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

and I pressed my lips against

murmured. "I promise I won't

my thoughts. "You can't

turn around. I didn't

Killian.

the only one

sure the warriors stayed on high alert, the one taking care of the Pack, the one managing the chaos I no longer

is also suffering just like us, ridden by guilt and anxiety, but he had

he was the one trying

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

afford to

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

me. “Because he's worrying about Elara,"

That made me flinch.

lied, my voice sharper

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

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

over my wrist. "And how do you 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 sees

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

out there, scared, alone.

QUMS

to cup my cheek, his warmth

he said gently. "Because when

going to need her mother.

My chest tightened painfully.

he

knew I wasn't doing anyone any

guilt-the crushing

fingers over

I whispered. "I just want this to be

squeezed my hand. "It will

could respond, the door to the infirmary swung

face grim, his presence enough to

Something had happened.

stood immediately, his body tensing. "What

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

he said quietly. “From

me went

his jaw tightening as he unfolded it.

quickly, his