Ch. 221..225: Reclaiming My Broken Luna Chapter 221-225

Chapter 221: Crumbling Heights

Giselle's POV

Before anyone could ask their questions, Alpha Theron had already made a move to answer them.

"Honored guests," he began, his deep baritone voice carrying a weight of authority. "I understand the confusion and speculation that has arisen regarding my relationship with Astrid. Allow me to set the records straight."

Alpha Theron paused, his eyes briefly meeting Astrid's before he continued. "Many years ago, before I became the Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack. I was engaged in an affair with a young omega."

Gasps filled the room when Alpha Theron gave his confession, and whispers started to grow among the guests.

After all, a forbidden relationship between an Alpha and a lowly Omega is unheard of. It's even more surprising, especially coming from the Alpha of the most developed Pack.

"Astrid and I were able to establish her true lineage three years ago after a series of tests. To my great surprise and joy, I discovered that she was indeed my long-lost daughter.

A collective gasp rippled through the assembly, the weight of Alpha Theron's revelation settling heavily upon the guests.

I felt my own heart thundering in my chest, my mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions as I processed this unexpected turn of events.

Astrid is actually the Shadowfang Pack's Alpha's own flesh and blood? How could this be? How on earth could this be possible?!

If only I had known Astrid's true identity. If only I knew that she was not a person I could afford to mess with, I would have stirred away from her path.

I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat as fear gripped my heart. Is this the moon goddess's way of punishing me?

At that moment, the weight of my actions pressed heavily upon me, and I felt everything I built slowly crumbling beneath me.

Had I gone too far in my quest for power?

I had been blinded by my desire to be a Pack's Luna. I made so many schemes, sacrifices, and compromises, and in the end, it led me to this.

I thought the fight was over and I already won, only to find myself stuck beneath the pile of my sins with no way to escape and redeem myself.

Alpha Theron continued to speak, extolling Astrid's virtues and officially welcoming her as a part of his family.

"From this day forward, your happiness shall be our happiness, and your sorrows shall be our own. We shall stand beside you, supporting you through every triumph and every challenge, for you are now one of us - a cherished member of our Pack, bound to us by the unbreakable ties of family," Alpha Theron's last words echoed through the halls and haunted my mind.

Astrid is no longer just a rival to be vanquished but a formidable adversary, with her father and the whole Shadowfang Pack backing her.

The tables had now turned, and I found myself grappling with the realization that this fight against Astrid was still far from over.

My knees buckled, and thankfully, the seat behind me was able to catch me. The others followed suit, and they sat after the proclamation was over.

I stared at Astrid with fear in my eyes. What is she thinking? What could her plan possibly be?

Now that she has the Shadowfang Pack's influence behind her back, she's definitely going to target me.

Astrid must hate me with every fiber of her being. I took away everything from her. I killed her son.

For sure, she's not going to stop until she drags me to the ground.

"Killian made a great mistake; he just lost the chance of becoming the son-in-law of the Shadowfang Pack's Alpha."

"He must be hitting his head in regret after this for divorcing his ex-wife."

My ears perked up when I heard the guests whispering around us; their topic of conversation was none other than Killian.

I glanced at Killian, who had a blank expression on his face and his eyes looking forward. He chose to ignore their whispers, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't hear them.

I clenched my hands together to stop them from trembling. First, Astrid and now Killian. I feel myself standing over a crumbling building.

I can't let myself fall from the heights. I must hold myself together. I've already sacrificed a lot for this.

I even gave away my own daughter for this. Being a Luna for three years and being resented forever is not what I wanted to be.

I've done a lot of things. My sins are too much. There's no turning back.

I turned tense as I remembered Astrid's furtive glance at me and at Killian. She's planning something, I know it.

Just that look in her eyes, I know she's planning trouble already.

I have to speak to her and talk her out of what she's possibly planning against me. I need to convince her, and hopefully, I can make a deal with her.

I have to do anything that I can to avoid this impending disaster.

Right now I'd rather kneel before her and beg for her forgiveness than face her wrath. Now that I know

what she's truly capable of, I need to be smart and learn to compromise.

Meanwhile, as long as Killian believes that I am the real mother of his son, I know there's nothing for me to fear.

 

Chapter 222: Other Plans

Andros's POV

The crowd inside the grand hall gradually dispersed after the ceremony ended. The bustling energy of the ceremony now echoed with the receding footsteps of the departing guests.

