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

easily I could lose

breath escaped me, and I pressed

"I promise I

deep voice broke through my thoughts. "You can't keep

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

Killian.

was the only one keeping all

alert, the one taking care of the Pack, the one managing the chaos

he is also suffering just like us, ridden by guilt and anxiety, but he had to be strong for us.

now, he was the one

the exhaustion in his voice, the weight of his

I couldn't afford to

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

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

That made me flinch.

fine," I lied, my voice sharper

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

care about me, Killian. I

my wrist. "And how do you think Ryker feels watching you

turned to him then, my vision swimming with unshed tears. "What else am I supposed to do?"

there, scared, alone. What do you

QUMS

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

he

need her mother.

My chest tightened painfully.

he was

doing anyone

the guilt-the crushing

brushing my fingers over his

just want this to be

squeezed my hand. "It

the door to the infirmary

enough to send my heart

Something had happened.

immediately, his body tensing.

Killian. He reached into his cloak and

quietly. “From the rogue

inside me went

the parchment, his jaw tightening as he

his entire body going