Chapter 168 Princess' True Power
POV: Luna
The next few days were tense. Quiet. Waiting for the next attack.
We continued training. Preparing. Building our guerrilla strategy.
And Selene. Selene was changing.
Her power was growing. Exponentially. Beyond what any of us expected.
"It's getting harder to control," she told me during a training session.
"What do you mean?"
"The royal magic. It's not just responding when I call it anymore. It's always there. Pushing. Demanding to be used."
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is. I'm scared I'll lose control. Hurt someone."
"Then we help you learn control. Before that happens."
We increased her training. Longer sessions. More intensive exercises.
But the more we trained, the more her power grew.
It was like trying to contain an ocean in a teacup.
On the fifth day, something changed.
We were in a private training room. Just Selene and me. Working on channeling exercises.
"Focus on the power," I instructed. "Don't fight it. Guide it."
She tried. But the power was too much. Too strong.
It surged. Exploded outward.
I threw up an Eclipse barrier just in time.
The royal magic hit it. Hard.
My barrier cracked. Almost shattered.
"Selene! Stop!" I shouted.
"I can't! It's not stopping!"
The power kept flowing. Uncontrolled. Devastating.
I called through the pack bonds. Need help! Training room three! Now!
My pack arrived within seconds.
They saw Selene. Saw the magic consuming her.
"What's happening?" Liam asked.
"Power surge! She can't control it!"
"We need to contain it!" Sienna said.
"How?"
"Form a perimeter! Channel our own magic to create a counter-pressure!"
We spread out. Formed a circle around Selene.
Each of us channeling power. Creating a barrier.
Liam's Alpha energy. Nova's wild wolf magic. Aria's tactical precision. Sienna's ancient knowledge. Lyric's technical skill. Aiden's chaotic force.
And me. Eclipse power filtering through it all.
Together, we created a container. A cage of magic.
Selene's power pushed against it. Testing. Straining.
But we held.
"What now?" Nova gasped. "We can't hold this forever!"
"We don't have to!" I said. "Selene! Listen to me! The power isn't your enemy! It's part of you! Stop fighting it! Accept it!"
"I can't! It's too much!"
"Yes, you can! You're royal! This power is your birthright! Claim it!"
Through the Guardian Bond, I pushed encouragement. Confidence. Belief.
Selene stopped fighting. Stopped resisting.
Started accepting.
The chaotic power began to stabilize. Organize. Take form.
Instead of exploding outward, it wrapped around her. Protected her. Became an aura stronger than anything I'd ever seen.
"That's it!" Sienna encouraged. "You're doing it!"
Selene's eyes glowed. Silver. Powerful. Ancient.
And when she spoke, her voice carried multiple harmonics. "I am Princess Selene Moonshadow. Heir to the Northern Kingdom. Keeper of the Royal Line. And this power is mine."
The aura pulsed. Then exploded outward in a controlled wave.
It washed over all of us. Gentle. Protective. Warm.
Then it kept going. Beyond the training room. Across campus.
Students stopped mid-activity. Feeling it. Recognizing it.
The aura reached the wards. Reinforced them. Strengthened them.
Became a second layer of protection. One tied to Selene herself.
When it finally settled, we were all staring at her.
"What just happened?" Nova asked.
"I think," Sienna said slowly. "Selene just fully manifested her royal lineage. Not just the power. The legacy. The authority. Everything her bloodline represents."
"Is that permanent?" Aria asked.
"I think so," Selene said. She sounded different. Older. More certain. "I can feel it. The connection to every royal who came before me. Their knowledge. Their power. It's all here now."
"That's incredible," I said.
"It's terrifying," she corrected. "I have the power of centuries at my fingertips. If I lose control—"
"You won't. Because we'll be here. Helping you. Supporting you."
Through the Guardian Bond, I felt her gratitude. Her relief.
She wasn't alone anymore.
The Headmaster appeared. "What happened? I felt a massive magical surge."
"Selene manifested," I explained. "Full royal lineage. Complete access to her power."
"That's unprecedented. Most royals take years to reach that level."
"She had help. And necessity. Danger accelerates growth."
"Indeed it does." He looked at Selene. "Your Highness. Are you well?"
"I am. And Headmaster, I need you to know something. That aura. The barrier I created. It's connected to Silverwood's wards now. Permanently. As long as I'm here, this school has an additional layer of protection."
"That's generous. But also creates a vulnerability. If something happens to you—"
"The barrier falls. I know. But it was necessary. This school protected me. This is how I repay that debt."
The Headmaster nodded. "Very well. We'll adjust our defensive strategy accordingly."
He left. And we all looked at Selene with new respect.
She wasn't just a princess anymore. She was a protector. A guardian.
One of us.
Over the next days, word spread. Students talked about the barrier. About Selene's power. About what it meant.
Some were grateful. Others were scared.
And someone. Somewhere. Was very, very interested.
I felt them watching. Assessing. Planning.
The dark figure from before. The one who'd been observing. Calculating.
They'd been waiting for something. Some trigger. Some opportunity.
And Selene's manifestation had just given it to them.
On the seventh day, I was on the roof when I felt it.
A presence. Powerful. Malevolent. Familiar.
I turned slowly.
The dark figure stood at the roof's edge. Cloaked. Hidden. But undeniably real.
"You," I said.
"Me." The voice was distorted. Magical. Impossible to identify. "The princess has finally awakened. Excellent."
"Stay away from her."
"Why would I do that? Her power is exactly what we need. With it, we can break the seal. Release the otherworld. Reshape reality."
"I won't let you."
"You can't stop me. You're powerful, Eclipse wolf. But not powerful enough. Not yet."
"Then why are you here? Why warn me?"
"Because I want you to watch. Want you to understand the futility of resistance. When we take the princess. When we use her power. You'll know you failed."
They stepped backward. Off the roof.
I ran to the edge. Looked down.
Nothing. They were gone.
But their words echoed.
When we take the princess.
Not if. When.
They were confident. Prepared. Ready.
And we were running out of time.
I called an emergency pack meeting.
"They're coming for Selene," I said. "Soon. Maybe tonight. Maybe tomorrow. But soon."
"Then we prepare," Aria said. "Full defensive protocols. Constant guard. No one alone ever."
"It won't be enough. If the dark figure is who I think they are, they're beyond our level."
"Then we get help," Liam suggested. "Faculty. The Council. The Headmaster."
"The Council's compromised. We can't trust them."
"Then we fight with what we have. Us. Our pack. Our bonds. Our determination."
"Against someone more powerful?"
"We've beaten more powerful before. We'll do it again."
Through the pack bonds, I felt their absolute certainty.
They believed we could win.
I wished I had their confidence.
But all I felt was dread.
Because the dark figure was right about one thing.
We weren't powerful enough. Not yet.
And soon, very soon, that would matter.