LUNA: Alpha’s Soulmate from Another World

The sun, which was already high in the sky, shone so brightly that its rays freely entered through the window of the room where Luna was soundly sleeping. A groan escaped from Luna’s lips as the light disturbed and woke her from her deep sleep. Slowly, Luna opened her tightly closed eyes and blinked several times to adjust her still blurry vision.

Luna smiled slightly as she felt the softness beneath her body, stretching her arms and legs to loosen her muscles. Initially, she didn’t realize her surroundings, thinking that what she was experiencing was just a dream because of the soft feeling beneath her body. However, moments later, her forehead furrowed in confusion when she saw the ceiling of the room with a small candle chandelier hanging in the middle.

Huh? I don’t have a chandelier in my bedroom, especially not one made of candles. Luna was completely puzzled, but then she realized. Wait a minute! This isn’t a dream! This is real! But… Wasn’t I in the forest last time? Why am I in a room?

She was confused, wondering in her heart, ‘Where am I now?’ Suddenly, awareness flooded over her. Luna immediately sat up and looked around. The room she was in appeared simple.

The floor, walls, and ceiling were made of sturdy-looking wood. There was a window on the right side where sunlight streamed into the room. The furniture in the room was also made of wood, such as the table, chairs, wardrobe, and even the bed she was lying on. Luna touched the blanket, which had thick and soft fur, guessing that the blanket warming her body was made from animal fur. Wolf? Bear? Luna couldn’t guess what animal it was.

Still, it felt so comfortable and warm, even better than the high-quality blankets she had in her Penthouse. Luna rubbed her eyes with her hands before slowly lowering her feet from the bed, noticing a wide carpet also made of fur. She wiggled her toes and smiled at the tickling softness of the fur before looking around.

“Where is this?” she asked herself, confused.

Luna looked down to check her condition and sighed in relief when she realized that the maroon dress she was wearing was still on her body. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, and when she glanced at the small table near the bed, her phone and heels were neatly placed there.

Luna slowly stood up and walked towards the table. She turned on her phone to check if the place she was in had a signal so she could open GPS, but unfortunately, her hopes were dashed. Once again, she had to accept that the place she was in was not where she came from.

Feeling sad, Luna turned off her phone and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She walked to the window to look outside and blinked in disbelief at the cityscape before her eyes. She didn’t know where she was, but the city she saw looked like an ancient Roman city.

Buildings with classic styles, horse-drawn carriages, women wearing tunics reaching their feet in white, with outer garments similar to colourful togas embroidered with gold thread, while the men wore white tunics down to their knees.

Some of them wore medieval-style clothing consisting of simple gowns with corsets for women and outfits consisting of trousers paired with long-sleeved shirts and vests or suspenders with boots and beret hats, like merchants, coachmen, shopkeepers, and others. Luna felt like she had stepped into a historical fantasy movie scene. There wasn’t a single thing she recognized or found familiar.

Slowly, she stepped back from the window with weak legs, then returned to the bed and sat on its edge with her mind starting to race. She was so confused, scared, and alone. “I have to get out of here!” she concluded before standing up and quickly walking to the table.

She took her phone and heels and walked towards the door. At that moment, she heard three knocks on the door and then a very feminine voice from behind it. “Lady, are you awake?”

Luna’s body instantly froze, and she stared at the door with a vigilant gaze. “May I come in?” Luna opened her mouth to respond, but she furrowed her brow again when she heard the woman’s question in a foreign language, one she had never heard in her life.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

But why do I understand what this strange woman is saying? she wondered to herself. It seemed the woman outside sensed Luna’s hesitation, so she murmured again, “I know this is impolite, but forgive me. I must come in.” Soon after, the door handle moved, and the door opened.

Luna’s eyes widened when she saw the woman entering the room. The woman was so beautiful, with tan skin, straight, long blonde hair, and striking green eyes like emerald gemstones. The tall woman was dressed in a white gown with a skirt that reached her ankles and a brown corset around her waist. Brown leather shoes adorned her feet.

Luna blinked in disbelief. It felt like she had stepped into a historical film, where the clothing and atmosphere matched her current experience. Luna pinched her arm-yet again-and hissed softly at the pain, confirming that everything was real and not a dream.

