Chapter 135: New Student, New Chaos

POV: Luna

I found Selene in her suite, getting ready for morning classes.

"You look terrible," she said.

"Thanks. Didn't sleep well."

"I could feel it through the bond. Nightmares?"

"More like revelations."

"About?"

"Cole. I think he's hiding something."

Selene's expression became serious. "Tell me."

I explained about the mark. About my suspicions.

When I finished, she said, "We need to investigate. Carefully. If Cole is compromised, we can't let him know we're suspicious."

"How do we do that?"

"We act normal. But we watch. And we gather evidence."

"I hate this. I love him. Or I thought I did."

"Love doesn't require trust, Luna. But partnership does. If he's betrayed that trust, you need to know."

She was right.

We headed to class together. Students stared as we passed, whispering.

I was getting used to it.

First class was Magical Theory with Professor Cael.

We settled into our seats near the back.

Professor Cael started the lecture, but I wasn't paying attention.

My mind kept returning to Cole. To that mark. To his defensive reaction.

What was he hiding?

Halfway through class, the door burst open.

A boy stumbled in, looking completely lost.

"Sorry! Am I late? I'm new. Liam. Liam Castellan. They told me room 304 but I ended up in the kitchens somehow and—"

"Mr. Castellan," Professor Cael interrupted. "Please take a seat."

"Right. Seat. Got it."

He looked around the room, spotted an empty chair near us, and headed over.

As he passed me, he tripped over absolutely nothing and crashed into my desk.

"Sorry! I'm sorry. I'm a disaster. Everyone says so."

I couldn't help but laugh. "It's fine. I'm Luna."

"Luna. Pretty name. Suits you." He grinned, and it was infectious. Bright and genuine. "I'm Liam. But I said that already, didn't I? Great first impression."

"You're doing fine."

He sat down, pulling out a notebook that immediately spilled pens everywhere.

"Sorry," he whispered again.

Selene leaned over. "Is he always like this?"

"I have no idea. I just met him."

But there was something about Liam. Something that put me at ease despite the chaos he brought.

After class, he approached us in the hallway.

"Hey, Luna, right? And you're the princess everyone's talking about."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "Word travels fast."

"Small school. Big gossip network. I'm good at gathering intel." He grinned. "Also, you're literally royalty. Hard to miss."

"Fair point."

"So," Liam said, turning back to me. "You're the famous Eclipse wolf. Defeated Malachar. Saved the school. Pretty impressive."

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"Lyric's blog. She documents everything. Very thorough."

"Lyric has a blog?"

"You didn't know? She's like the unofficial historian of Silverwood."

I made a mental note to talk to Lyric about that later.

"Anyway," Liam continued. "I was wondering if you could show me around? I keep getting lost and I'm pretty sure I ended up in a restricted area earlier. Security was not happy."

"How did you manage that on your first day?" Selene asked.

"Natural talent for chaos. It's a gift."

Despite myself, I smiled. "Sure. I can show you around."

"Excellent! Lead the way, fearless leader."

We spent the next hour giving Liam a tour.

He kept up a running commentary, cracking jokes and asking surprisingly insightful questions.

"So the wards. They're designed to keep threats out, right? But what if the threat comes from inside?"

"Then we have faculty and security," I said.

"But they're not everywhere all the time. Seems like a vulnerability."

He had a point.

"Are you always this paranoid?" Selene asked.

"Not paranoid. Prepared. There's a difference."

We reached the training grounds, and Liam's eyes lit up.

"Oh, this is perfect. Mind if I check out the equipment?"

"Go ahead."

He moved through the space like he'd been there before, examining weapons and defensive gear.

"You know combat?" I asked.

"Trained since I was six. Family tradition." He picked up a practice sword, testing the weight. "Want to spar?"

"You just got here."

"Best way to meet people. Plus, I want to see if you're as good as they say."

I looked at Selene. She shrugged.

"Fine," I said. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

We moved to the practice mat.

Liam took a fighting stance, and I noticed something immediately.

His form was perfect. Professional. This wasn't just family training. This was serious combat experience.

We started slowly, testing each other.

He was good. Really good.

Fast. Strategic. Unpredictable.

I had to use Eclipse power just to keep up.

"You're holding back," he said.

"So are you."

He grinned. "Fair enough."

We both surged forward at once.

The fight intensified. He matched me move for move, anticipating my attacks with uncanny accuracy.

Finally, I managed to disarm him and pin him to the mat.

"Yield," he said, laughing. "You're incredible."

"You're not so bad yourself."

I helped him up. Through our brief contact, I felt something. A spark. Not like the pack bonds or the Guardian Bond.

Something different. New.

Liam felt it too. I saw it in his eyes.

"Well," he said. "That was fun. We should do it again sometime."

"Maybe."

Selene cleared her throat. "Hate to interrupt, but Luna has protection duty."

"Right. Princess protection. Cool gig." Liam grabbed his bag. "Thanks for the tour. And the fight. See you around?"

"Probably. Small school."

He left, whistling some upbeat tune.

Selene waited until he was gone before saying, "He's interesting."

"That's one word for him."

