Chapter 96: A Place We Call Home

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: A Place We Call Home After the long journey on Zayn’s back, Lily felt a wave of relief at their arrival. Her muscles ached from maintaining her position, and her freshly bandaged wounds throbbed with each movement. She got off Zayn’s back to stretch her legs, wincing at the pain. She gasped in amazement at the new packhouse. It was a mansion, three stories of stone and timber that reached towards the sky. There were gardens stretched out behind the main building, paths winding through flowerbeds and lush green trees. “Lily,” Zayn’s commanding voice cut through her thoughts. She turned to find him standing uncomfortably close, his imposing frame blocking the sun. His face remained unreadable, but his eyes tracked her every movement. “You will carry out the punishment you’ve chosen for the warriors,” he said, his voice low enough that only she could hear. “Report to me when you’re done.” Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, blending into the wolves who hurried around them. Lily’s stomach knotted. She glanced at Ragnar and Axel, who stood nearby, glaring at each other. After their fight during the journey, tension crackled between them like lightning. Martha hurried to her side, providing silent support as Lily gathered her courage. She waved at them to follow her. Ragnar and Axel exchanged wary glances before following Lily to a quiet corner of the courtyard. Other pack members rushed around them, carrying boxes and furniture into the new packhouse. ‘Your punishment is simple,’ Lily signed with Martha translating. ‘You will work together today and follow my orders.’ “That’s it?” Axel asked, suspicion edging his voice. “Just follow you around?” Ragnar elbowed him. “Show some respect.” He then turned back to Lily, “Sounds easy enough. We’ll do as you wish, Luna.” Lily held up her hand, silencing them both. A small, determined smile curved her lips as she continued signing. “There’s one more condition,” Martha said, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. “You’ll be tied together. One leg and one hand each.” “What?” both men exclaimed in unison. Martha chuckled as she finished translating. “Oh, I like this punishment, Luna.” “You can’t be serious,” Axel protested. Ragnar crossed his arms. “This is ridiculous.” Lily stood her ground, signing firmly. “Luna Lily says this is non-negotiable,” Martha translated. “Either accept the punishment or face Alpha Zayn’s judgment instead.” The two warriors exchanged glances, mutual dislike momentarily overshadowed by fear of what Zayn might decree. Finally, Ragnar nodded. “Fine,” he said grudgingly. “Let’s get this over with.” Minutes later, Ragnar and Axel were tied together. Their right hands were tied at the wrists while their adjacent legs were secured at the ankles. Every movement required coordination and cooperation, which was exactly what Lily had intended. “This is ridiculous,” Axel muttered as they attempted to walk toward the first stack of boxes Lily had pointed to. “Shut up and walk,” Ragnar growled, trying to match his steps to Axel’s. They stumbled forward, nearly falling twice before reaching the boxes. Lily watched with satisfaction as they struggled to coordinate their movements. Jett, who had been watching from nearby, couldn’t suppress a snicker. “This should be entertaining.” “Shut it,” Axel growled, already struggling to maintain his balance. ‘Now,’ Lily signed, ‘help unload the wagons.’ The first fifteen minutes were utter chaos. Every step became a negotiation, every movement a battle. They stumbled, cursed, and nearly fell multiple times trying to carry a single box. “Left foot,” Ragnar barked. “I am stepping with my left foot!” Axel snapped back. “Your other left, you idiot!” They crashed into a doorway, dropping the box they’d been struggling with. Lily watched, arms crossed, refusing to intervene. By the third box, something changed. They began coordinating without thinking, settling into a rhythm born of necessity. Right foot, left foot, together. Their movements became smoother, their arguments less frequent. “On three,” Ragnar said, and Axel nodded, no longer fighting the instruction. As they moved through the packhouse, Lily noticed the sideways glances and whispers that followed her. A group of she-wolves snickered as she passed, their eyes filled with judgment and disdain. “Look at her pretending to be Luna,” one whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. “I heard she can’t even shift,” another added. Ragnar and Axel exchanged looks, both clearly hearing the comments. Axel seemed surprised by the blatant disrespect, while Ragnar’s jaw tightened with anger. Lily was all too familiar with the insults; it no longer fazed her. Most wolves spoke as if she were deaf, not mute. Over the years, she’d learned to ignore most of them. Lily led them to one of the