Chapter 173 Hidden Alliance
POV: Luna
We approached the abandoned building carefully.
Liam and I in front. Nova and Aria flanking. Sienna, Lyric, and Aiden providing magical support. Selene protected in the center.
Standard formation. Well-practiced.
"I don't see any guards," Liam whispered.
"That's what worries me."
The building looked empty. Too empty.
We reached the entrance. I pushed the door open slowly.
Inside was dark. Silent. Abandoned.
"They're gone," Aria said, checking for magical residue. "Recently. Within the last hour."
"How did they know we were coming?" Nova demanded.
"The tracking ritual," Sienna realized. "It works both ways. If we could track Cole, he could sense us tracking him."
"So he ran."
"Or set a trap."
That's when the building exploded.
Not literally. Magically.
Dark energy erupted from hidden sigils. Trapping us inside.
"Defensive formations!" I shouted.
We formed our protective circle. But the magic was everywhere. Overwhelming.
"It's a containment spell!" Sienna said. "Designed to hold us here!"
"For how long?" Liam asked.
"Until whoever set it comes to collect us."
"Then we break it. Now."
We combined our power. Eclipse magic. Royal aura. Pack bonds. Mate connection.
The spell cracked. Weakened.
Then it shattered.
We burst out of the building just as rogues arrived.
At least twenty of them. Summoned by the trap.
"Of course," I muttered. "It's always rogues."
We fought desperately. But we were drained. The containment spell had taken a lot of energy.
We were losing ground.
Then something unexpected happened.
One of the rogues turned on the others.
Started fighting them instead of us.
"What the hell?" Nova said.
The rogue fought with precision. Strategy. Like someone trained.
They took down three rogues before the others retreated.
When the battle ended, the rogue shifted.
Revealed themselves as human.
A girl. Maybe seventeen. Familiar.
"Claire?" I breathed.
Claire. Former It-Girl. Part of Victoria's original circle. Expelled after the coup attempt.
"Hello, Luna," she said.
"What are you doing here?"
"Saving your ass, apparently."
"Why?"
"Because I'm done with the architects. Done with their lies. Done with being used."
"You were expelled. How are you even here?"
"I never left. Been hiding on campus. Watching. Waiting."
"For what?"
"For the right moment to help. This seemed like it."
I didn't trust her. Couldn't trust her.
"Why should we believe you?" Liam demanded.
"Because I have information. About Cole. About his plans. About what's really going on."
"So talk."
"Not here. Too exposed. Back at Silverwood. Somewhere safe."
We had no choice. We needed information.
"Fine. But you're coming with guards. And if this is a trap—"
"It's not. I swear."
We headed back to campus. Claire surrounded by my pack. Watched closely.
Once we were in a secure room, I asked, "Start talking. What do you know?"
"Cole's been playing everyone," Claire said. "The architects. Alpha Reed. Even Professor Cael. They all think he's their loyal soldier. But he's not."
"Then what is he?"
"He's building his own faction. Using the architects' resources. Their connections. But planning something different. Something bigger."
"Bigger how?"
"I don't know exactly. But I've heard things. Plans involving the seal. The otherworld. Some kind of permanent breach."
"We already stopped that. When Selene closed the portal."
"That was just a test. A trial run. The real attempt hasn't happened yet."
My blood ran cold. "When?"
"Soon. Maybe days. Maybe hours. He's been gathering artifacts. Magical components. Building toward something massive."
"Why are you telling us this?" Aria asked. "What's your angle?"
"My angle is survival. The architects don't care about us. About students. About anyone except their vision. I was stupid enough to believe them. Stupid enough to help them. I'm trying to make that right."
"By betraying Cole?"
"By stopping him before he kills everyone."
Through my Eclipse mark, I felt no deception. No malice.
She was telling the truth. Or what she believed was the truth.
"What do you want in return?" I asked.
"Protection. Amnesty. A chance to graduate without being hunted by both the architects and the school."
"That's not my decision."
"But you have influence. With the Headmaster. With the Council. You could speak for me."
"Why would I?"
"Because I'm useful. I know things. People. Plans. I can help you stop Cole. Stop the architects. Isn't that worth something?"
I looked at my pack. At Liam.
"What do you think?" I asked through the bonds.
She's genuine, Sienna responded. I can sense it. No dark magic. No deception.
But we should verify her information, Aria added. Before trusting her completely.
Agreed, Nova said. Test her. See if what she says is true.
"Okay," I told Claire. "You help us. Prove you're genuine. Then we'll talk about amnesty."
"Fair enough. Where do you want me to start?"
"Tell us everything you know about Cole's current location. His resources. His allies."
Claire talked for two hours. Detailed. Specific. Damning.
She knew locations of safe houses. Names of conspirators. Supply chains. Communication networks.
Everything.
