Chapter 6 The Cost Of Loyalty

LINA'S POV

The dim light of the corridor flickered, throwing sharp shadows onto Rylan's cold smile as he towered over Jasper, whose bloodied lip shimmered in the glow. My wolf howled within me, clawing at my chest, her anger overshadowing the fear sparked by Rylan's taunt: "Care to join him, Linc? Or do I need to call you something else?" His two henchmen-massive seniors with predatory eyes-stood beside him, fists clenched, poised to leap. The pendant around my neck felt hot against my skin, its magic strained from the earlier scare with Kade. I realized one thing for sure: Rylan wasn't just making wild guesses. He knew I was hiding something, and Jasper was the one suffering for it.

"Step back, Rylan," I growled, stepping forward, my voice rough yet trembling with fury. My wolf craved blood, but reason urged caution-one wrong move might shatter my façade. Jasper's eyes met mine, filled with fear yet defiant, as if he was willing to absorb more punishment for me. Guilt twisted in my gut; he didn't deserve this.

Rylan let out a sharp laugh, like glass shattering. "Protective, aren't you? Quite amusing, coming from a nobody of a no-name pack." He tilted his head, his blue eyes sparkling with malice. "Ironfang is just a ghost story, Linc. Nobody knows of it. So tell me, who are you really?"

My heart raced, the pendant's heat intensifying. I needed a fib, and fast, but Jasper's shaky voice interrupted. "Leave him be, Rylan," he said, wiping fresh blood from his chin. "You're just mad he outsmarted you in the Trials."

One of the goons lunged, grabbing Jasper by his collar, but I reacted quicker, shoving him back. He stumbled, astonished, and I positioned myself protectively between Jasper and Rylan, fists tight. "Touch him again," I warned in a low voice, "and you'll regret it."

The goons laughed, but Rylan's smile remained unfazed. "Bold words for a runt," he sneered, stepping closer. His scent-a mix of steel and frost-made my wolf recoil. "I'll give you credit for bravery, but it won't matter when the Moon's Judgment arrives. Ever heard of it? It reveals all lies. And Linc, you reek of them."

A chill ran down my spine. The ritual Jasper had warned me about, the one mentioned in that dusty book-the Moon's Judgment. A full-moon trial that could unveil my true nature. I forced a smirk, trying to mask my fear. "Sounds like a fairy tale. Do you believe in ghosts too, Rylan?"

His eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, footsteps echoed down the hall. "What's happening here?" Elias's sharp, commanding voice cut through the tense air. My wolf whimpered, that instinctive mate tug resurfacing amidst the chaos, and I cursed her timing. Elias stood at the corridor's end, his blazer pristine, storm-gray eyes taking in the scene. The goons stopped, and even Rylan hesitated, his smile tightening.

"Just a friendly chat, Professor," Rylan replied, his tone smooth but filled with malice. "Welcoming the new kid."

Elias's gaze shifted to Jasper's bloodied lip, then back to me. My pendant grew hotter, and I clenched my jaw, hoping he wouldn't catch the faint trace of my true scent still lingering from the courtyard. "Friendly chats don't leave someone bleeding," he retorted, his voice icy. "Crest, you and your friends are on cleanup duty for a week. Get out."

Rylan's jaw tightened, but he nodded, motioning for his goons to follow. As he brushed past me, he leaned in to whisper menacingly, "This isn't over, Linc. The full moon is coming." He vanished around the corner, leaving his threat hanging over me like a noose.

Elias approached, locking his intense gaze on me. "You alright?" he asked, softer now, but his scrutiny made my skin prickle. That tug in my chest was almost unbearable, his cedar-and-storm scent clouding my thoughts.

"I'm fine," I replied, helping Jasper to his feet. My voice was raspy, yet my hands trembled. "But he needs help."

Jasper waved me off, grimacing. "Just a scratch. I've dealt with worse." But his grin was weak, and guilt churned within me. This was my fault-my secret, my battle.

Elias scrutinized us, then nodded. "Quill, you need to head to the infirmary. Linc, we need to talk." His tone was firm, leaving no room for discussion. My stomach twisted; another interrogation was coming, and I was running low on lies.

Jasper shot me a worried glance but complied, limping down the hall. I trailed behind Elias to an empty classroom, the air thick with the scent of chalk and ancient books. He closed the door and leaned against a desk, arms crossed. "You're making enemies fast," he said quietly, probing. "Rylan isn't someone to take lightly. What did he want?"

