Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 320: Forgiveness Astrid's

POV

Killian shook his head, his tears falling freely now as he rested his forehead against mine.

"Don't be sorry," he whispered. "You had every reason to believe what you did. I didn't fight hard enough either. I should have told you the truth sooner, but I was too ashamed. Too afraid."

A sob broke from my chest as I leaned into his touch, my heart aching for him, for everything we had lost.

"I blamed you for everything," I whispered. "But you never blamed me. You carried all of this guilt alone. I should have known."

He held me tighter, his arms wrapping around me as though he could shield me from the pain that had been festering between us for so long.

"We were both innocent," he whispered, his voice cracking. "It was all lies. None of this should have happened.'

I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, my heart still heavy but lighter than it had been in years. "Can we start over?" I asked, my voice small but hopeful. "Can we forget everything and build something new?"

Killian smiled softly, his thumb brushing away the last of my tears. "Yes," he whispered. "We can start over. We can build something better. Together."

I nodded, taking a deep breath as the weight of the past finally began to lift from my shoulders.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt free. I felt hope.

And as I looked into Killian's eyes, filled with love and sincerity, I knew that we could make this work. We had always belonged to each other.

"I love you, Astrid," Killian whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I've always loved you. I never stopped."

smile tugged at my lips as I whispered back, "I love you too, Killian.

it was the reason

I was

love is because the space was already occupied by Killian. And in that moment, as we stood there holding each other, we finally shared the kiss we had been denied

soft at first, a tentative connection, but as our lips met, it deepened into something

years of longing, of pain, of love that had been waiting

finally pulled apart, our foreheads still resting together, I knew that this time, we were

had each other again, and that

we could face

neck, his touch grounding me

was an edge to it, a determination that

Giselle," he

the protocol anymore. As long as she is alive, I know we won't

en

brought me back to reality, reminding me that while we had found each other again, the shadow

mine for confirmation, for some kind of reassurance that we were on the

always be looking over our shoulders.

the resolution in his words echoing in my own heart. I wanted this chapter

we should have had from the beginning - free from the lies, free from

already stolen so much from us; she couldn't be allowed to take any

"She has to be punished. But

you want to speak

in my throat. I think Giselle knows that something is wrong with me. I think she knows about