Day before the full moon not long after the two had met

"Alexi would you care to share the full moon with me?" Aaron asked trying not to look hopeful.

"I don't know. We've only known each other for a few days," Alexi said uncertainly. "Sharing the full moon with just you and me would be rather too intimate, don't you think? Wouldn't it be crossing a line to where neither one of us could go back afterwards? Of course, I'm assuming you mean to share it with just me. I mean we have no idea if a relationship between us is going to work out, since we've known each other for less than a week."

Aaron was frustrated, but he also understood that Alexi had no memories of being his mate Adrianne, so he could understand her caution, even if he didn't like it.

"Why don't you just go and be with the local pack?" Alexi asked curiously.

"I could," Aaron shrugged. "I am part of the local pack, but I mostly keep to myself."

"I can understand that, as those werewolves are not like us not really," Alexi said. "They can only change on the full moon while the ones like us can change anytime we want, except on the full moon of course. Why we are so different from all the others of all kind I have no idea."

"Didn't your parents teach you why you were different from regular werewolves?" Aaron asked.

"No, because I grew up in orphanage," Alexi shrugged. "My parents are dead."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Aaron said.

"It's okay, you had no way of knowing," Alexi said understandingly.

"How did you stop transforming on the full moon as there were bound to be bed checks and things?" Aaron asked curiously.

"The staff of the orphanage I grew up in were very lax. All they did was peer into the room to make sure you were in bed supposedly asleep. They never crossed the threshold. I simply made a human shape under the covers and I also had a cheap wig the color of my dark hair, that sat on my pillow. It was so easy to fool the people that ran in the orphanage. It was clear they didn't really care about any of us, though it was also a good thing in my case."

Aaron snorted at that. "That was very clever," Aaron said in a sincere tone.

"Thank you," Alexi said flushing at the sincere compliment.

"So any siblings a brother or a sister?" Aaron asked.

"Sisters, as I'm sure you expect," Alexi said.

"So two sisters?" Aaron asked and Alexi nodded.

"Triplets, as I'm sure you suspect. Being triplets however, meant we didn't want to be separated and so if somebody wanted to adopt one of us we wouldn't go without the other two."

"I understand that," Aaron said gently.

"So any brothers or sisters?" Alexi asked in return knowing that Aaron wasn't going to be offended from such a question. For one thing it was a common question that was asked all the time by people like them whether werewolves or shifters. It was pretty rare for a wolf to not have at least one sibling born at the same time.

"An identical twin brother," Aaron answered with a mischievous grin. "His name is Alaric, though he prefers Aric."

"I can't blame your brother for that," Alexi said with a wince. "With a name like Alaric he was bound to be teased. At least Aric even with an A is normal, though less common then the one spelled with an E."

Aaron silently agreed, though when he and his brother had been born it had been quite a popular name. Alexi was right however, it was a very unusual name today and if he and his twin had been born in the 20th Century then yes, his brother's name would likely have gotten him teased.

"You don't want to spend the full moon with your brother at least? I would think he would be close considering your identical twins," asked Alexi

"Aric likes to travel," Aaron explained. "We do spend some full moons together and sometimes, even when it's not the full moon. Besides, Aric has a family of his own to spend the full moon with. He and his mate usually travel together."

"So your brother is out of town right now and instead of spending time with the werewolf pack you decided ask me, even though we barely know each other," Alexi said quietly seeming to be trying to puzzle out his motives.

Aaron had known, that it was much too soon to make such a personal request. However, from his perspective he and Alexi had known each other for years before she was murdered with their pups in her belly. He knew deep down though that thanks to the fact that, Alexi not having her memory of being Adrianne was what made things so difficult. He was anxious to cement their bond anew, but since Alexi didn't have any of her incarnations memories, he was just going to have to be patient and get to know this version of Adrianne at least until her memories returned.

"You don't have to Alexi. I would never force you into doing something you were uncomfortable with. I'll be perfectly fine on my own if you don't want to join me for the full moon tomorrow," Aaron said offering Alexi a easy way out.

Alexi said nothing thinking fiercely then finally caved, when she sensed the clear loneliness that radiated off the Alpha. Aaron's dark eyes were also filled with pain and a deep loneliness. She knew that deep down that Aaron would never hurt her, "I'll be there for the full moon," Alexi finally said.

