Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 263: Real Mother

Astrid's

POV

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow over the playground. Giselle sat on the edge of a park bench, her posture stiff, watching her son, Ryker, who stood a few feet away, transfixed by the swing's rhythmic motion.

He didn't climb onto it; instead, he observed the world around him fading into the background. Giselle didn't bother to approach her son or to keep him company.

Vanessa, sitting next to her, laughed softly as her daughter, Hazel, darted around the playground, introducing herself to other children with ease and grace that came naturally to her.

"That girl," Vanessa mused, smiling fondly, "She could make friends with anyone."

Giselle nodded her smile tight. She watched Hazel charm another group of children, their laughter

reaching her ears like an echo that she wished she could hear from Ryker.

I watched as Giselle's fingers tensed on the edge of the bench as she glanced at her son. He wasn't interacting, wasn't joining in, leaving her nothing to boast about him.

"Ryker is just shy," Giselle replied after a moment, her voice distant as if she felt embarrassed to give that answer. "He's not good with people."

Vanessa waved her hand dismissively. "Oh please, He's just fine. We all have our pace." Her smile was bright; it was so easy to see how delighted she was to rub it on Giselle's face that her daughter was better than hers.

Giselle's shoulders tensed. If they hadn't been at the public playground and no people were watching, she would have responded negatively to Vanessa's words. It's clear what she's doing here.

could play both the piano and the violin, and she also knows a little ballet from her recent

Giselle, expecting to see her annoyed. Instead, I saw a different reaction on her face, a hint of sadness and happiness at

geniuses. What is he good at?" Vanessa questioned, pulling Giselle out of the thoughts

to keep him focused on something," Giselle replied. "Killian tried hiring tutors to teach him something and

came off more as a mockery than genuine concern. "As the future Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack, this couldn't carry on," she muttered, her brow

is improving with his therapy sessions. The Crimsonbane Pack won't raise up in the ranks anytime soon," she quipped, a playful challenge hanging in the air between

in surprise, her composure faltering, not expecting that Giselle would respond negatively to

confrontation, Giselle's defenses softened,

knows ballet and can play the piano and violin," she said, her voice taking on a

tracking Hazel as she played with the other kids, chatting and

her face softening for a moment - until she caught

the tension growing like a dark cloud between Giselle and

with her son's silence or discomfort

away from Max as though his mere presence was something

as I watched Vanessa smile warmly at her daughter while Giselle's face remained taut, her attention clearly

she is looking at her so intently? Then, a sudden cry split through the air. Hazel had tumbled off the edge of the jungle gym, landing hard on

Vanessa could

kneeling beside her, her hands trembling as she gently examined the scrape. Her face was a mask of fear as if it were her own daughter

a moment later, chuckling lightly, "It's

fast. "You have to be more careful, darling," she murmured, her voice laced with more concern than I had ever heard

Giselle's voice was thick with