Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 427: Weight of Failure

Astrid's POV

The hour was unnervingly still-the kind of stillness that didn't promise peace but

danger.

Even the crickets had silenced their symphony, leaving the world suspended in an uneasy pause.

Fresh guards had taken their positions outside Elara and Ryker's room, their heavy boots scuffing the floor before settling into still vigilance.

Inside, I sat unmoving, my nails absently scraping patterns into the worn armrest of the chair.

Every creak of the house, every gust of wind, felt like a warning. My wolf stirred, pacing just beneath the surface, uneasy.

Killian had checked on me earlier. He'd lingered in the doorway, his golden eyes searching mine, his mouth pressed into a grim line.

He didn't speak, didn't push me to leave. He didn't need to. He knew I wouldn't.

I wasn't leaving my children tonight.

The breeze through the open window caught the flame of a candle, snuffing it out in a final flicker.

Shadows stretched long across the room. I stood, my movements deliberate and quiet, and crossed to the window. The cold night air carried with it the faint scent of pine and something else-

something sharper.

I reached for the latch, and that's when it hit me.

A ripple of awareness prickled down my spine.

Something was wrong.

My wolf stilled, ears metaphorically pricking, senses sharpening.

The hallway torches sputtered once, their flames bending unnaturally-and then extinguished as if the darkness itself had swallowed them.

I tensed. My hand dropped instinctively to the dagger at my waist.

A faint noise-the crack of glass breaking-pierced the quiet. The acrid sting of

wolfsbane hit me next, sharp and unmistakable.

It filled the air like a poison cloud, heavy and suffocating.

"Wolfsbane!" the guard outside choked, his voice strangled before being silenced

body hitting the

My voice cut through the oppressive quiet, sharp

screamed, startling them

shadows spilled into the room like water seeping through cracks. Rogues-silent, swift, and

light, and

desperate attack. This was

of snarling teeth and flashing steel. My dagger met him

there to replace him. They kept coming, a

me back to the bed. A hooded figure loomed near her, their

throat, raw and feral, as I

they faltered, another rogue grabbed me from behind, their

blade in my hand slicing blindly until I broke free. My

my lungs burned, but

I shouted, my voice cracking

But she didn't move.

wide eyes shimmering with

my blade finding its mark, but pain exploded in my back before

with wolfsbane, seared through my flesh. My knees buckled. My vision

through the fog of pain clouding my

her with deadly purpose. But before he could reach her, Ryker stepped in, his small frame braced in defiance, shielding his sister

alone!" Ryker shouted, his voice trembling

usually full of childhood innocence, was now contorted

the room, despite the overwhelming size and strength of the

dagger, both fists tightening around the

lifted it in

small. Too fragile.

my sister," he

the rogue's face-mocking, cruel. As

my

hesitation,

Fast. Brutal. Unforgiving.

bone crushing force, his small body sent hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. The sound of his impact

crack-shattered

to the

My scream was raw, ripping from my throat as I

body.

My son. My baby.

me, heavy and

wildfire, every movement a fresh wave

inch across

I gasped, my vision blurring.

my eyes. Breathe, baby. Please