Chained to the Enemy Alpha
Chapter 85: Hidden Secrets

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Hidden Secrets

The infirmary was bustling with activity, filled with the scent of herbs and healing balms. Talia stood at a counter, grinding herbs with a pestle and mortar, her back facing the door.

“Just set it on the table, Lance. I’ll—” Talia turned, her words halting when she saw Lily. Her face brightened immediately. “Lily! What a pleasant surprise!”

Lily smiled and waved as she entered the room. Her hands were wrapped in clean bandages.

“I haven’t seen you around the main packgrounds for days,” Talia said, wiping her hands on her apron. “I was starting to worry. Where have you been hiding yourself?”

Lily chuckled lightly, hands moving quickly to sign a response when Talia caught sight of her bandaged fingers. Her healer’s instinct kicked in immediately. fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)

“Goddess above, what happened to your hands?” Talia rushed forward, gently taking Lily’s hands in hers. She turned them over, examining the bandages with a critical eye. “And look at this dirt under your nails! Have you been back working in the fields?”

Lily shook her head quickly, pulling her hands back to sign.

‘It was a secret. I’ll tell you about it when it’s done.’

Talia raised an eyebrow, curiosity clearly piqued. “A secret? That doesn’t explain these wounds.” She gestured toward a chair. “Sit. At least let me take a look at them.”

Before Lily could protest, the infirmary door swung open again. Ezra walked in. Lily hadn’t seen him since their conversation days ago, where he stopped her from approaching Zayn. She quickly realized she hadn’t heard from Zayn in a few days either.

“Lily,” He called out to her, voice weary, “Zayn is looking for you.”

Lily lit up, pointing at herself as she looked to Ezra for confirmation.

Ezra nodded, gesturing to her, “Come, quickly.”

She was about to get out of her seat when Talia protested, “Wait! Your hands!”

‘It’s okay. I’ll come back later!’ Lily signed to Talia.

Lily followed Ezra out of the infirmary, practically jogging to keep up with his pace. She pulled out her small notebook and scribbled quickly before tugging at his sleeve.

“How is Alpha Zayn?” Ezra read aloud from her note. He sighed heavily. “Exhausted. Frustrated. We’ve been searching for a treasure vault that your father and brother supposedly left behind.”

Lily’s brow furrowed as she wrote another question.

“We’ve gone through every document in the packhouse,” Ezra explained, rubbing his temple. “Interrogated every former pack member who served Alpha Grayson. Nothing. It’s like we’re chasing our own tails.”

They turned down the hallway leading to Zayn’s study, Ezra’s footsteps slowing as they approached.

“We need this, Lily,” he added quietly. “The pack’s resources are stretched thin.”

Lily nodded, understanding the weight of his words. When they reached Zayn’s study, Ezra knocked firmly.

No response came from within.

Ezra knocked again, this time calling out, “Zayn, I’ve brought Luna Lily as requested.” f r\eew,eb novel.c(o)(m)

“Enter,” came the gruff reply.

Ezra pushed open the door, revealing Zayn hunched over his desk. Papers were scattered everywhere, maps and documents covering every inch of the surface. He didn’t look up as they entered, fully focused on the parchment before him.

Lily’s heart sank at the sight of him. His shoulders were rigid with tension, his jaw clenched tight. When he finally lifted his gaze, the coldness in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. Gone was the warmth she’d come to know; this was the Zayn from before, the one who had rejected her.

She stepped forward, more determined to help solve his troubles than before. Lily lifted her hands to sign. She suggested checking the secret vault they had previously found in the forest. The one littered with books.

Zayn and Ezra exchanged a look.

“It might be worth a try. We’ve exhausted all other options,” Ezra added.

Zayn pondered over the suggestion. He turned to Lily.

“Lily, do you have any information on the rumored treasure vaults? Any information or clues on where they might be?” He asked with diminished hope.

Lily bit her lip, avoiding his gaze as she shook her head. He watched her carefully with disappointment as she began to sign.

‘Alpha Grayson never saw me as his daughter. If he ever shared the information, it would only have been with Xavier.’

Zayn stood slowly, his movements stiff from having sat for many hours. He didn’t offer her any kind words. Though it stung, Lily brushed it off.

“Fine,” he said, his voice flat. “Let’s check the vault then.”

The silence that followed them out the packhouse was deafening. Lily, who had grown accustomed to walking beside Zayn, found herself trailing behind instead, her eyes fixed on the ground.

They entered the forest, making their way through to reach the secret vault hidden in a clearing. When they arrived, Ezra positioned himself by the trapdoor entrance.

“I’ll keep watch,” he said. “You two go ahead.”

Zayn pulled open the trap door, holding it open for both Lily and him to enter. The scent of old books and parchment rushed to greet them. Lily felt an unexpected sense of comfort. It felt safe and welcoming.

“I’ll look here, you check there,” Zayn suggested, pointing out the section he wanted her to check. Lily silently nodded and got to work.

“There must be something here,” he muttered, pulling books from shelves and flipping through them rapidly. When one yielded nothing of interest, he tossed it to the ground with a heavy thud.

Another book followed, then another.

The sound of each impact made Lily wince.

Lily wanted to say something. To ask him what made him so on edge. But Ezra’s warning echoed in her mind.

‘It’s best not to disturb him... You’re the last person he wants to see right now.’

Instead, she focused on her own search, carefully examining the shelves. Her fingers traced the spines of old books, hoping to find anything that seemed out of place.

As she moved deeper into the vault, her attention was caught by a stack of papers wedged between leatherbound books that looked different from the others. She carefully removed one from the shelf to flip through it.

Columns of numbers filled the pages, each labelled carefully. Lily’s eyes widened. It was an accounting ledger. She picked up another and flipped through it. Same thing.

Realizing she was likely in the right spot, Lily’s heart jumped. She carefully removed all the similar leatherbound books, loosening the small stack of papers wedged between them.

Her breath caught in her throat as she read through the papers, recognizing the handwriting instantly.

Her father’s handwriting.