Chapter 164 Liam's Confession
POV: Luna
After the Council session, I needed air.
Space to think. To process everything that had happened.
We'd won the vote to stay. But barely.
And the architects were still out there. Planning. Waiting.
I went to the roof. My usual escape.
Liam was already there.
"How did you know I'd come here?" I asked.
"Mate bond. I can feel when you need solitude. And when you need company." He smiled. "Right now, you need both."
"That's annoyingly accurate."
He patted the space beside him. "Sit. Talk. Or don't talk. Whatever you need."
I sat. For a while, we just watched the stars in comfortable silence.
Then Liam said, "Can I tell you something?"
"Always."
"I've been thinking about when we first met. How chaotic it was. How you looked at me like I was insane."
Despite everything, I laughed. "You were being insane. Crashing into my desk. Spilling pens everywhere."
"That was strategic chaos. Carefully planned."
"Really?"
"No. I'm just a disaster. But it got your attention."
"It did."
"Good. Because I've been drawn to you since that moment. Before the mate bond even snapped into place. Something about you just... pulled at me."
Through the mate bond, I felt his sincerity. His vulnerability.
"You never said," I murmured.
"Didn't seem like the right time. You were dealing with Cole. With the princess. With constant attacks. Adding 'hey, I'm falling for you' to that list seemed selfish."
"It wouldn't have been selfish."
"Wouldn't it? You were grieving Miguel. Dealing with Cole's betrayal. The last thing you needed was another guy complicating your life."
He had a point.
"Can I tell you about my past?" he asked. "The real story. Not the sanitized version I gave before."
"Please."
He took a breath. "I told you I was raised in the network. Trained to be a recruiter. That's all true. But what I didn't tell you is why."
"Why?"
"My parents were killed. Rogue attack when I was six. The network took me in. Gave me purpose. Direction. A family."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It made me who I am. But it also made me chaotic. Unpredictable. I never learned normal emotional regulation. Never learned to process trauma properly."
"So the chaos isn't an act?"
"Not entirely. Some of it is. But mostly? I'm just broken in interesting ways."
Through the mate bond, I felt his pain. His fear of rejection.
"You're not broken," I said firmly.
"Luna—"
"You're hurt. Scarred. Traumatized. But not broken. There's a difference."
"Is there?"
"Yes. Broken can't be fixed. Hurt can heal. You're healing. Every day."
He looked at me with such raw emotion. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Make me feel like I'm worth something. Even when I'm convinced I'm not."
"Because you are worth something. You're loyal. Brave. Smart. Funny. And you've saved my life more times than I can count."
"You've saved mine too."
"Then we're even."
He laughed. Pulled me closer. "I love you. I know I've said it before. But I need you to really hear it. I love you. Not despite your complications. Not despite the chaos. Because of it. All of it."
Through the mate bond, I felt the depth of his feelings. It was overwhelming. Beautiful. Terrifying.
"I love you too," I said. "But Liam, I'm terrified. Everyone I love dies or betrays me. Miguel. Cole. What if—"
"What if I do neither? What if I just stay? Love you. Support you. Be your partner through all of this?"
"Is that possible?"
"It's the only thing I want."
He kissed me. Deep. Passionate. Full of promise.
When we pulled apart, I felt lighter. Less burdened.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"For what?"
"For being honest. For being you. For choosing me."
"Always."
We sat together, watching the stars. Planning our future. Whatever that looked like.
Then my friends appeared on the roof.
"Oh good, you're both here," Nova said. "We were looking for you."
"Everything okay?" I asked.
"Define okay. The Council's still split. The architects are still plotting. Cole's still out there somewhere. But we're alive. So I guess that counts."
"Your optimism is inspiring," Lyric said dryly.
"I try."
They all sat down, creating a circle.
"So," Aria said with a smirk. "You two looked cozy when we arrived."
"We were just talking," I protested.
"Sure. Talking. Is that what kids call it these days?"
"Shut up."
They all laughed. Even Sienna, who was usually serious.
"I'm happy for you," she said. "Both of you. You deserve happiness. Even if it's temporary."
"Why temporary?" Liam asked.
"Because nothing lasts forever. Especially in our world."
"Cheerful," Nova muttered.
"Realistic."
"Can we not do existential dread right now?" I asked. "I've had enough of that for one day."
"Fair enough. New topic." Lyric pulled out her phone. "I've been monitoring magical signatures around campus. The architects are definitely planning something."
"When?"
"Soon. Within days. Maybe hours. The magical buildup is exponential."
"So we prepare. Again."
"Always preparing. Never quite ready."
That was our life now. Constant vigilance. Endless preparation. Hoping it would be enough.
"Can I ask something?" I said. "About Miguel."
Everyone looked at me.
"What about him?" Nova asked gently.
"Do you think I'm betraying his memory? By moving on with Liam? By being happy?"
"No," Sienna said immediately.
"Miguel loved you," Aria added. "He'd want you to be happy. To move forward."
"But his essence is still in my mark. Part of my power. Doesn't that make this weird?"
"It makes it complicated," Nova said. "But not wrong. Miguel chose to anchor himself to you. To become part of your power. That was his gift. His sacrifice. Using that gift to protect people, to love someone new, that honors him. Doesn't betray him."
Through my mark, I felt Miguel's essence pulse. Agreement. Approval.
He really did want me to be happy.
"Thank you," I said to my friends. "For understanding. For not judging."
"We'd never judge you," Lyric said. "You're our pack leader. Our sister. We support you. Always."
Through the pack bonds, I felt their love. Their loyalty. Their absolute certainty.
It was everything.
We stayed on the roof for hours. Talking. Laughing. Being together.
For a few hours, we forgot about architects and attacks and Council politics.
We were just friends. Just a pack. Just teenagers trying to survive.
It was perfect.
Then my mark flared with sudden, violent heat.
I gasped and grabbed my wrist.
"Luna?" Liam was beside me instantly. "What's wrong?"
"The mark. Something's triggering it."
The Eclipse symbol was glowing. Brighter than I'd ever seen it.
And through it, I felt a presence. Powerful. Ancient. Malevolent.
Close. Too close.
"There's a magical threat," I said. "Here. On campus. Right now."
"Where?" Aria demanded.
I focused on the signal. Trying to pinpoint the source.
"Eastern grounds. Near the training buildings."
We ran.
The mark was burning now. Painful. Insistent.
Whatever was triggering it was massive. Dangerous.
We reached the eastern grounds and stopped.
Dark magic was everywhere. Thick. Corrupting. Poisonous.
And in the center of it all was a portal.
Swirling. Growing. Opening.
"What is that?" Nova breathed.
"A gateway. To the otherworld." I felt sick. "Someone's trying to breach the seal. Here. Now."
"Can we stop it?" Liam asked.
"I don't know. But we have to try."
We approached the portal carefully.
The dark magic pushed back. Trying to keep us away.
I channeled Eclipse power. Pushed through.
Got close enough to see inside the portal.
And what I saw made my blood freeze.
The sealed door. Cracking. Breaking. Coming apart.
And on the other side, pressing against it, were creatures. Beings. Things that shouldn't exist.
All trying to get through.
All hungry. Angry. Desperate for freedom.
"They're breaking out," I whispered. "The seal is failing. And we're about to have an otherworld invasion."