Ch. 166..170: Reclaiming My Broken Luna Chapter 166-170

Chapter 166: Sister Bond

Drystan's POV

Before I could give much thought to what Asha's true intentions were, the door suddenly slammed open, stealing all of our attention.

Alpha Theron suddenly burst out of the door with a wide grin on his face. "Astrid is awake!" he cried, his voice brimming with unbridled joy. Without a moment's hesitation, I entered Astrid's room and rushed to her bedside with my heart pounding with a mixture of hope and trepidation. "Astrid,' I breathed out, stealing the breath from my lungs when I saw her.

There she was, finally sitting up on her bed, her eyes open and alert, with a small radiant smile playing on her lips.

"Drystan." Astrid muttered my name, surprised to see me here.

At that moment, a profound relief flooded through me, chasing away the fear and worry that had been my constant companion ever since Astrid was put in danger.

I'm so glad that I have left sooner, or else I wouldn't arrive on time to see her. She's finally alive, she's conscious - she has finally returned to us.

"Astrid!" Nova suddenly cried out, her voice thick with emotion as she disrupted the whole room.

She suddenly pushed me aside, and before I could react, she already had her arms around Astrid, almost swallowing her whole.

I watched with a mixture of joy and bewilderment as she enveloped Astrid in a tight hug, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Seeing how Nova was squeezing Astrid to death, I stepped forward, about to pull her away, when Astrid suddenly returned Nova's hug with equal fervor, a small but radiant smile gracing her features. Nova's shoulders shook slightly as she held Astrid's close. "You scared me," she spoke angrily as she bawled her eyes out.

Astrid couldn't say a word; with the way that Nova was crying her eyes out, she knew how she had been overwhelmed with a flood of emotions-fear, anguish, and now, pure, unbridled joy.

"Why are you crying? You're crying as if I was dead," Astrid questioned her as she pulled herself out of the hug.

Nova sniffed as she tried to push back her tears. She tried to wipe away all her tears with the back of her hand.

"Look, I'm all right. You should stop crying now," Astrid spoke soothingly as she helped Nova brush away her hair from her face.

I found myself momentarily rooted to the spot as I watched how the two had gotten close to each other.

Seeing how Nova's trembling fingers grasped Astrid's hand, the way her eyes shone with tears, the sheer relief that radiated from her very being surprised me.

I have known Nova for a long time. Aside from me and her sister, she never held anyone close to her heart.

Nova rarely trusts or gets attached to people, and when her sister died, it became worse. She started to build defenses around her heart, not letting anyone in.

Even though she's friendly, outgoing, and popular in our Pack, she always keeps a distance in her heart.

Seeing all the emotions she's showing for Astrid, I knew Astrid had already penetrated her heart. Finally, aside from me and her sister, there's someone else that she held close to her heart.

A smile stretched the corner of my lips as I felt happy for Nova. Watching the two women cling to each other, I knew Nova would never be alone.

Even though it's been years since Nova's sister died, I know she always missed her. No matter what I do, I could never do a perfect job of taking care of Nova, just like Astrid did.

I'm happy that Nova finally found a new sister that she could rely on.

"Astrid, you don't know how much you scared me. It was also like this when I lost my sister. I never left her side as I waited for her to wake up. Then one day, she breathed her last breath and I was there to watch her die Nova lowered her head as she spoke.

My heart twisted within me as I was reminded of my mate's death.

Hearing her words, Astrid instantly felt bad. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for scaring you," she apologized with her brows bent downwards.

"Astrid," Nova began. "You remind me so much of my sister - the kindest and strongest person I've ever known."

Astrid paused, not expecting to hear such a thing from Nova. "My sister was everything to me. Our parents died early and she had to raise me on her own. She could have just abandoned me to save her life, but she gave me everything that she had." "Nova," Astrid uttered her name to stop her, but Nova shook her head and continued.

"Astrid, are the strongest and kindest person that I know. You are just like my sister. Both of you showed me what kindness and strength looked like." Nova swallowed hard, her expression resolute.

"I promised myself that I would

never let anything happen to you, Astrid. I failed to protect my sister but I won't fail you. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe because you. Nova's voice wavered. You mean as much to me as she did.

Astrid searched Nova's eyes with disbelief, crossing her features. She felt undeserving of Nova's affection. The depth of Nova's emotions caught her by surprise.

