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."

said flatly, my voice cool and even. "Do I look like I'm here to

on her. Guess even legends know how to kneel when the

inside me simmered dangerously close to the

wasn't afraid

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

Elara's face her wide, terrified eyes, her desperate screams-held

no leverage here. No

Only her life.

his sneer barely masking his excitement, took a step closer, looking

thought I'd see the day," he muttered. "Astrid, the untouchable warrior, throwing

took another step, reaching

before I could

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

I murmured, "and I will break every

out a bark of laughter.

into something neutral. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction

Not yet.

forward again, a cruel

sneered. "What's it like knowing you had to crawl

to keep your little

I froze.

me seemed to drop in

my nails bit

sensed the shift

nerve, did I?"

continued, tilting his head

is

a mother who couldn't protect her?

she's

to bring

in my

even. But when I spoke,

you touch a single strand of

"I will burn this entire place

wasn't as

something in my voice that cut through their amusement,

I had surrendered, but they didn't understand a mother's wrath was something far worse than

tense silence settled between