Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 386

Astrid’s POV

The Emberwood ruins were quiet, but the air felt heavy. The scars of the siege remained—bloodstains on the stone, shattered barriers, and weary warriors moving through the wreckage.

The Rogue King’s retreat had left a bitter aftertaste, not a victory. We all knew it wasn’t over.

Scouts arrived at dawn, their reports grim. The Rogue King was rallying in Shadowfang territory, an area long abandoned after his rise to power.

Worse, his forces weren’t just rogues anymore. Several smaller Packs had joined him, their banners seen flying alongside his.

“He’s not just uniting rogues,” Killian said as we gathered in the council chamber. “He’s turning wolves against their own Packs.”

The room erupted into murmurs of disbelief and anger.

“What kind of Alpha betrays their kind for a rogue?” one elder growled.

“A desperate one,” Nova said, her voice sharp but steady.

She leaned against the table, her injuries still evident. “The Rogue King’s offering them something we can’t: freedom from structure, revenge against those who’ve wronged them. He’s exploiting every crack in our alliances.”

Drystan stood behind her, his arms crossed, his expression hard. “And every wolf that joins him makes us weaker.”

The tension in the room was suffocating as Killian addressed the council.

“We can’t afford to wait any longer,” he said. “We need to rally the Packs who still stand with us. If we let this divide grow, it’ll destroy us before the Rogue King ever has to lift a claw.”

“Rally them with what?” an elder countered. “Promises of unity? Look around you, Killian. Our warriors are wounded. Our defenses are in ruins. What Alpha is going to stand with us when we can’t even protect ourselves?”

I stepped forward, my voice steady. “We remind them what’s at stake. The Rogue King isn’t just a threat to us. If he wins, he won’t stop. He’ll tear through every Pack, rogue or not, until nothing is left.”

“And if they don’t believe us?” the elder pressed.

“Then we show them,” Nova said, her voice cold. “The ruins, the bloodshed—let them see what’s waiting for them if they don’t fight.”

The council fell silent, the weight of her words settling over us like a shroud.

Later that day, as the council dispersed, I found Nova sitting alone near the edge of the forest. She stared out at the horizon, her expression distant.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” I said, approaching her.

She gave me a faint smile. “Resting doesn’t fix anything.”

I sat beside her, the silence between us comfortable but heavy. “What’s on your mind?”

Nova hesitated, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I found this while we were searching the ruins. It was tucked in Liora’s journal.”

I took the paper from her, my hands trembling slightly as I unfolded it. The handwriting was unmistakable—Liora’s.

“If you’re reading this, it means I didn’t make it. The Amulet… it’s more than just a weapon. It’s tied to a bloodline, one that must be protected at all costs. My death was a part of that protection. Please don’t let it be in vain.”

My heart clenched as I read the words. “She knew,” I whispered. “She knew what was coming.”

Nova nodded, her jaw tight. “And she gave her life for it. For us.”