Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 408: The Past

Astrid's POV

The private chamber was dimly lit, the flicker of candlelight casting shifting shadows on the stone walls. The air was thick with anticipation as Killian and I stepped into the room.

Alpha Damien and Luna Valerie stood by the hearth, their faces somber. Damien's normally relaxed posture was stiff, and Valerie's fingers were laced tightly together, betraying her tension.

"Damien, Valerie," Killian began, his voice firm. "We were told you've uncovered something about the rogue king. What is it?"

Damien exchanged a glance with Valerie before stepping forward, his gaze steady.

"Valerie and I had been conducting an investigation-secretly," he admitted. "Ever since the first rogue attacks began to increase, we've been suspicious."

Valerie nodded, her tone soft but urgent. "The rogue king's moves weren't random. They were calculated, methodical. He wasn't just targeting packs for power or resources; he was targeting the foundation of our system-the hierarchy, the unity that binds us."

Damien's jaw tightened. "So Valerie and I thought we could take a look on past rogue incidents and dig into the rogue's origins.

In order to understand what they were doing, we decided to look into patterns of their attacks, thinking it could give us a clue about their plans."

I furrowed my brow, exchanging a glance with Killian. "What did you find?" I asked, my voice low.

Damien hesitated for a moment, as if steeling himself. Then he said, "The rogue king didn't used to be rogue. He used to be a Pack member and his name is Ardan. We have found out about his past."

Killian's golden eyes narrowed. "You know who he is?" he pressed, his voice sharp with urgency.

once you hear his story,

the air between us charged with

deeply, his gaze distant. "Ardan wasn't always the rogue king. He was an adopted member of the Forestwood Pack, after he was found near death when he was

one knew where he came from, and who his parents were.

have known that the poor baby they saved that day would then become someone who

a Pack, then why did he grew up wanting to

slightly as she answered me, "The Forestwood Pack never treated him well. Because of who he was, he was bullied and treated worse than a slave. The

treated. It explains why he hated hierarchies and why he wanted to dissolve Packs,” Damien supported. “The

know what that feels like to be treated like nothing, but I'm sure that what I experienced as the Luna of the Silvermoon Pack many years ago is nothing compared to the life that he

determined. He started to push

skipping a beat.

"Yes," Damien confirmed. "They

together in the same pack. Cedric wasn't

was just like

to survive in a

about them. The two of them became close, almost

disbelief evident.

He disappeared for years, and when he

rogues who shared his pain, his anger. He wasn't just fighting for revenge he

weight of their words settling in my chest. "And Cedric?" I asked, my voice quieter now. "Where does he stand in all

trying to determine. From what we've uncovered, Cedric and Ardan had a falling out years ago. But whether Cedric is helping him now...

"And you suspect