"Thank you for agreeing," Aaron said quietly. It was clear that he was very grateful for her agreement.

"You're welcome," Alexi said, as she boldly kissed Aaron's cheek. She might have known Aaron Hotchner for a less than a week, but she knew he was a very good man and certainly a better Alpha then the vast majority of them who liked to throw their weight around.

~~~Aaron and Alexi~~~

Night of the full moon

"Welcome Alexi," Aaron greeted his mate warmly. "Thank you for agreeing to share the full moon with me."

"You're quite welcome, Aaron," Alexi said kissing his cheek for the second time in 24 hours causing the Alpha to smile at her.

"Before the moon rises would you like something to eat?" Aaron asked.

"That sounds good," Alexi agreed, not wanting to admit that she had been too nervous to eat dinner, as the only other wolves she had ever shared the full moon with were her sisters. It was considered rather intimate to share it with anyone, except family, unless it was your pack who would be considered as part of your family related or not. At least that's what she had heard, as she or her sisters had never really been part of a pack by their own choice. They'd always had each other, which was more than enough.

Aaron went into the kitchen and soon brought out a tray loaded with meat and bread for sandwiches. It was the kind of meat you could buy at a deli.

"I didn't think we had time to do anything complicated," Aaron explained, as he placed the tray on the coffee table. "It is only a couple of hours until the full moon."

"This is just fine," Alexi promised. "I have nothing against sandwich meat, particularly roast beef."

"Neither do I," Aaron said with a smile, as he started to build himself a massive sandwich.

Alexi did the same and built herself a sandwich of roast beef, chicken, turkey, ham and cheese.

"Want any mayonnaise? Or mustard?" Aaron asked, as he finished building his sandwich.

"Mustard will be fine," Alexi said and Aaron immediately handed her the bottle.

Alexi squeezed a generous amount of Dijon mustard on to her sandwich before putting on the top piece of bread.

"Would you like some potato chips to go with the your sandwich?" Aaron asked and Alexi nodded.

Aaron handed her the open bag and Alexi put a generous amount onto her plate.

The two of them ate in companionable silence until they were nearly finished.

"So I have a question for you," Aaron said finally when the sandwiches and most of the chips were gone.

Alexi said nothing, but cocked her head in a listening pose waiting for Aaron to continue.

"Do you want to shift here or out in the forest that's behind the house?"

Alexi was startled at the question, but knew she shouldn't be, though she and her sisters usually shifted in their apartment and rarely went running in the forest. Alexi knew that this wasn't how wolves were supposed to behave, but it wasn't like they had been trained in wolfish ways from the time they were born.

"Which would you prefer?" Alexi finally asked the alpha. "I'll do whatever you want."

"This isn't about me," Aaron said shaking his head. "I genuinely want your opinion."

"Well…" Alexi said in a soft voice waffling. "I say transform here, at least this time. Maybe next time we can go to the forest and spend the night there."

"Okay, that's fine," Aaron assured his mate.

Alexi's response told Aaron many things, as it revealed more about herself then she likely realized.

The fact that Alexi didn't want to go outside to spend the full moon out in the forest, told him she had likely not done so very much and maybe not at all. She and probably her sisters had likely always spent the full moon inside. He said nothing however, as now was not the time.

He suspected there were many things he was going to have to teach her and likely her sisters, since they had grown up as orphans. That they had survived without their parents and kept their secret well enough that as far as he knew nobody had discovered it, was pretty impressive, especially for young children.

Alexi who had tensed relaxed at Aaron's response.

The two of them fell silent and cuddled together waiting patiently for the full moon to rise.

~~~Aaron and Alexi~~~

Once the full moon rose in the sky, she and Aaron immediately began to change. The change was swift and painless, which Alexi at least was grateful for. In what seemed no time at all her transformation was complete. The wolf that was Alexi stood up on what was now four legs with paws, instead of hands and feet. Alexi shook herself to get her fur to settle. Alexi's wolfish instincts were always stronger in this form and so she allowed those instincts free reign. The wolf within her looked around her curiously, not recognizing where she was.

