Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 267: Dinner Date Killian's POV I stood in the Pack garden, surveying the scene Ryder had arranged. The twinkling lights, the candles, and the soft, romantic music of violins floating in the air.

I exhaled slowly, feeling a mixture of discomfort and obligation tightening in my chest. This was supposed to be simple a casual dinner to get Giselle's DNA sample. But Ryder whom I placed in charge of the arrangements, had gone overboard.

'Overly romantic,' I thought, resisting the urge to grimace. I had only asked Ryder to make sbasic arrangements. I didn't expect this.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Giselle approaching, her face lighting up the moment she saw the garden transformed into what could only be described as a romantic haven.

She smiled brightly when the musicians appeared seemingly out of nowhere, playing their violins in a melody so delicate it almost madewince.

I tried to push down the discomfort as I pulled out the chair for her, forcing a polite smile as she settled into the seat. Her smile was wide, too wide, and her eyes shone as if she were on the verge of tears. This wasn't what I intended.

"Thank you, Killian," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion as she looked up at me. Her gratitude was clear, but it was laced with something deeper-hope, something I didn't want to give. "This is our first date," she added, as if the realization had just struck her.

I clenched my jaw, nodding but staying silent. 'First date.' The words hung heavily in the air between us. Astrid and I never had that chance. How I wish that Astrid is the person in front ofnow.

Giselle continued, her voice growing more emotional. "I honestly thought you didn't care about me. Ever since we got married, you've been so distant. I thought I wasn't important to you." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she smiled again, this tmore fragile. "But... this-this showsthat you do care. That I mean something to you." Her words sank intolike lead, heavy and unwanted. I could feel her hope swelling, her belief in this false idea that tonight was about her, about us.

I hadn't planned for it to go this way. I needed her to feel comfortable, sure, but this-her believing in sgrand romantic gesture fromwas never part of the plan. I just needed the damn DNA sample. She was so thankful, so filled with relief that I almost felt guilty. Almost. But as she looked up at me, expecting something, I felt the familiar pang of responsibility.

Giselle was my wife now. This was our life, whether I liked it or not.

I forced a tight smile and sat down across from her. She reached across the table and lightly touched my hand, her fingers trembling. "Thank you, Killian. This means so much more than you know." I swallowed the growing knot in my throat and nodded, my mind already working on how to get through the rest of the evening. The sooner this was over, the better.

My world turned into a stop when I caught a glimpse of movement at the edge of the garden, a shadow approaching, and my stomach dropped.

Astrid. What is she doing here? A wave of anger surged throughwhen it hit- Giselle had called her. She orchestrated this, made sure Astrid would walk into the.

middle of this setup, forcing he witness something that was never supposed to be real.

My heart clenched as our eyes met for a split second, but that fleeting moment was enough to undo me.

I saw everything in her gaze anger, hurt, betrayal. And the worst part? The misunderstanding that cut deeper than I had ever imagined.

She thought this was real. That I cared for Giselle.

I wanted to reach out, to stop her, to explain that this wasn't what it seemed. But I couldn't. Not here. Not with Giselle sitting across from me, watching. Not now.

Astrid turned on her heel, her steps quick, almost desperate, as she disappeared into the shadows of the night. The ache she left behind was a weight I wasn't prepared to carry.

Giselle, still holding the papers as if nothing had happened, looked up atwith a soft smile, oblivious to the devastation she'd just caused. "She's always so reliable," she said, her tone light and casual as if this were nothing more than a pleasant evening.

I forced a nod, the gesture hollow and automatic. Throughout the entire dinner, I barely spoke. I couldn't wait to leave. I just wasn't in the mood.

I'm having dinner with Giselle, but my mind kept drifting off to Astrid, relentlessly playing that look in her eyes - the anger, the betrayal, the pain.

It gnawed at me, an ache that wouldn't ease. Every passing second made it harder to sit here, pretending to care about anything happening in this garden.

As we ate in silence, Giselle's worried voice cut through my thoughts. Ils something wrong, Killian? You've En been strangely quiet." I forced a smile on my face as I

forced to take more bites on my food. "Just... just thinking about the reports ive been receiving lots of En.

reports lately," I lied to ease her suspicions.

I sighed and removed a few buttons on my shirt. I've been sweating so hard. "Is it Is it just melox don't you think it's strangely hot out here," I asked her. Giselle chuckled. "It's strangely hot," she replied innocently.

I blinked my eyes as the subtle warmth grew into something more — a slow insistent burn spreading throughout my body.

I shifted in my seat, trying to ignore the sudden, disorienting rush of desire that threatened to swallowwhole. What's happening to me? This rush of desire has no place here, especially not with Giselle.