Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 384

Astrid’s POV

The Emberwood ruins were eerily silent as the last rays of sunlight bled into the horizon.

The warriors moved like shadows among the crumbling walls, setting traps and reinforcing defenses.

Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of boots on gravel, the rustle of leaves in the wind, the faint metallic clink of weapons being prepared.

Killian stood at the edge of the ruins, his gaze fixed on the darkening forest.

His shoulders were tense, his posture rigid, but his voice was steady as he issued commands.

“They’ll hit us hard and fast,” he said, his tone calm but carrying the weight of authority. “Hold the line. Protect the Amulet. Do not let them break through.”

I nodded, standing by his side. “The rogues won’t stop until they have it. But we won’t let them win.”

He glanced at me, his jaw tight. “No matter what happens, Astrid, promise me you’ll make it out of this.”

I reached for his hand, squeezing it briefly. “We both will.”

The first howl cut through the stillness like a blade.

My wolf tensed, her instincts flaring as the sound was joined by another, then another, until the forest was alive with the chilling cries of the rogues.

“They’re here,” Nova said, her voice low and grim.

The warriors snapped to attention, forming a defensive line at the edge of the ruins.

I could see the fear in some of their eyes, but it was tempered by determination. They knew what was at stake.

The rogues emerged from the shadows, their forms barely visible in the dim light. At first, it was a trickle—scouts testing our defenses. But then the flood came.

“Hold the line!” Killian roared, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The warriors met the attack head-on, claws and teeth clashing in a storm of violence.

The air was filled with snarls, the sickening crunch of bones, and the metallic tang of blood.

I stayed near the Amulet, my eyes scanning the battlefield. Its faint glow seemed to pulse in time with the battle, as though it was feeding off the chaos.

“Don’t let them get near it!” I shouted, slashing at a rogue that had slipped past the front line.

Nova and Drystan were in the thick of it, their movements deadly and precise.

Nova fought with a ferocity that belied her injuries, her claws tearing through any rogue that dared approach her.

Drystan was a whirlwind of power, his wolf unleashed as he protected those around him.

As the battle raged on, the rogues seemed to grow more desperate, their attacks more coordinated.

My wolf snarled as another wave broke through the defenses, forcing me to fight them back with everything I had.

“Nova, watch your left!” I shouted, seeing a rogue lunge toward her.

She spun just in time, her claws slicing through its neck. But the movement left her open, and another rogue took advantage, slashing at her side.

“Nova!” I screamed, rushing to her side.

She staggered, her hand pressed to the deep wound in her ribs.