Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 323: The Book Astrid's POV I tried to focus on the world around me, to drown out her voice with the rhythm of my footsteps, anything to make my mind occupied with something else.

But it was no use. My mind kept circling back to the sthing.

The book.

I hated myself for even considering it, but I couldn't deny that I was curious. Giselle had said it would explain everything - what kind of monster I was, what I was becoming.

And as much as I tried to convince myself that it was all lies, I couldn't help but wonder if the book held the answers I was so desperately seeking.

Maybe it was the key to understanding the darkness that had started to consme. Maybe it would givethe answers I feared most.

But did I even want those answers? Did I want to confront the truth, or would it be easier to turn away and pretend that Giselle was just playing with my mind? I had spent so much trunning - from my feelings, from my past, from the wolf inside- that the thought of facing it all was terrifying.

I just wanted this peace to last longer, but I know I could never run away from this forever.

There is no denying it anymore. It's even more dangerous to deny it.

There was no one who understood how dangerous the wolf insidewas better than I did.

I had felt the power growing, the rage simmering beneath the surface. If I didn't face it, if I didn't find out what was really happening to me, I would lose control.

And I couldn't let that happen-not to myself, not to Killian, and not to Ryker.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart pounding in my chest. No more running.

I had been avoiding the truth for too long, but not anymore. Whatever this was, whatever Giselle had done or discovered, I would face it.

And this time, I wouldn't face it alone. Killian would be by my side. There's nothing forto be afraid of. With newfound resolve, I turned on my heel and rushed up the stairs, my heart racing with each step. I had to find that book. I had to know what it said, no matter how much I feared the truth.

When I reached the hallway that led to Giselle's room, my pace slowed. I stood outside her door for a moment, staring at it, my hand hovering over the doorknob.

Luckily, the packhouse was empty. Everyone is outside, busy about Giselle's execution.

With a deep breath, I twisted the knob and pushed the door open. The room was exactly as she had left it - pristine, untouched, as if the woman who owned it wasn't outside being led to her execution.

The air inside was thick with the scent of her perfume, the scent that used to fill every corner of my life.

It made my stomach twist, and for a moment, I wanted to walk away. But I couldn't.

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, locking it with a soft click. Standing in the middle of her room, I let my eyes sweep over the space.

The bed was neatly made, the vanity cluttered with cosmetics and jewelry, as if she would be coming back at any moment to sit and brush her hair, to plot her next move. But she wouldn't. This was the end for her.

I took a breath, steeling myself, and began to search.

I rifled through her drawers, pulled clothes from her wardrobe, scattered trinkets and bottles across the floor in my desperation.

The longer I searched, the more frantic I became. I couldn't let myself leave this room without finding it. The book was my only clue, my only chance to understand what was happening to me.

Minutes passed, maybe even hours. I wasn't sure. The room had turned into a mess, everything thrown around in my search.

My frustration was growing. It wasn't here. I hadn't found it. Maybe Giselle had been lying after all, maybe this was just one last trick, one final attempt to mess with my mind before her end.

But then something caught my eye.

At the corner of the room, behind the wardrobe, was a small, hidden compartment - barely noticeable, except for the faint outline along the wall.

My heart leapt in my chest. I rushed over, prying the panel open with trembling fingers. Inside, nestled in the dark space, was a book.

The book.

With a mixture of dread and determination, I pulled it out. Mym led it out. Myn hands shook as carried it over to the bed, and I sat down, my breath shallow and quick.

The cover was old, worn with age, and the pages were yellowed It felt heavy in my hands, not just because of its physical weight, but because of the secrets it held.

I stared at it for a long moment, my heart racing in my chest. This was it. The answers had been avoiding, the truth I had been running from -- it was all here, in my hands. I took a deep breath and opened the book.

The title on the next page stoppedcold: Almega.

I blinked, my breath catching in my throat. Almega? I had never heard the term before, but the nitself sent a ripple of unease through me.

The letters looked old, the ink slightly faded, but there was no mistaking the severity of the words.

I continued reading, my heart pounding harder with each sentence.

"An Almega is a rare and dangerous creature-half Alpha, half Omega." The book... it really is about me.

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