Lost Luna: Hunted By Two Savage Alphas

Alexis's POV:

My name was Alexis Harper. I was twenty-three, a columnist for the fashion magazine Urban Chic.

Bryan Harrison, my boyfriend of five years, was holding his first press conference that day. He'd spent three years on his gene-editing research, and now he was finally ready to share the results with the public.

Somehow, I felt more anxious than he probably did. I could hardly sleep the night before, so I got out of bed at four that morning and arranged a huge bouquet of imported white roses and eucalyptus. The flowers had taken three days to arrive. Even the florist said she'd never seen anyone make such a big deal over a bouquet.

Around eleven, I finished my article about fall and winter haute couture trends earlier than expected. Much to my surprise, my editor allowed me to leave before the end of my shift.

The bouquet hid most of my upper body as I hurried through the office building. My heels clicked fast against the tile floor, and my press badge kept hitting my chest.

Changing clothes hadn't been an option. I still had on the camel coat and silk blouse I'd worn to work that morning.

Bryan's press conference was taking place in the ballroom of the Skyline Hotel, an expensive hotel in the downtown area.

When I reached the ballroom, reporters had already filled the media section. Every camera seemed to be aimed at the stage.

After making my way into the reserved section, I took a spot near the side. I kept the flowers close to my chest so I wouldn't crush the little card tucked inside. The message was simple. "I'm so proud of you."

Onstage, Bryan wore a navy suit. The spotlight made him look so good that I almost couldn't believe he was real.

His presentation continued, but I didn't take in anything he said. I kept thinking ahead to the moment he stepped off the stage. I pictured myself as the first person he would hug, with that massive bouquet between us and every camera recording it.

The entertainment section might run a headline the next morning like "Brilliant Scientist Bryan Harrison Celebrates With His Girlfriend." I was already planning to frame the clipping and keep it on my desk.

Bryan's voice pulled me back. "I've shared the results of my research with you today, but there's something else I need to announce. To me, it's even more important."

Excitement rushed through me.

After a brief pause, he smiled at the crowd with a hint of nerves. "Someone came into my life and changed where it was headed."

My back straightened before I realized it. Tears were already gathering in my eyes, and my trembling hands nearly lost their grip on the flowers.

He had to be talking about me.

Five years ago, we met in the university library. Bryan hadn't known whether research was truly the future he wanted. I spent countless nights beside him and helped revise his papers. After his first rejection, he cried on my shoulder.

"Choosing her was the best decision I've ever made," said Bryan. He slipped a hand into his pocket and brought out an object.

Tears blurred my vision, but I still recognized the small square box.

Joy almost made me scream.

One step carried me forward as I raised the bouquet. I was ready to run to him as soon as he left the stage.

"Emily," he called out with a smile. "Come join me up here."

For a moment, the words made no sense to me.

Emily? Hearing that name felt like a hard hit, and a piercing noise filled my head.

I knew one of his lab colleagues named Emily Foster. She always tied her hair into a low ponytail and wore round glasses.

I spotted her in the front row with the invited guests. She was wearing a pale blue dress. She pressed one hand over her mouth, then stood and walked toward Bryan, her face flushed with emotion.

Cheers and whistles broke out across the ballroom.

As soon as Emily joined him, Bryan knelt and lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a diamond ring. I'd never seen it before, and it was bigger than any ring I'd ever imagined.

"Emily, will you marry me?"

I couldn't move.

The flowers somehow fell from my arms and landed on my foot, yet I hardly noticed the impact. A pair of white petals broke free and came to rest on my low-heeled pumps.

Reporters throughout the media section focused their cameras on the couple as they held each other onstage. One camera operator hurried past and slammed into my shoulder, which nearly knocked me off balance.

Bryan leaned over and kissed Emily's forehead. His hand had always been mine to hold, but now it rested around her waist. Her pale blue dress and his navy suit looked perfect together.

A hand caught my arm from behind.

"Alexis?"

Samantha Ward, one of my closest friends, had called my name. She was an entertainment reporter for Metro Weekly, which had an office next to Urban Chic. She had also come to report on the press conference.

She led me through the crowd and kept going until we were out in the hallway.

The shock had already numbed me by then.

"Are you all right?" Samantha took hold of my shoulders and brought her face closer to mine. "You look like you might pass out."

I tried to answer, but nothing came out.

Her eyes moved from my empty hands to the two petals on my shoes. The ruined bouquet was still inside the ballroom. People had crushed the flowers into the carpet, and broken eucalyptus leaves surrounded them.

"Those flowers..." My voice sounded weak and unsteady. "It took three days for them to get here."

Samantha hugged me and drew me against her shoulder. The scent of her perfume mixed with the coffee on her breath. That was when I noticed how badly I was trembling, and I couldn't make it stop.

"Was this my fault?" I asked. My words were muffled against her coat.

"Of course not." She stroked my back at a calm, even pace. "None of this was your fault."

"Then how could he..."

I couldn't finish the question. The tears I'd been holding in finally spilled over. They streamed down my cheeks and soaked Samantha's coat, leaving a dark stain on the fabric.

She looked at the damp patch but didn't mention it. Instead, her arms tightened around me.

Later, Samantha took me home, and neither of us spoke during the drive. She never asked me to explain what had happened. Every so often, she simply checked on me through the rearview mirror.

I rested my forehead against the cold window and watched the streetlights pass. My thoughts had gone quiet. There was no point trying to understand any of it because nothing made sense.

Once I reached home, my parents wanted to know how the press conference went and why I'd returned so soon. I told them I was tired and avoided saying anything else.

As soon as my bedroom door shut, I couldn't pretend to be fine anymore. My bag slid from my shoulder and landed on the floor. I stumbled across the room, fell facedown on the bed, and pressed my face into the pillow.

The crying wouldn't stop, and the pillowcase soon became soaked. I sank my teeth into my lip so no one would hear me. Each sob stayed trapped in my throat until it started to burn.

Time passed without me noticing. It could've been half an hour, or much longer. By the time the tears finally ran out, exhaustion had taken over, and my swollen eyelids ached.

Three soft but clear knocks came from the other side of the door. My body stiffened. I pushed myself upright, grabbed the comforter, and used it to dry my face.

After that, I crossed the room and opened the door.

Samantha was waiting outside.

"What are you doing here?" My own hoarse voice caught me off guard.

"The coworker who was supposed to travel with me backed out. We already paid for two plane tickets and a hotel room in Slawood next week. Our plan was to cover a few off-calendar Fashion Week events and take street-style photos for my articles. Now she's decided to attend her friend's wedding instead. The bookings can't be changed, and we won't get our money back. I don't want to make the trip alone." Samantha spoke with complete calm, as if she were discussing an ordinary day at work. "Come to Slawood with me."