Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 265: DNA Sample Killian's POV "Are you done with task I gave you?" My voice cout steady and cold, unable to ask for the results directly.

Ryder shifted, his silence stretching a second too long. "Not yet," he admitted, his words clipped, like he hated saying them.

My eyes shot up at him in surprise. I had assumed the DNA test results were already in, mistaking Ryder's gloomy expression for confirmation.

But as it turned out, Ryder's expression had nothing to do with the test - he hadn't even done it yet. "It's been... difficult," Ryder scratched the back of his neck, unable to look atdirectly to my eyes.

I fixed him with a hard stare. Difficult? This was supposed to be a simple task.

"Difficult?" My tone was sharp. "I gave you simple instructions, Ryder. Do it quietly, without anyone knowing. What seems to be the problem about that?" He clenched his jaw, frustration clear in his eyes. "It's Giselle, she never walks around without her attendants. She's always guarded and every tI get close enough to her to try, she picks up on it - senses something's wrong. I can't get anything from her without raising suspicion." I tapped my fingers against the task, my mind working through the situation. I should have expected this. Ryder and Giselle were never close, and it would make sense for her to be suspicious if he approached her out of nowhere.

Even so, I expected more from Ryder. I gave him this task because I believed that he could handle it. "You're tellingyou can't collect one simple trace of DNA? A hair? A glass she's touched?" My patience was wearing thin.

He sighed, and I could hear the weariness in it. "But you toldto do this alone. No backup. I can't involve anyone else, and she's wary of me. I can't just take something from her without raising suspicion. His words echoed in my head - "alone". Yes, I'd told him that for a reason. The fewer people involved, the cleaner this would be. That's why I don't want him to involve any person.

In this pack, there's no one I could trust with this except for him. But now, his lack of results was testing my patience.

I want to know the truth as soon as possible. I want to know as earlier as possible if Giselle is really Ryker's mother. In that way I could plan ahead and find out if Astrid and I still really stood a chance to be with each other.

I want to fix all this once and for all.

I leaned forward, meeting his gaze. "Then you need to find a way. This task is too important for mistakes, and I'm not interested in excuses. If you can't get it done, I'll find someone who can." I watched as his body tensed, the pressure weighing on him, and I wanted him to feel it. This wasn't just a task; this is crucial.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I've already secured Ryker's hair for DNA testing," he spoke with a low voice. "He spends more twith his nanny than with Giselle, so it was easy to get a strand of his hair.

I gave a sharp nod, satisfied at least with that much. "And Giselle?" Ryder shifted uncomfortably. "As for Giselle... I can't think of anyone better suited to collect her DNA than you." I stilled at his words.

"You are the only who could easily get close to her without raising suspicion," Ryder continued cautiously, as if he feared pushing too far. If you took her out, spent twith her... she'd welcthe attention. It wouldn't be hard to obtain a sample without her knowing." His suggestion hung in the air between us could see the logic in it, but the very thought of taking Giselle out on a date of pretending to show her affection when I hade none - made my skin crawlo QUMS But Ryder was right. Giselle wouldn't suspect me, not if I played it carefully. If I gave her the attention she craved, she'd let her guard down.

And then, it would be easy. A brush of my hand, a stray hair, something. Anything to get the proof I needed. Even if it repulses me.

I leaned back in my chair, considering Ryder's suggestion. I could feel his eyes on me, waiting for my reaction, nervous that he might have pushed too far.

But he hadn't. In fact, he'd provided the solution to my problem, even if it left a sour taste in my mouth. Taking ve Giselle out, playing the role of the doting husband - it would all be an act, a means to an end. For Ryker.

For Astrid. For the truth. I ran a hand through my hair, tension coiling in my chest. "Fine," I muttered, hating the words even as they left my mouth. "I'll handle Giselle."

Ryder nodded, relief flickering across his features. "I'll stay in the background, keep watch. Justimm case." I didn't resp.

respond, my ! didBM my mind already shifting to how I would play this. How I would stomach it. The thought of pretending to be the husband she wanted madesick. But it was necessary. I'd do whatever it took to get the answers I needed. Even if it meant playing this twisted ga little longer.

I looked up at Ryder. "This is the last delay I'll tolerate. Make sure the test on Ryker is done. And once I've got Giselle's DNA, you're not to waste another second." He gave a sharp nod. "Understood, Alpha." As he turned to leave, the weight of what I'd agreed to settled heavy on my shoulders.

I wasn't just lying to Giselle. I was lying to myself, pretending this could I l's could O be the key to fixing everything, when deep down, I knew that even with the truth, nothing would ever be that simple. en And Astrid... she would never forgiveif she knew what I was about to do.