Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 292: Kidnapped Giselle's POV

I smiled graciously, a picture of a perfect Luna, as I moved through the crowd of guests.

The pack grounds buzzed with excitement, laughter, and the vibrant energy of celebration.

Ryker's fourth birthday was meant to be a joyous occasion, and I made sure that every detail was perfect. from the decorations to the banquet.

Behind my polite smiles and gracious words, bitterness roiled like a storm within me, growing darker with every passing moment.

Astrid.

She lingered around the pack like a shadow that refused to fade, always present, always reminding me of what I had to claw and fight for.

I could see her now, hovering near the entrance, wearing that same quiet, solemn expression she always carried, as if she bore some unspoken burden. It turned my stomach.

She claimed she was here to offer help to the pack, but I wasn't a fool. I knew there was more to her presence than mere goodwill.

In just a few days, she'd already charmed her way into the hearts of so many those who once looked to me now turned to her, their admiration shifting with a speed that left me seething.

Somehow, without even trying, she had managed to steal the spotlight that should have been mine, making me feel like a stranger in my own home.

What infuriated me most was how easily she'd regained Killian's favor. All it took was a few sympathetic glances, a few words spoken in that soft, humble tone of hers, and suddenly she was back in his good graces.

It should have been easy to push her out of the picture, to make her irrelevant, but Killian's misplaced sympathy had made everything so much more difficult.

a soft spot for her - something that made him overlook

clenched my jaw, forcing my smile to stay in place as another

them for their compliments,

Today, everything would change.

rid myself of Astrid's shadow

quickened with anticipation, but I made sure my expression remained

they expected. They had no idea what I was truly capable of, and neither

the crowd, I spotted the Omega I had sent earlier to take care

the guests, moving with the kind of deference that made

voice low, his head bowed as

a tickle against my ear. "We lured the boy out into the forest,

I kept

the plan was in motion. Ryker was safely out of sight, wandering into the

task was

ensure that he wandered far

Someone like Astrid.

and I

back, keeping my voice as soft as his. "Make sure no one notices his absence until

back into the crowd, his presence forgotten in the noise

of guests, and a slow, deep satisfaction settled into

perfect. When the time came, I'd stage my little performance-acting the concerned Luna, the devoted mother desperate to find her