Chapter 175 Liam's Secret Past
POV: Luna
The siege continued.
Day five. Six. Seven.
The rogues still hadn't attacked. Just watched. Waited.
It was driving everyone crazy.
Including me.
I was on the roof. My usual escape. Trying to clear my head.
Liam found me there. Like he always did.
"You're brooding again," he said.
"I'm thinking."
"Same thing with you."
He sat beside me. Close but not crowding.
Through the mate bond, I felt his concern. His desire to help.
"Talk to me," he said. "What's really bothering you?"
"Everything. The siege. Cole's plans. The fact that we're just waiting for the next disaster."
"That's what bothers you? The waiting?"
"The helplessness. We're reacting. Always reacting. Never ahead. Never in control."
"Control is an illusion. You know that."
"Doesn't make it less frustrating."
He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Can I tell you something? About my past?"
"Always."
"You know I was raised by the network. After my parents died. What I didn't tell you is how they died."
"You said rogue attack."
"That's partially true. But it wasn't random. It was targeted. Coordinated. Someone sent those rogues specifically to kill my parents."
"Who?"
"I don't know. The network investigated. Found nothing. No leads. No suspects. Just two dead Alphas and an orphaned kid."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It made me who I am. But it also made me understand something important."
"What?"
"That protection isn't about control. It's about presence. Being there. Fighting beside the people you love. Even when you can't guarantee the outcome."
"That's terrifying."
"It is. But it's also liberating. Because if you accept you can't control everything, you can focus on what you can control. Your response. Your choices. Your loyalty."
Through the mate bond, I felt his absolute certainty.
"That's why you're so protective," I realized. "Not because you think you can save everyone. But because you refuse to not try."
"Exactly. I couldn't save my parents. But I can fight for you. For our pack. For everyone at Silverwood. Even if we fail, at least we tried."
"That's both inspiring and depressing."
"That's life."
We sat in comfortable silence.
Then I said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Do you ever regret it? Choosing me? Getting involved in all this chaos?"
"Never."
"Not even when we're under siege? When Cole's plotting apocalyptic rituals? When everything's falling apart?"
"Especially then. Because chaos is when loyalty matters most. Anyone can stand beside you when things are easy. But standing beside you when things are impossible? That's when it means something."
"You're ridiculously earnest."
"I know. It's one of my few redeeming qualities."
"You have more than a few."
"Name three."
"Loyalty. Humor. Strategic mind."
"That's three."
"Protective instincts. Chaotic energy. Those eyes."
"Now you're just flattering me."
"Is it working?"
"Absolutely."
He kissed me. Soft. Gentle. Full of promise.
When we pulled apart, I felt lighter. Less burdened.
"Thank you," I said.
"For what?"
"For being here. For sharing your past. For being ridiculously earnest."
"Anytime."
We headed back down. Found my pack in the common room.
They took one look at us and grinned.
"You two look cozy," Nova said.
"We were just talking," I protested.
"Sure. Talking. That's why you're both glowing."
"We're not glowing."
"You definitely are," Aria agreed. "It's the mate bond. It radiates when you're emotionally connected."
"That sounds made up."
"It's real. Sienna, back me up."
"It's absolutely real. You two are broadcasting happiness like a magical beacon."
"Great. So everyone can tell when we're being sappy?"
"Pretty much."
"That's invasive."
"That's pack life," Lyric said. "No privacy. No secrets. Just shared emotional states and constant teasing."
Despite everything, I laughed.
This. This was what made everything bearable. My pack. My friends. My family.
Even when the world was ending, we had each other.
And that was enough.
Later that evening, Liam and I were on guard duty together.
Watching the rogues. Monitoring their movements.
"They're moving differently tonight," Liam observed.
"What do you mean?"
"Their patterns. They're tighter. More coordinated. Like they're preparing for something."
"An attack?"
"Maybe. Or a signal. Look. That alpha there. He keeps looking toward the forest. Like he's waiting for something."
I followed his gaze. He was right.
The alpha kept glancing toward a specific section of forest. Expectant. Alert.
"Something's coming," I realized.
"We should warn the others."
I reached out through the pack bonds. Heads up. Rogues are acting strange. Possible incoming threat.
Responses came back immediately. Everyone moving to defensive positions.
We waited. Tense. Ready.
Then I felt it.
A pulse. Magical. Powerful. Coming from the forest.
And through it. Through the pulse. I felt something familiar.
"That's Cole's magic," I breathed.
"You're sure?"
"Positive. That's his signature. I'd recognize it anywhere."
"But he's powerless. How—"
The pulse hit my mark. Hard.
Pain exploded through me. I gasped and grabbed my wrist.
"Luna!" Liam was beside me instantly.
"My mark. Something's connecting to it. Through Cole's magic."
"What kind of connection?"
"I don't know. But it's deliberate. Targeted. He's doing something."
The pain intensified. My mark was burning. Glowing. Reacting to whatever Cole was doing.
Through it, I felt his presence. His intent.
He was preparing. Building toward something massive.
And he was using my mark as an anchor point.
"We need to break the connection!" Sienna said, appearing with the others.
"How?" I gasped.
"I don't know! I've never seen anything like this!"
The pulse intensified. My mark was flaring violently now.
Then through it. Through the connection. I heard Cole's voice.
Hello, Luna. Miss me?
"Cole," I said out loud. "What are you doing?"
Preparing. For what comes next. And you, my dear Eclipse wolf, are going to help me.
"Never."
You don't have a choice. Your mark is connected to the seal. To the otherworld. I just need to activate that connection. Use it as a gateway.
"I'll fight you."
You'll try. But you're already too late. The ritual has begun. And by the time you figure out where I am, it'll be done.
The connection severed. The pain stopped.
I collapsed, gasping.
"What happened?" the Headmaster demanded, arriving with faculty.
"Cole. He's starting his ritual. Now. And he's using my mark as part of it."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. But he's close. The connection was too strong for him to be far away."
"We need to find him. Stop him. Before he completes whatever he's planning."
"There's more," I said. "The rogues. They weren't waiting for nothing. They were waiting for this. For Cole's signal."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning they're about to attack. While we're distracted by Cole's ritual. It's a coordinated assault."
As if on cue, the rogues howled. All of them. Simultaneously.
Then they charged.
Straight at the wards. At full force.
"Defensive positions!" the Headmaster shouted. "Everyone! Now!"
The siege was over.
The real battle was beginning.
And somewhere out there, Cole was completing his ritual.
Using my mark. My power. My connection to the otherworld.
And I had no idea how to stop him.