Alexi, or rather the wolf, put her nose to the floor and sniffed around the room. Suddenly, the strongest pheromones that she had ever smelled hit her sensitive nose. She immediately spotted the big black wolf over on one side of the room. She immediately crawled forward until she was less then a foot away and prostrated herself in front of the stronger wolf. Her ears were pinned back and her head and tail was lowered in a sign of submission.

The alpha wolf came forward sniffed her and seeming to recognize her gently nuzzled her snout, giving a short bark that told Alexi wolf that she could rise. Alexi, the wolf did so, her eyes still lowered in submission. Aaron barked again and Alexi lifted her head. Aaron headed over towards the lit fireplace, and told Alexi in wolf language to lay down near it.

Alexi did as commanded and was gratified when the Alpha laid down beside her, putting his chin over her shoulder as if telling her that she was his. It was a very possessive gesture, but the wolf that was Alexi was not afraid. Her instincts told her that this was the right thing for the alpha to do and that the Alpha was showing her that she belonged to him alone.

Alexi wolf relaxed into the warmth of the far larger wolf beside her, closing her eyes, immediately dropping into a snooze Aaron doing the same with his head still over her shoulder.

All to soon it was dawn. Alexi blinked open her eyes immediately realizing that she was transforming back into her human self, so it must be dawn.

Alexi had to admit that she hadn't slept so well in a very long time, especially the week before the full moon, not even with her sisters, as they all cuddled together in their wolf forms. She wasn't entirely sure why she had slept so well with just Aaron beside her. To her, it really didn't make any sense, because the two of them had just met a few days ago and yet, she and her sisters had grown up together.

Once she was fully human again she immediately noticed that it was chilly in the room where she and Aaron had slept curled together in their wolf forms all night with their thick fur protecting them from the chill. The fire had gone out sometime in the middle of the night, probably several hours ago since the room was so icy.

She knew when it came to shapeshifting wolves, her knowledge was seriously lacking. There had been no one to teach her and her sisters what they needed to know. The three of them had picked up quite a lot of information over the years, but it was all piecemeal at best and none of them knew how accurate the information they had gathered was. Really, shapeshifters and werewolves seemed very similar other than the fact that she and Aaron could shift anytime they wanted to other than the full moon. She had often wondered if she and her sisters were the only ones of their kind, but now that she had met Aaron who could do the same she suspected that there were at least few more like them out there somewhere.

"Good morning, little one. How did you sleep?" Aaron asked, as soon as the transformation was complete.

"Really well, actually," Alexi replied honestly. "I haven't felt this rested in a long time, especially not the day after the full moon. I'm not exactly sure why that is however."

"What about some breakfast?" Aaron asked not answering Alexi's obvious question. He suspected he knew why Alexi had slept much better than she had in a very long time, but he wasn't about to reveal his hand so soon. He had certainly slept better than he usually did a few days before the full moon and that was because he's mate had finally returned him. It had always been that way back when Adrianne was alive.

"That's a great idea I'm starving. I always am after the full moon," Alexi said, even as her stomach grumbled hungrily. Alexi tried not to blush in embarrassment at her stomach's behavior and silently ordered her stomach to behave and not to embarrass her in front of the alpha.

"That's only natural, as it happens to all werewolves and in many ways we are similar to them," Aaron said calmly, even as his own stomach growled in hunger.

"I had noticed that yeah," Alexi agreed. "The only way that I can tell we are different is werewolves can only transform during the full moon, while we can transform anytime we want other than the full moon."

"How about I take you out to breakfast?" Aaron offered after checking his fridge for eggs, sausage and bacon. "I'm afraid I'm a little low on appropriate breakfast foods. I really need to go shopping."

"You don't need to feed me, Aaron. I'll just get something on my way home," Alexi said not wanting to overstay her welcome, something that wasn't possible, even if Alexi didn't realize it.

"I wouldn't have offered if I hadn't wanted to," Aaron told her firmly.

Alexi gave in without protesting, because if there was one thing she knew about alphas and that was they could be very determined and also touchy. She didn't want to insult Aaron and possibly have him get angry at her, even if so far he seemed pretty even-tempered. You never knew what was going to set an alpha off and you might find yourself getting punished for your supposed offense. Just because the two of them had only known each other for a few days wouldn't necessarily stop Aaron from punishing her in someway.

