Strange New World

JANE

When I stepped into the palace, it felt like walking into a super fancy and really big house. The first living room had a high ceiling, with shiny marble columns holding it up.

There was a big staircase going up, with a beautiful railing that sparkled in the light.The walls had colorful, soft cloths hanging on them, adding to the warmth of the room. Big, sparkly lights hung from the ceiling, making the checkered floor look extra pretty. The whole place smelled nice because of the fresh flowers in pretty vases.

It was easy to tell that someone very important lived here.After taking in my surroundings, I noticed the guards and maids all assembled to welcome their Alpha.

"Welcome back, Alpha," they said.

"Welcome to the Red Moon Pack, Luna," they chorused together.

Alpha Mateo just nodded slightly as he walked away. Meanwhile, I just stood there utterly confused.

It felt weird hearing them call me Luna. Did they know that this union was forced? I never wanted this marriage.

"I'm not your Luna!" I almost yelled back, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. There was no use causing a scene now.

"Luna, I'll show you to your room," Alpha Mateo's second in command said to me as he led the way. I followed behind him, still trying to wrap my head around everything.

"Don't call me that," I muttered.

"Why? But that's your title here now," he asked, turning towards me with a puzzled look.

"Title my foot," I grumbled inwardly.

"Just call me Jane," I said, trying to force a smile."I'm sorry, but I can't do that," he replied and walked ahead of me.

"Whatever. What's your name?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Liam," he replied shortly.I nodded slowly, letting the silence settle in. We walked through long hallways, before finally arriving at a particular door.I turned around to take in my surroundings.

It was a chamber, and it looked extremely luxurious.

"Am I the only one staying here?" I asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Yes, for now," he replied.

"Is this his mistresses' chamber?" I found myself asking, and I quickly covered my mouth, but the words had already slipped out.

"No. The king has no mistress," Liam answered calmly.

"What, really?" I scratched the back of my head, feeling a bit awkward.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"So, whose chamber is this?" I asked, the chamber was obviously too luxurious to be mine.

"The king's," he replied.

"So what am I doing here?" I asked, feeling alarmed.

"The king instructed you to stay here," Liam explained.

"Can't I choose where I want to stay?" I asked, fiddling with my hands nervously.

"You can ask the king when you meet him. I'll get going now," Liam said.

He took a step back, then bowed before leaving, leaving me alone in the hallway in front of the door.

That was when I got the chance to really look around the chamber. I sighed as I turned around and pushed the door open, walking into the room.

The Alpha's room was really fancy and huge. There were gold decorations on the high ceiling, and soft, velvety curtains hung from the big, decorated windows.

Nice rugs covered the cold stone floor, and in the middle, there was a big bed with carved columns on each side. The air smelled like incense, and candles made cool shadows on the walls.

Everything in the room showed how rich and powerful Alpha Mateo was.I walked towards the bed and sat down on it.

"Wow, it's extremely soft," I muttered.

My eyes suddenly started to feel heavy, and not caring about my surroundings, I laid on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

As I lay there, memories of the day flashed through my mind. Being forced into this marriage was something I had never wanted.

The thought of being called Luna by people who didn't know the truth made me feel uneasy. Why did Alpha Mateo insist on me staying in his room? Was it some kind of test or punishment?

The softness of the bed enveloped me, making it hard to stay awake. The scent of the room was calming, and despite my racing thoughts, my eyelids grew heavier.

I wondered what kind of person Alpha Mateo really was. Everyone seemed to respect him, but I had yet to see the real him.

Just before I completely drifted off, I thought I heard a soft whisper. My eyes fluttered open, but there was no one there.

It must have been my imagination. Feeling too tired to think much of it, I let myself relax and finally succumbed to sleep.

In my dreams, I was back at my home, living the simple life I had always known, with Jack.

There were no forced marriages, and no mysterious Alphas. It was just me Jack, living peacefully. But even in my dreams, the reality of my situation started to creep in. The palace, the guards, the title of Luna, all of it seemed to loom over me, even in my sleep.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in the palace again, but this time it was different. The once bright and welcoming living room was now dark and cold.

The walls seemed to close in on me, and the silence was deafening. I tried to call out, but no sound came. Panic started to set in as I realized I couldn't move.

The luxurious surroundings now felt like a prison, and I was trapped.

I jolted awake, my heart pounding. The room was quiet, and the candles had burned low. I sat up in bed, trying to calm my racing heart. The dream had felt so real, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I glanced around the room, half expecting to see someone there, but it was empty.

With a deep breath, I lay back down, telling myself it was just a dream. But as I closed my eyes again, the feeling of unease lingered.

I couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring in this strange, new world I had been forced into.