I Am The Luna (Moonlight Muse) novel 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 the Whispering 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 a violent 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 the fridge, grabbing myself a bottle of water; gulp it down and look through some papers. I have work in the morning.

I sit down at the counter, skimming through one of the reports of a big operation we have tomorrow when 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 get to 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 her dirty. 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. Fucking stupid 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 then closing it…

I shake my head as I step inside and flip the light switch. Darkness. I groan in annoyance. “Do I even have 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 the door. He’s in baggy clothing with his hood up, his head is lowered and in his gloved hands he’s holding… a hammer.

We move at the same time, and I instantly grab the small vanity table that stands beside the door, lifting it 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 and kicking 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 his gloved 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 grabs me 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. You might 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 strong thighs against my own.

They feel like rock. He’s pure muscle and in a battle of strength, I will lose. His hand wraps around my throat 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 you really 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 as he 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 a long shuddering breath.

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

No! I begin struggling as he lifts it, and I manage to throw him back. My eyes blaze and suddenly everything 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 emotions are helping me.

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

“Bitch!” he snarls, raising his hammer and then intense pain ricochets through my head. I let out a choked 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, as he keeps striking my head, bludgeoning it with the hammer.  My ears are ringing and then… I can’t hear anything 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 I rock myself, trying to compose my emotions. Goddess…