalf. Her gratitude was directed at Victoria. “We need to leave now if we want to reach the first checkpoint by nightfall,” Zayn announced. “Everyone to your positions.” Lily stood frozen for a moment, still processing everything. Elaine shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. “I’ll do my best to serve you well, Luna,” the new maid whispered. With Martha’s warning still ringing in her ears, Lily gave Elaine a cautious nod. She had little choice but to accept the situation for now. The entourage began their journey shortly after. The warriors took their positions around the travelling party. Zayn shifted into his massive black wolf form at the head of the procession, and Victoria immediately moved to his side. Lily hesitated, unsure where she should be. “Luna,” Ragnar murmured beside her, “you should ride with Alpha Zayn. It’s tradition for the Alph and Luna to lead the way.” Before Lily could respond, Zayn padded back to her, his wolf’s golden eyes meeting hers. He lowered himself slightly, a clear invitation for her to climb onto his back. Victoria’s face contorted with poorly concealed rage as Lily carefully mounted Zayn’s powerful wolf form. She felt his muscles ripple beneath her as he straightened, turning to lead the procession once more. As they moved through the forest paths, Lily caught Victoria glaring at them multiple times. The woman’s eyes burned with jealousy, but she kept her mouth shut. Whatever Victoria was planning, Lily knew she would need to be careful. The journey to the Capital took three full days. They traveled through dense forests, across rolling hills, and along well-worn trade routes. At night, they made camp, with warriors standing guard while others rested. Lily slept in Zayn’s tent each night, huddled close together. Elaine proved competent and efficient. She attended to Lily’s needs without complaint, but rarely spoke unless spoken to. Lily tried to engage her a few times, but the woman seemed determined to keep their relationship strictly professional. On the morning of the third day, Zayn announced they would reach the Capital before sundown. Lily felt her stomach twist with anxiety. The Capital meant royalty, politics, and potential enemies at every turn. Without Martha’s guidance, she felt woefully unprepared. By mid-afternoon, the sprawling city came into view. Massive stone walls surrounded the Capital, with guards posted at every entrance. As they approached the main gate, Zayn shifted back to human form, as did the rest of their group. “Remember,” Zayn said quietly to Lily as they dressed, “you represent our pack now. Stay close.” The guards at the gate stopped them, requesting to see their invitation. One of them scrutinized the document with narrowed eyes, taking far longer than seemed necessary. “Is there a problem?” Zayn asked, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. Before the guard could respond, a voice called out from behind the gate. “Let them through! They’re guests.” A man who looked strikingly similar to Ezra strode toward them. His hair was longer than Ezra’s, and he carried himself with a more relaxed confidence, but the resemblance was unmistakable. “Zephyr,” Ezra said, breaking into a rare smile as he stepped forward to embrace his twin brother. Zephyr returned the hug before turning to bow respectfully to Zayn. “Alpha Zayn, welcome to the Capital.” Zayn nodded, “You look... different.” Lily took a closer look at what Zephyr wore. She recalled the last time they had met, only realizing then he had been away from the pack for some time now. He was dressed in fine tailored garments. He spoke candidly to Zayn and Ezra. “I’ve made some friends, made a few deals here and there...” she overheard him say. As they passed through the gates, Lily’s eyes widened. The Capital was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Stone buildings lined wide streets paved with cobblestones. Merchants called out from colorful stalls, selling everything from exotic fruits to intricate jewelry. Wolves from all walks of life hurried about their business, some dressed in finery that rivaled Victoria’s most elaborate outfits. “Impressive, isn’t it?” Ezra commented, noticing her awestruck expression. “The Capital houses over fifty thousand werewolves from different packs.” Lily felt overwhelmed by the noise, the smells, and the sheer number of wolves. Her hand instinctively reached for Zayn’s, seeking an anchor in this sea of unfamiliarity. Zayn glanced down at their joined hands, then at her face. Without a word, he squeezed her hand reassuringly. The simple gesture calmed her racing heart, and she offered him a small smile in return. They continued through the bustling streets, with Zephyr pointing out important landmarks. As they passed an open market area, the delicious smell of roasted corn wafted through the air. Lily’s stomach growled audibly, and she realized she hadn’t eaten since morning. A vendor stood behind a small cart, turning ears of corn over hot coals. The golden kernels glistened with melted butter, and the aroma made Lily’s mouth water. She glanced longingly at the stall as they passed. Zayn caught her look and suddenly stopped. “Wait here,” he instructed the group before walking directly to the corn vendor. “Alpha Zayn, we should keep moving,” Victoria called after him. Zayn ignored her completely. He exchanged a few words with the vendor, handed over some coins, and returned with a steaming ear of corn. “Here,” he said, offering it to Lily. “You should eat something.” Lily looked up at him, eyes wide. ‘You bought it for me?’ She signed. “Take it,” Zayn insisted, his voice gentler than usual. “We still have a way to go before reaching our accommodations.” With a grateful smile, Lily accepted the corn. The first bite was sweet and buttery, better than anything she’d tasted in days. As she enjoyed the simple treat, she caught Victoria’s venomous glare from the corner of her eye. But for once, Lily didn’t care.