Chapter 161 Princess' Training Breakthrough
POV: Luna
We drove back to Silverwood like demons were chasing us.
Because they might have been.
"Faster!" I urged Professor Cael, who was driving.
"I'm going as fast as I can without crashing!"
Through the pack bonds, I reached out to my friends.
Status report! What's happening?
Nova's response came back strained. Under attack. Rogues everywhere. We're holding them off but barely.
Where's Selene?
Safe room with guards. For now.
We're coming. Hold on.
The drive felt like it took forever. Every minute an eternity.
Finally, we reached the gates.
The Academy was chaos. Students fighting rogues. Faculty casting defensive spells. Buildings on fire.
I shifted mid-run and threw myself into battle.
Liam was right beside me, his Alpha form tearing through rogues.
Together, we fought toward the safe room where Selene was supposedly protected.
We found Nova and Aria defending the entrance. Both bloody. Both exhausted.
"Luna!" Nova gasped. "Thank god. There's too many. We can't hold—"
A massive rogue alpha crashed through the wall.
It was huge. Enhanced. Eyes glowing with dark magic.
"Get Selene out of here!" I ordered.
"We're trying! The doors are jammed from the inside!"
The rogue alpha charged at me.
I met it head-on. Eclipse power flooding through me.
We collided in a explosion of magical energy.
The alpha was strong. Stronger than anything I'd faced before.
But I had something it didn't. People depending on me.
I channeled power through the pack bonds. Drew on my friends' strength.
Together, we were unstoppable.
I drove the alpha back. Tore into it with Eclipse-enhanced claws.
Finally, it dissolved into shadow.
The other rogues, seeing their leader fall, retreated.
The battle was over.
We'd survived. Barely.
I helped Nova pry open the safe room door.
Inside, Selene was unhurt. Surrounded by guards. Safe.
"Luna," she said, relief flooding her face. "You came back."
"Of course I did."
"I thought... Cole said you were too far away. That we were on our own."
"Never. You're never on your own."
Through the Guardian Bond, I felt her gratitude. Her trust.
The Headmaster appeared, looking exhausted. "Miss Eclipse. Report."
"Cole's betrayal was complete. He lured us away to make the attack easier."
"I suspected as much when the assault began. That's why I mobilized all available defenses."
"How bad is the damage?"
"Three buildings destroyed. Twenty students injured. Five critically." He paused. "But everyone lived. Thanks to your pack's leadership."
Nova and Aria had organized the defense in my absence. Kept everyone alive until I returned.
"They're the heroes," I said. "Not me."
"You're all heroes. And we'll need you to continue being heroic. Because this isn't over."
The next few days were spent recovering. Healing. Rebuilding.
Students who'd been injured were treated. Buildings were repaired. Wards were reinforced.
And through it all, one thing became clear.
We needed to be stronger. Better prepared. More capable.
Which meant training. Intensively.
Four days after the attack, I resumed Selene's lessons.
We met in a private training room. Just us, plus my pack for support.
"We're going to try something new," I told her.
"What kind of new?"
"Integrating your wolf instincts with your royal magic. Creating something unique."
"That sounds impossible."
"Six months ago, channeling your power through my Eclipse mark seemed impossible. We figured that out. We'll figure this out too."
She smiled. "Okay. Teach me."
We started with basics. Meditation. Breathing. Connecting with her wolf.
"Feel your instincts," I instructed. "Don't think. Just feel."
"I feel scared."
"Good. Fear sharpens instincts. Now channel that fear into your magic."
She tried. Nothing happened.
"You're overthinking. Stop analyzing. Just react."
"How?"
"Liam, can you help?"
He stepped forward. "I'm going to attack. Not for real. Just a practice strike. Your job is to defend instinctively."
"Okay."
He lunged.
Selene flinched. Power flared around her. Protective. Defensive.
But it was wild. Uncontrolled. It dissipated before doing anything useful.
"Again," I said.
Liam attacked again. And again.
Each time, Selene's power responded. Each time, it was slightly more controlled.
"You're getting it," I encouraged. "Now try to shape it. Give it form."
On the next attack, Selene focused. Really focused.
The protective power that flared around her solidified.
Became an aura. Silver light wrapping around her body like armor.
Liam's strike hit the aura and bounced off harmlessly.
"I did it!" Selene gasped.
"You did! Again!"
We practiced for hours. Each time, the protective aura got stronger. More stable.
By evening, Selene could manifest it at will. Hold it for several minutes.
"This is incredible," Aria said, watching. "Protective magic this strong usually requires years of training."
"Royal bloodline," Sienna said. "It's designed for defense. She's just learning to access what's already there."
