Chapter 185 Princess' True Form
POV: Luna
I woke up three days later.
The medical wing. Again. My least favorite place at Silverwood.
"She's awake!" Nova's voice. Relieved. Exhausted.
My pack appeared around my bed. All of them looking like they hadn't slept.
"How long?" I croaked.
"Three days," Aria said. "You've been unconscious. The artifact's destruction, combined with losing Miguel's essence—"
"Miguel." The memory hit me. His final sacrifice. His goodbye.
Through my mark, I felt the absence. The empty space where his essence had been.
He was truly gone now. No anchor. No presence. Just memory.
"I'm sorry," Sienna said quietly. "We know what he meant to you."
"He saved me. One last time."
"He loved you," Liam said. "That's what love does."
Through the mate bond, I felt his grief too. Not for losing Miguel, but for my loss.
"What happened after?" I asked. "The artifact?"
"Destroyed. Completely. Nothing left but scorched earth and residual magic."
"Residual magic?"
"Yeah. The artifact's destruction released a massive amount of otherworld energy. It's dissipating. Slowly. But it's affecting things. Causing instability."
"What kind of instability?"
"Magical surges. Reality fluctuations. And Selene—"
"What about Selene?"
"She absorbed a lot of that residual energy. When she used her aura to contain the artifact's explosion. It changed her. Enhanced her."
"Enhanced how?"
"You should see for yourself."
They helped me out of bed. I was weak. Shaky. But mobile.
We went to a private training room. Found Selene there.
And she was transformed.
Not physically. But energetically. Her aura was different. Stronger. More complex.
It shifted between forms. Pure light. Dense barrier. Offensive weapon. All seamlessly.
"Selene?" I called.
She turned. Her eyes glowed silver. Not her normal color.
"Luna! You're awake!" The glow faded. Back to violet. "I was so worried!"
"I'm fine. But you. What happened to you?"
"The artifact. When it exploded. When I contained it. Something changed. My royal magic absorbed some of the otherworld energy. Transformed it. Made it part of me."
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is. But also incredible. Watch."
She focused. Her aura manifested. But not like before.
This was different. A hybrid form. Part wolf. Part pure magic. Part something else entirely.
She partially shifted. But maintained more human form than should be possible. Like me, but different.
Her wolf features were there. Claws. Enhanced senses. Strength.
But wrapped in royal magic. Glowing. Pulsing. Alive.
"This is my true form," she said. "What I was always meant to become. I just needed the catalyst."
"The artifact's destruction was the catalyst?"
"Exactly. The otherworld energy unlocked something in my bloodline. Something dormant. Ancient."
She moved. Fast. Impossibly fast. Demonstrating her new abilities.
She was magnificent. Powerful. Overwhelming.
"That's incredible," I breathed.
"It's also unstable," she admitted. "I can't maintain it long. And sometimes it activates on its own. When I'm stressed or threatened."
"We can help you control it. Like we did before."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Over the next hours, we trained. Testing Selene's new abilities. Finding their limits.
She could shift forms rapidly. Wolf to human to hybrid. All seamlessly.
Her royal magic was amplified. Stronger. More versatile.
And the combination. The wolf-magical hybrid form. It was devastating.
"We need to integrate this into our defensive strategy," Aria said, watching.
"Agreed," Liam said. "With Selene like this, we can handle threats we couldn't before."
"But only if she can control it," Sienna warned. "Unstable power is dangerous. To enemies and allies."
"Then we help her stabilize it," I said. "Blend our powers. Like we've done before."
Selene and I stood facing each other.
"Channel your royal magic toward me," I instructed. "Through the Guardian Bond. I'll filter it with Eclipse power. Stabilize it."
She did. Royal magic flooded through our bond.
I caught it. Filtered it through my mark. Purified the otherworld contamination. Stabilized the energy.
Then sent it back.
Clean. Controlled. Enhanced.
Selene gasped. "That's amazing! I can feel the difference! The power is still there but organized. Manageable."
"We can do this before battles. Tune your power. Make sure it's controlled."
"Thank you. For everything. For saving me. For teaching me. For being my friend."
Through the Guardian Bond, I felt her gratitude. Her loyalty. Her absolute trust.
"Always," I said.
We continued training. Liam coordinated defensive positions around Selene's hybrid form.
Using her aura as anchor. Building strategy around her abilities.
"If rogues attack from the north, Selene blocks with barrier form," he directed. "Luna and I flank. Nova and Aria take rear positions."
"What if they attack from multiple sides?" Aria asked.
"Selene shifts to radial defense. Aura expands. Covers all angles. We pick off stragglers."
"And if they overwhelm her?"
"We pull back. Regroup. Let Selene recharge while we hold the line."
It was good strategy. Practical. Tested.
We drilled for hours. Until everyone knew their positions. Their roles. Their backup plans.
By evening, we were exhausted but confident.
"That's enough for today," I said. "Everyone rest. Recover."
My pack dispersed. Heading to their rooms.
Selene stayed. Looking troubled.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"The energy. The residual otherworld contamination in my magic. Sometimes I feel it pulling. Trying to activate on its own."
"What do you mean?"
"Like something's calling to it. Drawing it out. Especially at night. When I'm trying to sleep."
"That's the artifact's residual influence. Probably fading. Give it time."
"What if it doesn't fade? What if it gets stronger?"
"Then we deal with it. Together. Like we always do."
She smiled. Relieved.
But I was worried. Residual otherworld energy didn't just fade. It mutated. Evolved. Became something new.
That night, my fears were confirmed.
Around midnight, I felt it. Through the Guardian Bond.
Selene's power surging. Uncontrolled. Overwhelming.
I ran to her suite. Found her in hybrid form. Glowing. Pulsing. Unable to shift back.
"Luna!" she gasped. "I can't stop it! The power! It's taking over!"
I grabbed her hands. Channeled Eclipse power.
Tried to stabilize her. Filter the energy.
But something was wrong. The residual otherworld contamination. It was active. Aggressive.
Drawing energy from Selene. Feeding on her power.
"Something's pulling on you!" I realized. "The artifact's residue! It's still active! Still trying to complete its purpose!"
"Make it stop!"
I tried. Channeled more Eclipse power. Pushed back against the contamination.
But it was strong. Too strong. Growing instead of fading.
"Liam! Sienna! Anyone!" I called through the pack bonds. "I need help! Now!"
My pack arrived within minutes. All of them responding to the emergency.
"What's happening?" Liam demanded.
"The artifact's residue! It's drawing power from Selene! Trying to activate something! Complete its original purpose!"
"But the artifact's destroyed!"
"The device is! But the spell remains! Embedded in the otherworld energy Selene absorbed!"
We formed a circle around her. All of us channeling power. Trying to contain the contamination.
But it fought back. Pushed against us. Growing stronger.
"We're losing!" Aria shouted.
"We can't lose! If that energy fully activates—"
Selene screamed. The contamination surged. Her hybrid form destabilized.
She was being torn apart. Between wolf and human and magic. Unable to hold any form.
"Luna!" she gasped. "I can't hold on! It's too much!"
The energy reached critical mass. About to explode. About to consume her completely.
And there was nothing we could do to stop it.