LUNA: Alpha’s Soulmate from Another World

In the evening, when dinner time arrived, Luna and Ghea headed to a simple restaurant that also served as a bar on the ground floor of the inn. Both of them had changed into more comfortable attire: chemises layered with soft-colored leggings and topped with thick fur cloaks to ward off the cold of Mylonas at night. Their hair was left loose, as they intended to retire after dinner.

Descending the stairs, they scanned the bustling restaurant to locate George. Ghea spotted her brother first and walked over to a table, with Luna following closely behind. Several men they passed stopped talking and stared at Luna, making her feel somewhat uneasy and uncomfortable, especially as some openly commented on her beauty, describing it as rare and seldom seen, which was undoubtedly due to her coming from a different world.

Luna sighed heavily and decided to ignore the comments from the rugged-looking men who dominated the restaurant. It wasn’t long before Luna and Ghea joined Gregory at the table. As a caring brother, George immediately asked about Luna’s day spent in Mylonas Capital.

With enthusiasm, Ghea recounted their adventures, making sure to mention Luna’s love for antiques. Luna herself chose to sit quietly, chin resting on her hands, observing Ghea with a happy expression and sparkling eyes.

A restaurant server arrived to take their orders. Luna deferred to George to select the best dishes as she wasn’t familiar with the menu. Once the server left, Luna asked George about the dish he ordered, prompting Ghea to express her own hunger after hearing George’s explanation.

“Why are there so many men here?” Luna couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer.

Glancing behind her, Luna noticed several tables occupied by large, intimidating men who had stopped talking as if they were listening to the conversation between her and the two faces seated with her, but that couldn’t be possible, right? The atmosphere was lively, and the tables were spaced far apart; it wouldn’t be feasible for them to overhear the conversation at their table.

Luna shifted her gaze back to the fae siblings, noticing their exchanged glances. “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” Ghea quickly replied, fiddling with her hair. “Many of them are traders from out of town here for the festival.”

“Oh, I see now.”

The server returned with their orders, carrying a tray laden with delicious food. The enticing aroma and wafting smoke triggered Luna’s hunger, making her stomach audibly growl. Ghea, sitting beside her, laughed and handed her a plate of steak-like meat with sauce and several vegetable salads.

Luna immediately picked up her knife and fork, examining the perfectly cooked meat on her plate. She leaned in towards Ghea and asked, “What kind of meat is this?”

“Beef.” Luna’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

Luna had suspected that the meat on her plate wasn’t from the familiar livestock she knew or perhaps from some unfamiliar creature. Still, her suspicion turned out to be unfounded. Livestock such as cows, buffaloes, and chickens also existed here-another similarity between this ‘world’ and hers. Luna began to silently enjoy the meal ordered for her, occasionally responding when Ghea or George asked her questions.

An hour later, dinner concluded, and George invited them to take a walk around the inn’s surroundings to aid digestion. Luna noticed the pouch of coins carried by George and asked Ghea, “Do they still use gold and silver coins for payment here?”

“Yes, they do,” Ghea replied with a smile. “In Rhodes, the main currency is called Parime, but each region has its own local currency. However, the Vasilos Empire uses Parime as its primary currency. Parime consists of three types: gold, silver, and bronze. It may seem antiquated to you, but it’s quite efficient here.” Luna nodded in understanding.

It meant this world had a financial system from the past that existed on Earth, where copper coins were used as currency. “Sometimes, transactions involve the exchange of goods and usually employ magic stones. Not everyone possesses magic mana.”

“Oh, I see now.” Luna raised her head and looked at the lamps installed at every street corner or building, not light bulbs filling them, but magic stones or magical power. Some used blue-colored fire, indicating it was lit with spirits. Still, glowing stones with magical content were preferred by some people for everyday use because they were safer.

They stopped at a street junction, and Luna was surprised by how busy the entire street was. Whether horse-drawn carriages, people bustling about, or… was that a wolf? Luna opened her mouth to ask but immediately remembered that the Vasilos Empire was werewolf territory. This meant wolves were a common sight here. Luna also observed how some wolves transformed into human form in seconds.

“Werewolves are creatures not shy about their bodies. Because each time they transform, their clothes will no longer function,” Ghea explained with a hidden smile behind her hand, seeing Luna’s shocked reaction. “So don’t be surprised to see them transform back into humans in a state of undress.”

“Aren’t they cold?” Luna asked, still puzzled.

“Werewolves have a higher body temperature than other creatures, and don’t worry; each werewolf has accessories with magical properties where they can instantly dress when returning to human form. See?” Ghea affirmed her statement, gesturing towards one werewolf who had just transformed back into a human. True to Ghea’s words, a whitish light surrounded the werewolf, and when the light faded, the werewolf was dressed again.

“Wow,” Luna exclaimed in amazement, her eyes widening with admiration.

Ghea laughed at Luna’s reaction. “So pure and easy to read,” she said. She grabbed Luna’s hand and pulled her towards George, who was walking further ahead.

“Come on, let’s not fall behind,” Ghea said enthusiastically.

…

Luna slept fitfully. Sweat drenched her neck and entire body, and her eyes snapped open at the sound from outside her room. She sat up abruptly and glanced at the other bed where Ghea was peacefully asleep. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and temples before swinging her legs off the bed.