main living rooms on the ground floor. A stocky wolf was surprising the placement of furniture, barking orders. Lily signed instructions about where to place some boxes of kitchenware. But before Martha could help translate, the wolf deliberately turned away. “I don’t understand that hand-waving nonsense,” he said dismissively. “Besides, I don’t need your instructions, just stay out of the way.” Lily clenched her jaw, face red. Martha stepped forward, fury in her eyes, but Ragnar moved faster, dragging Axel with him. “You will respect your Luna,” Ragnar snarled, grabbing the wolf’s shirt with his free hand. The sudden movement yanked Axel off-balance, causing him to curse as he struggled to stay upright. “Damn it, Ragnar! A little warning next time!” The wolf sneered. “Luna? She’s just a mute trophy the Alpha keeps around.” Ragnar’s fist connected with the wolf’s jaw, sending him stumbling backward. Axel, rather than fighting against Ragnar’s movement this time, steadied himself and took a fighting stance beside him. “Say that again,” Axel challenged, his eyes flashing with unexpected anger. Lily rushed forward, placing herself between the men. She shook her head frantically, signing quickly. ‘Enough,’ Martha translated. ‘I appreciate you defending me, but there’s no need for more fighting.’ The wolf wiped blood from his lip, glaring at Lily. He tried taking a step toward her, but Axel and Ragnar put themselves between them. Axel said coldly. “Disrespect our Luna again and we’ll drag you across this new hardwood floor, bloodied and bruised, to see our Alpha.” Ragnar stared down the wolf, backing Axel’s threats. The wolf paled. His eyes darted away, unable to meet their glares. He muttered a half-hearted apology. Martha relayed Lily’s original instructions to him, and he scrambled to pick up one of the boxes and left. Lily stared at the pair, unable to hide her surprise. They had defended her together. By sunset, Ragnar and Axel moved almost seamlessly. They anticipated each other’s movements and moved in unison. When they sat to rest briefly, she caught them in actual conversation, Ragnar laughing at something Axel said. As the day’s work concluded, Lily approached them. Ragnar and Axel stood before her, sweat-soaked but oddly unified, waiting for her to untie them. Instead, Lily signed with a small, mischievous smile. Martha helped to translate. ‘You’ve both done well today. Your punishment will continue for three more days.’ “Three more days?” they exclaimed in unison. Lily nodded firmly, suppressing a smile at their identical expressions of horror. “But Luna—” Axel began. “We’ve learned our lesson,” Ragnar finished. Lily simply shook her head and signed again. ‘Building respect takes more than a day. You two best get comfortable.’ Axel and Ragnar looked at eachother in defeat. They hung their heads low and accepted their punishment. After Lily watched them walk away in defeat, she turned back to Martha, exhausted from the journey and the unpacking. She was holding her small suitcase in her hands. “I’ll put on a nice hot bath to help you relax after you’ve settled into your new room,” Martha said with an encouraging smile. Jett and Ryker approached, offering to escort them. “Alpha Zayn assigned you the room next to his, at the end of the hall,” Jett explained. The main staircase swept upward in an elegant curve, leading to a long corridor lined with doors. As they approached the far end where Zayn’s and Lily’s rooms were located, a loud crash echoed through the hallway. Everyone froze. Another crash, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Jett and Ryker exchanged alarmed glances. Lily rushed forward, her heart hammering in her chest. Everyone rushed forward, worried that something bad might have happened to Zayn. Lily saw the half-opened door with light streaming into the corridor. She hesitated for a brief moment before pushing the door open. The room was in ruins. Furniture had been overturned and torn apart. There was a shattered mirror on the ground, glass shards strewn everywhere. The wallpaper was torn. Porcelain vases that were meant to decorate the shelves lay broken on the wooden floor. Zayn stood in the center of the destruction, chest heaving, eyes wild with rage. As she entered, he hurled a lamp against the wall, glass exploding in a shower of glittering shards. He spun toward the door, freezing when he saw Lily. For a moment, something like vulnerability flashed across his face. It happened so quickly that she thought she might have imagined it. Then his expression hardened, eyes narrowing as he stalked toward her. Jett and Ryker moved protectively closer, but Lily held up a hand, signaling them to stay back. Zayn stopped inches from her, looming over her smaller frame. His breath came in ragged pants, his hands clenched at his sides. “This is all your fault,” he growled, voice dangerously low. “Do you know what you’ve done?”