Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 325

Astrid’s POV

I stepped outside, the cold air biting at my skin as I tried to clear my head.

The sky was a dull grey, and the world around me seemed muted, like everything had been drained of color.

Giselle’s execution had already taken place by the time I arrived. Her body had been taken away, and there was no trace of her left—no lingering presence, no echo of her voice.

She was gone. And yet, the weight of her words, the darkness she had awakened inside me, still clung to my soul.

I should have felt relief. I should have felt free. But I didn’t.

I saw Killian across the courtyard, his face lighting up with a smile the moment he saw me.

He ran toward me, his expression filled with joy, completely unaware of the storm that raged inside me.

I wanted to return his smile, to let his warmth melt away the cold fear gripping my chest, but I couldn’t.

I felt… detached. Distant. As if there was a wall between us that hadn’t been there before.

“Astrid!” he called, reaching out for me. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his warmth, but I barely felt it.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching my face, still smiling. “Where have you been? I was looking for you.”

I swallowed, trying to push down the dread that bubbled inside me, but the weight of the truth was too heavy to ignore. I forced a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes.

“I… I needed some air,” I muttered, my voice sounding hollow, even to myself.

Killian’s smile faltered for a moment, his brow furrowing as he studied me. “Are you okay? You seem… distant. Is there anything bothering you? You know you could trust me, right?”

I tensed at his words, guilt clawing at me. He was so open, so loving, and here I was — hiding the truth from him.

Hiding this dark secret that would destroy everything we had been working toward.

He noticed the tension in me, and his expression softened. “It’s Giselle, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice gentle, as if he had already decided that my mood was all her fault.

“You don’t have to worry about her anymore, Astrid. It’s over. She’s dead, and she can’t hurt us or Ryker ever again.

We can finally move on. We can build a life together, like we’ve always wanted. We’re going to be happy. Forever.”

The sincerity in his voice, the hope in his words — it should have reassured me, should have made me feel safe. But instead, dread tightened its grip around my heart.

He had no idea.

No idea about the darkness festering inside me, the monster I was destined to become. There was no “forever” for us. Not the way he imagined it.

I wanted to tell him. I wanted to open my mouth and confess everything, but the words wouldn’t come.

How could I tell him that I was cursed? That I was going to lose control, to become something that would destroy him and Ryker?

How could I break his heart when he was so full of hope for our future?

It’s better this way. At least he and Ryker could still be happy as long as the wolf hasn’t taken control of my body.

This is a burden I have to carry on my own for their happiness, even for a short time.

Seeing the fear in my eyes, Killian reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. “Astrid, whatever it is, we’ll get through it together. You don’t have to face anything alone.”

I swallowed hard, but the weight of the secret pressed down on me, suffocating me.