"Focus, Zara. Focus... this is just a realistic dream... soon you're going to wake up, and it will all vanish."
She was calming herself, easing her unsteady heartbeat. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping to return to sleep and see nothing but her empty study room again after opening them.
Minutes passed, but she still felt the same unrealistic atmosphere around her. She slightly opened one eye to see if anything had changed, but no. The large gate, the same unbreakable gate she had once written about, still stood before her.
"Holy Jesus Christ! Am I really inside the story? No, it can't be. It cannot be happening."
Soon, fear erupted inside her. She tried to break out of the place, but the gate didn't even make a sound when she banged on it. It stood like it was made of steel. Anger and frustration welled up within her as she began to pound on it.
"Zara, what are you doing, dear? You shouldn't behave recklessly like this."
She heard a voice from behind. Turning around, she saw the women she had met earlier. They surrounded her, looking at her with sympathetic eyes.
For a moment, Zara stopped and took a closer look at them as she hit her knee. Soon, she realized who they were.
"The Omega Clan!"
She whispered to herself, recognizing them. They were the group she had written about in the book for just a few scenes. Caretakers of unwanted creatures in the landscape—almost like the leaders of an orphanage.
"Zara, dear, you were not healthy enough to leave here. Your wounds still need to be treated. Please cooperate with us," one of the maidens said in a polite tone, drawing her out of her thoughts.
Zara tried to register her words.
Did she call her by her own name? Her own name? Her instincts were right—she had indeed swapped with the main female character of the novel. Zara Blossom, daughter of the Dark Moon Alpha—the daughter born without a wolf.
After being a romantasy author for so long, for the first time, she had thought of using her own name for the female character. But she never, not even in her darkest dreams, imagined that she would actually slip into her book to live that character's life.
---
She leaned against the door, feeling the realization hit her harder. Now it was a hundred percent confirmed that she was living the life of her main lead. The life of the weak protagonist of her story, whose fate was written to end at the hands of the kings of Shadowvale Kingdom. This world strictly belonged to mystical creatures, where humans didn't exist.
Her heart sank to the depths of the ocean at the thought. She felt a sting in her chest from fear. As she pondered this, suddenly another realization struck her, and her eyes widened. She quickly leaned forward toward the woman, her eyes full of urgency.
"Ma'am, what happened to me exactly? Where did you all find me? Wasn't I supposed to be at Liam's coronation party right now?"
She asked with eager eyes, desperate for answers. She needed a response ASAP to reach a clear conclusion.
As soon as they heard her questions, they looked at her with apologetic expressions. They seemed to debate among themselves whether to tell her the truth. After a few hushed murmurs, one of the women spoke first.
"We're sorry for rekindling the memories, Zara. But we have to tell you since you insisted on knowing," she began in a low voice.
"A few days ago, you jumped into the holy river after Alpha Liam rejected you on the day of his coronation. You couldn't bear the pain when he announced Anastasia as his chosen Luna."
She spoke with an apologetic expression, lowering her head. She was afraid to see Zara's reaction, but everyone around her wore puzzled looks at Zara's blank expression.
Zara, on the other hand, stood like a statue after hearing the reply. She couldn't think beyond what she had just heard. She realized she hadn't written that part in her book.
According to her writing, Liam did reject Zara for being an unworthy Luna, as she didn't have a wolf even after turning eighteen. He was her fated mate, but he wasn't ready to accept her since she wasn't strong enough to lead the pack. So he chose Anastasia, her stepsister, as his chosen mate. Everything was correct until the point where Zara jumped into the river.
She hadn't written that part; Zara was supposed to run away from home and meet a new pack along the way. But that part was completely cut off. It changed the entire plot.
"What the hell is going on?"
She asked herself, feeling completely puzzled. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling extremely anxious about everything. If the plot changed, that meant she couldn't predict what would happen. If she couldn't predict the story, she would never be able to find a way to escape the impending death—the death that awaited her at the hands of the lycan kings.
