Chapter 144 Princess Targeted
POV: Luna
We'd been in the dungeons for hours when I heard it.
Footsteps. But not Victoria's.
These were lighter. Quieter.
Through the pack bond, I felt Sienna and Lyric approaching.
They'd found us.
"Everyone stay quiet," I whispered to my cellmates.
Moments later, Sienna appeared. Lyric was right behind her, tablet in hand.
"Thank god," Nova breathed.
"Are you okay?" Sienna asked, already working on the cell locks with magic.
"We've been better. How did you find us?"
"Lyric tracked your phones. Once she figured out the signals were being blocked from the dungeons, it was easy."
"Easier said than done," Lyric muttered, typing frantically. "These wards are sophisticated."
"Can you break them?" Aria asked.
"Already am."
The locks started clicking open. One by one.
But as Liam's cell opened, alarms started blaring.
"They know we're here," I said.
"Then we run. Now." Sienna helped Aria out of her cell.
We ran through the dungeon corridors. Behind us, I could hear Victoria's clan mobilizing.
"This way!" Lyric led us through a passage I hadn't noticed before. "Service tunnels. They lead to the old training grounds."
We emerged in a section of the Academy I'd never seen. Ancient. Crumbling.
But we were free.
"Where's Selene?" I asked suddenly.
"Protected," Sienna assured me. "The Headmaster has her in the safe room with full guard."
"Good. Because Victoria's planning something for tomorrow night. The full moon."
"We know. We found evidence of—"
She was cut off by an explosion.
The wall beside us shattered, rogue wolves pouring through.
"Not again!" Nova shifted fully.
We fought as a unit. Pack coordinated. Defending each other.
But these rogues were different. Stronger. Better trained.
"They're not normal rogues!" Aria shouted. "Someone enhanced them!"
Of course Victoria had. She'd been planning this for weeks.
I reached for Eclipse power, but I was exhausted. Drained from being locked up.
A rogue lunged at me. I barely blocked it.
Then Liam was there. His wolf form was powerful. Protective.
He took down the rogue in seconds, positioning himself between me and the others.
Through the mate bond, I felt his determination. His absolute refusal to let anything hurt me.
It gave me strength.
I pushed through my exhaustion and channeled Eclipse power. Not the massive bursts I usually used. Controlled. Precise.
Silver light wrapped around my claws. Every strike dissolved rogue creatures on contact.
We were winning.
Then Victoria appeared.
"Enough!" Her voice echoed with magical amplification. "Stand down or the princess dies."
She held up a crystal. Inside, I could see Selene. Trapped. Screaming silently.
"You said she was safe!" I shouted at Sienna.
"She was! The safe room—"
"Was exactly where I wanted her," Victoria finished. "Did you really think I couldn't breach the Headmaster's defenses?"
"Let her go."
"Make me."
I started forward, but Liam grabbed my arm.
"It's a trap," he said through the mate bond.
"I know. But I can't let her die."
"Then we do this smart. Together."
I looked at my pack. At my mate. At the friends who'd risked everything to save me.
They were all nodding. Ready to fight.
"Okay," I said. "Together."
I raised my voice. "Victoria! You want Eclipse power? You want access to the otherworld? Fine. You can have it."
"Luna, no!" Nova protested.
But I kept talking. "I'll open whatever gate you want. Do whatever you need. Just let them all go."
Victoria smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard."
"On one condition."
"You're not in a position to make conditions."
"Actually, I am. Because you need me willing. Cooperative. Eclipse magic doesn't work when it's forced. You know that."
She did know that. I could see it in her face.
"What's your condition?" she asked.
"Let them go. All of them. And I'll do whatever you want."
"Luna, don't!" Aria said.
But Victoria was already considering. "Interesting. You'd sacrifice yourself for them?"
"Without hesitation."
"Even knowing what I plan to use you for?"
"Even then."
She studied me for a long moment. Then she laughed.
"No."
"What?"
"I said no. Why would I let them go when I can use them as leverage? This way, you cooperate or I kill them. Much more effective."
"You're a monster."
"I'm practical. There's a difference."
She raised her hand. Dark magic swirled.
The rogues attacked again. Fresh. Stronger.
We fought desperately. But we were outnumbered and exhausted.
One of them got past my defenses and slashed across my ribs.
I went down hard, pain exploding through me.
Liam was beside me instantly. Protective. Furious.
Through the mate bond, I felt his wolf taking over. Completely.
He shifted into something I'd never seen before. Not just a wolf.
Something bigger. More primal.
An Alpha in full fury.
