Chained to the Enemy Alpha-Chapter 154: A Risky Gamble

"What… what happened back there?" Ragnar asked between gasps of air.

Ragnar and Lily finally had a chance to catch their breath. They'd managed to escape Zayn's pursuit for now. They no longer heard his footsteps or his voice echoing down the hallway.

"Everything was fine when I left. Why was he so worried about Victoria all of a sudden? It doesn't make sense," Ragnar added, confused by the situation.

The more he thought about it, the more confused he was. He remembered seeing how loving Lily and Zayn were before he was given a task that took him out of the castle. How could things get this bad in a matter of days?

Lily's hands trembled as she began to sign. She told him about Zayn's transformations on the full moon. She told him about the vial, about how he forgot about her.

"What were you doing in the room?" Ragnar continued to ask.

She told him about why she was there. She had gone to get the coin Hunter had given to her. In case she would need it. She showed him the coin she had gotten.

'I didn't know at first, but Zayn was there. Then, he collapsed in pain, and when I tried to help him, Victoria came in with Ezra. She accused me of hurting Zayn and dragged me out… You know what happened after,' She signed, removing the part about how Zayn had thrown her against the wall.

"That conniving bitch!" Ragnar spat, slamming his fist against the stone wall. "She's been plotting against you from the start. How can Zayn not see who's truly loyal to him? Who truly cares?"

"I should march back there right now and—"

Lily grabbed his arm, shaking her head frantically.

'No. We need to get to Talia. She'll know what to do.'

"But Lily, this…"

Lily tightened her grip on his arm. She knew he meant well, but right now, returning to Talia was their best course of action.

Ragnar growled low, but nodded reluctantly, "Fine."

With Lily guiding the way, they returned to Talia's quarters. Lily knocked quietly in a specific pattern they'd established earlier.

The door opened immediately. "Thank the Moon Goddess!" Talia exclaimed as she wrapped Lily in a tight embrace, "I was beginning to fear the worst."

She quickly ushered them inside before locking the door behind them. Under the warm lights of the room, Talia quickly realized how disheveled Lily looked. Her cheek was bright red, too.

"What happened?" Talia asked, looking to Lily and Ragnar for answers.

Ragnar recounted the night's events while Lily sank into a chair, exhaustion evident in her slumped shoulders. When he finished, Talia's face hardened with anger.

"I should've never agreed to let you go on your own," Talia sighed as she examined the red mark on Lily's cheek.

Lily shook her head, 'I would not have agreed to let you come along. It's too dangerous.'

Talia bit her lip. She carefully applied a cool salve on Lily's cheek, "I know. But if I were there, maybe he…"

Seeing how much it affected Lily, Talia decided to change the subject.

"You mentioned Zayn collapsed in pain… that was when he saw the coin, right?"

Lily nodded.

'Do you think it's linked?' Lily asked.

She had wondered about that herself, but wasn't sure.

"That's what I'm suspecting," Talia explained, "It seems like whenever he touches or sees something that holds meaning to both of you, memories resurface. The pain is likely linked to his struggle to remember."

Hope flickered in Lily's eyes.

'Do you really think this could bring the real Zayn back?' Lily asked.

Talia nodded slowly. "I believe so. If we expose him to it more, he might just regain his memories. The right ones."

Ragnar frowned. "That sounds dangerous. What if it makes his condition worse?"

Lily bit her lip.

'Ragnar is right. If it backfires, or he regains his memories, what if it causes his transformation to worsen?'

The whole reason Zayn took the risk of consuming the vial Alva gave him was to avoid the complications the transformation brought. Negating its effects would put everything they've worked so hard for in jeopardy.

"It's a risk," Talia admitted. "But it might be our only chance to bring the real Zayn back."

"It's too risky," Ragnar shook his head, "If it fails, Alpha Zayn would no doubt wish to get rid of you. It is my duty to protect you, Luna Lily. I gave Martha my word before we left, and I intend to keep it."

Lily looked at him, 'What are you saying?'

Ragnar clenched his jaw, "Perhaps it is time to consider leaving, Lily. "

Lily's heart dropped. She looked down at the coin Hunter had given to her, resting in her palm. It was an escape route, a way out.

Ragnar knelt before Lily, "I made a promise to protect you, and I intend on keeping it. If you wish to remain, I will fight to the death for you. But I cannot guarantee your safety. If you wish to leave, I will ensure he will never find you ever again."

Hunter's words echoed in Lily's mind too.

'If you wish, I could make you disappear. Take you somewhere Zayn would never find you. Somewhere, no one will ever hurt you again.'

But another memory surfaced in her mind. Zayn was holding her, protecting her.

'I promise, Lily, I'll never hurt you ever again. No matter what happens, I'll keep you safe.'

That was the real Zayn. The man she'd fallen in love with. The man who'd risked everything to protect her, even when it put him in danger. He had always promised to protect her.

Now it was her turn to do the same for him.

Lily closed her fingers around the coin and shook her head firmly.

'I'm not leaving,' She signed firmly, 'I'm his Luna. It is my duty to protect him when he can't protect himself.'

Talia smiled softly. "Your loyalty is admirable, Lily. Zayn doesn't deserve you."

"He certainly doesn't," Ragnar muttered.

Talia walked over to a small chest beside her bed. "Actually, there's something I wanted to give you. I've been working on it for a while now, but I wasn't sure if it was ready."

She returned to Lily's side with a small vial in hand. It was filled with a golden liquid, the color of honey.

She handed it to Lily to examine.

'What is this?'

"It's an experimental cure I've been developing. It might be able to restore your voice."

Lily widened her eyes in shock. She stared at the vial in her hands. Could this really bring her voice back?

"Zayn asked me to look into this months ago. I've been researching what might have caused you to become mute. We determined that it was likely a type of wolfsbane poison, given to you when you were a baby. It likely damaged your vocal cords and suppressed your wolf."

Talia saw the flicker of hope in Lily's eyes as she held up the vial; the liquid shimmered under the light.

"I don't want to get your hopes up, Lily. Even I don't know if it's going to work," She confessed.

Lily's hand instinctively reached for her throat, her heart pounding.

'How certain are you that it will work?' she signed, her hands trembling.

"Fifty percent," Talia said sternly, "It's never been tested before."

'What about side effects?'

"I don't know," Talia admitted honestly. "That's the risk. It could do nothing. It could work perfectly. Or there could be side effects I haven't anticipated."

"May I have a word with you in private, Lily?" Ragnar asked.

Lily looked to him.

'Whatever you wish to say, you can say it here.'

"Are you sure you can trust Talia, no offence."

"None taken. After all that has happened, I understand," Talia added.

"Remember what happened with Alva? Thanks to her, Zayn doesn't remember you at all."

Ragnar crouched down to meet Lily at eye level, "Martha asked me to protect you, and that's exactly what I intend to do. Taking this untested cure… is it worth the risk?"

Lily looked to Talia, then Ragnar. Talia had every right to be mean to her, but she had been nothing but kind. She had even gone against her mother's wishes to let Lily stay. Ragnar was loyal too. He even went as far as to defy Zayn's orders outright.

Looking at the vial in her hand, Lily touched her throat again. She remembered how helpless she felt, unable to speak. All the times others had spoken for her, over her, about her.

Getting her voice back was worth the risk.

"Lily, please," Ragnar pleaded. "Think about this."

'I've thought about it more times than I can count. This is a risk I must take.'