"Zara, we know it's hard to take… going through such a thing at this age wasn't an easy one. But you have us, you have your pack to shield you. Don't worry, it would pass on," one of the women told her in a caring tone, caressing her hair. She sounded warm, empathetic. Zara closed her eyes, feeling the heaviness of the situation. Her body wasn't strong enough to go through the shock anymore. Seeing there was no way to escape from this world anymore, she decided to accept the truth. She decided to go along with it. That was the only option to know what was exactly going on with her life now.
Thinking about it, she silently went with the Omega women. They gently took her to the care center and got her comfortable there. Everything was happening around her in slow motion. Nothing was lingering in her mind except the fact that she was trapped—trapped in a hole where nobody could get her out. That thought itself sent chills down her spine. This was going to be a life-threatening journey.
---
Sometime later,
"Did she wake up? How is she doing?"
Zara, who was in a light sleep after thinking for hours, slowly opened her eyes, hearing the deep elderly voice in the room. Its sound was stern and dominating.
"She woke up from the vegetative state, Alpha. We made her rest after giving her a healing tonic," one of the women replied respectfully, bowing her head. Everyone in the room was standing in line, bowing their heads in respect. Their talks made her wake up completely.
She rubbed her eyes to get a clear view of the man in front of her. There stood a man in his late forties, wearing a black satin shirt with black pants. His hair was styled perfectly, along with his thick beard. His six-foot posture and sharp body physique gave her an idea of who he might be.
"Alpha Xavier!"
She whispered his name in an inaudible way. She couldn't believe her own eyes seeing him. He was the Alpha of the Dark Moon pack—her father.
"Zara! You're up?"
He rushed towards her after seeing her sitting on the bed with widened eyes. He soon took her into a big hug and mumbled something under his breath.
"Thanks to the moon goddess, you're alright. You took a breath out of me, princess. You have no idea what I've gone through these past days."
He told her with a hint of emotion. The happiness of holding her back in his arms was evident. He was thanking the moon goddess repeatedly. But nothing was reaching her ears. She was still in shock that her fictional father was now hugging her protectively.
"Are you okay, princess? Why aren't you talking?" he asked with a concerned tone, seeing her stiffness.
"Alpha Xavier, she is still under medication. She hasn't come out of the shock yet. She will be okay after taking the rest of the medicine," one of the caretakers told him respectfully. He nodded at her explanation. He gently caressed her hair, looking at her with adoring eyes. He seemed so upset about her unwell state.
"Take rest, princess. Don't think about the unnecessary event. You have me, you have our pack. Do not waste your tears over a man who doesn't deserve you," he told her gently, kissing her forehead with so much love and care.
Zara closed her eyes, feeling the depth of his care and love. She was thrilled to experience the love of a father for the first time. It made her feel emotional.
Then he asked more about her condition from the caretakers. While they answered, suddenly a man with a rugged appearance made an entrance. He was wearing a black stoned attire that looked like a coded dress. He bowed in front of Xavier after entering. At first glance, it was enough to know he was Xavier's Beta—Alex.
"Alpha, it's time. We need your presence to proceed," he told him respectfully, lowering his head. Xavier nodded at the news. Then he turned towards Zara with gentle eyes.
"Take rest, princess. I will be back after a while," he told her warmly, kissing her forehead again. Then he left the room along with Alex.
Zara watched their retreating figures with disbelief. She was still adjusting to the fact that she had just interacted with the man she had written herself. Her own creation. That was incredible.
"Where are they going?" she asked with the same disbelief, still looking at the way they left. But she wasn't ready for the reply she got.
"Our kings are coming to our pack today, Zara! They went to welcome them!"
Her jaw dropped after hearing the reply. She sat there stunned, staring at the empty door. They were coming—her chosen mates.
To kill her.
"Holy shit."
She fell back against the bed, the world spinning faster than she could comprehend. Was her death approaching more rapidly than she had written? No way.