Chapter 134 Cole's Charm
POV: Luna
The week fell into a routine.
Classes. Princess protection duty. More classes. More protection.
It was exhausting.
But there was one bright spot.
Cole.
He'd scheduled private combat lessons for me three times a week. Officially to help me stay sharp while managing my new responsibilities.
Unofficially? It was our time together.
"Again," Cole said, circling me on the training mat.
I lunged forward, aiming for his shoulder.
He blocked easily and countered with a sweep at my legs.
I jumped, twisted mid-air, and landed behind him.
"Better," he said. "You're getting faster."
"I have a good teacher."
"Flattery will get you everywhere."
He moved closer, his hand brushing my arm. Even that simple touch made my heart race.
Through our bond, I felt his affection. His desire. His complete focus on me.
It was intoxicating.
"Want to try something different?" he asked.
"Like what?"
"Defense against magical attacks. With the princess as your responsibility, you need to be ready for anything."
"Okay. How do we practice that?"
He pulled out a small crystal. "This will simulate magical energy. I'll throw it at you, and you deflect using your Eclipse power."
"Sounds easy enough."
It wasn't.
The first throw caught me in the shoulder, sending a shock through my system.
"Ow! That hurt!"
"It's supposed to. Pain focuses your instincts." He picked up another crystal. "Ready?"
I shifted partially, claws extending, and nodded.
This time when he threw it, I swatted it away with Eclipse-enhanced reflexes.
"Good! Again!"
We went through the exercise a dozen times. By the end, I was deflecting them without thinking.
"Excellent," Cole said. "Your reaction time is improving."
"Thanks to you."
He moved closer, until we were almost touching. "You know I'd do anything for you, right?"
"I know."
"I mean it, Luna. Whatever you need. Whoever threatens you." His voice dropped lower. "I'll destroy them."
The intensity in his eyes made me shiver. But not entirely in a good way.
Something felt off. Too possessive. Too intense.
But I brushed it away. Cole loved me. Of course he'd be protective.
"I appreciate that," I said. "But I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. Doesn't mean you should have to."
He kissed me then, deep and possessive.
Through our bond, I felt his emotions swirling. Love. Desire. And something else I couldn't quite identify.
Determination? Resolve?
I pulled back slightly. "Cole, is everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect. Why?"
"I don't know. You seem different lately."
"Different how?"
"More intense. More protective."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No. Just different."
He cupped my face gently. "I'm just worried about you. These threats to the princess. The political pressure. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Nothing's going to happen."
"You can't promise that."
"Neither can you."
"No. But I can try." He kissed my forehead. "Come on. Let's grab dinner before your next shift with the princess."
We headed to the dining hall, his arm around my waist.
Students watched as we passed. Some smiled. Others whispered.
I was used to the attention by now. Being Luna Eclipse meant living under constant scrutiny.
We found my friends at our usual table.
"How was training?" Nova asked.
"Painful. But productive."
"Cole's been working you hard," Aria observed.
"She needs to be prepared," Cole said. "With everything happening."
"Speaking of everything happening," Lyric said. "I've been digging into the princess's background. Want to hear what I found?"
"Always."
She pulled out her tablet. "Princess Selene is heir to the Northern Wolf Kingdom. Population about fifty thousand wolves. Very traditional. Very hierarchical."
"We know that part," Sienna said.
"Right. But here's what's interesting. There have been six assassination attempts in the past year. All failed. But each one got closer to succeeding."
"Six?" I asked. "That seems excessive."
"It is. Which suggests someone very determined. Someone with resources."
"Do we know who?" Cole asked.
"That's the weird part. No one's claiming responsibility. Usually, when rival packs attack royalty, they brag about it. This? Total silence."
"Maybe they don't want to be identified," Aria suggested.
"Or maybe it's not a rival pack at all," Sienna said quietly.
We all looked at her.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"What if it's internal? Someone from within the Northern Kingdom?"
"A coup?" Nova's eyes widened. "That's dark."
"But not impossible. Royal families have been overthrown before."
Cole leaned forward. "Has Luna considered that the princess might be using her? Setting her up to take the fall if something goes wrong?"
"Cole!" I said. "That's harsh."
"I'm just being realistic. You barely know this girl. And suddenly you're bonded to her through ancient magic? It's convenient."
"The Guardian Bond chose me. Selene didn't create it."
"Are you sure about that?"
I wanted to argue, but doubt crept in. Was I sure? I'd taken the Headmaster's word. And Selene's.
But what if they were wrong? Or lying?
My wolf instincts stirred uneasily.
"I don't think she's using me," I said. "But I'll be careful."
"That's all I ask." Cole squeezed my hand. "I just don't want you getting hurt."
After dinner, I went to find Selene for evening protection duty.
She was in the library, surrounded by books on pack politics.
"Luna," she said without looking up. "Right on time."
"What are you researching?"
"The history of the Guardian Bond. Trying to understand what we're dealing with."
"Find anything useful?"
"Some. Did you know the bond can share more than just fate? It can share power. Emotions. Even memories."
"That sounds invasive."
"It is. But it's also protective. If one of us is in danger, the other will know immediately."