I shrugged, my cap pulled low to hide my eyes. "Just trying to bully the new guy. I guess I'm an easy target." My wolf bristled at the fib, but I couldn't review Rylan's vial or the Moon's Judgment. Not when his gaze felt like it could unravel my disguise.

Elias didn't buy it. "You're no ordinary target," he said, stepping closer. "I saw you in the Trials, outsmarting traps that would've tripped most. And now Rylan is fixated on you. Why?"

The pendant flared again, and I stifled the urge to retreat. His scent was overwhelming, that mate tug urging me toward him, and my wolf pleaded for trust. But I couldn't. "Maybe he's just jealous," I replied, forcing a smile. "Not my fault I outsmart him."

Elias's lips twitched, almost a smile, but his eyes remained serious. "Brilliance won't protect you if Rylan's right about you hiding something." He paused, his voice softening. "If you're in trouble, Linc, I can help. But you have to be honest."

My throat tightened. For a moment, I felt the urge to confide in him-about Lina, the pendant, my father's fading strength. But honesty wasn't an option I could afford. "I'm not in trouble," I lied, meeting his gaze. "Just trying to get by."

He held my stare, searching, then sighed. "Alright. But don't expect me to clean up your messes forever." He turned to leave but paused to glance back. "And fix that cap. It's slipping."

My hand jerked to my cap, panic surging. Had he noticed my hair? My scent? I muttered a thanks and rushed out, the weight of his scrutiny closing in. Elias was dangerously close to the truth, and Rylan was too. I needed a strategy-immediately.

Back in the dorm, I found Jasper already there, a bandage on his lip but his grin returned. "You owe me, Linc," he said, tossing me a water bottle. "Took a hit for you."

I caught it, guilt digging deeper. "I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "I didn't ask for this."

He waved it off. "It's fine. I like you. You're... different. Just don't get me killed, alright?" His gaze flickered to the book tucked under my mattress, the one about pack lore. "Found anything useful yet?"

I hesitated, then pulled it out, flipping to the passage on the Moon's Judgment. "Rylan's up to something," I said, lowering my voice. "This ritual-it's trouble. If Rylan gets his way, I'm doomed."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Then we stop him," he asserted, as if it were that simple. "You're not alone, Linc. I'm in."

I wanted to embrace him, but my secret held me back. "Thanks," I said, my voice tense. "But this is my battle."

"Not anymore," he replied with a grin. "We're a team now."

His words warmed me, but fear still hovered. Rylan wasn't acting alone-those goons, his supposed "friends in high places" that Jasper mentioned. I needed to uncover who was backing him, and quickly. The full moon was just two weeks away, and my pendant was already faltering. I tucked the book away, my mind racing. Perhaps the library had more information on the ritual, or I could follow Rylan's trail, but every decision was a gamble.

As Jasper excitedly detailed his next plan, a sharp knock interrupted us. I stiffened, my wolf on high alert. "Linc, open up," Kade's voice called, low and urgent. My wolf whined, that instinctive mate tug flaring, and I cursed my luck. Not now.

I opened the door to find Kade leaning against the frame, his dark hair tousled, eyes sharp. "We need to talk," he said, glancing at Jasper. "Alone."

Jasper raised an eyebrow but gathered his bag. "I'll check out the library," he said with a wink. "Just don't do anything reckless."

He left, and Kade stepped inside, shutting the door. His scent-smoky and fierce struck me hard, and my pendant warmed, urging me to remain vigilant. "Rylan's orchestrating something massive," he said, his voice low. "And you're at the center of it. Start talking, Linc, or I can't help you."

My heart raced. Kade seemed to know more than he let on, and his searching gaze promised he wasn't going to drop it. My scent had slipped once, and now Rylan had allies, a dangerous ritual, and a vial that could undo me. I opened my mouth, ready to fabricate a story, when a loud crash outside interrupted us. Shouts rang out, and my wolf snarled, sensing imminent danger.

I rushed to the window, Kade beside me, and saw flames dancing in the courtyard. Students scattered, and amid the chaos, Rylan stood, that cold smile plastered on his face. He clutched another vial, its glow pulsing, and my pendant burned against my skin, my scent slipping into the open air.

"Linc," Kade growled, gripping my arm. "What the hell is going on?"