Reclaiming My Broken Luna 2

Astrid's POVnoveldrama

I left the scene after Killian dismissed me, granting me a short break to rest. I took a stroll at the Pack garden, a smirk dancing on my lips as I imagined the couple having their private argument.

Giselle was so foolish to challenge me without considering the consequences of her actions for the Pack. She's so fixated on herself that she fails to see the bigger picture.

She had placed the Pack in danger with her ignorant actions; of course, it would certainly earn her Killian's anger.

Lost in my thoughts, I stopped in my tracks when I spotted Giselle's son in the distance, being accompanied by his nanny.

Instead of taking care of her own son like a responsible mother should, Giselle handed that responsibility off to someone else, wasting her time stirring trouble for me instead.

Having nothing else to do, I approached them, a smile forming as I greeted the nanny and the little one. "Hello there! What a beautiful day to be outside," I spoke as I knelt down to meet the boy's curious gaze.

Ryker stared at me with wide eyes, not saying anything. His silence reminded me of the first time we met when I still had no idea that he was Giselle's son.

"Do you like plants?" I asked gently, hoping to spark some connection with him.

I was expecting a response, but he remained quiet, and his gaze remained fixed on me.

"Miss Astrid, please forgive Ryker. He doesn't know how to speak," Ryker's nanny spoke up for him.

Understanding washed over me, and I recalled the moment I had overheard Killian and Giselle's conversation with Alpha Damien and his wife. They had mentioned that Ryker has autism, which explained why he didn't respond as expected. "That's okay," I said softly, my voice filled with warmth. "Sometimes, you don't need words to share your thoughts."

I glanced at the flowers around us, hoping to find something to engage him. "Look at these beautiful daisies. They remind me of when I was little. What about you?"

As I spoke, I caught a glimpse of a small mark on Ryker's wrist. Curiosity piqued, I leaned closer and realized it looked strikingly similar to a birthmark I had a small, heart-shaped spot.

"Hey, what's this?" I asked, gently pointing to his wrist. "You have a mark just like mine!"

Ryker's eyes widened as I caught his full interest. For a moment, he seemed to comprehend the connection. Then, to my surprise, a soft giggle escaped him - a sound so pure and joyful that it infected happiness to me as well.

I couldn't help but smile and laugh with him. There was a slight breathiness to our laughter, and our heads both slightly tilted back.

I showed him the birthmark I have on my right wrist and placed our hands side by side to show him that our birthmarks looked so much alike, only that he was small, like a dot.

"We're like twins!" I exclaimed playfully, holding up my wrist to show him my own birthmark.

As I placed our hands side by side, my smile slowly faltered when I realized just how uncannily similar they looked. The heart-shaped mark on Ryker's wrist was unmistakably like mine but smaller.

Ryker glanced at our wrists, his eyes wide with curiosity, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind. The innocence of his expression made my heart swell, but my joy quickly shifted when I looked up and noticed the nanny.

Her gaze was fixed intently on our birthmarks, and a horrified look spread across her face. It was as if she had stumbled upon something she hadn't expected to see a realization dawning that senta shiver through the air.

********

I stormed through the Pack garden, the remnants of my argument with Giselle still simmering in my veins. Her refusal to admit her mistakes ignited a fire of frustration within me.

I clenched my jaw, trying to shake

off the tension. I had given her a clear warning: "Never offend Astrid again I hope she will listen this time and not let her pride overshadow her reason again.

If Ryder hadn't come to inform me of their brewing conflict, a war might have already broken out, and I would have had to deal with the Shadowfang Pack.

I was on my way back to the Packhouse to continue with the paperwork that I was dealing with when I spotted Astrid talking to Ryker.

I stopped in my tracks and gazed at them. Astrid's laughter floated through the air, bright and unguarded, a sound that cut through the tension I carried like a knife through the fog.

Just then, I heard Ryder's voice behind me, breaking the spell. "At least she's not putting hate on the innocent child," he remarked.

"I think I haven't seen Ryker feel this relaxed and happy with anyone else except you. Even his own mother couldn't make him laugh like that," Ryder added with a hint of amusement in his voice.

I remained silent, watching them. Ryker's eyes sparkled with delight as he listened to Astrid, and it struck me how much he resembled her at that moment.

The way he tilted his head, the way his smile lit up his face - it was as if I was seeing a reflection of Astrid.

"Seeing them two from this distance, don't you think they look a lot?" Ryder asked, his tone thoughtful.

My eyes snapped at him when I heard his words. He also noticed it too.

“I-I uhhh... I mean, there must be something wrong with my eyes," Ryder forced out a chuckle, thinking that he had made a mistake.

I glanced back at Astrid and Ryker, and I couldn't help but feel bothered. I have performed a DNA test on me and Ryker, and it came out positive. However, I've never tested the DNA between Ryker and Giselle

"I want a DNA test," I spoke firmly, my voice cutting through the air with an edge of urgency.

Ryder's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean you want another DNA test for you and Ryker again?"

"No," I replied, my tone brooking no argument. "I want a DNA test between Ryker and Giselle."

"This is crazy!" Ryder blurted out, incredulous. "Giselle was pregnant, and she gave birth inside the Pack. How could she not be Ryker's mother?"

I turned to him, my gaze steady and intense. "No one must find out about this, Ryder. If there's even the slightest chance that something isn't right, I need to know."

His expression shifted, a mix of concern and understanding crossing his face. "This is insane!"

"I need to know the truth," I insisted, my voice low but resolute. "I want you to personally handle this task and deliver the results to me as soon as possible. No one else can be involved." Ryder nodded slowly, weighing my words. "Alright, I'll do it," he answered forcedly.