But then, a warm, understanding smile blossomed on her face, and she returned the gentle squeeze of Nova's hand.

"Nova, are you sure about this? I will never be your sister—"

"You showed me kindness, you treated me like your own blood. That should be enough for you to be called my sister," Nova insisted.

Astrid suddenly hugged Nova

tight."I'm so honored to be

compared to someone special to

you," Astrid murmured, her voice filled with gratitude. "And Nova, promise you - I will be here, by your side, for as long as you need me. We'll face whatever comes next, together."

 

Chapter 167: Strawberry

Nova's POV

As the stillness of the night and the chillness of the air calmed my mind, I found myself drawn outside, my feet carrying me to the most private part of the Packhouse, away from the noise and attention of other people. Today is my birthday, but no one knew about it except for Drystan. Everyone is preoccupied with Astrid's recovery, and I couldn't just steal all the attention and say, 'Hey! It's my birthday today!'

That would be so insensitive of me to do so, and I don't want Astrid to be worried about me. It would be better for Astrid to focus on her recovery.

A part of me was relieved that only Drystan knew it was my birthday. I had never been one for grand celebrations or the unwanted attention that came with them.

The idea of being the center of focus, of having all eyes on me, filled me with a sense of unease. I preferred the solitude, the peace and calmness of the night. And so, I stared up at the twinkling stars that kept me company, and I felt a deep sense of contentment wash over me.

The cool night air caressed my skin, and the gentle hush of the world around me soothed my restless soul.

This is exactly what I needed to be alone, to revel in the simple pleasure of my own company.

However, as I remained alone with my thoughts, I found them drifting towards Drystan, who still hadn't greeted me with a happy birthday until now.

I'm not sure if he still remembers my birthday or not. Drystan had remained steadfastly by Astrid's side all day.

I know how much he cares for her, how his heart had been irrevocably in love with her.

Astrid is the strongest and kindest person that I know, aside from my sister. Her unwavering strength and unparalleled kindness are what captured Drystan's heart and mine,

He's been busy with Astrid all day, so he probably forgot about my birthday.

In a way, I'm still glad that my birthday had gone unnoticed, for I could only imagine the fuss he would have made had he remembered.

As much as I valued Drystan's friendship, I know that his focus - his heart belonged to Astrid now. And truthfully, I cannot hate him for that. Astrid is truly a remarkable woman, one who reminded me of my sister I had lost. The kindness, the resilience, the unwavering spirit - it was all there, shining through everything she did.

It's the reason why Astrid had become a sister to me as well. Though we had not known each other for so long, there was a deep, unspoken bond that had formed between us.

And as I gazed up at the stars, I wished Astrid was Drystan's second mate. It would be great if they were meant for each other.

Even though I secretly have a crush on Drystan, I know that we stand no chance. My sister is Drystan's true mate, and with the huge gap in our age, my feelings are better buried and forgotten. en

"What are you doing here?" I've been looking around for you all day," Someone suddenly spoke behind me, making me jump from my seat. "Drystan! W-What are you doing here?" I stuttered in surprise. I was just thinking of him when he suddenly surprised me behind my back.

"Happy Birthday Nova!" Drystan shouted as he revealed a present behind his back. "You think I forgot?" he asked with a smirk as he teased me.

I rolled my eyes at him as I grabbed the present from his hands. "Of course not, I've been expecting this that's why I went out here to hide from you," I answered back haughtily.

Drystan only scoffed at my words. "Are you sure? You only went out here to sulk because you thought I forgot, didn't you?" Drystan continued to tease me until he earned a glare from me. "Suit yourself and believe what you want to believe in," I retorted as I unwrapped his gift.

"What are you doing out here on your own then?" Drystan questioned me.

"Nothing, I was just waiting for my birthday," I answered casually.

Drystan suddenly smiled. "Oh yes, I remembered when your sister told me the story how yoatwere born on 11:59 PM. If you came out just a few seconds late, you would have been born on July 29," Drystan explained, making me look at him.

Drystan always knew interesting facts about me. He always surprises me with how much he knows me. I couldn't believe that he knew about this either.

"What's this?!"exclaimed when I

finally opened his gift. I was

expecting something big, but instead, only found the big box he gave me filled with crumpled papers, and then I finally saw a smal strawberry keychain inside.

