CHAPTER 54: OLD SEVENTH WOLVES PACT.

Killian’s fists were already balled so tightly his knuckles had gone white. "She lied," he hissed, pacing two steps before swinging back toward their room door. "Maren lied through her teeth, and those gullible people on the panel were eating it up like cowards."

Luca’s jaw ticked, his dark eyes storming. "We should’ve stayed there with Bella."

"This boy, are you crazy? Or is it your wolf powers that’s making you think you’re untouchable?" Cassian snapped, "The Principal, head of the disciplinary committee, walked us out of the panel. Just how would we have stayed back?"

"Leave him," Killian muttered bitterly. "He keeps forgetting that no matter what, we’re still students."

Luca leaned against the wall, his face pulled into angry lines. "You guys are not getting my point. I’m saying we should have protested. One way or another, just fought to be there."

Killian shook his head. "But we did that, Luca. Or are you suffering from memory loss too? We tried really hard to be there. She wanted us out, and she got what she wanted."

"So what now?" Luca demanded, his voice trembling with fury. "Bella alone in the forest for three days? We all witnessed that fight. Hell, we fought for her ourselves. Four of us could barely defeat that demon. What if they attack her in the forest? What if something stronger than that goes after her? We all know she can barely hold her own. Her power is still as useless as broken armour."

"And that’s exactly what Maren wanted," Killian replied darkly. "To have her alone, scared, vulnerable... to strip her down at once."

Rafe, who hadn’t said a word until then, slammed his fist into the wall. The sound cracked through the corridor. "Three nights in there," he growled, "That’s like a death sentence."

Luca spun on him, his eyes flashing wildly. "We can’t let her go in there alone. We have to find a way—"

"You think Maren won’t see us coming?" Cassian cut in, "She’s been two steps ahead of us since the second we walked into that panel room. You charge in like that, and you’ll just make it worse for Bella. For us too."

"Then what the hell do you suggest?" Luca snapped, his chest heaving. His voice echoed down the hall. "We just stand here and do nothing while she’s thrown into that forest?"

Killian finally spoke again, quieter this time, "No. We have to make a plan." His eyes glinted. "If Maren thinks she’s cornered Bella, she’s forgotten one thing."

Rafe’s head lifted. "What?"

Killian’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "She hasn’t cornered us."

"You forget that we’ve been confined to our dorm rooms with close supervision," Cassian reminded, his tone sharp. "Security is tighter now."

"We can’t sit still!" Luca shouted with frustration. ’She’s not going to survive three days in there. Not alone."

"She won’t be alone," Rafe said at last, straightening from the wall. His eyes, dark and unreadable as ever, flicked between the three of them. "Because whatever happens, whatever it costs, we’re going to make sure she has a chance at survival."

"So do we have a plan?" Killian asked.

No one responded immediately.

"Right," he muttered.

The four of them paced in silence through the dorm room. Luca suddenly stopped, finally putting down the fingers he’d been running through his hair.

"I have a plan that could work," he snapped.

"Let’s hear it," Rafe encouraged.

Luca’s eyes burned with frustration. "Maren’s already marked her. Tonight, tomorrow, doesn’t matter, she’ll be watched. So here’s what we do, we get to her first. If we don’t, she’s walking into that forest with no clue what she’s really up against."

"Cut the long speech, Luca," Killian muttered. "What do we do when we get to her?"

"Okay," Luca said quickly. "We get to her dorm room and we use the transformation process to fill her with some of our powers... individually."

Killian froze, his eyes widening. "Luca... are you suggesting—"

"Yes. Exactly that," Luca interrupted firmly.

Cassian straightened, his brows knitting. "Wait. If I understand correctly... you’re saying we should use the Old Seventh Wolves Pact, Rule 3046?"

"Yes," Luca confirmed. "That’s our only option. She’ll die if she goes in there empty. So we share our powers with her to carry her through."

"This is insane," Killian breathed.

"At this point, I think insanity poorly describes all this," Cassian muttered grimly.

Rafe leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, still fuming. "So Luca, even if we follow this insane suggestion of yours... what then? We barge into the girls’ dorm like what, the founders of Whitethorn Academy?"

