Chapter 5 Friendships and Rivalries

Luna made it back to the dorm without incident.

The three first-years who'd run from her must have spread the word. Students stepped aside when she passed. Conversations stopped. Eyes followed her movement.

By the time she reached her room, her hands were shaking.

Nova looked up from her desk. "Oh thank god. I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"Define okay."

"Fair point." Nova stood. "Come on. Sit. Tell me everything."

Luna collapsed onto her bed. She told Nova about training. About Ryder's harsh methods. About Darius showing up. About her mark glowing so bright it scared other students.

When she finished, Nova was quiet for a long moment.

"That's a lot for day one."

"Tell me about it."

"Okay. So. First thing you need to understand. What happened with those girls? That's going to follow you. Word travels fast here. By dinner, everyone will know your mark glows bright enough to scare people."

"Is that bad?"

"Depends. For some students, it'll make you intimidating. Untouchable. For others, it'll make you a target. They'll see you as a threat that needs to be eliminated before you get too powerful."

Luna's stomach twisted. "So I can't win."

"Not exactly. You just need allies. People who have your back. People who can vouch for you when rumors start flying." Nova sat cross-legged on her bed. "Which brings me to dorm rules. And pack dynamics. Because if you're going to survive here, you need to understand how everything works."

"I'm listening."

"Okay. Rule one. Respect territory. Every dorm floor has unofficial pack territories. Upperclassmen claim the best rooms near the bathrooms and windows. First years get stuck at the ends of hallways. You don't cross into upperclassmen territory without permission. Ever."

"What happens if you do?"

"Depends on who's territory you cross. Some students will just warn you off. Others will challenge you. And challenges here aren't like human school fights. They're serious. Physical. Sometimes violent."

Luna touched her mark. "How do you know all this?"

"My sister told me. Before she graduated, she made me memorize everything. Said it was the difference between surviving and becoming another cautionary tale."

"Your sister sounds intense."

"She was. Is. She made it through all four years without a single challenge. That's rare. Most students get challenged at least once."

"What about you? Have you been challenged?"

"Not yet. Omegas usually get left alone in the first few weeks. We're not seen as threats. But you?" Nova pointed at Luna's wrist. "You're different. Eclipse bloodline. Powerful mark. You're absolutely going to get challenged. Probably soon."

"Great. Looking forward to it."

Nova grinned. "Look on the bright side. If you win, people will leave you alone. If you lose, well. At least you tried."

"That's not comforting."

"I'm bad at pep talks." Nova pulled a notebook from her desk. "Rule two. Dining hall hierarchy. See, the Great Hall isn't just where we eat. It's where social order gets established. Alphas sit at the front near the faculty table. Betas sit in the middle. Omegas and uncategorized students sit in the back. You don't switch sections without earning it."

"How do you earn it?"

"Rank advancement. It happens through tests, challenges, or faculty recommendation. Once you're officially ranked, you move to the appropriate section. Until then, you're stuck in the back with the rest of us."

Luna thought about breakfast that morning. How everyone had seemed to know exactly where to sit. How no one crossed invisible boundaries.

"What about Darius? Where does he sit?"

"Front. Center. Right where everyone can see him. Darius Kane is fourth year Alpha. Top of the social hierarchy. He sits wherever he wants." Nova's expression turned serious. "Why are you asking about him?"

"He confronted me during training. Said my reputation was nothing. That I needed to prove myself."

"Of course he did. That's classic Darius. He sees you as competition. Eclipse bloodline produces Alphas. If you rank up, you'll challenge his position at the top. He's trying to intimidate you before you become a real threat."

"I'm not trying to compete with anyone."

"Doesn't matter. Just by existing, you're a threat to him. And Darius doesn't handle threats well."

A knock at the door interrupted them.

Nova jumped up and opened it.

A girl stood in the hallway. Tall. Blonde. Perfect posture. Her mark was visible on her wrist. A wolf mid-leap. Detailed. Beautiful.

"You're Luna Eclipse?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Jade. Second year. We met briefly at breakfast."

Luna remembered. The girl who'd called Eclipse wolves either heroes or disasters.

"What do you want?"

"To give you some advice. Free of charge. Consider it a welcome gift."

"I'm listening."

Jade stepped into the room without invitation. Nova frowned but didn't object.

"Here's the thing about Silverwood. Power is everything. But power without control is useless. You scared some first years today. Your mark glowed. Your eyes changed. That's impressive. But it's also reckless."

"I didn't mean to."

"Doesn't matter. What matters is perception. Right now, people see you as unstable. Dangerous. That makes you a target for students looking to prove themselves. Especially upperclassmen who want to put you in your place."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Learn control. Fast. Show people you're powerful but not chaotic. Demonstrate discipline. Otherwise, someone's going to challenge you. And if you accept a challenge before you're ready, you'll lose. Publicly. Humiliatingly."

Luna's temper flared. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"I'm not trying to be mean. I'm being realistic. Eclipse wolves are targets. Always have been. Your grandmother survived because she was exceptional. Disciplined. Controlled. If you want to follow her example, you need to stop letting your wolf react to every threat."

"My wolf?"

"The part of you that glowed today. That flashed gold in your eyes. That's your wolf. Your instinct. Right now, it's running wild because you haven't learned to control it. Until you do, you're a liability. To yourself and everyone around you."

She turned toward the door. "Oh. One more thing. Darius is planning something. I don't know what. But he's been talking to his friends. Scheming. Whatever it is, it involves you. Watch your back."

She left before Luna could respond.

Nova closed the door and locked it. "Well. That was terrifying and helpful in equal measure."

"She said Darius is planning something."

"Of course he is. That's what Alphas do. They scheme. They plot. They find ways to eliminate competition before it becomes a real problem."

"I'm not competition. I just got here."

"You're Eclipse. That makes you competition by default." Nova sat back down. "We need to figure out what he's planning. Before he makes his move."

"How?"

"Observation. We pay attention. Watch who he talks to. Where he goes. What he does. Eventually, he'll slip up. And when he does, we'll be ready."

Luna rubbed her temples. "This is exhausting. I've been here one day and I already have enemies."

"Welcome to Silverwood." Nova's smile was sympathetic. "But hey. You've also got friends. Me. Ryder, kind of. He's harsh but he's on your side. And maybe Jade? She seemed like she was trying to help in her own scary way."

"I guess."

They spent the next hour talking. Nova explained more rules. Where to study. Which professors to avoid. How to navigate the library. Which areas of campus were off limits.

By the time curfew bell rang, Luna's head was spinning with information.

"We should sleep," Nova said. "Tomorrow's another full day. More training. Classes start this week. It only gets more intense from here."

Luna changed into sleep clothes and climbed into bed.

The room went dark.

But Luna couldn't sleep.

Her mind raced. Replaying the day. Ryder's harsh training. Darius's threats. The first-years running from her glowing mark. Jade's warning.

She rolled over and stared at the window.

Moonlight filtered through the glass. The forest beyond was dark. Silent.

Except.

Something moved.

Luna sat up. Slowly. Quietly.

A figure stood at the edge of the forest. Too far away to see clearly. But definitely there. Definitely watching their dorm.

Watching her window specifically.

The figure was tall. Human-shaped. But something about the way it stood felt wrong. Too still. Too patient.

Luna's mark pulsed.

The figure tilted its head. Like it sensed her looking back.

Then it stepped backward into the trees.

And disappeared.

Luna stared at the empty space where it had been.

Her heart pounded.

Someone had been watching her.

Someone who didn't want to be seen.

She lay back down but kept her eyes on the window.

Sleep didn't come for a long time.

And when it did, her dreams were full of shadows and glowing eyes.