"This is your gift?!" I asked again in disappointment. I was expecting a big gift in the big box he gave me that took me time to open.

"Happy Birthday, Nova!" Drystan greeted me again with amusement on his face.

"A strawberry keychain? Really? Why?!" I burst out, not expecting that a great Alpha would gift me a keychain.

"Because you love strawberries." Drystan replied innocently.

"When did I like strawberries? I don't like strawberries. I don't even eat fruits," I spoke without a pause. For sure, he knew this simple fact about me.

 

Chapter 168: Second Chance

Nova's POV

"Really? Then why do you dye your hair in strawberry?" Drystan asked as he grabbed a strand of my hair.

I moved all my hair to my right shoulder so he couldn't reach it. "Just because I dye my hair strawberry blonde, it doesn't mean I like strawberry," I replied grumpily.

My sister and I were born with the same hair colour. I was born with naturally perfect blonde hair, just like my sister. However, when my sister died, I chose to dye my hair because my hair would always remind me of her.

I don't like it when I look in the mirror and I see her. Before, when people saw us together, they thought that we were twins. That's just how we look so much alike.

Dyeing my hair with a different colour made me look a lot less like my sister.

Drystan suddenly let out a huge yawn by my side; I watched as he leaned in comfortably on the bench beside me, his eyes connecting to the stars above.

"Are you not going back inside to sleep?" I questioned him, not expecting that he would stay long out here.

I know he's tired of taking care of Astrid all day. He has been neglecting himself ever since he arrived. His body must be desperately begging for some rest.

"You're waiting for your birthday, aren't you? Let me stay here and celebrate your birthday with you," Drystan replied as he fought against his eyelids that were already drooping heavily.

"It's still around 10:30. Are you sure you're going to wait out here?" I asked him since we will have to wait here until 11:59, and it would be better if he's already sleeping right now.

"I know that, I came out here to wait for your birthday with you," Drystan answered stubbornly.

Since Drystan had already made up his mind, I didn't dare to argue anymore. Besides, having someone waiting here beside me could also make me feel less alone.

In truth, even though I enjoyed the stillness of the night, I still felt alone without having anyone to celebrate my birthday with me. It was selfish of me to feel grateful that Drystan would be here with me.

The inky blackness of the night sky stretched above us, peppered with the glittering stars.

Drystan and I sat on the old wooden bench. The only sound was the distant chirping of the crickets.

We waited in hushed anticipation for the clock to strike at exactly 11:59. As the time went nearer and nearer, I drew in a sharp breath. This was the moment, the exact time I had entered the world twenty-three years ago. Drystan turned to face me, a warm smile spreading across his features. "Happy birthday, Nova," he murmured, so I turned to face him, and our gazes locked together.

Then, something happened. In an instant, sparks flew around us, and a connection formed between us.

For a breathless moment, it was as if the world had faded away, leaving only the two of us suspended in a bubble of charged silence.

Drystan's eyes widened as he also felt the same inexplicable connection.

My wolf suddenly howled inside my head and wagged her tail excitedly. I swallowed hard when I heard the words chanting in my head - mate, mate, mate, MATE I finally met my mate. How could that be?!

Drystan suddenly jerked back, his face morphing into a mask of horror as he looked at me when he finally realized what the inexplicable connection was.

We were mates two souls destined to be together for eternity. I couldn't believe it. How?

My older sister is Drystan's true mate, so how could I turn out to be his second chance mate? "Why does it have to be you?" My heart shattered into little pieces when I heard Drystan's question. Drystan pulled back; he must have felt the pain I felt because of his question about the mate bond.

I remembered Drystan's promise to me yesterday. He promised me that I would be with my mate no matter what. He promised that he would never allow my mate to reject me, but then...

"I'm sorry," Drystan breathed out, and my heart sank. I knew what was going to happen next. "I'm already in love with Astrid," Drystan confesses, breaking my heart.

I was glad that I did not stand up from my seat, or else I would be sitting on the floor by now.

Why does it have to be him? Why now? All these years, I've been waiting for my mate, only to find out that it was him.

Now I understand why I had to be twenty-three to know who my mate was. Because of our age gap, it would have been inappropriate if I had found him as my mate when I was eighteen.

Besides, my sister was also still alive when I was eighteen. It would also be awkward between us if we found out we were mates when my sister's death was still fresh within us.

