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."

I whispered back, "I love you

the reason why my heart had no room

was

space was already occupied by Killian. And in that moment, as we stood there holding each other, we finally

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

filled with all the years of longing, of pain, of love that had been waiting

foreheads still resting together, I knew

and that

we could face

gently cupped the back of my neck, his touch

soft, but there was an edge to it, a determination that sent a shiver

Giselle," he said

against my skinz"1 don't care about the protocol anymore. As long

en

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

back slightly, his eyes searching mine for confirmation, for

over our

own heart. I wanted this chapter of

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

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

Killian," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. "She has to be punished. But before that happens, I need

brow furrowed in confusion. "What? Why would you want to speak to

the words catching in my throat. I think Giselle knows that something is wrong with