"You'll have to take me back home so I can change clothes or I can go by myself since my car is here and then, come back afterwards," Alexi said, as she started to dress in the clothes that she had arrived in. She knew her sisters would question her if she did go back to her apartment but she really did need to change clothes and get a quick shower so she would just have to fend her sisters off until after breakfast with Aaron, Alexi wasn't much embarrassed as the Alpha watched her dress with admiration and appreciation in his gaze. Well, not as much as she expected to be anyway. "I didn't even think about bringing a change of clothing with me and I should have. That was just dumb."

"I'll be happy to take you home so you can shower and change your clothes. Even our kind can forget things and I know you were nervous about sharing your first full moon with me," Aaron told her in a gentle tone. "Next time you probably won't be so nervous and you likely won't forget to bring a change of clothes. It's at least partly my fault as I should have told you to bring something to wear in the morning, but it just didn't occur to me and it should have. We'll both do better next time."

Alexi's wolf was soothed at the alpha's tone and she hurriedly finished getting dressed. Aaron finally went upstairs to his bedroom to take a quick shower and to don fresh clothes before driving Alexi back to her apartment, so she could change as well.

Aaron returned only 20 minutes later and Alexi immediately asked, "How do you know I was nervous?"

"I'm good at reading body language for one thing, but you also smelled nervous," Aaron said tapping the side of his nose.

"Oh, yeah, I had kind of forgotten about the extra strong sense of smell, even in human form," Alexi said looking abashed at having forgotten such an important fact.

"Which is even better in wolf form, but yes, our noses are enhanced quite a bit from normal humans, even in this form," Aaron said.

Aaron grabbed his keys and escorted Alexi out to his car. It was a lovely morning with dew laden grass, and birds chirping in the trees that were close by. There were also plenty of squirrels that were chittering jumping from tree to tree avoiding any predators like cats and dogs.