The moon goddess waited for us to

move on first before revealing that I was Drystan's second-chance mate. However, while waiting, Drystan had already given his heart to someone else.

"A-Are you going to reject me?" I asked, not knowing where I was able to have the confidence to ask.

 

Chapter 169: Rejected Mate

Nova's POV

My heart pounded in my chest as the words tumbled from my lips, "Are you going to reject me?" The vulnerability I felt was palpable, the fear of his answer etched into every trembling syllable.

I watched as Drystan's expression shifted, a flicker of remorse passing across his features. I held my breath, bracing myself for the impending verdict. Is he going to do it? Is he going to reject me? Just yesterday, he comforted me, saying that I shouldn't have to worry about who my mate was going to be. He promised that he wouldn't let my mate reject me and that he would force him to be with me. He even said that whoever my mate was going to be would be so lucky. Now that it turns out he is the lucky person he was talking about, would he reject me?

Sensing my trepidation, Drystan spoke, his voice gentle but resolute. "Noba, I..." He paused, and I could see the conflict raging within him.

I willed him to understand, my eyes pleading with him to see the depth of my feelings.

Mustering every ounce of courage I possessed, I pressed on, "Drystan, I am your mate. Can we at least try to make this work?" The desperation in my tone betrayed the frantic beating of my heart. "Nova, we both know this wouldn't work. You are like a younger sister to me and-"

"I had a crush on you, Drystan. You weren't just an older brother to me," I blurted out before he could finish his sentence and crush my heart again.

Drystan's eyes widened when he heard my words. He blinked in disbelief, not knowing that I had harboured a crush on him for so long.

Now that we finally found out that we were mates, it was the right time for me to finally confess my hidden feelings.

"I don't know how it started, but before you judge me I just want to let you know that it all started after my sister died." I continued as he gazed at me with surprise.

"W-Why didn't you tell me?" Drystan asked as his gaze softened.

"How could I?" I asked him back. "I know you only see me as a younger sister and I had never hoped for something more despite my feelings. I was stupid for letting myself fall in love with you. I was never going to confess to you. I had always planned to keep my feelings hidden, knowing that I stood no chance with you."

I paused as I searched his eyes, hoping to see something else more than the pity and the guilty look he had on his face.

"Now that we are finally mates and you finally knew the truth, do I still stand no chance?" I asked him as I pleaded with him through my eyes.

Drystan is still unable to say a word. He looked at me with none of the emotions I hoped to have. He just shook his head, he felt bad for me, but he was still willing to hurt me.

"I'm sorry, Nova, but I can't just see us being more than this."

"Drystan, I am not your sister, and your true mate is already dead! My sister is dead and I am your second chance mate, don't you get it?!" I hated myself for sounding desperate.

I hated myself for pleading with Drystan and delaying him from rejecting me, knowing that he was going to do it anyway.

Drystan's soft gaze hardened, and he did not hesitate to say his next words. "I, Drystan Forester reject Nova Sinclair as my mate and Luna."

Pain shot out from my heart as I felt our bond break from his rejection. I clutched my chest with tears dropping out of my eyes as I felt the excruciating pain of my heart.

I stared at Drystan with hurt in my

nět

eyes. I should have just rejected him before he could do it first. I should have rejected him instead of confessing my feelings. I made a fool of myself by desperately pleading for him to give us a chance.

In the end, he chose Astrid over me, and I left myself with no dignity.

"Fine," I replied coldly when the pain had finally subsided a bit. "I will accept your rejection and let's just act like this night never happened. From now on, we should just disregard our bond."

"I, Nova Sinclair accepts Drystan Forester's rejection."

Another wave of pain shot through us after I spoke the words. Drystan leaned forward and gripped the bench for support as the pain shot through his body.

If such pain was enough to make an Alpha cower, just imagine what kind of pain Drystan had put me through because of his rejection.

Now that the rejection process is finally finished, the mate bond is now completely severed. Drystan slowly rose up to his foot when the pain finally subsided.

Drystan and I locked gazes with each other for one last time. I waited for Drystan to say something, but he just kept his mouth shut and turned to leave as if nothing happened.

He left me there on the bench with my heart that he shattered into pieces.

Tears welled my eyes again, and I cried alone outside, with only the moon and the stars as my witnesses.