Amidst the slowly emptying space, only we stayed behind. As the hosts of the event, of course, we had to be the last to leave the place.

I glanced at my father, who had a joyous smile on his face as he talked to his estranged daughter, Astrid.

I clenched my jaw, and my eyes turned cold when my eyes landed on Astrid's crimson-red gown.

I had been bracing myself all morning, anticipating the inevitable complaint about Astrid's dress. I thought my father would have been informed about it already.

But as the hours ticked by, the expected summons never came, leaving me puzzled and unsettled.

I was confident that Asha did something to Astrid's dress to stop this ceremony. My sister is like an open book, very easy to read.

I swear you could read her thoughts just by looking at her face. Seeing how lively she looked this morning, I know she did something to Astrid's dress, just like how I had secretly instigated her to do so.

Seeing that Astrid is wearing a crimson red dress instead of the white one, it seems Asha really destroyed her white dress, making it unwearable.

However, she was still unable to stop the ceremony from happening, just as we both wanted.

Asha and I were only left speechless when Astrid walked in with her crimson-red gown that looked better than the white one that was destroyed.

The red gown only made her look more captivating, leaving a good impression on our guests.

No wonder why we didn't receive any reports about the dress. I underestimated that sewing manager.

Instead of reporting it to us, he actually went directly to Astrid to ask for her help.

"Asha, where are you going?" I spoke up when I saw Asha rushing off the stage with a frown on her face.

Astrid and my father turned to look when they heard my loud voice. They watched as Asha walked out of the grand hall without turning back.

"F-father," I stammered as I looked at him with concerned eyes, playing the role of both a dutiful son and a loving brother.

What Asha has done was so disrespectful. The guests haven't fully left the place yet, and she also just left without permission from our father. "Just let her be," my father responded with a sigh.

Luckily for Asha, her father is in a good mood, and her actions don't stir his anger.

"The fact that she was here to attend the ceremony is already enough. She doesn't have to stay here longer than she wanted," my father spoke forgivingly.

"I apologize for my sister, Astrid," I muttered with brows furrowed in guilt as I approached them.

Astrid looked at me with a small smile. "It's alright," she replied in a small voice with a tone of humility in her voice.

It seems that every time I apologize for my sister's behavior, she feels more like she owes me for always humbling her.

It is exactly what I wanted.

"What happened to your dress? Your dress was supposed to be white, isn't it?" I questioned her while feigning confusion.

"It's what we were discussing," Father answered, making us look at him. "Asha did something bad again. Apparently, she destroyed the dress that she was supposed to wear today." I flinched back to make my look of surprise seem more believable. "How could that be? Are we sure that it's Asha? I don't think she would go this far," I answered, defending my sister. "The whole department in charge of making the dress attested to it. It explains why she decided to attend the ceremony and why she left in such a bad mood," my father responded.

I was left speechless when I heard my father's answer. This is why I chose to do nothing and let her do things for me. In that way, things won't be traced back to me if things had gone wrong. "Asha could be willful at times. I'm sure she has learned her lesson right now," I tried to argue.

"Even so, she must also realize that nothing good will happen if she continues to go against her sister," my father replied angrily.

"I think the people from the sewing department should be punished as well for being neglectful in their duty. Things would have been a mess if you hadn't pushed them to make another dress, Father," I suggested.

Father looked at me with a glint in her eyes. "That's right, we should-"

"No, we shouldn't bring them into this," Astrid suddenly spoke up, interrupting Father's words. "Everything went well. The sewing department was able to provide me a wonderful dress. In what way were

they neglectful in their duty

Astrid

questioned, defending these people.

I held myself together as I maintained my expressionless facade. I wanted those people to be punished for ruining my plans, and yet Astrid is defending them.

"You made a good point, Astrid, but the sewing department kept important information from us. Alpha Theron or I should have been informed about what happened to the dress," I argued.

"But I was informed. Doesn't that count as well?" Astrid questioned back, making me fall speechless.

"That's right," my father nodded as well. "Since you are a part of this family, that should count as well."

Father turned his attention to me. "Andros, there's no need to pursue this matter. Meanwhile, Asha had done an unforgivable crime she should be="

"Father, we are having an auspicious event. Why should you ruin it by giving punishment within the same day?" Astrid interrupted once again.

Father looked at her in surprise. "Then should I give her punishment tomorrow?" he shot back at her.

