Chapter 166 Confronting Cole
POV: Luna
The aftermath of the coup took days to sort out.
The It-Girls were expelled. All of them. Permanently.
Their families protested. Threatened legal action. Council intervention.
But the Headmaster held firm. "They attempted to seize control of the Academy through dark magic. That's grounds for immediate expulsion. No appeals."
Students who'd been injured were treated. Buildings damaged in the fight were repaired.
And Cole. Cole was still out there. Somewhere.
Planning. Plotting. Waiting.
"We need to find him," I told the Headmaster.
"We're trying. But he's gone to ground. Hidden by the architects probably."
"He's dangerous. More dangerous than before."
"I know. Which is why I'm authorizing a task force. Faculty and students working together to track him down."
"I want to be part of it."
"I expected nothing less."
The task force met daily. Analyzing sightings. Following leads. Searching.
But Cole was good at hiding. Trained by the network probably. He knew how to disappear.
Three days after the coup, we got a break.
"Someone spotted him," Lyric said, pulling up her laptop. "In the town. At the magical supply shop."
"The one we went to?" I asked.
"The same. The shopkeeper called it in. Said he was asking about otherworld artifacts."
"When?"
"Twenty minutes ago."
"Let's go. Now."
My pack mobilized. We were in the van within minutes.
Drove to town faster than was probably legal.
Reached the shop. Burst inside.
The shopkeeper looked startled. "He's gone. Left five minutes ago."
"Which direction?"
"Toward the old warehouse district. East side."
We ran.
Found him in an abandoned building. Surrounded by magical equipment. Ritual components. Dark magic residue.
"Luna," he said when he saw me. "I knew you'd come."
"What are you doing, Cole?"
"Preparing. For what comes next."
"Which is?"
"The architects' final move. The seal is almost broken. When it falls, the otherworld will flood through. Chaos. Power. Opportunity."
"You want that? Want reality to collapse into chaos?"
"I want freedom. From destiny. From hierarchy. From bloodline determining worth." He looked at me. "You should understand that. You were human once. Forced into this world. Given power you didn't ask for."
"I chose to use that power to help people. You're using yours to hurt them."
"I'm using mine to change things. That requires sacrifice."
"Whose sacrifice? Because it seems like everyone else is paying the price while you hide."
"I'm not hiding. I'm preparing."
He gestured to the equipment. "These artifacts. They're designed to amplify otherworld energy. When the seal breaks, I'll channel that energy. Use it to reshape reality."
"You'll kill everyone!"
"Some will die. That's inevitable. But those who survive will inherit a better world."
"That's insane!"
"That's revolution."
I'd heard enough. I attacked.
Cole was ready. He'd been expecting this.
We fought across the warehouse. Magic clashing. Power meeting power.
But he was still powerless. Still relying on artifacts and preparation instead of real strength.
I had Eclipse power. Pack bonds. Mate connection.
I was stronger.
I drove him back. Destroyed his equipment. Shattered his artifacts.
"It's over, Cole!" I said. "Surrender!"
"Never!"
He pulled out one final item. A crystal. Glowing with dark magic.
"This is my insurance policy. A connection to the architects. If I activate it, they'll know exactly where you are. They'll come for you. With everything they have."
"Then do it. I'm not afraid."
"You should be."
He activated the crystal.
Dark magic pulsed outward. A signal. A beacon.
Within seconds, I felt them. The architects. Responding to the call.
Coming for us. Fast.
"We need to leave!" Liam said. "Now!"
But Cole was blocking the exit.
"You wanted a confrontation? Here it is. Face the architects. Face your destiny."
"My destiny is what I make it. Not what you or anyone else decides."
I channeled Eclipse power. Everything I had.
Blasted through the wall. Created our own exit.
"Run!" I shouted to my pack.
We fled the warehouse just as the architects arrived.
Five of them. Powerful. Ancient. Furious.
"There!" one shouted. "The Eclipse girl!"
We ran for the van.
Behind us, the architects attacked. Dark magic flying everywhere.
We reached the van. Piled in. Liam drove like a madman.
The architects chased. Relentless. Determined.
But we had speed. Desperation. And a head start.
We made it back to Silverwood. Barely.
The wards recognized us. Let us through.
Kept the architects out.
For now.
We collapsed in the common room. Exhausted. Terrified.
"That was too close," Nova said.
"Way too close," Aria agreed.
"But we got away," Lyric pointed out.
"This time. Next time, we might not be so lucky."
I looked at my pack. At my friends. At Liam.
We were running out of time. Running out of luck.
Cole was still out there. Still planning. Still dangerous.
The architects were getting bolder. Closer.
And the seal. The seal was almost broken.
Soon, everything would come to a head.
The final confrontation. The ultimate battle.
We just had to survive until then.
And hope we were strong enough when the time came.
Because if we weren't, the world would end.
And there would be no one left to stop it.