I couldn't believe that Drystan just

easily gave up without even trying. I

couldn't believe how easily the rejection slipped out of his tongue couldn't believe how he didn't care that was hurt as he turned around and left me without saying anything.

 

Chapter 170: Leaving Behind

Astrid's POV

I settled back into the plush pillows of the hospital bed, finally alone after the doctor's thorough examination.

My vitals were stable, he had assured me, and with some more rest, I'd be back on my feet in no time.

I sighed, relishing the quiet stillness of the room, but the serene moment was shattered as the doors burst open. My brows furrowed with concern as Nova stumbled in, her eyes swollen and red. "Nova? What on earth happened to you?" I asked, knowing that her eyes were red and puffy because of tears. "Who made you cry?" I asked her as she collapsed into the chair beside my bed. "You mean this?" she asked nonchalantly as she pointed a finger to her eyes. "It's nothing. I fell asleep crying last night. I just missed my sister," Nova answered, making me feel bad for her.

I must have brought back memories of her sister again, making her cry so hard until her eyes had turned red and puffy.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I reached out and squeezed her hand.

Nova shook her head. "None of this is your fault, you shouldn't feel sorry," she replied.

Still, I couldn't help but feel responsible about it ever since I found out how much I meant to her.

"Astrid, there is something I needed to tell you," she spoke with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"Sure, tell me," I answered as I scooted closer to her to show her how much I wanted to hear what she had to say. "I-I've been thinking about this a lot. I think it's time for me to go out there and search for my mate," Nova answered.

She looked into my face, waiting for how I was going to react.

"W-What?" I breathed out in surprise. "Y-You're leaving?" I stammered.

"Astrid, I'm twenty three years old already and I still haven't found my mate. I'm getting worried, I think it's time for me to go out there to search for my mate instead of just waiting here for nothing," Nova explains, but I couldn't understand her words.

"I thought... I thought we would stay together?" I asked her. It was just the other day when we promised each other that we would be there for each other forever. What's going on? Why did she suddenly decide to do something like this?

Nova fell quiet for a moment, and then she sighed and wrapped my hand in hers. "Astrid, I'm sorry. I hope you understand. I need to go out there. I realized that nothing would happen to me if I stayed here."

My brows furrowed as I looked at her intently, searching for clues on her face. "Is there something that happened? Is there something that you are hiding from me? Tell me, Nova. What is it?" I prodded.

It seemed out of the ordinary that Nova would suddenly think of doing something like this.

Nova shook her head. "It's not what you think it is," she assured me. "I've also been thinking about going out and exploring the world out there for a long time. I think it's finally time for me to pursue my dreams," Nova explained, trying to make me understand.

"But... you're leaving? You're leaving me behind?" I asked her once again.

I know I'm being selfish to have that as my reason. I don't want her to leave because I don't want her to leave me behind. But we promised each other that we would be

together; why is she suddeners

breaking her promise.

"I'm sorry, Astrid. I hope you understand-"

"But why now?" I asked, cutting her short. "I understand where you are coming from, but do you have to leave now?"

"Astrid, you already have Drystan, your father and your siblings to look after you. You don't need me anymore."

"You are what I needed the most, Nova," I replied as I grasped her hand.

Nova averted her gaze when she saw the look in my eyes.

"Look, I will let you leave, Nova. I will also help you find your mate and support you no matter what, but can you please stay for now. Just

me a year, Nova... no just a few e

months, give me just a few months," I tried to bargain with her when I saw how she had already made a firm decision to leave.

My heart broke when I saw that she had really decided to leave. She even told me that she cares so much about me that I remind her of her sister, and she sees me as her sister. It turns out it was all for nothing.

I felt like all the words she said were a lie, and I was not sure how easy it was for her to leave me.

"I'm sorry, Astrid. I promise I will come back. I promise that nothing would change between us—"

"I know that, Nova, but you also know that I need you right now," I cut her off once again.

Nova wasn't able to speak; she could only sit there in silence, still unwilling to give in to my words.

"Nothing that I will say could stop you, am I right?" I asked her, "You have already fully decided in your heart that you will leave."

Nova still remained silent, making me feel betrayed.

"Fine, if I couldn't stop you anyway, why bother to tell me about this? Just leave if you want to leave," I spoke coldly as I turned my back on her.

I thought I really meant something to Nova when she spoke her words the other day, but clearly, I meant nothing to her at all.