“Hi,” the woman greeted with a gentle smile. In her hands, she held a tray with a wooden bowl and a large wooden mug.

“How are you feeling, lady? I brought some warm soup and honey tea to restore your energy.”

“How…?” Luna tried to speak, but she was surprised when the foreign language she had heard came out of her mouth, not the language she knew. “Where… is this…?”

The woman smiled understandingly. She placed the tray on the table and walked to the door, closing it tightly. It was then that Luna noticed the woman’s ears were different, more pointed and longer. Huh? Did I see that right? She blinked before looking at the woman’s ears again.

I didn’t see it wrong! she screamed in her mind. The woman approached Luna and reached out to touch a strand of Luna’s dark brown hair.

“It’s because of the bracelet I put on you, lady.” The woman then gestured towards Luna’s left arm. When Luna followed her gaze, she noticed a dark purple bracelet encircling her wrist. Luna raised her hand and examined the bracelet, which looked like glass and appeared so beautiful in the sunlight.

“That’s a bracelet with a translation enchantment. Anyone who wears it can speak and understand the language of this world.” Suddenly, Ghea’s face turned sombre.

“Honestly, I don’t know how the portal works, not even the elders or our Queen. The portal is a mysterious force. It might not be ordinary magic, or maybe it’s not magic at all, but part of nature. It’s a dimension of time itself connecting two worlds. The portal can even move locations or have more than one. I’ve always heard stories from the elders that mortals who come through the portal can never return because no one knows how to open the portal.”

Mortals? Humans here are called mortals? How ironic. “So I’m not the only one?”

“Yes, but they usually choose to leave Foryeust and settle in Vasilos Empire because many of them say that the Vasilos Empire’s environment is similar to the world they came from.” Luna straightened up at this information.

“If you’re interested, I can take you-”

“No. I want to stay here. I’m sure there must be a way to return. I believe that. Shouldn’t the portal work both ways?” She thought this because of the science fiction or fantasy films she had watched in theatres and on Netflix.

There must be a way to get back. She had seen what happened on the other side of the mirror, how Nicole had frantically searched for her in the room before disappearing. Yes! That alone indicated that the portal works both ways and not just one way; it’s just that the beings in this world haven’t figured out the answer to that puzzle yet. “That’s why I need to stay here to find the answer.”

“You really want to go back,” Ghea concluded a fact.

Luna nodded briefly. “Of course. I have a life there and people I love.”

“I’ve never known the world beyond the portal, and I’m so curious.”

“Curious?” Luna furrowed her brow. “Is that why you’re not afraid or suspicious of me? Shouldn’t you feel those two things because I’m a stranger?”

Ghea smiled and waved her fingers, which glowed green. She summoned a long, strong vine from the ground that wrapped tightly around Luna’s body, rendering her unable to express her astonishment.

“I can do this to you if you do something unpleasant.” Then the green light faded, and the vine that had wrapped around Luna’s body receded into the ground.

“But I believe you’re not that kind of person. You look weak and very exhausted.” Ghea clapped her hands as if what she had just done was the easiest thing ever. Luna was mesmerized by the power she had witnessed. Ghea grinned proudly and answered Luna’s question.

“Yes. I’m very curious. I’ve heard stories from one of the elders about another world from a mortal they once encountered, and that mortal described the ‘other’ world they came from. So I’m curious.”

“Oh… Wow… that’s amazing!” Luna praised Ghea, then cleared her throat and murmured, “Have you ever dealt with umm… mortals like me?”

“Never. This is the first time for me, but I’m not surprised at all. After all, I’m an innkeeper, and I encounter various kinds of beings.” Ghea has a point, Luna agreed silently. She took a deep breath, walked to the bed, and then sat on the edge of the bed.

She watched Ghea for a moment before saying, “It seems I’m the only one who hasn’t introduced myself. Sorry for being rude when you’ve helped me. My name is Luna.”

Luna thought Ghea would react like most people, either complimenting her name or giving a cheerful look like someone meeting for the first time. However, instead, the woman looked pale with fear and took a step back. “Umm… Ghea, what’s wrong?”

“Your name… Luna?”

Luna sighed heavily. “You don’t need to speak so formally to me anymore. After all, I’m just a stranger here, and yes, my name is Luna. The orphanage mother said she found my name on a piece of paper in the basket where she found me. Is there something that makes you react like that?” Ghea seemed hesitant for a moment.

