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

I

escaped me, and I pressed my

here," I murmured. "I promise

through my thoughts.

didn't turn around. I didn't need to. I

Killian.

was the only one keeping all of

taking care of the Pack,

is also suffering just like us, ridden by guilt and anxiety, but he had to be strong for us. Especially when all of us couldn't hold on any

the one

exhaustion in his voice, the weight of his own grief pressing

I couldn't afford to fall apart

"He's getting worse," I whispered, the words barely

standing beside me. “Because he's

That made me flinch.

my voice sharper than

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

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

think Ryker feels watching you like this? You haven't eaten in days. You barely sleep You're running yourself into the ground, and he

vision swimming with unshed tears. "What else

out there, scared, alone. What

QUMS

and he reached up to cup my

he said

going to need her mother. And Ryker needs

My chest tightened painfully.

he

doing anyone any

crushing weight of

back to Ryker, brushing my fingers over his cheek.

I whispered. "I just want

hand. "It will

could respond, the door to

stepped inside, his face grim, his presence enough to send my heart

Something had happened.

stood immediately, his body tensing. "What

into his cloak and pulled out a folded piece of parchment, the edges rough, the ink smudged

he said quietly. “From

me

the parchment, his jaw tightening as he unfolded

his entire body