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."

flatly, my voice cool and even. "Do

"She's got a mouth on her.

inside

wasn't afraid of

rogues than I could count. If I had come here with a different goal, their blood

wide, terrified eyes, her desperate screams-held

no leverage here.

Only her life.

younger rogues, his sneer barely masking his excitement, took a step closer, looking me over

thought I'd see the day," he muttered. "Astrid, the untouchable warrior, throwing herself at our feet. If only

took another step,

body moved before I

out, gripping his wrist in a vice-like hold. My nails dug

I will break every bone in

eyes widened for a split second before Scarface let out a bark of laughter. "Still got some fight left in her." He grinned. "We'll see how long that

the rogue's wrist, my expression settling back into something

Not yet.

again, a cruel glint in his

like knowing you had to crawl to us? Knowing that all your

keep

I froze.

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

my nails bit

sensed the

nerve,

continued, tilting his head

is

a mother who

that she's nothing

leverage, a tool to

my

my breathing even. But when I

a single strand of her hair,"

will burn this entire place to

laughter that followed wasn't

voice that cut

think me powerless now, might believe I had surrendered, but they didn't

tense silence settled