"Father, there's no need to punish

Asha. Don't you want us to become close to each other? Stop punishing her on my behalf if you really want us to grow closer together," Astrid argued, making a good point

"Fine, let's do things the way you want since it's your dress that was ruined," Father answered in surrender, bringing a smile to Astrid's face.

"Andros, you should go talk to Asha and make sure she learns her lesson," Father commanded.

"Yes, Father," I answered before leaving with a hard expression on my face.

Since my plan didn't work, I needed to proceed with my other plans.

 

Chapter 223: Return of A Friend

Astrid's POV

Alpha Theron gazed at me with a wistful look in his eyes, reflecting a tapestry of emotions within them after Andros had left, leaving only the both of us behind.

I shifted on my feet, feeling uncomfortable under his nostalgic gaze. He is staring at me with memories playing in his eyes.

And then, the corners of his lips curled slightly, like he had just woken up from a dream.

"Oh, Astrid. You've grown up so much already. Your dress really looks good on you," Alpha Theron muttered, confirming my thoughts.

He is staring at me the way a father does when he looks at his grown-up daughter while reliving past memories.

"I wish I was there to see you grow up. I wish I was really there with your mom," he whispered with pain in his voice.

A lump formed inside my throat when I heard his words. In the past, he had the option to fulfill those wishes he mentioned.

However, in the end, he still chose to leave us. It doesn't matter whether he regretted his decision or not.

The day he needed to make the crucial decision, the time that we needed him the most, he had set his priorities, and we weren't on top of them.

"Enjoy your day, Astrid," he spoke, his voice a gentle breeze carrying the weight of unspoken words.

I gave him a respectful nod, accepting his words gratefully. I gazed at him for a moment longer before I gracefully excused myself, stepping away, engulfed in my lonely silence yet again.

After this ceremony, there was a whole banquet waiting for us, an after-celebration for my introduction ceremony, which meant that I would have to meet those guests yet again.

My mind reeled back to when I made eye contact with Giselle. I couldn't forget how pale and horrified she looked when she saw me and realized my real identity.

Her reaction was imprinted on the front of my mind, and I couldn't shake the memory away.

On the other hand, Killian held a more complicated reaction. Unlike Giselle, it was hard to see through his thoughts.

Aside from the shock that was written all over Killian's face, there's nothing more I saw from him.

I was waiting for regret to flash through his face, but there was nothing aside from the look of shock that was written all over his face.

As I stepped into the grand banquet hall, a hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes turned to me like moths to a flame.

Last night, none of the guests paid me any attention. No one even bothered to hold a conversation with me. I felt like an invisible person around them, just someone insignificant.

It was only Vanessa who was

friendly towards me and bothered to talk to me. She was the only person who was not judgmental enough to see me as a person according to those false rumors that were spreading about me.

She was the only person who stood up for me while Giselle tried to humiliate me. Because of that, I'll always remember her.

Today is now different after the truth was out. Something had shifted among the guests. Everyone was looking at me with interest and fear at the same time.

They look like they want to approach me and talk to me. However, they couldn't make a step towards me since they were aware of their mistakes.

They once indulged themselves in the lie that I was Alpha Theron's mistress, and last night, they ignored me and whispered those lies among themselves while I was in the same room as them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Giselle staring at me intently. I stared back at her as if challenging her gaze.

Something was different in the way she looked at me. Before, there was always hostility and hatred in her eyes whenever she stared at me.

Her eyes always had a look of a predator in them, as if she was ready to devour me. However, that familiar look in her eyes is gone.

She now shares the same expression as the other guests. She looked like she wanted to talk to me.

I watched as Giselle made her way towards me, but before she could reach me, I was stunned when someone ran towards me and enveloped me in a tight hug. "Astrid! I missed you so much!" My whole body turned stiff as the air was squeezed out of my lungs.

When the person who invaded my private space finally stepped back, I saw Nova's familiar face beaming at me.

"N-Nova?" I muttered, barely above a whisper.

I couldn't believe my eyes as I stared at both the familiar and unfamiliar person in front of me at the same time.

I blinked my eyes, thinking that my eyes were playing tricks on me. The person's face is definitely Nova's, but her hair and her style are not hers at all.

Nova's pink hair is gone, replaced by her natural honey-brown hair. Even her style had also changed.

She also looked tanner than she was, probably caused by her frequent exposure to the sun, especially since she travels a lot.

Nova looked more mature, more

human. I never thought that a

change in her hair color would make

such a huge difference in her

features. I like this new version of

her

She looks brighter and more her...

It's as if I've only seen the real her for the first time.