She finally looked up, and I saw exhaustion in her violet eyes.
"You're not sleeping," I observed.
"Neither are you. I can feel it through the bond."
Right. The emotional connection went both ways.
"Nightmares?" I asked.
"Memories. Of the attacks. Of watching guards die protecting me." She closed the book. "Do you ever feel guilty? About being protected?"
"Every day."
"How do you handle it?"
"I remind myself that their sacrifice would be meaningless if I wasted it. So I try to be worthy of it."
"And if you're not? Worthy?"
"Then I work harder until I am."
She smiled slightly. "You're wiser than you look."
"Thanks. I think."
We studied in comfortable silence for a while.
Then Selene asked, "Your boyfriend. Cole. Do you trust him?"
The question caught me off guard. "Of course. Why?"
"I don't know. There's something about him. The way he watches you."
"He's protective. That's all."
"Maybe. Or maybe it's possessive. There's a difference."
"You barely know him."
"True. But I've spent my life reading people. Surviving requires it." She closed her book. "Just be careful, Luna. Not everyone who claims to love you has your best interests at heart."
"Are you saying Cole doesn't love me?"
"I'm saying love can be complicated. Especially when power is involved."
I wanted to defend Cole. To argue that she was wrong.
But my wolf instincts were stirring again. That same uneasy feeling I'd had during training.
Was something wrong with Cole? Or was I just paranoid?
"I'll be careful," I said finally.
"Good."
We left the library together, heading back toward the dorms.
The hallways were quiet. Most students were in their rooms studying or sleeping.
But I felt it again. That sensation of being watched.
I stopped and turned.
Nothing. Just empty hallway.
"What is it?" Selene asked.
"I don't know. Probably nothing."
But the Guardian Bond was pulsing. Warning.
Someone was watching. And whoever they were, they meant harm.
We made it back to Selene's suite without incident.
"Get some rest," I told her. "I'll be in my dorm if you need me."
"Thank you, Luna. For everything."
I headed back to my own room.
Nova was already asleep, snoring softly.
I changed and climbed into bed, but sleep wouldn't come.
My mind kept replaying the day. Cole's intensity. Selene's warning. The feeling of being watched.
Something was off. I just couldn't figure out what.
I reached out through the pack bond, checking on my friends.
Everyone was safe. Sleeping peacefully.
Except Cole.
His emotions were turbulent. Conflicted. Like he was wrestling with something.
I almost reached out to him but stopped myself.
If something was bothering him, he'd tell me. Right?
Unless Selene was right. Unless there was more going on than I knew.
I finally drifted off to sleep, restless and uncertain.
The next morning, I had another private lesson with Cole.
He was already in the training room when I arrived, going through warmup exercises.
"Morning," I said.
"Morning. Sleep okay?"
"Not really."
"Same." He gestured to the mat. "Want to work out some stress?"
"Sure."
We started with basic drills. Punches. Blocks. Kicks.
But then Cole said, "Let's make it more interesting. Go full wolf. See if you can pin me."
I shifted fully, my wolf form emerging strong and powerful.
Cole stayed human, which should have given me the advantage.
Should have.
He moved like water, dodging my attacks with supernatural grace.
It was impressive. Almost too impressive.
How was he this good?
I pushed harder, using Eclipse power to enhance my speed.
Still couldn't touch him.
Finally, I managed to corner him. I lunged, going for the pin.
He grabbed my foreleg and twisted.
I yelped and shifted back to human, cradling my wrist.
"Sorry," he said immediately. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"It's fine. Just caught me off guard."
He helped me up, his hand lingering on my wrist.
And that's when I saw it.
A mark on the back of his hand. Faint but visible. Some kind of sigil or symbol.
It looked familiar. Like something I'd seen before.
"What's that?" I asked, pointing.
Cole pulled his hand back quickly. "Nothing. Training injury."
"That doesn't look like an injury. It looks like a mark."
"It's nothing, Luna. Drop it."
His tone was sharp. Defensive.
My wolf instincts screamed warning.
"Cole, what's going on?"
"Nothing's going on. You're being paranoid."
"Am I? Because you're acting strange. And now you have some mysterious mark you won't explain."
"I said drop it!"
The intensity in his voice made me step back.
Through our bond, I felt his emotions. Anger. Fear. Guilt.
Guilt.
Why would he feel guilty?
"I need to go," I said.
"Luna, wait—"
"I have princess duty. We'll talk later."
I left before he could argue.
My mind was racing. That mark on his hand. Where had I seen it before?
Then it hit me.
Cassandra's Circle. The mean girls from last year.
They'd all had matching marks. Clan sigils showing their allegiance to each other.
And Cole had one that looked identical.
Why would Cole have a mark connecting him to Cassandra's Circle?
Unless he'd been involved with them all along.
No. That was impossible. Cole had fought beside me against them. Against Malachar.
Hadn't he?
Or had he just been playing a role? Getting close to me for some other purpose?
I felt sick.
Selene's warning echoed in my mind. Not everyone who claims to love you has your best interests at heart.
I needed to find out the truth.
But first, I needed to protect the princess.
Whatever Cole was hiding, it would have to wait.