Reclaiming My Broken Luna 2

Astrid's POV

The world felt distant, muffled by the thick fog of unconsciousness.

My body was heavy, weighed down by pain and exhaustion, yet my mind clawed for clarity, for awareness.

Then, all at once, reality came crashing down.

Elara.

My breath hitched, my body jolting as I forced my eyes open. A sharp pain seared through my back, but I ignored it, my heart hammering against my ribs.

My surroundings swam into focus-the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the stone walls, the scent of herbs lingering in the air.

I was in my room.

Someone had carried me here.

A shadow shifted beside me, and my gaze landed on Killian.

He sat in a chair beside the bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his golden eyes dark with something raw and unguarded.

His face was drawn, his usual sharp confidence buried beneath an overwhelming weight.

The moment he saw me stir, he straightened. "Astrid," he breathed, relief washing over his features.

But I barely heard him.

"Elara," I gasped, my voice hoarse. The panic surged through me like wildfire, burning through every ache and pain.

I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak, trembling beneath me.

Killian was there in an instant, his hands catching my arms, his grip firm but gentle. "Astrid, stop," he said, his voice low, steady.

I shoved against him, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. "Where is she? I have to go "

"Astrid, listen to me." Killian's hands tightened, his golden eyes locking onto mine. "She's gone, but we're tracking them. My men are already on their trail."

Gone.

The word slammed into me, stealing the air from my lungs. My vision blurred, my pulse roaring in my ears. I shook my head violently, my nails digging into Killian's

arms.

"No, no, I have to "

"You can't," he said, his voice strained. "You're injured. The doctors just treated you-you had wolfsbane in your system. If you go after them now, you won't make it past the border."noveldrama

"I don't care," I choked, a sob breaking past my lips. "She's out there, Killian! Alone! She's scared-what if they hurt her? What if we're too late?"

The thought of Elara in their hands, terrified and crying for me, shattered something inside me.

My body trembled violently as I tried to fight against the hands that held me back.

My arms felt weak, my muscles screaming in protest, but I didn't care.

I needed to get to her.

I had to.

Killian pulled me into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around me tightly,

locking me in place as my sobs wracked through me.

I fought against him at first, my fists weakly pushing against him, but he didn't let

go.

And then, slowly, I broke.

I collapsed against him, my body shaking as the dam inside me burst.

"I promised her," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I promised her she'd always be safe with me."

Killian's arms tightened around me, his jaw pressing against my temple. "She will be safe," he murmured, his voice filled with a quiet, unrelenting conviction. "I swear to you, Astrid, we will get her back."

"But what if—”

"She's strong," Killian interrupted softly, his hands smoothing over my hair. "She's our daughter. And we are going to bring her home."

I gripped his shirt, my breath coming in uneven gasps. "I should have protected

her."

Killian exhaled shakily, his voice breaking slightly. "No, Astrid. This wasn't your fault."

I lifted my head, my eyes burning as I searched his face. "You promised," I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips.

Something in Killian's expression shattered.

His jaw clenched, his golden eyes shining with grief and fury. "I know," he said hoarsely. "And I failed you."

His fingers curled into fists against my back, his body so tense it vibrated with restrained rage. "L swore to protect you. To protect them. And I didn't. I let them take

her"

I shook my head, my vision swimming. “No, Killian, you didn't—"

"I did," he rasped, his voice raw. "I should have been there. I should have stopped them. I should have "

I grabbed his face, forcing him to look at me. "Then we fix it," I whispered fiercely. "We bring her back."

Killian stared at me for a long moment before exhaling sharply, nodding. His hands moved to my shoulders, steadying me as if grounding us both. "We will."

A shuddering breath left my lips, my body still pressed against Killian's as his steady heartbeat pounded beneath my cheek.

His arms around me were firm, unyielding, but even his strength couldn't quiet the storm raging inside me.

Elara was gone.

Taken.

And I hadn't been able to stop it.

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing down the sob that threatened to break free. I

had to be strong. I had to think. I had to-

Ryker.

My breath caught in my throat, my body stiffening. A fresh wave of panic surged through me, sharp and suffocating.

Where was Ryker?

Why wasn't he here?

I pulled away from Killian, my hands gripping his forearms as I searched his face.

His golden eyes, usually so steady and unwavering, flickered with hesitation.

"Killian," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Where's Ryker?"

Killian inhaled sharply, his fingers twitching against my skin. His jaw tightened,

and I saw it—the hesitation, the flicker of something dark in his gaze.

Guilt.

A sick feeling curled in my stomach.

"Killian,” I repeated, my voice sharper now. "Why isn't he here?"

His grip on me loosened slightly, his eyes darting away for the briefest second

before meeting mine again.

“He.....” Killian exhaled, his voice tight, restrained. "Ryker was injured."

The world tilted.

My heart slammed against my ribs, my fingers going numb.

"What?" I whispered.

Killian's throat bobbed as he

swallowed hard. "The doctors checked on him. They treated his wounds, but..." His voice faltered, his expression pained. "He hasn't woken up yet."

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I couldn't breathe.

A roaring sound filled my ears, drowning out everything else. My mind latched

onto his words, dissecting them, twisting them into something unbearable.

Ryker. Hurt. Unconscious.

I shook my head violently, stumbling to my feet. "Take me to him," I demanded,

my voice unsteady but unrelenting.

"Astrid "

"Take me to him, Killian!" My voice cracked, the desperation clawing at my throat.

Killian stood immediately, his hands reaching for me as if to steady me. "You're still weak, Astrid. You need to rest—"

"Don't you dare tell me to rest," I snapped, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

"My daughter has been taken, and now you're telling me my son is hurt, and I wasn't there for him?" My voice

wavered, and I gritted my teeth, swallowing the sob that threatened to break free.

Killian sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked exhausted, haunted.

I clenched my fists, willing my shaking legs to carry me forward.

I needed to see my son.

Because if I lost them both-

I wouldn't survive it.