I Am The Luna By Moonlight Muse
Chapter 73

73. A Memory

NEW YEARS DAY OVER FOUR YEARS AGO

VALERIE. “It’s so late.” I massage the back of my neck as I step into my apartment. We had left theWhispering Mountain Pack after midnight and the journey wasn’t too short.

I yawn, pausing as I stretch when I hear the faint creak of a floorboard, making me freeze. It’s not aviolent stormy night that the wind would cause the apartment to creak.

I tilt my head, but there’s nothing more and I almost smile. Why am I being so paranoid? I walk to thefridge, grabbing myself a bottle of water; gulp it down and look through some papers. I have work in themorning.

I sit down at the counter, skimming through one of the reports of a big operation we have tomorrowwhen I think I hear something again.

Tilting my head, I pause, I really am imagining things. I shake my head. Well, I should shower and getto bed. I need to get out of this dress too.

I get up and walk to the bedroom. Sighing, I mull over everything with Zaia. I hate how life has done herdirty. I wish there was more I could do for her.

I’ll keep sending her the antidote, and I’ll keep checking her bloods but it’s just not enough. Fuckingstupid alpha!

That stupid bitch Annalise!

Karma. Karma will bite their ass.

I walk to my bedroom, pausing when I see it standing ajar. Strange, I’m sure I shut the door when I left.I specifically remember trapping my dress in it and then opening it, pulling out the dress and thenclosing it…

I shake my head as I step inside and flip the light switch. Darkness. I groan in annoyance. “Do I evenhave a spare bulb?” Tonight is not my night!

I’m about to turn to leave the room when I see a slight movement from the corner of my eye. On reflex,I turn sharply, my heart dropping when I see the tall, masked man who stands in the corner behind thedoor. He’s in baggy clothing with his hood up, his head is lowered and in his gloved hands he’sholding… a hammer.

We move at the same time, and I instantly grab the small vanity table that stands beside the door, liftingit up and swinging it at him with all my might. He ducks, and the table goes flying against the far wall.

I turn, knowing I’m no match for him! I need to alert security!

I’m barely two steps out of the bedroom when he grabs my dress, yanking me back into the room andkicking the door shut. He grabs my hair and throws me to the floor.

“What do you want!” I scream as I hit the floor. Fuck, he’s strong! I’m about to shout for help, but hisgloved hand covers my mouth. “I need to make sure you aren’t a Blood Born.” He hisses.

A what?

I kick him off, scrambling away. “I don’t know what that is! You got the wrong person!” I say as he grabsme by the arm and violently throws me onto the bed and climbs on top of me.

Fear envelops me as I struggle fruitlessly. “Don’t fight me and let me see if there’s a mark or not. Youmight just live,” he snarls. That voice sounds so… familiar…

“If-if I’m not who you’ ‘re looking for, will you let me go?” I ask, my heart thundering, feeling his strongthighs against my own.

They feel like rock. He’s pure muscle and in a battle of strength, I will lose. His hand wraps around mythroat squeezing tightly. He pauses slightly, and at that moment I’m able to see his blue eyes.

Alpha? My heart plummets as confusion fills me. He was asleep in the car ten minutes ago. “If youreally aren’t, then, of course,’ he says, caressing my cheek. “But one sound and I will kill you.”

The threat is real. My blood runs cold, even though he’s speaking extremely low, it’s him. It’s Sebastian.But if I tell him I know… he might just kill me… even if he’s wearing that black mask. I remain frozen ashe moves my head sharply and begins searching for something. What is he looking for?

I break out in a cold sweat, sensing his anger rising as he yanks and pulls my hair – until he takes along shuddering breath.

What has he found on my head? “Ah… there it is…” he yanks my hair as his attention falls to thehammer that lies on the bed.

No! I begin struggling as he lifts it, and I manage to throw him back. My eyes blaze and suddenlyeverything in the room is enhanced.

My wolf’s eyes! I’m using them! It’s rare for a werewolf to be able to do this, but I guess my emotionsare helping me.

I manage to throw him off, but not for long as he grabs my arm, yanking me to the ground. I grab thebed sheets trying to pull myself up but it’s futile and I only manage to drag the bedding right off. I hithim in the face.

“Bitch!” he snarls, raising his hammer and then intense pain ricochets through my head. I let out achoked gasp and I grab my head, crying out.

There’s a faint silver glow spreading around me, but the pain is too much. “I’ll destroy it,” He hisses, ashe keeps striking my head, bludgeoning it with the hammer. My ears are ringing and then… I can’t hearanything but my own laboured breathing. I’m going to die…

Each blow is dragging me into the darkness and that silver light… is beginning to fade.

This is it… I can feel it…

My heart hurts, my head is being split open and the pain- it’s… too much…

There’s a pause, and then the most excruciating pain I’ve felt rips through-

(PRESENT)

“Valerie!” I gasp as I look around the car, my heart hammering. I’m safe. I’m safe. I clutch my head as Irock myself, trying to compose my emotions. Goddess…

I can feel the ghostly pain in my head lingering. My head still has the scar…

“I’m fine,” I reply quietly. “And no one would have thought much of the symbol at the hospital,”Sebastian says quietly.

“Possibly, and the amount of stitches and damage her head had, there’s a possibility it was just hiddenand once her hair began growing, we wouldn’t have noticed it,” Jai says, frowning thoughtfully.

I had just relayed the entire ordeal to them in French, but it was too much, and I am left shaken. Zaiawraps her arms around me. “It’s ok, no one will hurt you,” she whispers comfortingly in French.

