Lily scrambled to her feet as the door burst open.

"What is she doing here?" Victoria snarled, her face contorting with rage, with Ezra close behind her.

Lily's heart pounded in her chest as Victoria narrowed her eyes at her.

"Ezra, arrest her! Look at what she's done to Zayn!" Victoria ordered, as if she were in charge.

Ezra hesitated, unmoving. Irritated by his lack of response, Victoria marched over to Lily and slapped her across the face. The sharp sting made Lily's eyes water as she crumbled onto the ground.

"Victoria!" Ezra grabbed her arm before she could strike again. "Zayn needs you."

Hearing Ezra say that stung, but Lily knew her place. She bit her tongue. Victoria clicked her tongue, wrenching her arm free.

"Get her out of here," She hissed before turning to Zayn.

Ezra glanced over at Lily, expression unreadable, "You shouldn't be here, Lily. Now's not the time. Go."

Lily shook her head frantically and signed, 'I need to make sure Zayn is okay first.'

"You're the reason he's hurting!" Victoria spat, "Can't you see? All you've done is hurt him. Look at what you've done!"

Zayn's face twisted in pain and anger. With a growl that rumbled from deep in his chest, he shoved Victoria away.

"I don't need your help," he snarled.

Victoria stumbled back, her expression momentarily shocked before hardening again.

"Zayn, please–"

"I said I don't need your help!" Zayn roared in anger, sending a shiver down Victoria's spine.

She clenched her jaw, lowering her head in defeat before turning to lock eyes with Lily.

"Fine," She muttered, "You get some rest. I'll take care of this."

Before Lily could react, Victoria was already in front of her. She grabbed Lily by the arm and dragged her towards the door. Lily tried to resist but was no match for Victoria's strength. They stumbled into the hallway.

Victoria slammed her against the wall, knocking the air out of Lily's lungs.

"You just couldn't resist, can you?" Victoria's voice was low and dangerous as she pinned Lily against the wall, "Why won't you just die?"

Lily squinted her eyes closed, bracing for impact. She didn't know what Victoria was going to do, but she knew it was going to be bad. But as each agonizing second ticked by, nothing happened.

"Let… let go of me!" She heard Victoria yell.

Lily opened her eyes. Someone caught Victoria's wrist mid-air.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ragnar growled, his grip on Victoria's wrist tightened as she squirmed in pain.

"Release her, or I won't just be breaking your wrist," He warned.

Victoria released her grip on Lily. Ragnar caught her before she hit the ground. He stood between the two women, creating distance between them.

Seeing the situation turn didn't sit well with Victoria. Taking advantage of the situation, she let her body go limp, falling dramatically to the ground as if Ragnar had pushed her violently.

She cried out in pain, drawing more attention to herself.

"How could you? You… you attacked me!" She shrieked in pain.

Ragnar looked at Victoria in disbelief, "You were the one who attacked Luna Lily. I was protecting her."

"Luna?" Victoria scoffed as she pretended to struggle unsuccessfully to her feet, "That position doesn't belong to her! She stole it!"

She turned her attention back to Lily and continued, "All you've done is poison Zayn. Hurt him, deceive him, ruin him!"

The words cut deep. Lily's heart ached, but she hid it all away and kept her face neutral. She wouldn't give Victoria the satisfaction.

Before Lily or Ragna could react, Victoria produced a hidden blade and sliced her own forearm. Blood seeped from the fresh wound as she cried out in pain. She dropped the blade at Lily's feet, eyes gleaming with triumph as if she had already won.

Victoria screamed as she clutched her bleeding arm, bringing on the waterworks as she crawled back towards the room.

"Zayn! Help! She's trying to kill me!" She cried, face streaked with tears.

Lily's blood ran cold. She looked down at the bloodied knife at her feet. Would Zayn believe she was innocent?

"Victoria? Victoria!" Zayn's voice made Lily look up. He was already at the doorway, holding Victoria in his arms.

Victoria looked up at Zayn, muttering something weakly before going limp. Her head tilted to the side, facing Lily. She flashed Lily a smile only she could see. Looking at Zayn's expression, Lily knew.

Victoria had won.

Zayn's expression quickly turned from worry to rage. His eyes followed the trail of blood, leading to the blade at Lily's feet.

"How dare you!" Zayn snarled, his voice barely recognizable.

Ragnar felt a shiver run down his spine. He had never seen Alpha Zayn like this before.

Lily frantically shook her head, trying to explain, but there was no time. Zayn lunged at them.

Ragnar's reflexes kicked into motion. He remembered his promise to Martha before they left the pack. Lily's safety was his priority. He grabbed Lily and dodged Zayn's attack at the last second.

Zayn hit the wall.

"We have to go, now!" He grabbed Lily's arm, pulling her up to her feet before bolting down the hallway.

Lily looked back, still worried for Zayn's safety. She watched as he got back to his feet, eyes locked on them. Lily's heart hammered in her chest, her vision blurring with unshed tears.

This couldn't be happening. Not again.

"Stop!" Zayn's voice echoed through the hallway. "Ragnar, as your Alpha, I order you to bring her back!"

Ragnar clenched his jaw. He didn't slow down. He picked up speed. He pulled Lily around a corner, and his grip on her arm tightened. He had to get her to safety.

"Good thing I swore my fealty to you," Ragnar grinned as he glanced back at Lily, hoping to help lighten the mood a little.

Lily's pressed lips began to tremble. Tears blurred her vision.

Zayn let out a frustrated growl, slamming his fist into the wall.

"Don't ever show your face in front of me ever again, you hear me?" Zayn's roar carried across the corridors, "Never return!"