He tore through the rogues like they were nothing.
Victoria's eyes widened. "What is he?"
"He's my mate," I said. "And you made a mistake threatening his pack."
Liam's rampage gave us the opening we needed.
Nova and Aria coordinated an attack on Victoria's clan members.
Sienna and Lyric worked together to disrupt the dark magic holding Selene's crystal.
And I channeled the last of my Eclipse power into one final burst.
Silver light exploded across the battlefield.
When it cleared, the rogues were gone. Victoria's clan was scattered.
And the crystal holding Selene shattered.
She appeared, gasping. Free.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I am now. Thanks to you."
Victoria was on her knees, looking defeated.
"It's over," I said. "Your clan is finished."
"Is it?" She smiled despite being beaten. "This was just phase one, Luna. There's so much more you don't know."
"Like what?"
"Like who's really pulling the strings. Who planned all of this."
"You?"
"I'm just a soldier. A very well-paid soldier. But the real power?" She laughed. "You'll find out soon enough."
Faculty appeared. The Headmaster. Professor Cael. They'd finally broken through Victoria's wards.
"Take her into custody," the Headmaster ordered. "And the rest of her clan."
As Victoria was led away, she called back, "Ask Cole! Ask him who he really works for! It's not me!"
Cole.
I'd almost forgotten about him.
"Where is he?" I asked the Headmaster.
"We found him in one of the cells. He claims Victoria imprisoned him when he tried to warn you."
"Do you believe him?"
"I don't know what to believe anymore. But we're investigating. Thoroughly."
They took us all to the infirmary.
My ribs were bandaged. Everyone's wounds tended.
We were alive. Battered, but alive.
"That was insane," Nova said.
"That was Tuesday," I replied, making her laugh.
Liam sat beside me, back in human form. "You scared me. Offering to sacrifice yourself."
"I had to. She had leverage."
"Next time, trust your pack first. Sacrifice yourself second."
"Deal."
Through the mate bond, I felt his relief. His love. His determination to never let me face danger alone again.
It felt good. Safe. Real.
The Headmaster appeared in the doorway. "Miss Eclipse. We need to talk."
"About?"
"About what Victoria said. About Cole. And about the It-Girls' Plan."
I followed him to his office.
Inside, Cole was waiting. He looked terrible. Beaten. Broken.
"Luna," he said when he saw me.
"Don't. I don't want to hear it."
"Please. Just listen. Victoria lied to you. About me. About everything."
"Then tell me the truth. Right now. No more games."
He took a deep breath. "I was sent here to infiltrate her clan. By the Council. They suspected Victoria was planning something and needed someone on the inside."
"You're a Council spy?"
"Yes. I've been reporting on her movements for months. Building evidence."
"And you couldn't tell me because?"
"Because Victoria had spies everywhere. If I'd told you, they'd have known. They'd have killed you."
"So everything between us—"
"Was real. I swear. I fell in love with you despite my mission. Because of who you are."
"But you still lied."
"I had to. To protect you."
I wanted to believe him. Wanted it so badly it hurt.
But I'd been fooled before.
"The Headmaster will verify his story," Professor Cael said. "The Council is sending documentation."
"Until then?" I asked.
"Until then, he's under house arrest. Just like Victoria."
I looked at Cole. Saw the plea in his eyes.
But I couldn't deal with this right now.
"I need time," I said. "To think. To process. Everything."
"I understand."
I left without another word.
Outside, Liam was waiting.
"You okay?" he asked.
"No. But I will be."
"What did Cole say?"
I told him everything.
When I finished, Liam said, "Do you believe him?"
"I don't know. Maybe? The Council spy story makes sense. But so did his other lies."
"Then wait for verification. Don't decide until you know for sure."
"And if he was telling the truth? If he really was protecting me?"
"Then you'll have to decide if you can forgive the deception."
I leaned against the wall, exhausted beyond measure. "Why is my life so complicated?"
"Because you're important. Powerful. People want to use that. Control it."
"I'm tired of being used."
"Then stop letting them." He took my hand. "You're not alone anymore, Luna. You have a pack. A mate. People who genuinely care about you. Trust us. Trust yourself."
He was right.
I'd been so focused on figuring out who to trust that I'd forgotten the one person I could always rely on.
Myself.
My instincts. My wolf. My power.
No one could take those away unless I let them.
"Thank you," I said.
"For what?"
"For being here. For being real."
"Always."
We walked back to the dorms together. Tomorrow would bring answers about Cole. About Victoria's true plan.
But tonight, I was safe. My pack was safe.
And that was enough.