Her brown eyes scanned the pitch-dark room before focusing on the open window. She heard the rumble of rain accompanied by thunder, a stark contrast to a few hours ago when the moon had illuminated the sky brightly. The curtains fluttered in the rain-swept wind, and Luna, clad only in a nightgown gifted by Ghea, shivered as the cold draft reduced the room’s temperature. Hurriedly, Luna walked towards the window.

Arriving near the window and peering out, the bustling city scene from earlier now appeared eerily silent. As far as the eye could see, there was not a soul walking or even standing in a shelter waiting for the rain to cease, in contrast to New York, which would surely remain lively despite the storm. The heavy rain soaked the streets, plants, and buildings. Luna flinched as lightning illuminated the sky, and the subsequent thunder made her hastily shut the window.

Her hands wrapped around herself, Luna moved to embrace her own body. The nightmare that had awakened her in the cold air seemed triggered by the thunderous roar. Luna indeed disliked thunder sounds the most, as they reminded her of dark times in her life. Moreover, with the unfamiliar atmosphere of this new world, she felt uneasy and uncomfortable. Her breath caught when she heard a sound from outside the room, the same one that had woken her up. Although the rain and thunder masked the sound, it was loud enough for her to hear clearly.

Luna reached for the lamp on the table. She debated whether to wake Ghea but chose not to disturb the visibly tired woman. Barefoot, Luna walked to the door and opened it slowly. “Luna? Why are you awake? Where are you going?” Suddenly, Ghea’s soft voice sounded.

She turned around, and Ghea was sitting on the bed, looking at her worriedly. Luna shook her head and opened her mouth to answer Ghea’s question when the strange sound was heard again, this time clearer due to the open door. Luna frowned, hearing it resembling cries of pain and the sound of a large object falling and hitting the wooden floor. “Do you hear that, Ghea?”

Ghea nodded and walked up to Luna, who was peering into the inn’s hallway. There was nothing there. Empty. Dark. Deserted. Ghea peered through the door and said, “Is there a fight downstairs?”

“Midnight like this when everyone’s asleep? Are you sure there are no ghosts in this world?”

Ghea waved her hand dismissively. “Of course not. Ghosts are just myths.”

“In my world, ghosts are considered real. Many sightings have been captured on camera, and their videos are spread on the internet.”

“Videos? Internet?” Ghea sighed deeply.

“I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about, but one thing’s for sure, there are no ghosts. Spirits exist in this world, but they are just legends and inhabit a dense forest located on Rynia Island, a small island east of Rhodes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m not lying. Besides, the sound we hear is not from ghosts. Is there a robber? It wouldn’t be surprising if that’s true, given how lively Vasilos is right now.”

“Should we check?”

“Are you insane?”

“But our rooms are the only occupied ones. Even George isn’t in his room. Your brother’s door is wide open.” Ghea glanced toward George’s room to verify Luna’s statement. She blinked and looked at Luna doubtfully. “You can use your plant powers if we’re in an emergency.”

“It’s not plant powers, it’s magic…” Ghea sighed heavily and decided to stop. Now wasn’t the time to debate the names of her abilities, and upon reflection, Luna was partially right.

When she displayed her power, she used plant roots. “Alright, because you’re a mortal creature, it’s better for you to walk behind me.”

“I can defend myself too… hmm, okay.” Luna agreed, realizing that whatever they might encounter downstairs might not just be an ordinary robber. It could be a creature with magical abilities or physical strength beyond that of an ordinary human. Insisting on proving Ghea wrong could be suicidal. She had only recently arrived in this world and still didn’t know everything about it, so it was better for her to take cover behind Ghea’s back, and if possible, she would hide somewhere.

Then they walked out of the room, traversing the quiet and dark hallway. The lamp Luna had previously carried was now in Ghea’s hand. The two women, disheveled with nightgowns clinging to their bodies, walked side by side along the corridor.

As Luna had said, all the rooms were empty, and their doors were open except for themselves.

“Should we run?”

“If that’s the best choice, we should at least find George first,” Ghea said anxiously.

“You’re right.”

They continued walking until they reached the stairs leading downstairs. Luna gripped the hem of Ghea’s nightgown. Her heart was beating so fast and hard that her ears could hear the beat themselves. Luna took a deep breath, and the stench of blood dominated the room.

“Ghea, something’s wrong… Ghea…” Luna pinched the bridge of her nose to block out the horrific smell. Her eyes scanned the area before focusing on Ghea, who was halfway down the stairs. What Luna didn’t expect was to see Ghea frozen, her legs trembling and face pale. The lamp she was holding was directed toward the inn’s hall, which also served as a restaurant and bar.

“Ghea?” Luna followed her and looked in the same direction.

Immediately, her breath caught, and she collapsed on the stairs. Before her, Luna saw a sea of blood with dismembered bodies scattered around. What made Luna feel as if her heart stopped was the figure standing in the midst of the gruesome scene. A man in a black cloak, his hood down, stood in the sea of blood. In his hand, he held a long, sharp sword stained with red. His face and the clothes beneath the cloak were also splattered with blood.

The handsome face illuminated by the lightning was adorned with a wide, terrifying grin. His red eyes, like gemstones, stared directly into her brown eyes.

What shocked Luna even more, was her strong instinct telling her that this was the cloaked man she had seen twice while exploring the city.

The man took a deep breath, closing his eyes before reopening them and murmuring, “Mate.”

…