"This is extensive," Sienna said. "If even half of it's accurate—"
"It's all accurate," Claire insisted. "I was there. I saw it. I helped build some of it. Until I realized what they were really doing."
"Which was?"
"Destroying the world. For ideology. For vision. For some abstract concept of freedom that requires everyone to die first."
"And you didn't see a problem with that before?" I asked.
"I was young. Stupid. Desperate to belong. They made me feel important. Special. By the time I realized what was really happening, I was too deep. Too compromised. I couldn't get out."
"But you're out now."
"I ran. After Professor Cael was captured. When I saw the aftermath. The damage. The trauma. I couldn't do it anymore."
I wanted to believe her. Wanted an ally inside the conspiracy.
But trusting easily had gotten me hurt before.
"We'll verify your information," I said. "Check it against what we know. If it's accurate, we'll consider your request for amnesty."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. You're under guard until we confirm everything."
"I understand."
We posted guards. Made sure Claire couldn't escape or communicate with anyone.
Then my pack gathered to strategize.
"If what she said is true," Aria began. "Cole's planning something massive. Soon."
"And we have no idea what," Nova added.
"But we know where he's been," Lyric said. "The safe houses. The supply points. We could investigate. Find clues."
"Without alerting him that we're onto him," Sienna continued. "Reconnaissance. Surveillance. Gathering intelligence before making a move."
"That could work," I said. "Liam, you're good at infiltration. Think you can check out some of these locations?"
"With backup, yes."
"Then that's the plan. We verify Claire's information. Track Cole's movements. Figure out what he's planning. Then we stop it."
"What about Selene?" Aria asked. "We should keep her out of this. If Cole's targeting the seal, he might be targeting her specifically."
"I can protect myself," Selene protested.
"I know. But we need you safe. You're too valuable. Too important."
"I'm not a thing to be protected! I'm a warrior! A guardian!"
"You're both. And right now, we need you to be the guardian. Maintain the barrier. Protect Silverwood while we handle Cole."
Through the Guardian Bond, I felt her frustration. But also her understanding.
"Fine. But if things get bad—"
"We'll call for help. I promise."
Over the next two days, we investigated.
Liam and Aiden infiltrated safe houses. Found evidence confirming Claire's information.
Lyric hacked communication networks. Traced messages. Built a timeline of Cole's activities.
Sienna analyzed magical residue. Tracked spell components. Identified what kind of ritual Cole might be planning.
And I. I coordinated. Directed. Kept everyone focused.
By the third day, we had a clearer picture.
Cole was planning to create a permanent portal. One that couldn't be closed. That would slowly expand. Eventually consuming reality.
"That's apocalyptic," Nova said.
"That's the point. He wants to force change. By making the current world impossible to maintain."
"How do we stop it?"
"We find him before he completes the ritual. Disrupt it. Destroy the artifacts he's gathered."
"Easier said than done."
"When is it ever easy?"
That evening, Claire asked to speak with me privately.
"I heard you verified my information," she said.
"We did. It's accurate. Thank you."
"Does that mean—"
"It means we'll consider amnesty. Once this is over. Once Cole is stopped."
"I want to help. Actively. Not just provide information."
"That's too dangerous."
"I know Cole. How he thinks. How he plans. I could be useful in the field."
"Or you could be a liability. A traitor we can't trust completely."
"I betrayed the architects. Not you. There's a difference."
"Is there?"
"Yes. Because I never hurt Silverwood students. Never attacked you or your pack. I was manipulated. Used. But I never crossed that line."
I wanted to believe her. But trust didn't come easily anymore.
"We'll see," I said. "For now, keep providing information. That's valuable enough."
"Fine. But Luna, there's something else you should know."
"What?"
"Cole's loyalty. It isn't what you think."
"What do you mean?"
"He's not loyal to the architects. Not really. He's loyal to an idea. A belief. That the current system is broken beyond repair. And he'll sacrifice everything—including himself—to change it."
"That's what we thought."
"No. You think he's evil. Selfish. Power-hungry. He's not. He's a true believer. Which makes him more dangerous. Because he won't stop. Won't compromise. Won't see reason."
"Then what do we do?"
"You prepare for the worst. Because Cole plans something bigger than anyone realizes. And when he makes his move, it'll change everything."
"Do you know what it is? His big plan?"
"Not exactly. But I know it involves the seal. The otherworld. And you. Specifically you."
"Me?"
"Your Eclipse power is the key. Whatever he's planning, it requires you. Either your cooperation or your capture."
"Then he'll be disappointed. Because I'm done being manipulated."
"Good. Because he's counting on you being predictable. Emotional. Reactive. If you can be strategic instead, you might surprise him."
"I'll keep that in mind."
She left, and I sat alone. Processing.
Cole was planning something big. Something that required my Eclipse power.
And he was counting on me being emotional. Predictable.
I'd show him just how unpredictable I could be.