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.

"And once you hear his

forward, the air between us charged

exhaled deeply, his gaze distant. "Ardan wasn't always the rogue king. He was an adopted

and who

blinked. Who would have known that the poor baby they saved that day would then become

asked impatiently. "If he was saved by a Pack, then why did he grew up

Because of who he was, he was bullied and treated worse than a slave. The Forestwood saved his life, but

treated. It explains why he hated hierarchies and why he wanted to dissolve Packs,” Damien supported. “The Alphas, the betas... everyone who had power abused him, treating him like

experienced as the Luna of the Silvermoon Pack many years ago is nothing compared to the life that he grew

head. "But he didn't stay invisible forever. Ardan was smart, determined. He started to push back, to fight for a place at

skipping a beat.

"Yes," Damien confirmed. "They

in the same pack. Cedric

was just like

to survive in

about them. The two of them became close, almost like brothers.

disbelief evident. "Cedric was his

continued from where Damien left off."Ardan left. He disappeared for years, and when he returned... he

army, rogues who shared his pain, his anger. He wasn't just fighting for revenge he was fighting to tear down everything he believed had

settling in my chest. "And Cedric?" I asked, my voice quieter now. "Where

hesitated, his gaze flickering with uncertainty. "That's what we're still trying to determine. From what we've uncovered, Cedric and Ardan had a falling

voice was sharp. "And you suspect