The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power Chapter 305: Astra's Path

Cindy's POV:

After the noise and warmth settled down, Dross suddenly turned to Astra. The boy was outside, playing in the snow with Jewel.

"Bring that child in," Dross said to me.

I nodded and stepped outside. I took Astra's hand and led him back inside.

He had dressed up today. He still walked with a slight limp, but the sharp spirit of the Silverpeak Pack was already beginning to show in him. When he entered the room and saw so many powerful elders, he looked nervous. Still, he bowed politely and then stood quietly at my side.

At first glance, Dross's eyes seemed dim with age, but when he looked at Astra, they turned sharp as steel. His gaze moved over him slowly, from head to toe, as if he were weighing the worth of a raw gem that had yet to be polished.

"Boy," Dross said suddenly, his voice loud and strong, "do you want to become the strongest werewolf guard on this continent, just like your Aunt Cindy?"

Astra froze for a second. Then his silver-gray eyes lit up.

He nodded hard. "Yes!"

"Oh?" Dross stroked his beard with interest. "Why? For glory? To show off? Or to push other people around?"

Astra straightened his thin chest. His voice was young but firm. "To protect Aunt Cindy! To fight like Grandpa and Dad! To defend our land! I want the Silverpeak Pack to be strong again. I don't want anyone to bully us anymore!"

"Bold words!" Dross let out a hearty laugh. "But the path of a hero is paved with hardship. You'll bleed for it. You'll toil for it. You may even lose your life. You're so young, but you already endured more wounds than most. Are you sure you can bear what lies ahead?"

Astra's face tightened. He pointed at his leg, the one that had once been broken. He said loudly, "I'm not scared of pain! I'm not scared of hardship! I can do it!"

The smile in Dross's eyes deepened. Then his tone changed, and he asked a sharper question. "And what if you had to leave your aunt?" he asked quietly. "What if the path led you far from home—somewhere cold, somewhere harsh? What if you could not see her again for years? Would you still choose to go?"

Astra had looked so determined just a second ago. But when he heard that, his face changed at once.

He stepped back without thinking and grabbed my sleeve tightly. He shook his head again and again. "No! I won't leave Aunt Cindy! I'm not going!"

That fear came from the shadow of those three hellish years he had spent wandering alone.

To him, being separated meant being abandoned. It meant death.

My heart twisted in pain. I quickly knelt down and pulled him into my arms. "It's okay. Don't be scared. We're not going anywhere. No one is taking you away."

I looked up at Dross, my eyes full of pleading. "Dean Dross, he's still young. And we just found him again. He doesn't feel safe yet. If we send him to the academy now, he won't be able to handle it."

Dross looked at the two of us and let out a long sigh. "This pup has a good heart," he said. "But the wounds in his heart will take time to heal."

He thought for a moment. Then he pulled a worn, yellowed booklet from inside his coat and handed it to me. "If he's not going to the academy, he still needs to use his time well. You're the Alpha of the Silverpeak Pack, and you were one of the academy's top students. You can teach him the basics. This is the academy's newly revised textbook. Start by teaching him how to sense his wolf spirit and how to guide the power inside his body."

He continued, his tone more serious now, "When his leg is fully healed and his body grows stronger, teach him basic combat skills at home for two years. After he turns ten and his mind is more mature, send him to the academy. At that time, I will teach him myself."

Dross's face turned solemn. "Cindy, you need to understand. One day, he will inherit the pack. He will become the future Alpha. If he doesn't have real strength to protect himself, he won't survive in this ruthless world. This is for his own good."

I took the booklet and nodded firmly. "I understand. I will teach him well."

"Alright. Go on," Dross said, waving his hand. "Take the boy to visit your family. You must have a lot to say to them."

Tears filled my eyes as I answered softly. I held Astra's hand and walked toward the cemetery on the hill behind the house.

Just before stepping outside, I suddenly stopped and turned back. "Dean Dross, when are you leaving tomorrow?"

He waved his hand casually. "Not sure. Maybe at sunrise. Maybe in the afternoon. It depends on my mood."

"Don't leave without saying goodbye," I said seriously. "I want to see you off."

Dross paused for a moment, then smiled. "Alright. I promise. We won't sneak away."