It seemed the woman didn’t want to explain further. Still, given Luna’s unique circumstances, Ghea let down her guard and stepped closer before sitting beside her with a worried expression. “Luna is something sacred for the Vasilos Empire. I will explain it to you, but after you change your clothes and eat the breakfast I brought. You look very hungry and dirty.”

Luna smiled, “Thank you for reminding me.”

Twenty minutes later, Luna had finished cleaning herself and eating the food Ghea had brought. For a different world, Luna was surprised that Ghea’s cooking didn’t taste much different from her world, even tasting more delicious and savoury. The honey tea Ghea prepared also tasted fresher and sweeter, indicating that all the ingredients used were natural. Luna didn’t see any modern transportation causing pollution, so the air she breathed still felt very fresh.

Luna looked at her body, which was now dressed in a gown similar to Ghea’s, minus the corset. She asked about the white tunics she had seen outside the window. Ghea explained that those garments were only worn by the royal family, nobles, judges, and other high-ranking officials in Foryeust and not by commoners.

Luna looked at Ghea, who had just returned after stepping out for a while to get some snacks. In the woman’s hand was a plate filled with rose-shaped cookies. Luna smiled at Ghea, who returned the smile warmly. When Ghea was comfortably seated beside the bed, the woman glanced at the item on Luna’s lap.

“I’ve been very curious since I brought you here. What is that?” She was glad Ghea was no longer speaking formally to her because hearing the woman speak formally made Luna feel a bit awkward. Formal behaviour was something she usually received from business clients, and Ghea was neither a business client nor a stranger.

Proudly, Luna held up the smartphone in her lap and replied, “This is called a smartphone. It’s used as a communication device in my world. Do you want to see how it works?” Ghea nodded her head.

Luna pondered for a moment and thought ten minutes would be enough to demonstrate the advanced technology she had brought along. After explaining, she smiled wider, seeing Ghea’s blue eyes sparkle brightly. “How is it?”

“Wow, that’s amazing! It’s extraordinary magic! I’ve never seen anything like it. Even the surface of that thing moves when you touch it.”

With a small smile, Luna shook her head and said, “This isn’t magic. It’s called technology, a science.” She paused for a moment, observing Ghea still admiring the phone in her hand. “By the way, what do you use to communicate?”

“Magic and letters.”

“Oh…” For a moment, neither Ghea nor Luna spoke, both busy with their thoughts until Luna broke the silence and asked, “So, why is Luna so sacred to the Empire… umm… what’s it called?”

“Vasilos.” Luna quickly nodded. She turned off the phone, then hid it behind her back and looked at Ghea intently. “Luna is the title given to the soulmate of an Alpha in Vasilos.”

“Alpha?”

“Just like the Foryeust Territory, which is dominated by fairies, fae, and other forest creatures, the Vasilos Empire is dominated by werewolves because the Vasilos region is primarily a werewolf territory.”

Werewolves… Luna wanted to laugh right now. So, she had truly entered a fantasy world where supernatural beings lived in reality. Werewolves and fae were mythical creatures in her world, with no proof of their existence. Still, here she was, talking to a fae and discussing a large kingdom seemingly ruled by werewolves.

“That’s why Luna is so sacred. Do you know what a werewolf is?” Luna nodded and briefly explained that werewolves, vampires, and even fae were mythical creatures and fairy tales in her world.

“How funny that we are considered myths. Is that why you look at me as if I’m not real?” Luna nodded.

Ghea sighed deeply and continued, “If you know about werewolves, do you know what a soulmate is?” Luna shook her head.

“Alright, a soulmate is a life partner for every werewolf. A soulmate is a gift from the Moon Goddess-Selene, for her creations.”

“Okay, then, what does that have to do with Luna?”

“Because the soulmate of an Alpha is the mother to the pack members, they receive the title Luna, which means moon. It is considered that Luna is a representative of the Moon Goddess for them, and because Selene and the werewolves highly revere women.”

“Wow.”

“Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to Alkrevas.”

“Al… what?”

“Alkrevas. The Emperor of the Vasilos Empire and the Alpha King of the werewolves.”

…