The Alpha's Blood Moon Luna

ONE: WHO AM I? ASTRA

I catch his powerful scent right in my sleep. It’s a potent blend of cedarwood, wet earth and a primal whiff of what can only be the smell of danger.

As my eyelids blink open, I become conscious of the delicious warmth of his skin against mine, our naked bodies bathed in moonlight streaming in through the parted blinds. His face, chiseled to god-like perfection, is peaceful as he sleeps. It’s all quiet and cozy and should be a perfect lovers’ morning— except I haven’t the first clue who Mr. Gorgeous is or how I ended up in bed with him!

I can’t even remember my name or anything about myself! The shock jolts me fully awake and my heartbeat shoots up. Who am I and why am I naked in bed with this stranger? Did we have s*x? Seems we did. s*x with a stranger! He looks unbelievably hot but eew!

Have I lost my mind? Is that why I can’t recall anything about, well, anything? It feels like I only started existing when I woke up.

Maybe I should get up and look around? I might find clues to my identity and perhaps that of this guy, too.

But his arm is slung possessively across my tummy. I don’t want to wake him till I have some answers. So, very slowly, I start easing out from under the dead weight of his arm. I’m almost free when his eyes suddenly pop wide open.

I freeze in terror. He stares hard at me, his eyes burning intensely in the gloom like twin green flames. “What are you doing?” he demands in an authoritative baritone.

What should I say?! “I-I wanted to… to go out for a drink.”

He frowns. “When did you start drinking this early?”

I let out a nervous little laugh. “Today, actually!”

He gazes steadily at me till I shudder. Doesn’t he believe me? To my relief, he relaxes his head back against his pillow. “Make that two drinks,” he says.

“What will you be having?”

“The usual.”

The usual? What drink is his usual? But I know I can’t ask that question. I’ll have to figure it out somehow. As I rise from the bed, he leans over and smacks my ass.

“Ouch!” I yelp.

“This yummy ass of yours is getting me all hard again,” he says, his voice husky with desire. “After that drink I’d like a piece of it before I take a shower.”

How do I usually respond when he smacks my butt? Is it something he does often? “I’ll be back with the drinks,” I say, not gambling on a wrong reaction.

I hurriedly pull on panties and throw on a robe I see on a side chair. They make perfect fits and my scent is all over them. This might just be my life after all— a life which for some mysterious reason I can’t recall. I’m at the door when the stranger calls out:

“Karen...”

I pause. “Yes?”

“Make it snappy.”

Karen— so that’s my name! An important piece of the puzzle has fallen in place. But now I need to figure out where the drinks are.

The kitchen seems a good place to start my search. It’s a big house so it takes a while, but I finally locate the kitchen.

And true enough there’s a drinks cabinet in here. I stare in confusion at the many rows of expensive-looking drinks. Which is his favorite? Then I notice there are more bottles of Bourbon than there are of any other label. Bourbon it is.

I pour him a full glass and pour myself a quarter glass of red wine. But instead of mounting the stairs back to the bedroom, my curious mind leads me wandering through the house till I find myself in the living room.

There’s a mirror on the wall in the entryway and I go to stand before it. The face staring back at me is that of a stranger. I touch my hair. So I’m blonde… strawberry blonde. And my eyes are a deep shade of blue. No… they’re violet, actually. I wonder again how I ended up in bed with the guy upstairs.

What’s our relationship status anyway? Am I his wife, or his girlfriend, or just a one night stand? As I ponder these things, I suddenly feel something stir deep within me.

The sensation is so powerful I almost spill the drinks I’m holding. Then, in my mind, I glimpse a sudden flash of yellow-green eyes. Whoa… So I’m a werewolf! That explains why I’ve been effortlessly picking up scents!

Those were the eyes of my wolf. And she’s trying to communicate something to me. I can feel it. Then, in my head, I hear the name: Eris. That’s her name! I don’t know how I can hear her. I just can.

I try mentally projecting my name to her, too. But she rejects it! I try again but she still says no. My heart races in confusion. Does this mean that Karen isn’t my real—

I freeze in fear as strong arms go around my body, holding me tight. I was so absorbed with Eris I never heard the stranger approach from behind.

“I thought I told you to make it snappy?” he growls.

“I just wanted to look at the, um, furniture,” I clumsily reply.

“Whatever for? You see it every f*****g day.”

He takes both drinks from me, drains his in one gulp, and places the glasses on a nearby coffee table. “Still remember what I said I want after I’ve had a drink?” he whispers in my ear.

Without waiting for a reply, he flips my robe open and starts caressing my boobs. I’m trying hard not to get aroused. But I annoyingly can’t stop my n*****s hardening or heat gathering between my thighs.

He now takes one hand off one boob and slowly slides it down my belly to slip his fingers under my panties and…

The ringing of his cellphone startles us both.

“Thuh f**k?” he snaps.

He reluctantly pulls away and walks some distance off to take the call. I take a long moment to get my breath back. Then I strain my ears to catch what he’s saying. But he’s speaking so low all I hear is a deep mumbling sound. Then I clearly pick up the words: “You’ve got the girl? I’ll be there right away!”

He ends the call and stands with his back to me for a moment. Then he turns around and commands, “Fix breakfast before I get back.”

“Where are you going?” I ask.

He doesn’t respond and hurries out the living room. In a short while I hear him backing a car out the garage. I rush to the window to see him driving out in a BMW.

Then, on a sudden wild impulse, I sprint up to the bedroom to get the keys for the second car. I don’t know how I know that there’s a second car and where to find its keys. I just do. I hurry into the sedan and drive out after him.

I have a gut feeling that where he’s going holds answers I’m looking for.