Chapter 27 A Strange Ally
POV: LUNA
"Who are you?" Luna's voice came out steadier than she felt.
The woman tilted her head. Silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "Someone who understands what you carry. That mark. That burden."
"How do you know about my mark?"
"I know many things, little Eclipse. Including what hunts you. And why."
Luna's heart hammered. "The creature. You know what it is."
"I know what it wants. What it's always wanted. The question is, do you?"
"Then tell me."
The woman smiled. Sad. Ancient. "Not yet. You're not ready for that truth. But you will be. Soon."
She stepped backward. Her form rippling like water. "When the time comes, remember this. Your mark is not a curse. It's a key. And every key opens something that was meant to stay locked."
"Wait. I don't understand."
"You will. When the moon is full and the shadow rises. Trust your instincts, Luna Eclipse. Even when they lead you into darkness."
The woman dissolved. Like smoke. Like she'd never been there at all.
Luna stood alone in the clearing. Her mark still glowing faintly. But the trail was gone. The connection severed.
She waited. Heart racing. Expecting the woman to return. To explain.
Nothing.
Just the forest. The moon. And the growing sense that she'd missed something important.
Luna ran back toward campus. Her mind spinning. Every key opens something that was meant to stay locked. What did that mean?
She reached the training grounds just as full darkness fell. Most students had already returned. Exhausted. Muddy. Some injured.
Professor Thorne marked her arrival. "Eclipse. Checkpoint total?"
"Five."
"Time?"
"Four hours, thirty-seven minutes."
He noted it. "Middle of the pack. Not bad for your first endurance run. Dismissed."
Luna found Nova near the equipment shed. She looked wrecked. Covered in scratches and dirt.
"Please tell me you saw Darius cheating."
"I saw him sabotaging. Does that count?"
"Close enough. That bastard cut support ropes on the north bridge. I almost fell."
"He did the same to me."
"And faculty doesn't care?"
"Without proof, it's just our word against his."
They started toward the dorms. Luna's body screamed with every step. She needed food. Sleep. Answers.
"Luna."
A voice behind them. Female. Unfamiliar.
Luna turned. A senior stood there. Tall. Dark skin. Short natural hair. Sharp eyes that missed nothing.
"Can I talk to you? Alone?"
Nova bristled. "Anything you say to her, you can say to me."
"Actually, I can't. Pack business. Sorry."
"She's not in your pack."
"Not yet. But she could be. If she's smart."
Luna touched Nova's arm. "It's okay. I'll catch up with you."
Nova hesitated. Then nodded. "Text me if anything weird happens."
"Define weird."
"You know what I mean."
Nova left. Luna faced the senior. "I don't know you."
"I'm Jasmine. Fourth year. Delta from the Northern Ridge pack."
"Luna. But you already know that."
"Everyone knows you. The Eclipse mark. The first full shift on record to maintain control. You're making waves."
"Not intentionally."
"Doesn't matter. Intentional or not, you're a target now. And you need to know what you're walking into."
Jasmine glanced around. Making sure they were alone. "Come with me. Somewhere we can actually talk."
Luna followed her to a quiet spot behind the library. Out of sight from main paths. Jasmine leaned against the wall. Arms crossed.
"Darius Kane has been planning something. His little sabotage games? That's just the beginning."
"Planning what?"
"A challenge. Public. During the full moon ceremony next week. He's going to force you to fight. In front of everyone. Students, faculty, visiting alphas."
Luna's stomach dropped. "He can't do that. I'm a first year."
"He can if he claims you disrespected pack hierarchy. Challenged his authority. And trust me, he's been building a case. Witnesses who'll say you started conflicts. Evidence of aggression."
"That's insane. I've been avoiding him."
"Doesn't matter what's true. Matters what he can make people believe. And the Kanes are very good at controlling narratives."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Jasmine studied her. Measuring. "Because I don't like bullies. And because you remind me of someone. My sister. She had an unusual mark too. Made her a target. She didn't survive her first year."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Be smart. Learn everything you can about your powers. About that mark. Because when Darius comes for you, sympathy won't save you. Only strength will."
Luna thought about the mysterious woman. The cryptic warnings. Your mark is not a curse. It's a key.
"What do you know about Eclipse marks? About what they mean?"