 

Chapter 224: Human Scent

Astrid's POV

"Nova, you... you looked different," I muttered as I failed to find the words to describe how much she had glowed up.

"I'm sorry I was late. I didn't arrive on time to witness the ceremony," Nova spoke with her eyes squinted a bit as she felt bad for being late.

I was so annoyed and so angry when I didn't see her presence in the ceremony. I thought she wouldn't come.

She said in her letter that she would attend my ceremony and introduce her mate to me. I was heartbroken when I didn't see her in the grand hall earlier.

"I forgive you since you stayed true to your words and still came," I answered in a forgiving tone. "By the way, where is your mate? Didn't you say you've found him already? You said you're going to introduce me to him." Nova smiled shyly when she heard my questions. She looked behind her and gestured for the man who was with her.

"Astrid, this is Michael," Nova announced as she beckoned her mate towards me.

As I turned to face the newcomer, words fled my lips when his scent hit my nose. It wasn't only his appearance that captivated me, but his unmistakable scent of being human.

"Michael, this is Astrid, my friend, who I have always talked about." Nova turned to her mate and spoke to him.

I was tongue-tied as I looked at Nova. How could this be? Nova's mate is a human? Does he even know that she's a werewolf, and is he even aware that he is her mate?

I have so many questions, but I couldn't ask them in front of this guy.

"It's nice to meet you," A dimple appeared on his cheeks when he showed me a smile. "Nova told me a lot about you. She said that the two of you are so close that you were practically sisters."

Nova met my gaze, and then her eyes snapped at Michael, reminding me to answer his question.

I forced a smile as I glanced back at Michael. Although Michael is human, he's actually not that bad.

His physique even matches Nova so well. Appearance-wise, they are a perfect match.

Just by judging Michael's face, I could tell that he is a good person, a type that can't hurt a fly.

Michael has that effortless charm of a boy next door - tousled dark hair that looked like it had been styled by the wind, framing a face that was both familiar and intriguing.

There was a comfort about him, like the kind you'd find in a favorite sweater - easy and unpretentious.

However, since he is human, I couldn't help but worry about Nova's future.

Unlike Nova, this guy wouldn't feel the hold of the mate bond since be is human. This means that if he cheated on Nova, then he wouldn't experience the same pain and consequences as her.

Even werewolves who are under the mate bond still choose to reject and cheat on their mates. How much more for a human who is not under any bond?

"So Michael, how did you meet Nova?" I asked him, changing the topic.

Michael smiled dearly as he

connected gazes with Nova. "It was

destiny," Michael's eyes even

sparkled when he answered. "I was on a trip to Hawaii, and she

vel??

happened to be there too. We met, and our hearts did their thang."

Thang? It is human slang, I guess, which we don't have here.

"I promised you that I'd tell the whole story once we met, didn't I? Stop asking Michael questions before I'm left with no story to tell you," Nova spoke up for her mate.

I wanted to ask Michael more questions to get to know him, but Nova is protecting him from me.

Since she doesn't want me to talk to Michael, then she better tell me everything!

I better know everything about this guy, and she better answer all of my questions!

"You were gone for three years. I guess it's going to be a long story. Why don't we talk in private?" I raised an eyebrow at her, and she instantly took the hint. "Michael, can you wait for me here, please. I'll be back. I just have to talk to my sister," Nova excused herself first and assured him.

Michael showed her a comforting smile. "It's all right, I'm going to wait for you here,"

Although Michael doesn't have the same mate bond as Nova, he looks like he really genuinely cares for Nova.

I watched as their eyes lingered on each other for a moment, showing a connection between them.

Still, that wouldn't be enough to prove to me that Michael deserves Nova and that he will always be faithful to her.

I laced an arm around Nova as I pulled her away from Michael. I'm afraid that the two would drown in each other's eyes if they continued to stare at each other. Nova gasped when I suddenly grabbed her away, leading her to some place private where we could talk together.

"Have you gone insane, Nova?" I

questioned her instantly before we could even reach the back forest. "He's a human! Do you want yourself to get hurt?" I hissed at her as

locked her arm tightly to me.

QUMS

"I know Michael. He's not going to hurt me," Nova rebutted.

"Even werewolves cheat, Nova. You know that!" I argued. I'm just concerned about her.

I don't want her to feel the same pain that I experienced. Being rejected by your mate is the worst pain I've ever felt. I don't wish that on anyone except for Giselle.

