Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 355

Chapter 355

LUMINA

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“No,” I said, cutting her off. “You’ve all made your concerns clear. You’re worried about danger, about threats, about disruption to pack

stability. I understand those concerns. But let me make something equally clear-Riley and Lake are my sons. They are members of this

pack under alpha protection. And if any of you think I’m going to stand by while you try to exile traumatized five-year-olds because you’re

too afraid to deal with the consequences of actually protecting vulnerable pack members, you’re going to learn exactly how fierce a luna’s

protective instincts can be.”

The basement had gone very quiet. Even Lazarus had turned back to watch the confrontation, his expression interested despite his

imprisonment.

“The law is clear,” Elder Morrison said, though his voice had lost some of its certainty. “The alpha and luna have the right to accept new members into the pack, especially family members. But the council has the right to petition for review if those members pose a

significant threat to pack safety.”

“Then petition,” Xenois said flatly.

“Call for a formal review. Gather your evidence, make your case before the full council. But until then, my sons stay exactly where they are-in this house, in this pack, under my protection. Is that understood?”

I saw the elders exchange glances, clearly weighing their options. A formal review would be messy, political, and potentially embarrassing for them if they couldn’t prove their case. But backing down now would mean accepting defeat on this issue.

“Perhaps, Thorne said carefully, stepping into the tense silence, “we should focus on the more immediate concern-the nightwalkers who escaped. They know where the pack house is now. They know we have one of their number imprisoned. They’re going to retaliate, and we need to be prepared for that.”

It was a diplomatic attempt to redirect the conversation, and I silently thanked him for it. The last thing we needed was this conflict escalating into an open political battle while we had active threats to deal with.

“Agreed, Marcus said quickly. “I recommend we increase security around the pack house immediately. Post guards, set up detection wards, establish patrol protocols. If the nightwalkers come back-

“When they come back,” Lazarus interrupted from his cell, his voice carrying dark amusement. “They will come back. My brothers and sisters do not abandon their own. They will return for me, and when they do, your little light prison tricks won’t save you.”

‘Let them come,” Xenois said coldly.

“We’ll be ready.”

“Will you?” Elder Johnson challenged.

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Chapter 355

“Will you really? Because from where I’m standing, this situation is spiraling out of control. First Sophia, then Andy, now

nightwalkers. How many more threats are going to target this pack because of those children upstairs?”

“Enough, I said, my voice cracking like a whip through the basement.

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“You’ve seen the prisoner. You’ve verified our claims. Now you can leave my house, and if you want to continue this conversation, you

can schedule a proper council meeting through official channels. But right now, I have three children upstairs who have been through hell

today, and I’m not going to stand here arguing with you while they need me.”

I turned and started back up the stairs, not waiting to see if anyone would follow. Behind me, I heard Xenois making arrangements with Marcus about security protocols, heard Thorne trying to smooth over the political tensions I’d just created, heard the elders

muttering among themselves about luna authority and proper procedures.

I didn’t care. Let them mutter. Let them scheme and plot and call for their formal reviews. My priority was my children-all three of

them-and making sure they felt safe and protected in their own home.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I found all three boys sitting on the landing, clearly having been listening to the entire confrontation. Ollie looked angry, his small fists clenched at his sides. Riley looked calculating, probably already strategizing responses to

the political threats.

And Lake looked hurt in a way that made my heart ache-that particular expression of a child who’d been rejected yet again, who’d learned not to expect acceptance but still hoped for it anyway.

“You shouldn’t have heard that,” I said softly, crouching down to their level.

“We live here,” Ollie said stubbornly.

“We have a right to know when people are saying mean things about our family,”

‘Elder Johnson is a jerk,” Lake added quietly. “Just like his son.”

‘Lake- I started, but Riley interrupted.

“He’s not wrong though,” Riley said, his voice flat and analytical. “We are dangerous. We do bring threats with us. Statistically speaking, the pack would probably be safer if we weren’t here.”

“No,” I said firmly, reaching out to cup his face in my hands, forcing him to meet my eyes. “That’s not how family works. That’s not how love works. Yes, you’ve been through things that other children haven’t. Yes, there are people hunting you because of what was done to you. But none of that makes you unworthy of protection or love or belonging. Do you understand me?”

I saw Riley’s careful mask crack slightly, saw the vulnerable child underneath the strategic thinker he’d been trained to be.

“The elders don’t think so,” he said quietly.

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Chapter 355

“Some of the elders are idiots,” I said bluntly, and was rewarded with startled looks from all three boys.

Za

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“And even idiots get to have opinions, unfortunately. But their opinions don’t change the facts-you’re my sons, you’re pack members,

and you’re staying right here where you belong.”

“What if they vote us out?” Lake asked, and the fear in his voice made me want to march back downstairs and tear into those elders

with claws and teeth.

“They can’t,” Ollie said suddenly, his expression lighting up with realization. “Dad’s the alpha. He can overrule the council on family matters. I heard him talking about it once with Mom. As long as he says you stay, you stay.”

“That’s technically correct,” Riley confirmed, though he still looked uncertain. “Though forcing a decision against council consensus

could create political problems that might-”

“Let us worry about the politics,” I interrupted gently. “Your job is to be kids. To go to school, make friends, read comic books, argue about superheroes. Let the adults handle the complicated stuff.”

“But we’re not normal kids,” Lake said, echoing what he’d told Xenois earlier. “We can’t just pretend we don’t know things, don’t have

abilities, don’t-”

The sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted him. The elders were coming back up, followed by Xenois, Thorne, and Marcus. I stood quickly, positioning myself between my children and the approaching adults in a gesture that was probably more obvious than I

intended.

Elder Johnson was the first to emerge into the hallway, and his expression when he saw the boys sitting there was complicated- disgust mixed with fear mixed with something that might have been guilt, quickly suppressed,

“Eavesdropping,” he said coldly. “How appropriate.”

“They were waiting for their mother,” Xenois said sharply, moving to stand beside me. “In their own home. Where they have every

right to be.

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18:58 Fri, Jan 30

Reborn From Regret A Second Chance at Luna’s Heart