The two of them enjoyed the drive in silence simply enjoying the nice weather with a fresh breeze coming in through the open windows.

~~~Aaron and Alexi~~~

Months later

"Here, little one I got this for you," Aaron said offering her a small package wrapped in pretty silver paper.

Alexi took the package without a word of protest.

She and Aaron had gotten quite close over the last few months. She now knew that Aaron would never expect anything in return for the gifts he had bought her, not more than she was willing to give anyway. Aaron was the kindest, most compassionate and generous Alpha she had ever run across. He was never rough or abrasive with her. He never hit her in a moment of anger or frustration, like some alphas were prone to do, even with their mates. She believed she was in love with him though she hadn't told him yet.

She blessed day that she had literally run into him in the parking lot near the library.

"It's gorgeous," Alexi said after she had removed the wrapping paper. Alexi held up a beautiful necklace by the chain, studying it. "It looks very old."

In her hand was a beautiful cameo, which was still in excellent condition, so it had obviously been taken care of, throughout the decades.

"It is," Aaron said not getting the reaction he expected. The cameo had originally belonged to Adrianne. He had kept it and protected it all through centuries, hoping he would be able to give it back to his mate if she was ever returned to him. He had hoped that once Alexi had touched it that her memories would start to return. The necklace had meant a lot to Adrianne, because it has been a inheritance from her grandmother. The necklace had been around for many centuries. "It's been in my family for quite a long time."

Alexi nodded and finally touched the cameo itself and that was when Aaron got the reaction he had originally expected. Alexi's eyes rolled back in her head immediately and she almost collapsed and would have if Aaron hadn't been there to catch her. Aaron caught her gently and lifted her into his arms kissing her on the forehead before placing her on a long couch. Aaron hadn't been entirely sure that Alexi holding the necklace she had inherited as Adrianne would work, but he had thought it would cause no harm to try it, as the necklace had been very special to his mate. She had worn it often and had often fiddled with it, especially when she was distracted. Aaron knew that she had loved her grandmother with an intensity that was pretty uncommon even today. The two of them had been very close up until that fateful day. In fact, Adrianne had been named after her. Unfortunately, the grandmother Adriana hadn't lived long enough to see her granddaughter and him marry.

Aaron sat beside Alexi with her head on his lap gently stroking her hair and placing light kisses every so often on her forehead and lips. Alexi didn't stir for several hours, but finally, Aaron saw signs that she was beginning to wake.

Alexi groaned her hand up to her rub her forehead and muttered groggily. "Anybody get the name of that truck that ran over me?"

Aaron chuckled a little darkly and Alexi opened her eyes and looked at Aaron a little blurrily.

"What's so funny?" Alexi asked, even as she lifted her head and sat up.

"Oh, nothing really," Aaron said. "How do you feel?"

"Like I have a drummer pounding my brain to mush with huge drumsticks. I have all these weird images in my head. Images that don't seem to belong to me."

"They might seem that way, but they do belong to you, little one," Aaron said.

"What do you mean?" Alexi asked looking at Aaron quizzically.

"Before I tell you, why don't I fix us some steak and cheese sandwiches?" Aaron suggested.

"Sounds good, as I'm suddenly starving," Alexi admitted.

"How's your head?" Aaron inquired.

"A little better," Alexi admitted. "I've never been so grateful for our fast healing. I don't believe I've ever had a headache so bad. In fact, I don't think I've ever gotten headaches unless I've been drinking a lot."

"It takes quite a bit of alcohol to get our kind even partly drunk," Aaron said and Alexi agreed.

"That's the way it's always been for me and my sisters at least," Alexi agreed rubbing her temple.

"That's the way it is for all of our kind not just for you and your sisters. Some headache medicine will probably help," Aaron suggested. "I know we don't normally need such things, but in this case it certainly wouldn't hurt."

"No it wouldn't. Do you happen to have any?" Alexi asked. "I know very well it's not the kind of thing that our kind usually stocks, since we usually don't get headaches or if we do they never last more than a few minutes."

"As a matter of fact I do," Aaron said. "One of my past girlfriends got bad headaches. It was years ago, but I don't think that the bottle has expired."

"Well, there's certainly no harm at looking at the date on the bottle," Alexi said smiling as her headache fading a little more.

"I'll get that medicine for you before I start on those steak and cheese sandwiches," Aaron said rising from where he was sitting.

"Thanks," Alexi said and Aaron gave her a small smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

Aaron returned in less than five minutes with a glass of water and a couple of pills. Alexi took them from him and took a long sip of the water Aaron handed her. While Aaron had been gone Alexi had had time to think.

Aaron had said that the memories did belong to her, but how could they? She had always known that Aaron Hotchner had secrets, but she figured he would tell her when he was ready. She wasn't really one to pry into others affairs, especially not an alpha like Aaron. Doing so, could just get her in serious trouble with the alpha in question. Right now, she just didn't have the brain capacity to figure out what Aaron had meant, as her head was still pounding, even if it wasn't as bad as it had been 15 or 20 minutes ago.

She and Aaron headed back to the kitchen and the alpha begin to fulfill his promise of steak and cheese sandwiches.

Aaron cooked up pieces of steak on the skillet and put some bread into the toaster. It was only a few minutes later that he handed Alexi a humongous steak and cheese sandwich.

"This looks delicious," Alexi said before taking a huge bite. Alexi chewed with every evidence of satisfaction before swallowing. "It is beyond delicious Aaron. I don't believe I've ever had a steak sandwich this good."

Aaron who had been watching her chew smiled in satisfaction. "I'm glad you like it," Aaron said.

"Oh, believe me, I do," Alexi said before taking another huge bite. In no time at all, the huge steak sandwich was gone and Alexi patted her stomach in satisfaction.

"Want another?" Aaron asked his expression amused.

"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly eat another bite right now," Alexi said patting her tummy again. "That sandwich was very large and hit just the right spot."

"How's your headache?" Aaron asked in concern.

"Much better," Alexi said in surprise, as she hadn't even noticed the pounding in her head beginning to fade until it was almost nonexistent. "It's mostly gone now."

"Good, the food likely helped," Aaron said.

"Probably," Alexi agreed. "Now, I believe you said something about the strange images in my head did belong to me. Would you explain please?"

"Of course, I'll be happy to," Aaron said as he put both his and Alexi's dishes in the sink. "Why don't we go into the living room where we'll be more comfortable?"

"That's okay with me," Alexi said without arguing.

The two of them exited the kitchen and headed for the living room without saying another word.

~~~Aaron and Alexi~~~