Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 430: A Price to Pay

Astrid's POV

The walls of the Packhouse had never felt so suffocating.

Days had passed since Elara was taken, but time had lost all meaning.

The world outside moved on, but inside these walls, inside this nightmare, everything was frozen-suspended in a relentless cycle of fear, exhaustion, and waiting.

Waiting for news. Waiting for a sign. Waiting for something, anything, to bring my daughter back.

But all I had were the heavy, sinking hours in between, where every breath felt like a struggle, where every shadow in the room felt like it was closing in on me.

Ryker's condition wasn't improving.

If anything, he was getting worse.

He barely spoke. He barely ate. When he did sleep, it was restless and fitful, his small hands gripping the sheets as if he were still in battle, as if he were still fighting off the monsters that had stolen his sister.

Every time he closes his eyes to sleep, he wakes up screaming his sister's name, tormented by nightmares.

Ryker is blaming himself for what happened to his sister, worsening his health.

And I... I was barely surviving.

I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Elara's terrified face, her small hands reaching

for me, the way her screams had echoed as she was ripped from my grasp.

I had failed her.

I had failed both of them.

I sat by Ryker's bedside, my fingers brushing through his damp hair, pushing it away from his forehead.

His skin was clammy, his breathing too shallow for my liking.

"Ryker," I whispered, my voice hoarse from days of disuse.

His lashes fluttered, but he didn't open his eyes.

I looked down at his hand resting in mine, so small, so fragile, and I felt the weight

it-how easily I could

escaped me, and I

"I promise I won't

voice broke through my thoughts.

didn't need to. I

Killian.

was the only one keeping

on high alert, the one taking care of the Pack, the one managing

but he

one trying to hold

his voice, the weight of his

afford to fall apart

tightening around Ryker's. "He's getting worse," I

until he was standing beside me. “Because he's worrying about Elara," he said softly.

That made me flinch.

lied, my voice sharper than I

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

my eyes. "I don't care about me, Killian. I care about

crouched beside me, his fingers brushing lightly over my wrist. "And how do you think Ryker feels watching you like this? You haven't eaten in days. You

turned to him then, my vision swimming with unshed tears. "What else am I supposed to do?" My voice cracked, "He's sick,

scared, alone. What do you want me

QUMS

eyes softened, and he reached up to cup my cheek, his warmth grounding me,

this, Astrid," he said gently. "Because when we

she's going to need her mother. And

My chest tightened painfully.

knew he

knew I wasn't doing anyone any

crushing weight

to Ryker, brushing my fingers over his cheek.

"I just want this to be

my hand. "It

door to

enough to send my heart into a wild,

Something had happened.

body tensing. "What is

settling back on Killian. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a folded piece of parchment, the edges rough, the ink smudged

said quietly. “From the

me went

jaw tightening as he unfolded it. His

words quickly, his entire body going