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

his body hitting

cut through the oppressive quiet, sharp and

I screamed, startling

I could reach them, shadows spilled into the room like water seeping

faint light, and their

some desperate attack. This was

teeth and flashing steel. My dagger

but another was already there to replace him. They

to the bed.

raw and

struck deep into the figure's shoulder, but even as they faltered,

violently, the blade in my hand slicing blindly until

my lungs burned, but

I shouted, my voice

But she didn't move.

with tears, locked

her. I lunged, my blade finding its mark, but

flesh. My knees buckled. My

the fog of pain

could reach her, Ryker stepped in, his small frame braced

alone!" Ryker shouted, his voice trembling

was now contorted

despite the overwhelming size and strength of the rogue

hands clutched a dagger, both fists tightening

lifted it in front

small. Too fragile. But

sister," he said,

amusement crossed the rogue's face-mocking,

game. As if my son was nothing more

without hesitation, the rogue

Fast. Brutal. Unforgiving.

sent hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. The

sickening crack-shattered the

crumpled to

My scream was raw, ripping from my throat as

body.

My son. My baby.

tried to rise, but my limbs betrayed me, heavy and sluggish from the poison searing through my

like wildfire, every movement

crawled, dragging myself inch by inch

vision blurring. He wasn't

my eyes. Breathe,