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

shuddering breath escaped me, and I pressed my

I murmured. "I promise I

through my thoughts.

I didn't need to.

Killian.

the only one

alert, the one taking care of the Pack, the

he 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

he was the one trying to hold me

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

afford to fall

hard, my fingers tightening around Ryker's. "He's getting worse,"

closer until he was standing beside me. “Because he's worrying

That made me flinch.

fine," I lied, my voice sharper than

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

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

how do you think Ryker feels watching you like this? You haven't eaten in days. You barely sleep You're running yourself

"What else am I supposed to do?" My voice cracked, "He's

out there, scared, alone. What do you want me to

QUMS

golden eyes softened, and he reached up to cup my cheek,

you to survive this, Astrid," he said

to need her mother. And Ryker needs

My chest tightened painfully.

he

doing anyone any good like

crushing weight of it-was

brushing my fingers

"I just want this to be

hand.

I could respond, the door

face grim, his presence enough to send my heart into

Something had happened.

stood immediately, his body

reached into his cloak and pulled out a folded piece of parchment, the edges

message,” he said quietly. “From

me

his jaw tightening

his entire body going