Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 434: Into the Lion's Den

Astrid's POV

The rogues had been waiting for me.

They lingered in the shadows, motionless, like predators poised for the perfect moment to strike. Their eyes glowed eerily in the dim light of the moon, flickering with something sinister-anticipation.

They knew I was coming.

My stomach twisted, but I forced my expression into something unreadable, my shoulders squared as I stepped forward. I came alone. No weapons. No resistance. Complete surrender.

It was the only way.

If I fought back, if I hesitated for even a second, Ardan might change his mind. He might keep Elara. He might hurt her.

And that was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

I took slow, deliberate steps into the clearing, my heartbeat steady despite the way my wolf clawed at the inside of my skin, urging me to turn back, to fight.

Not yet.

I exhaled, tilting my chin upward as I finally stopped before them.

The group of rogues at least a dozen

remained silent for a moment, assessing

me. Then one of them, a tall, lean man with sunken eyes and a wicked grin, let out a sharp laugh.

"Well, well," he drawled, stepping forward.

"Look what we have here, boys." His gaze dragged over me, his amusement clear. "The great Astrid, the Almega, reduced to nothing but a desperate mother."

A ripple of cruel laughter followed.

I clenched my fists at my sides, but said nothing.

My silence only seemed to encourage them.

Another rogue, this one broader with a scar running down his cheek, smirked. "Didn't think it'd be this easy," he mused. "I figured we'd at least get a fight out of her."

before me," I said flatly, my voice cool and even. "Do I look

a mouth on her. Guess

inside me simmered dangerously close

afraid

more rogues than I could count. If I had come here with a different

wide, terrified eyes, her desperate

leverage

Only her life.

sneer barely masking his excitement, took a

"Astrid, the untouchable warrior, throwing herself

step, reaching out toward

before I could stop

shot out, gripping his wrist in a vice-like hold. My nails dug into his flesh, my

me," I murmured, "and I will break every bone in your

before Scarface let out a bark of laughter. "Still got some fight left in her." He grinned. "We'll see

something neutral. I wouldn't

Not yet.

a

tell me, Almega," he sneered. "What's it like knowing you had to crawl to us? Knowing that all your strength, all your power,

to keep your little

I froze.

air around me seemed to drop in temperature, my fingers curling into

bit

sensed the

nerve,

continued, tilting his head

is

right now? Calling for a mother who couldn't protect her?

that she's

leverage, a tool to bring you to your

blood in my veins turned

breathing even. But when I spoke, my voice was

of you touch a single strand of her hair," I said, each word

will burn this entire

followed wasn't as

something in my voice that cut through their amusement, something

might believe I had surrendered, but they didn't understand a mother's wrath was

silence settled