Cassian chuckled humorlessly. "Even if we were the founders of Whitethorn—"

"Last I checked, boys breaking into the girls’ dorm is grounds for expulsion on its own," Killian concluded.

"That’s my problem with you boys," Luca shot back, his voice bristling with impatience. "You always limit your brains to poor human thinking. No, Killian, we don’t stroll into the girls’ dorm for all to see. We use our disappearing abilities. So we don’t get caught."

"Great," Killian exhaled sharply through his nose. "So that’s your almighty plan? Disappear and appear? Brilliant, Luca. Truly flawless."

Luca glared. "You got something better?"

Killian frowned. "Did it ever occur to you that this is putting our powers on display way too much?"

"And did it ever occur to you," Luca shot back, his voice rising, "that Bella could die?"

Cassian pushed off the wall. His voice was low. "He’s not wrong, though. If we wait until morning, Maren will have her shipped to the forest before we even see her again. Tonight is our only chance."

For a moment, the plan seemed to be cementing... until Killian spoke again.

"Wait."

Luca turned to him, impatient. "What now?"

Killian continued. "Let’s say we get to her. Let’s say we successfully appear in her dorm room. Then what? What are we actually going to tell her? How do we explain what we’re there for?"

The question hung in the air.

Luca narrowed his eyes. "We tell her what she needs to hear, that we’ll protect her."

"No," Cassian said sharply. "That’s not enough anymore. She saw us, Luca. All of us. Two days ago in the garden, she saw us shift. She also saw us shift to fight that demon. We can’t keep pretending those two events didn’t take place. You think she doesn’t have questions burning holes through her skull every second of the day?" He glanced around. "I’m very sure she has one billion and one questions for us now."

The silence thickened, pressing against them.

Finally, Rafe muttered, "He’s right. She deserves the truth. If we keep lying, keep dancing around it, she’s going to walk into that forest blind. And that’s worse than anything Maren could do. At least she’s seen enough now, it’ll be easier to explain everything to her."

Luca dragged a hand down his face, frustrated but unable to argue. "So what? We just dump it all on her? ’Hey Bella, surprise, surprise! We’re werewolves and this school is a disguised wolf kingdom, and by the way, you’re not some helpless human.. you’re a damn Moonblood?’"

Cassian’s eyes flickered. "That’s exactly what I’m saying."

Killian cursed under his breath. "We’ll sound really crazy."

"Or," Luca countered, straightening with sudden conviction, "she’ll finally understand why all of this is happening to her. Why Maren’s after her. Why nothing here makes sense. Why the demon attacked. All the strange dreams she’s been having... We don’t have a choice anymore. She has to know who she is."

"Moonblood," Rafe repeated slowly, his voice uneasy. "You really want to tell her that?"

"Yes," Luca said firmly, his voice rough with emotion. "Because it’s the truth. She’s not just some girl who stumbled into the wrong school. She’s the key. A wolf older and stronger than any of us. She has to understand that part of herself."

Killian’s brows furrowed. "Will she believe us?"

"She will. She’ll believe it," Luca said, "because deep down, she’s already felt it. The power. The pull. She’s just been too scared to admit it. Besides, she’s been searching for answers all along."

The corridor was silent again, but this time the weight was different. Heavier.

Cassian was the first to break it. "Then tonight. We go to her. We just tell her everything."

Rafe nodded once. "And if Maren finds us?"

"Then we deal with her," Killian said flatly. "One way or another."

The boys exchanged a long look, the kind of silent agreement forged not just in friendship but in blood and wolf-bond.

"Tonight," Luca repeated, his voice sharp with finality.

"Tonight," Killian echoed.

Rafe cracked his knuckles, "No turning back."

The corridor fell quiet, their decision sealed.

But just as Luca turned to step out of the room, they heard a sound from outside the door.

All four of them stilled.

Sounds of footsteps coming back to the room.

Cassian’s eyes narrowed, his voice low. "We’re not alone."

All four boys stood on alert.

Suddenly the door barged open.

"What have you boys been talking about?"