“Could that have been when we knocked?” Jai asks, looking at Sebastian. They were the ones whoapparently found me… but at the same time, it’s obvious they could cook up a story to feed everyone…They were together; they are best friends…

It was Sebastian! “What did you see when you came?” I ask, wondering what they’ll say. “Someonepeeped through the eyehole, but no one answered the door so Seb broke the door down,” Jai replies.

“Once we brought the door down and found you in your bedroom, I think we might have come just intime,” Sebastian says. Zion’s watching us curiously. For a three-year-old, my gorgeous nephew is verysmart.

“Well, he had your eyes…” I say quietly. “It wasn’t Seb, Val, trust me.” Jai’s eyes are soft and full ofconcern as he watches me. “He told me to get you to the hospital fast and called ahead to haveeverything ready.”

“It doesn’t matter, she’ll learn the truth, there’s no need to force her to believe us,” Sebastian saysquietly. “I initially thought he had jumped but he had locked himself in your bathroom, I chased him fromthere, but he got away.”

“Fast as an Alpha,” Zaia says, frowning. Does she trust Sebastian? I look at her, but I don’t know… Ithink she does.

“Well, then… either you have a doppelgänger or a twin,” I say quietly. “You aren’t the first to say that,”Sebastian says quietly, I look up with intrigue, and Zaia sighs.

“Not long ago, a shooter on a bike attacked me, killing countless people and several of my guards. Imanaged to get his visor up and although I said to the police, I didn’t see him… his eyes were just likeBastian’s,” Zaia says.

I stare at her in shock, and she nods. “And you trust him?” I ask quietly. “Yes.” She says with a gentlesmile. “So we need to replace out who has eyes like Sebastian’s,” Jai says. He looks at me with concern inhis gorgeous eyes and I look away. I don’t know how to react to him…

Zaia told me how he’s been taking care of me, how my own grandma and Dad had given up, but herefused to… he’s been the one who has taken care of me.. I’m not sure if I’m more embarrassed ormore confused.

There were moments when I was conscious, and I can’t deny it was his voice that I heard the most…but I also didn’t know what to say… I owe him more than a thank you… but…..

“Alright look, until this is over, we are all going to live together at my safe house. A place even theguards and my parents don’t have access to.” Sebastian begins as he sits forward, his eyes on Zaia.

Her heart skips a beat and I guess that answers my question. I can tell from the crazy pull betweenthem that they want one another badly, and I have no idea where they stand. I mean, I know we’recoming back, but have they really resolved their issues?

“I know,” Zaia says. “Val, you’ll be safe with us. I promise no one will hurt you.” She gives my hand asqueeze and I feel that tinge of power ripple through me.

Ever since she and Atticus touched me and that triangle formed, I’ve felt a zing of power ripple throughme every time Zaia touches me. It’s a bit like a current of electricity and I got it from Atticus too. It’salmost like there’s this live wire connecting us somehow.

“I trust you,” I reply to her, even if I don’t trust the others, I trust her. We reach our new home soon afterand once we enter through the triple security entrance, we are now standing in a modern yet gorgeoushome.

“Alright, Jai, take the luggage up. We can unpack later… Zaia, we need to go see Dad and Mom.”Sebastian says quietly.

Zaia looks at me. “Are you alright to stay with the children and Jai?” she asks. I’m not sure I want to bealone with him. I’m just so confused.

“Yeah, sure,” I say. I still can’t walk much, but I’m getting some strength back in my arms and legs.“Alright, we won’t be long,” Sebastian says as he ruffles Zion’s hair.

Zaia gives Sia her medication and I notice she opens a new pack without touching the ones in the opencarton, but I say nothing.

Once Sia is settled on the couch after taking her meds, Sebastian turns the television on for thechildren and Zaia passes me a phone.

“Call me if you need me.” She says before giving me a hug and kissing the children goodbye. I nod andthey both take their leave, leaving me with the twins and Jai. He’s busy taking the luggage up and Isimply sit there on the sofa playing with Sia.

“Aunty Val, you are so pretty,” she says to me, making me smile. “Oh, thank you honey, but I’m not aspretty as the little princess in front of me!” I respond.

“Who me?” she says. “Who else?” I say, tickling her lightly but not wanting to overexert her. She givesme a toothy smile before she returns to watching TV and I see Jai approaching. He takes a seatopposite me and I keep my gaze down, but when he calls me, I have no option but to look up. He’sserious as he leans forward, resting his arms on his knees.

“Val…”

“Not now Jai,” I say..

“Then when?” he asks, switching to French. “Oh no, not again,” Zion grumbles, making me smile.“Everyone just speaks French. Maybe we are French.”

That makes me chuckle as he continues playing with his cars, clearly not happy when we aren’tspeaking English.

“I don’t know,” I respond to Jai. He sighs. “You need time, I get that…. but I just want to say I’m sorry,sorry for hurting you. For everything I’ve done, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologise. You did enough to make up for it. You didn’t need to… You shouldn’thave.” I say quietly, now looking him dead in the eye.

“That was not to make up for it. That was because I wanted to, Val. I fucked up… but I love you. I reallyfucking love you. I never stopped loving you, even though I know I don’t deserve you.”

His words make my heart squeeze. They’re abrupt, but filled with so many emotions. He cheated onme once, and I don’t know if I can forgive him even if he is regretful.

He watches me for a second before he looks down and forces a smile. “I just wanted you to know.”With those words, he stands up and leaves the room and for some reason, I just feel far worse thanbefore we had that short conversation.