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.

me if Ryker was taken by the

the only thing I truly cared about in this moment was

of her alone, lost, or worse, caught in

pretended to feel moments ago was now real,

in the game I was playing. If he was lost, the pack might mourn, but

Hazel - she was my blood, my daughter, my future. Her safety was

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

you hurt?" I asked him in a soft voice as I pulled away from the hug and took a good

like before he

everything was falling apart. Astrid stood

a word, her presence alone made me feel cornered, like she could see right through me-like she knew exactly what

her voice trembling with barely contained fear. "Where's Hazel?" she asked, her pleading eyes fixed on Astrid. Did you see her? Is

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

crowd grew louder, uncertainty rippling through the pack

raced, thundering inside my chest the

and the only thing keeping me grounded was the gnawing fear for

concern now bordering on panic, crouched down to Ryker's level, her voice soft and urgent, filled with the kind of desperation only a mother could

see

answer. He clung to me, his small hands gripping the fabric of my dress,

but for Hazel. Where was she? What

possible scenario playing out in my

if she was lost? Hurt? Or worse, taken by

Vanessa's eyes dropped from

face to his hands -

saw it. Her

freezing in place,