 

Chapter 225: Paid Role

Nova's POV

I struggled as I quickened my footsteps, trying to match Astrid's pace. She was dragging me closely by her arm, her large gown pressing to my side, hindering me from maintaining my balance. We haven't even arrived yet, but she's already bombarding me with questions, making it more difficult for me to keep up with her.

"Well, Michael is not a werewolf," I answered sarcastically in response to her last words.

I held my breath when I nearly stumbled and almost made contact with my face to the ground. Luckily, I'm a werewolf, and I was able to stay rooted on the ground with my fast reflexes. My gaze snapped at Astrid, and I glared at her for pushing me, which almost led me to an accident.

Astrid glared back at me without backing down. "This is your future, your own marriage that you are talking about. You should take my words seriously!"

My face softened when I saw her face masked with seriousness. The sharp lines around her eyes conveyed a sense of urgency, showing just how worried and concerned she was about me. It was insensitive of me to give her that sarcastic reply.

"Tell me the truth, Nova. Is Michael really your mate?" Astrid demanded with her lips pressed into a thin line, devoid of any hint of a smile, reflecting her focused determination.

My heart pounded inside my chest when I heard Astrid's question. I held myself together, controlling myself from giving away any hint of the truth.

My brows furrowed, and I stared at Astrid incredulously. "Of course, he is my mate," I spat out a lie that I'm willing to protect until I die.

The truth is, Michael is not my mate. He is just an actor I hired to act in the role of my boyfriend.

For three years, I've traveled around the world, hoping that I'd forget about Drystan and hopefully meet my second chance mate.

However, none of my wishes happened. Until now, I'm still stuck with Drystan, and I have had no luck finding my second chance mate.

I'm so stupid and arrogant. With my pride and with the feelings that I still had for Drystan, I know I cannot go back here without a mate to show them.

I had no choice but to hire a human actor to act as my second chance mate, hopefully fooling everyone and making Drystan believe that I had fully moved on from him.

I know what I did was foolish. It was very stupid of me. Not only that, but I'm also betraying the trust that they had given me, which is adding to my sins.

Astrid sternly stared at me, her eyes narrowed upon me.

"How could my wolf make a mistake

in identifying my mate?" I questioned her, hoping to convince her because

pel

I didn't think I could carry on with this lie if she didn't drop her questions immediately. "I'm not the only one that is mated to a human before. This kind of thing could happen," I argued, leaving her no room for an argument

Astrid stared at me sternly as if she was trying to convey a message through her eyes.

"Look, I know you are worried about me, but you have to trust me. I won't bring Michael here and introduce him to you if I know he is not a guy that I could trust," I looked at her with convincing eyes.

Astrid crossed her arms together, refusing to be persuaded. "How do you know that Michael could be trusted? Didn't you say you've only met him recently?" Astrid questioned, reminding me of what I wrote in the letter.

I straightened myself. I had to make things straight, or else Astrid would find inconsistencies in my story, and she would realize that I was lying to her, blowing up my whole act.

"Well, I did a background search on

Michael after I met him, and I found

no information to worry about. Michael is clean. He is a software engineer, and he is a family-oriented person," I explained to her, making things up.

"Don't worry, Astrid. I know what I'm doing, and I also share the same concerns as you," I added as she fell silent.

"Does Drystan already know about this? Drystan has to meet this guy first before you do anything else," Astrid stepped forward, about to call Drystan into this, but I grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Let me talk to Drystan personally about this," I muttered.

I turned nervous as I thought of meeting Drystan. I nearly chose not to come because I dreaded meeting him.

Ever since I arrived, I kept my eyes open around me to stir away from Drystan's path. Luckily, I never spotted him since I arrived.

Even so, I know I cannot hide from Drystan forever.

"If Drystan agrees with this, then I will give you my blessing," Astrid finally surrendered.

I forced a smile on my face as I looked at Astrid with happiness in my eyes. "Thank you so much, Astrid. I swear to you, Michael is not the type of person you fear of."

Astrid scoffed. "He better be. If that

guy betrays you in the future, I swear I'm going to destroy his life and kill everyone that he loves. Now that ve become an official member of the Shadowfang Pack, I can make him pay whatever way we want." Astrid's Words were laced with venom as she spoke.

I swallowed hard as I averted my gaze from her. Michael can't act as my mate forever. My plan was to fake a breakup with him when the time was right.

Paying Michael costs a lot of money. Now, I'm worried about how I can break my deal with him without putting his life in danger.