Chapter 37: Debts And Guilt

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Debts And Guilt Zayn burst into the healer’s station, holding Lily in his arms. Blood was smeared across his chest, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about the cold glares or hear the whispers that followed him down the hallway. All he saw was her. "Is that—?" "He’s carrying her?" “She’s just a slave. Why—?” Zayn’s jaw clenched, his eyes scanning the room. A healer stepped forward, then stopped when he saw who Zayn held. His nose wrinkled. “Alpha, that girl—she’s a prisoner. A slave. She doesn’t belong here.” “She’s wounded,” Zayn snapped, voice low and dangerous. Another healer muttered under his breath, “She’s the daughter of our enemy. You really want us wasting herbs on her?” Zayn’s eyes burned. “Say that one more time.” They shut their mouths but none dared to move forward. Then a voice spoke up behind them. “I’ll do it.” Zayn turned. It was Bianca’s mate, Kael, one of the youngest pack healers. He stepped into view, already pulling on gloves and rolling up his sleeves. “Set her down, Alpha.” Zayn lowered Lily onto the table. She whimpered faintly, her head shifting against his palm. “She’s breathing,” Zayn said quickly, eyes darting over her. “But barely.” “I see it,” Kael muttered, checking her pulse, his brow creasing. “She’s losing blood fast. We’ll need to close the wound and get something into her. What did she take before this?” Zayn blinked. “I don’t know... Alcohol maybe.” Kael raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask questions. “And this injury?” “I...” Zayn hesitated, looking down at his shaking hands. “It was an accident.” Kael gave a slight nod but didn’t question further. Zayn looked around the room searching—and then he saw him. “Ezra!” he barked. Ezra stopped mid-step, his face pale and drawn. Zayn marched over and grabbed Ezra by the collar, eyes burning. “How did she end up there? ” But before he could say another word, Ezra’s fist came flying. The punch landed clean across Zayn’s jaw, snapping his head to the side. Zayn staggered back a step, stunned, the grip on Ezra’s collar slipping as he steadied himself. “That’s what you care about?” Ezra snapped, eyes blazing. “Have you forgotten the one who’s been bleeding for you since day one?” Zayn’s hand clenched at his side, his knuckles white. “No, shut up and listen for once,” Ezra barked. “While you were busy holding Lily like she’s the only thing that matters, Victoria was lying on a basement floor, barely conscious and covered in claw marks. Your claw marks.” Zayn flinched. He looked back at Ezra, eyes filled with guilt. “She’s the one who’s been by your side since we were enslaved. She’s the one who took beatings for you. Who ran cover when we escaped? Who kept you safe even when it nearly got her killed?” He stumbled back, unable to say a word. “You haven’t even looked at her,” Ezra muttered. “She’s right there, Zayn.” Zayn looked across the ward, toward the wing they’d placed Victoria in, and guilt sank in heavily. Ezra’s jaw clenched. “You’re really just going to stand here while she’s bleeding out across the room?!” Still no response. Ezra stormed over and grabbed his arm. He yanked Zayn across the ward, past the shocked stares of a few pack members, until they stood directly at Victoria’s bedside. Ezra’s voice was softer now, but no less firm. “You owe her this much.” Victoria lay on a cot. A healer stitched up the claw marks across her ribs while another cleaned the dried blood from her shoulder. Her face was pale, and her jaw clenched. Zayn’s chest tightened at the sight of her. As if sensing his presence, Victoria’s eyes flickered open slowly. The second her eyes landed on him, they narrowed. “I see you finally remembered me,” Victoria muttered, her voice hoarse but edged with hurt. Zayn slowly pulled a chair closer and sat beside her, his jaw tight, the guilt settling deeper now that he was facing her. She turned her head away from him and stared at the ceiling. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with her?” Zayn stayed quiet for a moment, then said, “She almost died.” Victoria let out a soft, bitter laugh—but it cracked halfway. “And I didn’t?” Zayn’s head dropped slightly, and he didn’t have anything to say. Not because he didn’t care—because he did. But how did he fix what he’d done or what he hadn’t? “Victoria...” “No. Don’t,” she cut in. “You... you didn’t even look at me.” Zayn lowered his head. “I...” “I almost died for you,” she whispered, voice cracking. “And you only see her.” The healer stepped back from Victoria’s side, wiping his hands. Zayn glanced up at him. “How is she?” he asked quietly. The healer hesitated. “Her wounds aren’t healing like they should, Alpha. She lost a lot of blood.” Zayn looked down at her, watching the rise and fall of her chest. Her skin was still too pale. Without a word, he stood, brought his wrist to his mouth, and bit down hard. Blood welled up quickly, warm and red, trailing down his arm. He sat beside her again and held it out. “Take it. It’ll help you heal.” Victoria blinked at him, her brows furrowing. Zayn didn’t waver. “Please. Just take it.” Victoria turned her head away. “I don’t want your pity.” “It’s not pity.” “No? Then what is it, Zayn? Guilt?” Zayn said nothing. Then he leaned closer, his voice low. “You can hate me if you want. But you’re not dying on my watch.” Before she could protest further, he brought his wrist to his mouth, took a mouthful of his own blood—and leaned down. She tried to turn away, but he caught her chin firmly but gently. She froze. Their lips met. She resisted at first, tense beneath his touch. But her body was too weak. The blood slid past her lips and down her throat. She swallowed without meaning to. When he pulled back, she stared at him in stunned silence, breath shaky and eyes glassy. His blood trickled down the side of her lip. “You’re not dying on me, Victoria. I won’t allow it.” Zayn whispered as he wiped the blood off the side of her lips. “It’s not like you’re giving me a choice,” she whispered, tears in her voice. “I know,” he said quietly, looking down at his hands. Across the ward, Lily laid quietly on the cot, wrapped in clean bandages, her skin still pale from blood loss. She hadn’t moved much since Kael finished treating her. The room buzzed with low voices and footsteps, but her eyes stayed fixed in one direction. Her chest felt tight, like something sharp and heavy was lodged right behind her ribs. It wasn’t the wound that hurt—it was deeper than that. Invisible. Suffocating. She watched silently as Zayn sat by Victoria’s bedside, speaking softly, eyes only for her. She didn’t understand why it hurt so much. Why was her throat burned? Why did her heart ache like it had been stepped on? “Lily? Lily!” Martha came rushing in, eyes wide with worry. She was the only one who had come to check on her since Kael finished bandaging her. “Lily,” Martha said, rushing to her side and crouching beside the cot. “Talk to me—what happened? What did they do to you?” Lily looked at her, but didn’t move. Her eyes were wide and distant. Martha frowned. “Come on, dear. Talk to me. Use your hands, anything. Please.” Still nothing. Martha glanced over at Kael, who was nearby wiping his hands. “Kael, do you know what happened to her?” He shook his head. “No one’s said anything. Alpha Zayn dropped her off here. She hasn’t said anything since.” Martha turned back, her chest tightening. Lily’s lip trembled. Her eyes glistened, like she was trying to hold everything in. And then it broke. The tears started to fall, slow at first, then faster as her body began to shake. “Oh, Lily,” Martha breathed, reaching for her. “Tell me what’s wrong. Where else does it hurt?” Lily didn’t speak. She just lifted her hand, trembling, and pointed to her chest, then jabbed it over her heart repeatedly. Martha’s face crumpled. She pulled Lily into her arms and held her close, rocking her gently. “I’ve got you,” she whispered. “Hush...I’ve got you.” And Lily cried harder—because that ache inside her wouldn’t go away.