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.

afraid," I confessed, my voice trembling as I looked into

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

He listened as I

to be let out," I continued, my voice breaking. "And I don't know how much

not afraid of hurting people... she was even demanding to kill you. I don't know what's happening to me,

and leaned in closer, until I could feel

don't have to be scared," he whispered. "Not

"I don't know how long I could be able to hold her back? What if I hurt

interrupted, his voice firm but filled with warmth. "You're not going to lose control. Not while I'm here. I

blinking through the blur of tears as I stared into his. "How can you say that?" I whispered. "How can you

said softly, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. "I've always known you. You're stronger than you think. And I'm not

words wrapped around me like a lifeline, pulling me out of the darkness I had

been aware of this monster inside or me for so long,

the reason to live,

me afraid

But Killian's words his presence, his unwavering belief in me... it made me believe,

across my skin as he whispered, "You deserve everything, Astrid. I'm not going to let you go not when Ryker and Care

life with them. A life that I have always

true.

brimming in my eyes. "And if I never

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

inside me shifted, the tight grip of fear loosening just