Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 317: Support Astrid's POV The cold earth pressed against my bare skin as I curled tighter into myself, the night air biting at my exposed flesh.

My body trembled uncontrollably not just from the chill, but from the fear that clung tolike a second skin.

The pain of the shift still rippled through me, a constant reminder of the monster lurking inside.

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to disappear, to sink into the ground and escape everything.

The forest aroundwas eerily quiet, the only sound my own ragged breathing. I had no idea where I was, only that I had run far. Too far.

But not far enough.

Footsteps.

My heart lurched in my chest. It had to be them - the attackers, or maybe the rogues.

My mind conjured up every possible danger lurking in the shadows of this unknown place.

My pulse quickened as the footsteps grew louder, closer. I didn't have the strength to fight. I didn't even have the strength to stand.

I pulled my knees tighter against my chest, curling up as small as I could.

Maybe if I stayed still enough, they wouldn't see me. Maybe I could just vanish into the forest floor. "Astrid?" His voice broke through the darkness like a shockwave, pullingout of my spiraling thoughts. I knew that voice.

Killian.

Slowly, I raised my head, my breath hitching in my throat.

There he was, standing just a few feet away, his eyes wide with concern, a blanket in his arms.

His figure blurred slightly through the haze of tears I hadn't even realized I was crying.

"Astrid," he repeated, softer this time, as if he was afraid his voice would startle me. "It's just me." I wanted to speak, to tell him to stay back, to leave, but all that cout was a broken sob.

He took a step forward, but I scooted away, dragging my body over the dirt and leaves, my voice hoarse and desperate. "No! Please, stay away!" He froze, his face tightening with emotion. "Astrid, I'm not going to hurt you." "I'll hurt you," I choked out, shaking my head. "I'll lose control. You have to leave. Just-just go before I—" Killian's jaw clenched, and he stepped forward again, this tmore determined. "I'm not going anywhere." My heart raced, and the wolf insidestirred, a low growl rumbling through my chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified of what might happen next. "You don't understand! I can't control her! You saw what happened! I almost- I almost hurt Ryker. I can't-" My voice broke, tears falling freely now. "I'll put you in danger." His footsteps were slow, cautious, but unrelenting. He knelt down a few feet in front of me, close but not close enough to touch.

His eyes never left mine, and for a moment, all I saw in them was fear - but not of me. For me.

"You won't hurt me, Astrid," he said quietly, his voice firm but gentle. "You won't lose control. I'm here, and I'm not leaving." I shook my head again, curling back tighter into myself. "You don't know that! You can't know that!" "Astrid," he whispered, the raw emotion in his voice makingpause. "It's okay... you don't have to be afraid to hurt me. Just take it as your chance to get back atfor everything I have done. Besides, I won't let anything bad happen, I can protect the both of us." I blinked, my breath catching. His words reached deep, past the fear, past the pain, and for a moment, the wolf insidestilled, listening.

"I've been a fool," Killian continued, his voice thick with something I couldn't quite place.

"I know I've hurt you. I know I've made you feel like you're alone. But you're not. You never were.

I'm here now, and I'm going to stay No matter how hard this gets, no matter how scared you are - I'm not going to walk away from you. Not again... even if it kills me.

I'd rather die in your hands than die without you." I fell silent as his words hung in the air. I couldn't believe he would even dare to askfor death.

But the fear was still there, clawing at me. "Killian..." My voice was barely a whisper.

He took another step closer, slowly unfolding the blanket in his hands, "Lethelp eyes locking onto mine. "Please, locking you. The murmured, his Astrid. Letin. I'm not afraid of yout. I never was." Tears welled up again, and I felt the tight grip of fear start to loosen, just slightly.

I swallowed hard, my voice trembling. "I don't want to hurt you." "You won't," he said, his voice steady and certain. "I trust you." I didn't know what to say. For so long, I had wanted to hear him say those words.

And now, here he was, offeringthe one thing I never thought I would have from him his trust.

Killian took one more step, carefully wrapping the blanket around my shaking shoulders.

His touch was warm, grounding. Seeing that he wasn't afraid of me, I felt at ease and I was no longer afraid of myself.

"I'm here, Astrid," he whispered, his hand resting gently on my arm. "And I'm not going anywhere." Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his, the weight of his words sinking in. And for the first tin what felt like an eternity, I let myself believe him.

For a moment, Killian's presence was the only thing tetheringto reality.

His warmth, his steady breath - it was all I could focus on as the storm insidequieted, if only for a moment.

"Ryker," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Is he... is he hurt? Where is he?" I asked him worriedly Killian's eyes softened, and be shook his head gently. "No, Astrid. Ryker's safe. He wasn't hurt." Relief washed over me, but it was fleeting. The fear, the guilt- they still had their claws in me. "But where is he? Why did you leave him?" I asked, barely holding myself together.

"I managed to send a signal to the nearest pack when the attack began," Killian explained his voice calm but filled with something deeper, something more. "They're our allies, and their Alpha responded right away. They came, and I entrusted Ryker to them before I cto find you. He's with them now, safe.