Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 410

Astrid's POV

The air felt sharper, heavier. Ryder's words lingered, a warning that sent a jolt of adrenaline surging through me. "It's a trap."

Killian's hand tightened around mine briefly before he let go, signaling silently to the warriors around us.

His golden eyes locked onto mine, and without speaking, I understood. Be ready.

The rogues emerged from the shadows like wraiths, their movements swift and predatory.

My heart pounded as Killian raised a hand, signaling our group to spread out and form a defensive line.

The moonlight gleamed off their weapons, but it was their eyes-feral, unrelenting-that sent a shiver down my spine.

The rogue king's voice broke through the stillness, cold and calculated. "You've been followed, Cedric."

Cedric spun around, his eyes wide in shock and fear as his gaze darted toward the trees.

With the rogue king’s army surrounding us, and with his calm demeanor. It was obvious that he had seen us from afar. He was prepared to stop us.

Only Cedric had no idea about what’s happening around us, that he had used him as a bait

The rogue king didn't even glance back at us. Instead, he extended a hand, gesturing to the rogues. "Take care of it."

That was the only warning we got before chaos erupted.

The first rogue lunged, their blade, made of silver and reeking with the scent of wolfsbane, aimed for Killian.

He sidestepped effortlessly, his claws extending in a blur as he struck, sending the rogue sprawling.

I didn't have time to admire his precision as another came at me, their dagger glinting in the pale light.

One scratch from it is enough to weaken our wolves. The smell of wolfsbane dripping from their daggers smelled so pontent that it made me sick in the stomach.

I dodged, adrenaline sharpening my movements, and countered with a sweep of my leg, knocking them off balance.

The rogue hissed, scrambling to regain footing, but I didn't give them the chance.

My claws tore through their weapon arm, disarming them before a sharp kick sent them into the dirt.

"Their daggers are laced with wolfsbane. Stay together and focus on your defenses!" Killian barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Ryder was a blur beside me, as soon as he picked up a fallen dagger, he sliced through the air with deadly efficiency.

He moved like a shadow, his strikes swift and calculated. Warriors surrounded us, their battle cries echoing through the forest as they clashed with the rogues.

The rogue king stood still, watching the chaos unfold with an unnerving calm.

His shadowed figure loomed over the fray, untouched and unmoved. He didn't so much as flinch when one of his own fell at his feet.

This time, his army is wielding daggers laced with wolfsbane, he is determined to get rid of all of us and he is confident to win against us.

In their attacks and the last fight that we had, the rogues were many in numbers, but they were bare-handed.

Now, they got weapons. It must be Alpha Cedric who provided them. It is too late when we found out about the betrayal.

Going after the rogue king would only cost us a lot of men and it’s highly likely that he was only baiting us.

Killian hesitated, his body taut with the urge to chase, but he nodded, knowing that we had to make the best decision.

"Ryder, close the perimeter!" he barked. "Don't let anyone else escape!"

The rogue king spared us one last glance, his features obscured by the shadows.

"You've only delayed the inevitable," he said, his voice like a blade cutting through the air. "This game has just begun."

The rogue king didn’t move immediately. He stood tall amidst the chaos, his shadowy figure looming like a specter of inevitability.

His calmness was unnerving, a silent taunt that made my claws twitch with anticipation.

Killian’s golden eyes locked on him, burning with fury. “Ardan,” he called, his voice slicing through the air like a blade, letting him know that we know him, who he was, and even what his name is.

The rogue king’s head tilted slightly, his shadowed face turning toward us.

For a moment, silence blanketed the forest, the tension crackling like a storm waiting to break.

“Killian,” the rogue king finally said, his voice smooth and cold. “Still chasing shadows, I see.”

Killian stepped forward, his body taut with restraint. “No more games,” he growled. “This ends here.”

A low chuckle escaped the rogue king, a sound devoid of humor. “Oh, Killian, you still don’t understand, do you? This isn’t about you or your little Pack. It’s about everything your kind has built. It’s rotten to the core, and I’ll burn it all to the ground.”