Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 254: Affectionate Child Astrid's POV Ryker barged into the room, taking everyone by surprise. All eyes turned to his small figure, momentarily stunned by his sudden entrance.

Full of energy just moments before, Ryker suddenly froze when he saw us, his throat constricting as he took in the unfamiliar faces.

The weight of our gazes seemed to pin him down, and I could see his breath quicken, a flicker of anxiety crossing his features.

Before his emotions could conshim, his gaze suddenly landed on mine. I gazed softly at him and gave him a warm smile to encourage him and calm him down.

As soon as he recognized who I was, a flicker of calm washed over him, and I watched as he focused intently on me, the tension in his body beginning to ease.

After my encounter with him in the garden, I did sresearch about autism and learned about several symptoms and tendencies that autism might exhibit.

Ryker and I had only crossed paths a few times, but something about him drewin, igniting a desire to understand him better.

One of the things I discovered was that crowds could trigger overwhelming feelings, leading to emotional distress. I learned that helping him focus on one thing could improve his clarity of mind.

I felt a surge of relief that I was able to help him find that focus. My research was not in vain.

"Ryker? What are you doing here?" Giselle asked, worry etched across her face as she looked at her son standing before us. Her brows furrowed when she realized the negligence that had allowed him to wander off.

Just as she finished speaking, another person rushed into the room, breathless and flustered. It was his nanny, her eyes wide with concern.

"Ryker, please stop running. I'm tired already," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Just as she prepared to chase after him again, Ryker took off, darting toward my side. I sensed the sudden shift in the room as his nanny's eyes widened, taking in the gathering. Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when she realized what they had interrupted.

I was taken by surprise when Ryker suddenly tugged at my shirt, looking up atwith a bright smile that contrasted sharply with the tension surrounding us.

I glanced at everyone around me; they looked back atwith interest, their expressions a mix of curiosity and intrigue.

Except for Giselle, who shota glare that could have melted steel-her protective instincts flaring up at the sight of her son.

"F-Forgive my negligence, Alpha and Luna," Ryker's nanny stammered, her head bowed in fear. "Ryker and were just taking a walk outside when he suddenly ran off. I've been trying to chase after him, but he's so fast! He looked like he was searching for something; I didn't think he was looking for Miss Astrid." My attention shifted back to Ryker as he held up a shiny rock, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He wantedto take it, and I gently reached out to accept it.

As I admired the heart-shaped stone in my palm, a smile spread across my face. "Is this for me?" I asked, my voice bright and warm.

Ryker pursed his lips, then nodded earnestly, his expression serious yet proud. I felt a surge of warmth at his gesture. "It's beautiful," I told him, holding the rock up to the light to showcase its glimmer.

His face lit up with joy at my words, the anxiety from earlier dissipating as he took in my appreciative reaction.

But just then, Giselle's voice cut through the warmth. "Why are you just standing there? Go and take Ryker out of here. You are disturbing the guests," she scolded his nanny, her tone sharp and filled with urgency.

The nanny flinched, her eyes widening in fear as she glanced between Ryker and Giselle. She hurriedly moved to take Ryker away, but I instinctively stopped her.

"It's alright; there's no need to take the child away. He chere to givea gift," I said, defending Ryker as I held up the heart-shaped stone for everyone to see.

Suddenly, Killian spoke up, his voice cutting through the tension. "This is new! Ryker never shares his things with anyone, let alone gives thaway. Even I, Giselle, his own parents, couldn't borrow his things from him. Yet here he is, running around to find you and give you something special." I stared at Ryker in surprise, realizing just how significant his gesture truly was. It filledwith warmth to know that he had chosen to share this moment with me.

"It seems like Ryker likes Astrid more than he likes his own parents," Vanessa chimed in, her voice light but provocative.

Giselle's expression hardened in response, her smile strained as she forced an amicable facade of m course, Ryke loves us as his parents. purse, It's just that it's hard for someone like him to express his feelings," she countered, her tone clipped and defensive.

Killian smiled, seemingly unaware of the tension. "I'm glad that Ryker shows affection to you, Astrid. You've only y met each other a few days ago, but he already likes you more than he likes his mother," he said, his words rolling off his tongue without a second thought.

Giselle forced out a laugh, but it lacked warmth. "Just because Ryker prefers you doesn't mean ke likesless she argued, her voice firm. "You see, Ryker is a father's boy," she explained to the guests, trying to regain control of the narrative. I fell silent, absorbing this new information. Giselle's overprotectiveness was palpable, but beneath it lay something deeper an insecurity about her relationship with her son. She seemed to care for Ryker, yet el couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't as close to her as he could be. The realization that Ryker might feel a connection with me, perhaps even more so than with his own mother, stirred a mix of emotions within me.

I wonder what kind of mother Giselle really is.