Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 296: Flesh and Blood Giselle's POV

Astrid's sudden arrival sent a shockwave through the crowd.

Whispers broke out, rippling across the gathered pack members, all eyes turning to her and Ryker.

My carefully constructed plan, my painstaking performance of a frantic, grieving mother, began to unravel in that instant.

Killian rushed forward, his expression a mixture of relief and confusion as he dropped to one knee, pulling Ryker into his arms.

"Thank the goddess," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. "Ryker, you're safe."

I watched, frozen in place, as the crowd's attention shifted entirely to them.

Everything I had worked for, all the careful manipulation, was crumbling before my eyes.

Ryker was safe. Hazel, I realized with growing panic, was still missing.

Astrid's gaze met mine for just a moment, and there was something in her eyes - something knowing, something resolute - that sent a chill down my spine.

She didn't speak, but her presence alone was enough to make me feel cornered, as though she knew what I had been planning all along.

I quickly masked my shock with worry, forcing myself to move. I rushed to Ryker, pulling him into my arms as though I were the worried mother I had pretended to be moments before.

I hugged him tightly, pressing his small body against mine, my mind racing.

His presence should have brought me relief, but it didn't.

As I held Ryker close, my arms around his small frame, I tried to summon the concern I should feel from him, but the truth gnawed at me from within.

taken by the

sounded, the only thing I truly cared about in this

images of her alone, lost, or worse, caught in the crossfire of the rogue

pretended to feel moments ago was now real, but

If he was lost, the pack might mourn, but life

she was my blood, my daughter, my future. Her

couldn't lose her. I wouldn't. The thought of something happening to her twisted my insides in a way that

soft voice as I pulled away

fine. He looks exactly like before he was lured

Astrid stood

alone made me feel cornered, like she could see right through me-like she

trembling with barely contained fear. "Where's Hazel?" she asked, her pleading eyes fixed

head slowly, her expression troubled. "I haven't seen her, Vanessa.

crowd grew louder, uncertainty rippling through the pack like a wave. But I barely heard any of

heart raced, thundering inside my chest the

as if the world tilted, and the only thing keeping me grounded was

bordering on panic, crouched down to Ryker's level, her voice soft and urgent,

"did you see Hazel? Do

hands gripping the fabric of my

heart beat erratically, not for Ryker - but for Hazel. Where was she? What would Ryker

every possible scenario playing out in my head, each one

if she was lost? Hurt? Or worse,

Vanessa's eyes dropped from

his hands

I saw it.

in place,