Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 276

Astrid’s POV

I held back the tears burning in my eyes, refusing to let them fall. I couldn’t cry in front of Drystan, not now.

This wasn’t about me—it was about him, about setting him free. He needed to see that I wasn’t the one for him, that holding onto me would only bring him misery.

I looked at him, my heart breaking as I saw the pain in his eyes, the confusion, the hurt I’d caused by not being honest sooner.

It felt like the walls were closing in on me, but I had to stay strong. He deserved better than this. Better than me.

“Drystan,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. “You deserve a life of your own, without waiting on me. I don’t want you to waste any more time on someone who can’t give you what you need. You have to live for yourself before it’s too late.”

He didn’t respond right away, just stared at me, his fists clenched at his sides. I could see the battle raging inside him, the hurt colliding with the realization that I was right.

It was like watching him slowly fall apart, and knowing I was the cause tore me apart more than I’d ever admit.

Without a word, he turned away, his jaw tight, his shoulders tense with anger. I knew he was heartbroken, but this had to be done. I couldn’t let him stay in this limbo, waiting for something that would never happen.

He stormed out, but I didn’t bother to stop him. I stared at his back as he retreated away without turning back.

As I remained in the garden, the weight of everything pressing down on me, my knees nearly gave way. The world felt impossibly heavy, and for a moment, I could barely stand.

The soft rustling of leaves startled me, and I instinctively turned, my heart foolishly hoping it was Drystan coming back. But it wasn’t.

Instead, Killian stood at the edge of the shadows, his gaze fixed on me. The intensity in his dark eyes cut through the gloom, sending a strange, unsettling warmth through me.

I hadn’t expected anyone—least of all him—to appear now.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice quiet but filled with concern. He stepped forward, his figure moving gracefully through the garden’s soft moonlight. “Why are you all alone out here?”

I could only shake my head at first, unable to find the words.

"Drystan left in a rush," Killian continued, his brows furrowing. "He didn’t say a word. I came to find you after he stormed off."

I looked away, the ache in my chest sharp and relentless. “I had to let him go,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “It was the right thing to do. He deserves better than this... better than me.”