Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 312: Attackers Astrid's POV The poison courses through my veins, burning like wildfire as it spreads.

I can feel its tendrils seeping into every muscle, rendering my limbs heavy and unresponsive.

Panic claws at my chest as the world blurs and darkens, the strength I've always prided myself on slipping away.

The sand beneath my fingers feels coarse and cold as I clutch at the ground, trying to stay anchored, trying to fight the rising tide of fear and hopelessness.

In the distance, I catch a glimpse of Killian locked in a vicious fight, his movements a blur as he fends off the attackers.

My heart pounds. He's occupied and even if he's not, he's too far. I know he won't reachin time. I'm alone.

I have no one but myself.

And the attackers - they're closing in.

I looked at Ryker, his eyes wide and terrified, his small hands gripping my arm as I struggle to rise. It's hopeless for me. I couldn't run.

But Ryker... he has to go on, he has to protect himself.

"Run," I whisper, my voice cracking. "Run, Ryker. You have to go." He shakes his head, tears spilling down his cheeks, his lips parting, but no sound comes out.

My heart shatters. This was supposed to be a good day for us. We chere to celebrate his birthday, but instead things had turned into a nightmare.

Ryker couldn't speak, and I know the terror he's feeling is so much worse because he can't express it.

I force a smile, even as my vision flickers with encroaching darkness.

"It's okay," I promise, my voice soft. "Your father and I will follow. We'll be right behind you. You don't have to be afraid." Ryker hesitates, his hands trembling, and I hold my breath. He stared into my eyes as if he was trying to read through my thoughts.

I held his gaze, not showing how scared I was too at that moment, and with a determined nod, he regains his courage.

With his face streaked with tears, he turns and starts running.

I watched as his small figure disappears into the distance, and I let out a breath, relief and fear mingling as I watch him go.

I have to believe he'll make it. I have to believe he'll find somewhere safe to hide.

I try to push myself up, but my vision wavers again, and the poison tightens its grip.

I collapse back onto the sand, my strength abandoningcompletely.

I hear footsteps approaching - slow, deliberate - and I know one of them has caught up.

A man crouches beside me, a cruel smirk curling his lips.

"Well, well," he taunts, his voice dripping with mockery. "Look at the mighty Luna now, lying in the dirt like a dying dog." I scoffed at the way he addressed me. I was a Luna, but not anymore.

I narrowed my eyes to clear up my blurry vision and to have a good look at him.

I couldn't recognize the person in front of me. I haven't seen him before. I believe this is the first twe met.

"Where is the child?" he asksas I lay weakly on the ground, not bothering to make a futile attempt of leaving anymore.

I could already feel the poison swallowingwhole and if a miracle could happen, I still couldn't escape from this man who already caught me.

My heart pounds, and I struggle to lift my head, to face him. "I'm...

here," whisper, my voice D. Be breath. "You caught me. Let the child go. He's innocent." His grin widens. He leans in closer, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Oh, I think you misunderstand." He calls out to another figure in the distance. "Go after the kid. Finish him." My eyes widen, panic surging through me. "No!" I cry, my voice breaking.

I try to push myself up, but the poison burns, its grip unyielding. I claw at the sand, my body refusing to obey. "Please... he's just a child!" The man chuckles, watchingstruggle. "You really don't get it, do you? You're the one we want, but the boy? He has to go to and it's because of you." He tilts his head, studying my pathetic attempts to move. "We gave you a dose of Nightshade Venom designed specifically foret the likes of you. It is meant to disrupt the delicate balance between you and your wolf. It's almost impossible to fight." My brows furrowed in confusion. This is the first tI have heard of such thing and I have no idea what exactly it was.

He chuckled humorlessly as he crouched beside me. "I wonder who is going to die first. Is it you? Or will it be Ryker?"

My body convulses as I try to pull myself forward, my arms shaking. I know I'm losing the battle, but I can't give up not when Ryker is in danger. "Killian," I whisper, my voice raspy and weak. "Killian, please..." He is the only one I could think that could help us.

The man laughs again, the sound

cruel and echoing in my ears. "He's busy. And even if he weren't, you think he could save you? My men are tearing him apart as we speak. We cprepared, and he's outnumbered." My vision blurs as hot tears fill my eyes.

All my life, I've felt powerless - first when I was bound to a marriagen where I was never truly valued, then I when I lost my son, and now again, as I lay helpless in the sand. I had promised myself I'd protect Ryker, make up for the years I'd lost. But here I am, powerless to fulfill that promise.

"Please..." I whimper, the tears streaming down my cheeks. "I need to be strong... for him." My voice is barely a whisper as I force my body to move, inch by agonizing inch.

But it's not enough. The poison holdsfast, and I know I'm running out of time.