"Do you trust him?"

"I don't know him well enough to trust or distrust."

"Your instincts then. What do they say?"

I thought about it. My wolf instincts, usually so reliable, were conflicted.

Liam felt safe. But also dangerous. Like he could be an ally or a threat depending on circumstances.

"I think he's complicated," I said finally.

"Most interesting people are."

We headed to lunch.

The dining hall was packed, buzzing with conversation.

And most of it seemed to be about Selene.

We found my friends at our usual table.

"Did you meet the new guy?" Nova asked immediately.

"Liam? Yeah. He's in our Magical Theory class."

"He's cute," Lyric said. "In a chaotic disaster kind of way."

"He's also incredibly skilled," I added. "We sparred. He's good."

"Better than Cole?" Aria asked.

"Different. More unpredictable."

"Speaking of Cole," Sienna said. "Have you noticed he's been acting strange?"

My stomach dropped. "Strange how?"

"Just distant. Secretive. I tried to talk to him this morning about training schedules and he practically bit my head off."

"He's stressed," I said automatically.

But even as I said it, doubt crept in.

What if it was more than stress? What if my suspicions were right?

We ate lunch, the conversation shifting to safer topics.

But I noticed something.

Selene ate alone at a separate table, isolated by her royal status.

Students gave her a wide berth. Some out of respect. Others out of fear.

She looked lonely.

I was about to suggest she join us when a group of girls approached her table.

I didn't recognize them, but their energy was hostile.

The leader was tall, with auburn hair and sharp green eyes.

"Princess Selene," she said loudly. "What an honor to have royalty at our humble school."

Her tone was mocking. Dangerous.

Selene didn't react. "Can I help you?"

"Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Victoria Thornheart. I run things around here."

"I wasn't aware students ran anything."

"Shows how little you know." Victoria leaned closer. "Let me make something clear. I don't care about your title. I don't care about your kingdom. Here, you're just another student. And you're in my territory."

"I wasn't aware the dining hall was claimed."

"Everything here is claimed. By those strong enough to hold it."

The Guardian Bond pulsed. Warning. Danger.

I stood up. "That's enough, Victoria."

She turned to look at me. "Ah, the protector. How sweet."

"Back off."

"Or what? You'll use your special powers? Please. We all know you're dangerous. Unstable. The Council should have restricted you months ago."

"The Council cleared me."

"For now. But one mistake, and they'll lock you away. Everyone knows it."

My friends stood up, moving to flank me.

"Luna's not alone," Nova said.

"Neither am I." Victoria gestured, and more girls appeared. At least six of them. All with matching marks on their wrists.

A clan. Like Cassandra's Circle, but different. More organized.

"This doesn't have to be a fight," I said.

"You're right. It doesn't." Victoria smiled coldly. "As long as you remember your place. And keep your little princess under control."

She turned and left, her followers trailing behind.

The dining hall erupted in whispers.

I went to Selene's table. "You okay?"

"Fine. I've dealt with worse."

"That was a threat."

"I know. But they won't act here. Too many witnesses." She stood. "They'll wait until I'm alone. Vulnerable."

"Which is why you won't be alone."

"Luna, I can't have you babysitting me every second."

"Good thing I have a pack. We can rotate shifts."

"I can't ask that of your friends."

"You're not asking. I am. And they'll say yes because that's what packs do."

Through our bonds, I felt my friends' agreement.

We'd protect Selene. Together.

Because that's what we did.

We protected those who couldn't protect themselves.

Even if it meant making enemies of the most powerful students in school.

Even if it meant risking everything.

We were a pack. And packs stood together.

Later that evening, after I'd seen Selene safely to her room, I was walking back to my dorm when someone fell into step beside me.

Liam.

"You shouldn't walk alone at night," he said.

"I can handle myself."

"I know. But still." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "That thing with Victoria earlier. That's going to escalate."

"How do you know?"

"Because girls like her don't make threats they don't intend to follow through on."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Let's just say I've met my share of Victorias."

We walked in silence for a moment.

Then Liam said, "The princess. She's in real danger, isn't she?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The way people look at her. The tension in the air. Plus, I did some digging. Six assassination attempts in one year? Someone really wants her dead."

"You did digging? You've been here one day."

"I work fast." He stopped walking. "Luna, I know we just met. But I'm good in a fight. And I'm loyal to people who deserve it. If you need help protecting the princess, I'm offering."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because it's the right thing to do. And because I like you. You're interesting. Different from the other wolves here."

"Different how?"

"You actually care. Most people just go through the motions. But you? You fight for what's right even when it's hard."

His sincerity caught me off guard.

"I'll think about it," I said.

"Fair enough." He grinned. "Get some sleep, Luna. Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

"How do you know?"

"Call it instinct."

He walked away, whistling that same upbeat tune.

I stood there for a moment, processing.

Liam was right. Tomorrow would be interesting.

Because tonight, I'd seen the threat forming.

Victoria and her clan. Cole's mysterious mark. The hooded figures watching from the shadows.

Everything was converging. Building toward something.

And when it finally exploded, we'd need to be ready.

I just hoped we were strong enough to survive it.