Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 318: Benefit of the Doubt Astrid's POV

Tears welled up in my eyes again, a mixture of relief and guilt crashing over me.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Then my brows furrowed with concern as I looked at him. "But... what about you? Are you... are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

He turned his head away as if he could avoid the question. His silence made my heart race with dread. Before he could get away from me, I pushed him to face me fully and that's when I saw it - his right arm, the sleeve of his shirt soaked with blood.

A deep, jagged claw mark ran from his bicep to his forearm, and the sight of it made my stomach turn. "No..." I gasped, my voice barely a breath. "I did that... didn't I?"

Killian glanced down at his arm, then shook his head, brushing it off as if it were nothing. "It's nothing," he said softly, but his jaw was tight, and I could see the tension in his body the pain he was trying to hide. "Killian, it's not nothing," I whispered, my heart breaking at the sight of the wound.

"You're bleeding... badly. You shouldn't have followed me here. you needed stitches. I-" My voice cracked, and I felt the weight of guilt pressing down on me. "I hurt you."

His eyes softened as he leaned closer, his hand still resting gently on my arm. "Astrid, I'm alright. I could barely feel it there," he murmured, his voice low and steady. "What matters is that you're here, and you're safe."

Tears slipped down my cheeks, and I shook my head, my voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to - I would never -"

He cupped my face with one hand, his thumb brushing away the tears that fell. "I know," he whispered.

"I know you didn't mean to. This wasn't you, Astrid. It was the wolf. And we'll figure it out. You don't have to be afraid."

I felt relieved that he noticed it, that I wasn't the one in control of my body earlier. I didn't know how else to explain it if he didn't caught on it.

I looked into his eyes. "I don't know what's happening to me.

like my usual wolf. She's darker. Stronger. She wants control, Killian. She's angry, and she wants blood. She almost... she almost hurt

speak, but his gaze never left mine, steady and unwavering. He

out," I continued, my voice breaking. "And I don't know how much longer I can keep her

dangerous, Killian. She's not afraid of hurting people... she was even demanding to

held me comfortingly and leaned in closer,

whispered. "Not anymore. I'm here, and we'll figure

threatened to fall again. "I don't know how long I could be able to hold her back? What if I hurt you or

"You're not going to lose control. Not while I'm here.

into his. "How can you say that?" I

softly, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. "I've always known you. You're stronger than you think.

wrapped around me like a lifeline, pulling me

or me for so long, but

that I have the reason to live, that's when this monster suddenly decided to take everything from

afraid of the

belief in me... it made me believe, if only for a moment, that maybe I didn't

will figure this out, Astrid." Killian's breath ghosted across my skin as he whispered, "You deserve everything, Astrid. I'm not going to let you go not when Ryker and

that I have always

true.

at him, tears still brimming in my eyes. "And if I never figure it

not going anywhere," Killian's voice was low but filled with conviction. "I'm not giving up on you. I won't ever

the tight grip of fear loosening just a