Luz blinked several times, then repeated with astonishment:
"Sister! Alpha! Pack!" She moved her fingers nervously over her lips and frowned. She didn't understand anything. She analyzed where she might be in her mind. The teenager's accent was strange; she couldn't identify it as Chilean, Argentinean, Peruvian, or Colombian. Still confused, she asked again.
"Where am I?"
"In the Blue Moon Pack."
"But in what city?" Luz insisted.
"What?" Aliana asked.
Luz closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and repeated her question, modifying it slightly.
"What city or region are we in?"
"Our pack is in the western part of Siripio."
"Siripio?" Luz was surprised and still didn't understand. She had never heard of this place.
Aliana added, "Siripio is on the Omega continent. Where else could we be?"
Luz opened her eyes wide, finding it hard to believe. She looked at Aliana's clothing, a mixture of medieval and modern styles. Her dress had three-quarter sleeves, and her skirt reached her ankles. She looked like a character from a book. Everything around her looked similar to what she knew but also different. For a moment, she thought they were playing a trick on her, that it was all a bad joke.
"So, what world are we in?" Luz asked.
"We're on the planet Xirus."
"Are you kidding me?" Luz said incredulously, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.
"A joke? What are you talking about? It looks like the blow to the head affected your memory."
Aliana began to get really worried.
"Well, I don't know how I got here, but I was in the forest trying to help a puppy, and then I found myself here."
"Of course," Aliana continued. "You helped me free my paw from that silver trap."
"Your paw? What are you talking about? You're not a dog." Luz was definitely confused. She kept repeating to herself, "This is a bad dream," and whispered, "Wake up, Luz, wake up!"
"But it was my wolf you saw," Aliana replied.
Luz was even more confused. She still didn't understand anything and just wanted to leave.
"I want to go home. Please help me," she begged.
Seeing Luz so disoriented, Aliana realized the young woman had no idea that she was a shapeshifter. That explained why Luz didn't understand how Aliana had helped her when she was defenseless and trapped in the forest.
She quickly removed her clothes and said to Luz, "I'll show you something," as she transformed into a wolf.
The scene before Luz's eyes was indescribable. Was it terrifying or wonderful? Luz was definitely stunned. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She approached the puppy from the forest with its beautiful two-colored eyes and stroked its fur. Whispering to herself, she said, "It's you. It's really you."
After the creature had recovered from the shock, Aliana returned to her human form and got dressed.
"Am I dreaming, or am I dead?" Luz repeated to herself as she opened her huge green eyes and pinched her cheeks, nearly slapping herself.
Aliana replied,
"It's all real. I'll explain everything from the beginning while you eat something. You've been asleep for three days, and you need to eat."
"Three days," she said aloud to herself again. "Everyone must be looking for me in Puerto Varas."
Her stomach growled with hunger, so the Omega went to find her lunch.
Aliana recounted how she had fallen into the trap and what had happened afterward. She told her about the branch that hit her on the head and the misunderstanding that led to her being tortured in the dungeon. However, she left out the part about how it was her brother, the Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, who had beaten her nearly to death. She also told her about Roxi, the healer, and how Roxi's magical powers helped heal her.
There were three knocks on the door, and the healer entered with a surprised look on her face.
"You're finally awake, young lady. I'm Roxi," she said, her words filled with emotion. "Let me check you." She took her pulse and ran her palms over her. Luz stood next to the small table behind the door, waiting for food.
Everything was fine until Aliana sensed her brother's scent approaching. She could smell him from ten steps away, even when she was inside a closed room.
She jumped out of her chair and rushed to the door to stop the Alpha from entering. This time, she didn't manage to close the door completely.
As soon as Luz heard the male voice, her face contorted with terror. She curled up into a ball behind the door, wetting herself in her white nightgown.
Roxi, who witnessed the entire scene, hurried to close the door while the brothers conversed outside. She hugged Luz, whose body was shaking uncontrollably as she recognized the voice of her attacker. The dim light inside the cell prevented her from seeing his face, but she would never forget his voice.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her body swayed as she repeated, "Don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me." She buried her face deeper and deeper between her knees. She was terrified, even though Roxi was trying to calm her down by rubbing her back.
Before entering the room again, Aliana said, "She's in her underwear, so you can't go in anyway." She then went in and slammed the door shut.
"What's going on?" Aliana asked with concern when she saw the scene.
Through their mental link, Roxi explained that it was a visceral reaction to recognizing the Alpha's voice. "She didn't see him, but she heard him, and that was enough to know it was her attacker!"
The two women embraced Luz's trembling body and whispered kind, comforting words. "Calm down. Everything will be okay. You're safe now."
They took her to the bathroom and gave her a warm shower. When they came out, they dressed her in clean clothes and led her to the small table where her food was already served.
Luz seemed lost, not knowing what to believe. It all seemed so unreal; she just wanted to escape.
"Please eat," the women said.
The first thing she did was grab a jug of water and drink it eagerly. After all, she had been unconscious for three days. She looked at the food: a piece of meat and beetroot purée. Next to that, she saw something that looked like grapes, but they were orange. There was also a small plate with what appeared to be a piece of cake.
She was so distressed that she began to eat the cake. She couldn't identify the flavor, but it was delicious. The sweetness eased her suffering somewhat. As she ate, she smiled, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she exclaimed, "Mmm, that's good! What is it?"
"That's a dessert called ulcum, made from the fruit of the alfera tree."
Luz had never heard of it before, but it was so tasty that she couldn't stop eating it. At least it wasn't insects or something else strange, she thought.
She continued with the meat, sweet mash, and fruit. Everything tasted similar yet different from what she was used to eating.
"Tell us about yourself, please," Roxi said in a friendly tone. She was curious about everything about this creature who didn't seem to be from this world.
Luz looked into the healer's leaden eyes. She had never seen that color in a person's eyes before. She sighed, trying to gather her thoughts. As if it were her first day at a new school, she began to introduce herself.
"Hello, I'm Luz Rivera. I'm a human from the planet Earth. I'm 17 years old and will soon turn 18. I live in Puerto Varas, Chile, on the South American continent. In a couple of months, I'll be starting college. I worked hard to earn a scholarship, and I currently live with my grandparents after losing my parents three years ago. Three days ago, on my way home, I decided to help an injured puppy in the forest. Suddenly, something hit me on the head. I woke up in a dark cell, accused of being a witch and a spy. They beat me brutally and tried to kill me. Today, I woke up with strangers around me, asking me about my life.
Two women listened attentively while Roxi repeated in her mind, "Planet Earth. She's from another planet or dimension. That explains why I don't recognize her species."
"Rest, Luz," Aliana said. "Eat, rest, and gather your strength. I promise that as soon as you feel better, I'll help you return to the forest and find your way back to your Puerto Varas pack." Don't leave the room. I want to make it clear that you are not a prisoner. However, I don't want you to expose yourself to prying eyes.
Her words felt sincere. "I will leave a maid with you in case you need anything, as well as a guard to stand watch at the door and ensure that no one disturbs you."