Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 345

Astrid’s POV

The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood and the howls of battle. All around me, wolves clashed in brutal combat, their fur matted with dirt and crimson.

The once pristine grounds of the Shadowfang Pack were now a battleground, a chaotic swirl of snarling beasts, flashing claws, and snapping jaws.

But I stood tall, my human form cutting through the madness like a spearhead, directing my warriors with precision.

“Form a line! Protect the children and elders!” I shouted, my voice rising above the discord.

My throat burned from barking commands, but I couldn’t stop. Lives depended on me.

The warriors of the Shadowfang Pack, massive wolves with sleek, dark coats, obeyed without hesitation.

They moved in unison, shielding a group of terrified pack members huddled near the treeline.

Their coordinated strikes drove back the advancing rogues, giving the vulnerable a chance to escape.

To my left, a warrior was pinned beneath a rogue’s snapping jaws. Without thinking, I darted toward them, drawing the blade strapped to my side.

I swung with precision, the silver-tipped edge slashing across the rogue’s side.

The wolf yelped and retreated, giving the warrior a chance to regain his footing.

Since I couldn’t shift, I had to rely on my trusty blade to defend myself. Although guns were available, a sword is a much better weapon since werewolves move so fast, it would be hard to aim a gun.

Besides, I am more skilled in close combat.

“Stay together!” I commanded. “Watch each other’s flanks!”

I turned to face another rogue lunging at me, its eyes burning with malice. My blade met its claws midair, sparks flying as steel clashed against bone.

With a sharp twist, I drove the blade deep into its side, ending its charge. It collapsed at my feet with a final, guttural growl.

“Get behind me!” I shouted, rushing to the Pack members who were cornered.

They huddled behind me, their eyes wide with terror. I turned to them, blood dripping from my blade as I guided them away from danger.

“Go! Now! Head to the safe zone.”

They didn’t need to be told twice. They scrambled toward safety, disappearing into the trees.

The battlefield stretched before me, a chaotic sea of clashing wolves. My warriors were holding their ground, working together to push the rogues back.

I scanned the field, searching for Andros to see how he is doing. Earlier, he had been right beside me, his massive wolf from a blur of motion as he tore through the rogues.

He was determined to fight alongside me even though I tried convincing him to just leave to safety.

But now, he was gone.

I frowned, my gaze darting accross the battlefield. “Where is Andros?” I called out, my voice sharp and demanding.

“He left, said he was going to check on Asha and Alpha Theron,” someone answered through the Pack Link.

My chest felt hollow, the absence of the Alpha bond a gaping wound I couldn’t comprehend.

I clung to the fragile hope that I was wrong, that there had been some mistake.

My father couldn’t be gone. He was too strong, too unyielding, too… him.

But as I approached the Packhouse, I saw him. Andros.

He was emerging from the building, his shoulders hunched under the weight of a limp figure in his arms.

My steps faltered, my breath catching painfully in my throat.

No. No, it can’t be.

Andros carried my father, his once powerful frame now lifeless. Blood stained Alpha Theron’s clothing, streaking his face and soaking into Andros’s shirt.

My mind screamed at me to deny what I was seeing, but my body betrayed me, dragging me forward with weak, stumbling steps.

“Father!” I cried, my voice breaking as I fell to my knees in front of Andros.

He lowered my father to the ground gently, almost reverently, his face a mask of solemn grief.

I barely noticed him. My entire world had narrowed to the man lying before me, the man I had spent so long resenting, and now he was gone.