"Not much. They're rare. Ancient bloodline. Tied to the goddess somehow. Old texts say Eclipse wolves were guardians. Protectors of balance between light and dark. But most of that history was destroyed centuries ago."
"Why?"
"Because powerful wolves are dangerous. To other wolves. To the established order. Easier to erase the history than deal with what it means."
"That's messed up."
"Welcome to wolf politics. It's all messed up."
Jasmine pushed off the wall. "There's a book. In the restricted section of the library. Chronicles of the First Packs. Professor Cael keeps it locked up. But if you could get access, it might have answers about your bloodline."
"How am I supposed to get into the restricted section?"
"You're clever. Figure it out. But do it soon. Before the full moon. Before Darius makes his move."
"Why are you really helping me?"
Jasmine's expression softened. Just slightly. "Because my sister didn't have anyone warning her. She walked into her challenge blind. Confident. Dead within minutes. I won't watch that happen to someone else if I can prevent it."
She started to leave. Then paused. "One more thing. Don't trust anyone completely. Not even the people in your secret defense group."
"How do you know about that?"
"I told you. Delta. Information gathering is what we do. Your group isn't as hidden as you think. And there's someone in it who's feeding information to Darius."
"Who?"
"I don't know yet. But watch everyone. Trust your instincts. They're probably better than mine."
Jasmine disappeared into the shadows. Moving with practiced silence.
Luna stood alone. Processing. A spy in their group. A public challenge coming. Ancient books that might hold answers.
And that woman in the forest. Connected to all of it somehow.
Luna's mark pulsed. Agreeing. Warning.
She pulled out her phone. Started to text Nova. Then stopped.
If there was a spy, texts weren't safe. Nothing was safe.
Luna looked up at the library. The restricted section was on the third floor. Behind locked doors and magical wards.
Getting in would be nearly impossible.
But Jasmine was right. She needed answers. About her bloodline. About what the mark really meant. About why that creature wanted her specifically.
Movement caught her eye. High up. In one of the old oak trees near the library.
Someone was there. Perched in the branches. Watching.
Luna froze. Her wolf senses flared. Trying to identify the threat.
The figure was perfectly still. Camouflaged. She would have missed them entirely if not for the slight shift when wind moved the leaves.
Were they watching her? Or Jasmine? Or both?
Luna pretended not to notice. Walked casually toward the dorms. But her mind raced.
How long had they been there? What had they heard?
She risked one more glance back. The figure was gone. Vanished as completely as the mysterious woman.
Too many people watching. Too many secrets. Too many threats converging at once.
Luna reached her dorm. Nova was waiting in the hall.
"Well? What did she want?"
"To warn me. About Darius. He's planning something big."
"Of course he is. When isn't he planning something?"
"This is different. A public challenge. During the full moon ceremony."
Nova's face went pale. "That's in six days."
"I know."
"Are you ready for that?"
Luna thought about her first full shift. The power. The lack of control. "No. Not even close."
"Then we train. Starting tonight. Secret group plus extra sessions. Whatever it takes."
"Nova. There might be a spy in the group."
"What?"
"Jasmine said someone's feeding information to Darius. Someone in our defense group."
"That's impossible. Everyone there has reasons to want him stopped."
"Or reasons to want me stopped. Think about it. Half the people in that room see me as competition. As a threat to their positions."
Nova processed this. "So we can't trust anyone."
"We trust each other. And we watch everyone else very carefully."
They entered their room. Luna collapsed on her bed. Every muscle aching.
Her phone buzzed. Unknown number. Again.
Another text. "Stop digging. Stop asking questions. Or what happened to your sister happens to you."
Luna's blood went ice cold. The text wasn't meant for her. It was meant for Jasmine.
Which meant whoever sent it thought Luna was Jasmine. Or was warning them both.
She showed Nova. "This isn't random anymore. This is coordinated. Someone's watching all of us. Threatening anyone who helps me."
"We need to tell someone. Faculty. Ryder. Someone."
"And say what? We're receiving anonymous threats? They'll just increase security. Lock us down. Make us more vulnerable."
"So what do we do?"
Luna looked at the text again. Then at her glowing mark. At the moon through the window.
"We do exactly what they don't want. We dig deeper. Find answers. And get ready for whatever's coming."
Because it was coming. The challenge. The full moon. The creature. All of it converging.
And Luna had six days to figure out how to survive.