Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 436: Enemy's Terms

Astrid's POV

Elara's blue eyes locked onto mine, wide and glistening with tears, her small frame trembling in the grip of the rogue holding her.

"Mommy!"

Her voice cracked, breaking something inside me.

I lunged, the burning pain of the wolfsbane shackles forgotten, my body driven by nothing but instinct.

I barely made it a step before rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me back.

A snarl ripped from my throat. "Let her go!"

Ardan's smirk deepened. He raised a hand, and the rogue restraining Elara tightened his grip.

She whimpered.

A sound so small-so fragile that it shattered every ounce of restraint I had left.

"I swear with my own life, Ardan," I growled, my voice raw with fury, "if you so much as touch her "

He laughed.

Actually laughed.

Like this was amusing. Like he wasn't holding my world in his filthy hands.

"My, my," he mused, pacing toward me with slow, deliberate steps. "You really do have a soft spot, don't you?" His gaze flickered to Elara. "I wonder... does she share your stubbornness?"

Elara stiffened, her lip quivering—but she didn't cry.

Not anymore.

My girl. My strong girl.

I tore against the grip of my captors, my body aching, my wolf raging beneath my skin, desperate to rip him apart.

"If you hurt her-"

Ardan hummed thoughtfully. "Hurt her?" He tilted his head. "Astrid, do you really think so little of me? She's been treated like a guest."

My eyes darted to Elara's small wrists-bruises.

Rage blurred my vision. "Then why does she look like she's been dragged through hell?"

Ardan exhaled, shaking his head as if disappointed. "Your mate has rubbed off on you too much. Always assuming the worst."

I couldn't listen to this.

Elara needed me.

And I needed her out of here.

forcing steel into my voice. "You wanted me. You

He stepped closer, his voice lowering,

My blood ran cold.

I stilled. "What?"

come to me, and you did. But nowhere in my message

The room tilted.

swayed, my breath stalling in my

No. No, no, no-

written in the paper he sent us, and he was

Elara's substitute. He never wrote that he would

was so worried about Elara that I lost my

the shackles no longer registering. "You-you

so fast,

he murmured. His dark eyes gleamed, inches from

to tear him

his throat and never let

But Elara-

still in

go," I whispered,

Ardan chuckled. "No."

I stiffened.

over my face, studying me, like I was some fascinating puzzle

as I imagined," he

slithered down

thought about this. About

I felt sick.

forcing my voice to remain steady. "What do you want

His smile grew.

truth?" he mused.

the bile rising in

Elara for that," I said, my voice quieter now,

a child."

last. "Yes, but

fingers, and the

pained sound slipping through

I lost it.

"Don't-!"

body fought violently,

prashing

get

to destroy every single

Ardan grabbed my throat.

I froze.

grip wasn't tight, wasn't

burned into his,

something, Astrid," he. murmured, voice

Almo

mine now. And you

slithered around

I refused to react.

moment before