The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power (by Emily Reed) novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180 It Was Him (Part Two)

Cindy’s POV:

It all happened in a split second.

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The moment I saw those silver-gray eyes go from wild to blank, then suddenly fill with tears, that last thread of rationality I’d held onto for three years finally snapped.

Screw manners. Screw staying calm. Screw worrying that I might be wrong. I couldn’t care less.

“Astra!”

I let out a roar that was barely human-it was the primal howl of a mother wolf protecting her cub.

I lunged forward so fast not even Prince Adam, an Alpha at the top of his game, had time to react.

I all but wrenched the child out of Adam’s arms.

“It’s you… it’s really you…”

I dropped to my knees on the dusty floor, crushing that small body against my chest.

That was when the truth of these three years finally hit me, raw and real.

He was so thin.

Even through the thin, ragged shirt, what I felt wasn’t flesh, but jutting bones.

His spine stuck out like the branch of a dead tree, and I was terrified that if I held him any tighter, I’d break him.

Just as I held him close, a wave of stench hit me.

It wasn’t just sweat from not bathing. There was the rot of festering wounds, the smell of old blood, and the mildew stench of someone who’d lived for years in the sewers.

His hair was matted into thick clumps, stuck with who-knew-what. It scraped my cheek like sandpaper.

“This is our own flesh and blood… Cindy, he’s bleeding, his soul is bleeding.” Diana’s wolf spirit voice echoed in my mind, the pain racing down every nerve ending.

The child who had been thrashing and biting like a wild animal suddenly went completely still the second he landed in my arms.

He stopped kicking and yelling.

He just sat there, stiff as a chick caught in a blizzard that had finally found a warm nest. He buried his filthy face against my neck. His burning tears, mixed with mud, instantly soaked my collar and traced a path along my collarbone straight to my heart. His tears burned me so badly I shook.

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Chapter 180 It Was Him (Part Two)

I felt Prince Adam’s eyes on me.

He stood there, watching as I lost all control, then let out a heavy sigh.

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“So it really is him.” Adam’s voice was rough, exhausted, like he’d just set down the weight of the world. “Thank you, Moon Goddess, for keeping the bloodline of Silverpeak Pack alive.”

I didn’t answer him. Right now, all my attention had narrowed to the child in my arms.

After a long time, with a pounding heart, I loosened my hold just enough to see his face.

“Let Aunt Cindy see your face…”

But when I tried to pull back, Astra suddenly panicked.

That bony, scarred left hand clamped down on my wrist so hard his dirty nails dug into my skin and left bloody marks.

But neither of us felt it.

He wouldn’t let go.

He was terrified that if he did, this warm person in front of him would vanish-just like all those times in his nightmares.

His gaze was locked on the dagger with the sapphire, lying on the floor. Then, frantic and greedy, his eyes darted back to my face, as if he were checking, over and over, if this was real.

“Ah… ah…”

He opened his mouth, the veins in his neck standing out as he forced his voice to work, desperate to call

out that name.

But all that came out was a hoarse, broken wheeze-like a bellows with no wind.

He was mute.

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My heart felt like a dull knife was sawing it to pieces.

They poisoned him. Those monsters poisoned him to keep him from talking while begging.

Astra realized he couldn’t speak. Panic and despair filled his eyes. He clutched me even harder, his body starting to shake so bad I thought he’d lose it again.

“Shh-”

I took his shaking hand in mine, ignoring the pain in my wrist, and pressed his palm against my

cheek.

I looked straight into his eyes, and with every ounce of gentleness I had, I whispered, “Astra, don’t be afraid. Aunt Cindy is here. I came to take you home. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. Never again.”

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Chapter 180 It Was Him (Part Two)

Those words were like magic.

The wildness and panic in Astra’s eyes vanished the moment he heard “Aunt Cindy.”

He stared up at me, lips trembling.

The next second, his face crumpled and he began to sob.

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It wasn’t a quiet whimper. It was the kind of cry that wracks your whole body, the way a kid would wail if he could use his voice.

Even though nothing came out but breathy gasps, the rise and fall of his chest and the flood of tears said it all-three years of torture and misery, all pouring out at once.

Three years of darkness. Three years of beatings. Three years of hunger and despair.

And now, he was finally in his family’s arms.

That silent sobbing hurt more than any amount of wailing.

I held him tight, letting him get it all out.

Slowly, the sobs faded and the trembling stopped.

His head slumped against my shoulder, but his hand still clenched my wrist, as if he were holding onto a final lifeline.

He’d cried himself unconscious.

“Doctor!” I shouted toward the door.

The military medic who’d been waiting outside rushed in with his kit.

“Quick! Check him!” My voice shook. I was too scared to move him myself.

The old medic wiped sweat from his brow and quickly checked Astra’s pupils, pulse, and throat.

After a moment, he let out a sigh, though his face stayed grim.

“Your Grace, Astra is just exhausted, and the emotional shock knocked him out.”

“His throat…” I pressed.

“He was poisoned mute. His vocal cords are badly damaged, but with care, there’s still a chance he might recover.” As he spoke, he rolled up Astra’s sleeve. The sight of all those needle marks made my breath

catch.

“This…”

“This is why he’s been agitated.” The medic sighed, his eyes full of pity. “Those traffickers kept him under control with cheap addictive drugs. His Highness cut him off as soon as he was rescued, so he’s been in

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Chapter 180 It Was Him (Part Two)

withdrawal. It’s extremely painful.”

My fists clenched so tight that my knuckles cracked.

“Can you fix him?”

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“Yes. But his natural healing ability has been worn down badly. It’ll take a long time to get his body and mind back in shape.”

Just then, Astra let out a huge snore.

“Snrrrk-”

It was so loud that it sounded like it didn’t come from an eight-year-old boy. It sounded more like it came from a soldier who’d just survived three days of battle.

“He’s asleep,” Adam said softly, coming over. “Since he got here, he never dared fall asleep. Even the tiniest sound scared him awake. Now… he finally knows he’s safe.”

I looked at the sleeping child in my arms. Even in sleep, his brow was furrowed, and his hand wouldn’t let go of my wrist, like he was clutching the last lifeline he had.

“Cindy.” Adam crouched beside me, hand on my shoulder, worry in his eyes. “Let’s put him to bed. You haven’t slept in three days either. Eat something, take a shower, and get rest. I’ll stay with him.”

“No.”

I shook my head without a second thought.

“I’m not leaving.” I shifted to make Astra more comfortable in my lap. “I’m not going anywhere. If he wakes up and doesn’t see me, he’ll think everything was just another dream.”

I couldn’t let him suffer that kind of letdown again-not for a second.

“I can feel it too, Cindy.” Diana’s voice was softer than ever. “His dreams are full of fear. Surround him with your scent, remind him his pack is here.”

I released a trace of Alpha pheromones-the calming scent of a forest after snow, cold but safe.

Adam took in the sight of me, determined not to budge, and gave a helpless smile that held more warmth than anything.

“Alright.” He stood. “I won’t argue. I’ll send in some soup, so he’ll have something to eat when he wakes up. You need food too, if you want the strength to care for him.”

Prince Adam’s POV:

I turned and headed out.

At the door, I glanced back.

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Chapter 180 It Was Him (Part Two)

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In that dim room, the Silverpeak Duchess-always fierce and unstoppable-was now the gentlest mother, holding that filthy, broken child and softly patting his back.

My wolf spirit echoed in my mind, “This kid has been through hell.”

“But thank God,” I replied. “In the storm of fate, he survived.

“As long as he’s alive, there’s hope. As long as he’s alive, the Silverpeak Pack banner will never fall.”