"Can we integrate it into our defensive strategy?" I asked Liam.
He studied Selene's aura carefully. Analytically. "Yes. If she can maintain it during combat, she becomes a mobile fortress. Anchor point for defensive formations."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning we build our defense around her. Use her aura as the foundation. Layer our magic on top of it."
"That could work," Sienna agreed.
We spent the next hour testing the concept.
Selene at the center. Her aura providing base protection.
Sienna adding magical barriers. Aria creating offensive diversions. Nova and I providing physical defense.
It worked beautifully.
"This changes everything," Nova said. "With Selene as our anchor, we can hold defensive positions indefinitely."
"As long as she can maintain the aura," I cautioned.
"How long can you hold it?" Liam asked Selene.
"Maybe fifteen minutes? Twenty if I'm not being attacked."
"That's enough for most engagements. We just need to make sure you're not depleted when we need you most."
We kept training until exhaustion forced us to stop.
"Good work today," I told Selene as we headed to dinner.
"Thank you for believing in me. For teaching me."
"You're doing the hard part. I'm just guiding."
Through the Guardian Bond, I felt her confidence growing. Her fear diminishing.
She was becoming a warrior. Not just a princess.
After dinner, we were walking back to the dorms when I felt it.
A presence. Watching. Waiting.
"Everyone stop," I said quietly.
My pack froze instantly. Alert. Ready.
"What is it?" Liam asked through the mate bond.
"We're being watched. Something powerful. In the forest."
I focused my wolf senses. Searching for the threat.
There.
Multiple presences. Large. Alpha wolves. At least three of them.
"Rogue alphas," I breathed. "They're tracking Selene's aura."
"How?" Selene asked.
"Royal magic is like a beacon. Powerful. Distinctive. They can sense it from miles away."
"So by training me, we attracted them?"
"Probably. But it was necessary. You needed to learn."
The alphas moved closer. Still hidden in shadows. But I could feel their intent.
They wanted Selene. Wanted her power.
"What do we do?" Nova asked.
"We prepare. They're not attacking yet. Just observing. Testing our defenses."
"Should we report this?" Aria asked.
"Yes. But quietly. No panic. No mass mobilization. That might trigger an attack."
We headed to the Headmaster's office.
He listened to our report and his expression grew grave.
"Rogue alphas are intelligent. Strategic. If they're targeting the princess specifically, they're being directed by someone."
"The architects," I said.
"Most likely. They can't steal your power directly, so they're trying to steal hers instead."
"Can they do that?"
"With the right ritual. The right sacrifice. Yes."
Selene looked scared. "What do we do?"
"We stay vigilant. Stay together. And we prepare for them to make their move."
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I kept thinking about the rogue alphas. About the threat they represented.
They were out there. Watching. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And when they did, we'd need to be ready.
I went to the roof. My usual thinking spot.
Liam found me there within minutes.
"Can't sleep either?" he asked.
"Too much on my mind."
"The alphas?"
"Everything. Cole's betrayal. The architects. The constant attacks. How much longer can we keep this up?"
"As long as we have to."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer we have."
He sat beside me. Through the mate bond, I felt his worry. His determination. His love.
"We're going to survive this," he said. "All of us. Together."
"You can't promise that."
"Watch me."
He kissed me. Gentle. Reassuring.
When we pulled apart, I felt slightly better.
Not confident. But less alone.
"Come on," he said. "Let's get some rest. We'll need our strength when those alphas attack."
"When. Not if."
"When. Definitely when."
We headed back to the dorms.
But as we walked, I felt it.
A pulse. Magical. Powerful.
Coming from Selene's direction.
"Did you feel that?" I asked.
"Yeah. What was it?"
"I don't know. But it felt like her aura. Activating on its own."
We ran toward her suite.
Found her standing on her balcony. Eyes glowing. Aura blazing around her like silver fire.
"Selene!" I called. "What's wrong?"
She turned to look at me. But her expression was blank. Unseeing.
"She's in a trance," Liam realized.
"What kind of trance?"
"Magical. Someone's calling to her. Pulling on her power."
Through the Guardian Bond, I tried to reach her. Pull her back to awareness.
But something was blocking me. Dark magic. Sophisticated.
In the forest, I heard them.
Howls. Multiple rogue alphas. All calling to Selene in unison.
Her aura pulsed in response. Answering their call.
"They're trying to draw her out!" I realized. "Use her power as a beacon!"
"Can they do that?" Nova asked, appearing with the rest of my pack.
"Apparently yes!"
We needed to break the connection. Fast.
Before Selene walked right into their trap.