Lily carefully lifted a crystal totem from its crate to examine it under the sunlight. It was shaped like a wolf, gleaming green in her palm.
“Look at this one,” Martha whispered beside her, holding up a red teardrop-shaped crystal. “They’re all so different.”
Ragnar grunted, examining a blue sphere. “Different colors, different shapes. What could this mean?”
Lily nodded, placing the wolf totem back into its crate. She’d spent weeks gathering these crystal totems with her small team, but they were only now getting a chance to properly catalog them. The warehouse space Zayn had given her was perfect. Private and secure, with enough room to spread everything out.
She picked up another totem, this one shaped like a small owl with purple crystal. The craftsmanship was remarkable, every feather meticulously carved. These weren’t just magical objects; they were art.
‘We should sort them,’ she signed to Martha and Ragnar. ‘But we’re going to need some help.’
Martha nodded. “Good idea.”
Lily sent a messenger to fetch Jett, Ryker, and Axel. While they waited, she began emptying crates and arranging the totems on the large table by color.
Within twenty minutes, all three warriors arrived. Jett immediately approached with a friendly smile, while Ryker and Axel hung back, waiting for instructions.
“You needed us, Luna?” Jett asked, his eyes widening at the collection spread across the table. “Wow, that’s a lot of totems.”
Lily nodded, quickly signing her plan. She wanted them sorted by color first, then by shape. Each group would need careful labeling and documentation.
Jett translated for the others, and they got to work. Ryker’s large hands were surprisingly gentle with the delicate items, while Axel methodically created an organization system for the crates.
“The red ones feel warm,” Ryker commented after an hour of work. “Like they’re alive.”
Jett nodded eagerly. “And the blue ones are cool to the touch. I wonder what that means.”
“Power differences, perhaps,” Ragnar suggested gruffly. “Red for fire, blue for water maybe.”
Lily’s hands moved quickly as she signed to Martha. ‘I think there’s more information in those books we found in the forest vault. I should go check.’
Martha frowned. “Now? It’s getting late.”
Lily glanced out the window, and the sun was indeed beginning to set. But curiosity burned within her. She needed answers.
She signed again, determined. ‘We need to understand what we have. I’ll ask Zayn for permission to go.’
Lily gathered everybody, thanking them for their hard work, informing them they could rest for the day. None of them protested her decision. Only Lily felt energized, her mind racing with possibilities.
She found Zayn in his office, poring over maps with Ezra. Both men looked up when she entered.
“Lily,” Zayn acknowledged, his tone almost positive. Things had been different between them since the night in the garden.
She signed her request, explaining about the crystal totems and her theory about the information in the forest vault.
Zayn considered for a moment. “Take Ragnar and two others with you. Don’t return too late.”
She nodded gratefully and hurried to gather her small team.
The forest vault was just like she remembered, with the smell of old books and wood. Lily followed her gut, heading straight to the section where she remembered seeing books about magical artifacts.
Her fingers traced the spines, pulling our promising volumes one by one. Once she had a stack, she sat down on the floor and began reading. She flipped through book after book, disappointment growing with each page she turned.
Where there should have been detailed information about crystal totems, she found torn pages or vague descriptions she already knew. Someone had deliberately removed the most valuable information.
After hours of fruitless searching, Lily slumped against a bookshelf, frustration evident in her expression.
“Luna?” Jett asked, concerned. “Did you find anything?”
She shook her head, signing that it was time to go back.
The journey to the packhouse was quiet. By the time they arrived, night had fallen completely. Lily’s stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since morning.
“Have you not eaten, Luna?” Jett asked when he noticed.
Lily pursed her lips, shaking her head.
Jett looked concerned. He looked towards the dining hall, quick to notice there were no lights.
“I could make you something–”
Lily shook her head. ‘It’s alright, Jett. I’m fine. You and the others need rest, I’ll see you in the morning.’
Before he could respond, Lily hurried into the packhouse. Her mind was swirling with questions about the missing pages. Who removed those pages? And Why?
Lost in thought, she wandered the dimly lit corridors of the packhouse. Her feet moved automatically while her mind raced through possibilities. She didn’t notice the approaching figure until she collided with him.
Strong hands steadied her, preventing her from falling backward. Lily looked up, mortified to find herself face-to-face with Zayn.
“Sorry,” she signed quickly, taking a step back.
Zayn studied her face, his expression shifting from surprise to concern. “You look troubled. Did something happen at the vault?”
Lily hesitated, then signed about the missing pages and her frustration at hitting another dead end.
“These totems could be valuable for the pack,” she continued signing. “But without understanding them properly...”
An audible stomach gurgle filled the silence. Lily clutched her stomach, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. The sound echoed in the quiet corridor. She couldn’t even look Zayn in the eye.
“Lily?” Zayn called for her attention, but she still refused to look at him.
Zayn gently cupped her chin and tilted her to face him.
“When did you last eat?” Zayn asked, his voice softer than usual.
Lily opened her mouth but quickly closed it right after. She tried to remember when she had last eaten. She couldn’t remember.
She signed, ‘I ate recently.’
Right on cue, her stomach betrayed her with another rumble.
The corner of Zayn’s mouth twitched, almost forming a smile. “Come with me.”
He led her through the corridors to the dining hall. At such a late hour, they were the only ones there.
“Sit,” he instructed, pointing to a chair near the hearth.
Lily obeyed, watching curiously as Zayn disappeared into the kitchen. She heard cabinets opening and pots clanging. Was he looking for leftover food?
When he reappeared, he was tying an apron around his waist. Lily’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Were you expecting someone else to do the cooking?” He mused as he shrugged his shoulders, “There’s no kitchen staff at this hour, so you’re stuck with me.”
He rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms marked with scars.
‘You’re going to cook for me?’ She signed, still in disbelief.
The mighty Alpha Zayn Knightmoon, a feared leader and ruthless warrior, was going to cook for her?
“What?” he asked, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. “You think I survived as a slave without learning how to make food?”
Lily shook her head quickly, signing an apology.
“Good,” he nodded. “Now sit there and rest. You’ve had a long day.”