Chapter 2

• Ayla
• My fingers danced across the keyboard of my phone, a grin plastered on my face. Another obscure fantasy book website, another ridiculous questionnaire.
• "Favorite magical creature?" Easy. Werewolves, always werewolves.
• "Most Admirable Fictional Ruler?" Give me a benevolent queen ruling with wisdom and compassion any day.
• “Favourite troupe?” I thought about it for a while. I just loved a soft romance story. Not too much going on in it.
• The preview of the book was next and I quickly read through it. This one was for "The Alpha's Unknown Mate," and the premise alone had me hooked.
• The preview painted a picture of a lone Alpha, ruling his kingdom with an iron fist. Cold, ruthless, powerful… all because he was searching, desperately, for his missing mate. The world was filled with political intrigue, his enemies lurking in every shadow, vying for his throne. But there was no mention of who his mate was. I was already anticipating what the next chapter would be.
• Delicious. I could practically taste the angst, the forbidden romance, the epic battles and mythical creatures.
• Without a second thought, I registered for the launch event. Fantasy book launches were my weakness. The chance to meet fellow nerds, maybe snag a signed copy, and discuss the intricate lore? Heaven.
• It took my back to my old college book club. One of the few things I missed about college. The way we all gathered in the cafe to talk about our favorite books including ones that shouldn’t be seen in public.
• I picked up my phone and decided to call the one person that never really liked books but was always in every book club with me.
• "Please, Liam, just come with me," I begged into my phone. "It'll be fun! They’re promising immersive experiences, maybe even some people dressed up in funny costumes. You know, escape reality for a few hours."
• Liam, my best friend since kindergarten, was the king of practicality. "Sorry, Ayla. You know I’d go if I could, but that doctor's appointment has been booked for weeks. Bad timing."
• I sighed. "Fine. You’re the only person I know that's dedicated to his dentist."
• “Well my perfect smile isn’t through magic.” He joked.
• “This is betrayal.” I spat childishly and I heard him laugh through the phone.
• “Send the address to me then. If I’m done early, I’ll see you at the nerds convention.”
• I smiled in victory. That only meant he was coming.
• “How’s the corporate life?” He suddenly asked and I sighed.
• “Exhausting.” I replied, “I wish I could be like every other nepo baby and read books all day instead of working. But my father will have my head.”
• “At least you didn’t go through the interview process. I heard about a thousand people were rejected so be grateful for that spot you're occupying.”
• A tinge of guilt pierced through my heart. I knew I was living someone’s dream and I appreciated it but I didn’t feel like I’m meant to be there. I was more of an odd toe.
• The weekend crawled by. Work felt like a punishment, and I spent my evenings rereading the preview chapters of "The Alpha's Unknown Mate," mentally casting my favorite actors in the roles of the Alpha and his mysterious missing mate. I wondered if his mate was from another pack or was a vampire. Thoughts swarmed my head and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book.
• Finally, Saturday arrived. I wrestled myself into an outfit that was as ordinary as possible — a white tank top and shorts with a delicate necklace with a tiny silver wolf pendant that I was given as a present by my aunt. I hopped into my car, the GPS set for the address provided in the confirmation email, a converted warehouse on the outskirts of town.
• As I pulled up, a shiver ran down my spine. The warehouse was… unsettling. It was too quiet, too dark, despite the late afternoon sun. There were no banners advertising the book, no excited crowds milling around. Just the hulking, silent building.
• "Okay, Ayla, don't be a wimp," I muttered to myself. "It's just a book launch. Maybe they're going for an 'underground rebel hideout' vibe."
• I cautiously approached the entrance, a single door that seemed to swallow the light. Inside, a woman sat behind a makeshift check-in desk. She was… oddly dressed. A long, flowing gown of deep forest green, embroidered with silver thread. Her hair was braided with leaves and berries. For a moment, I thought I'd stumbled onto a Renaissance Faire by mistake.
• My tank top and shorts felt out of place and I almost spun around and dashed out of the place.
• If the lady at the reception hall was dressed in theme, how much more obsessed would the fans be?
• "Welcome," she said, her voice a low, melodic hum. "May I see your ticket and identification?"
• I fumbled in my purse, pulling out my phone with the digital ticket and my driver's license. As she scanned the code, her eyes widened, a flicker of surprise – almost… recognition? – flashed across her face. She quickly masked it with a practiced smile.
• "Welcome, Ayla," she said, her voice now overly sweet. "We've been expecting you. Please, go right in." She gestured towards a set of double doors further inside the warehouse.
• I felt a surge of excitement. Maybe this was going to be amazing after all! The strange woman, the creepy warehouse… it added to the mystique. As I approached the doors, I could hear the muffled sounds of music and voices. Folk music? That was an odd choice.
• I took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.
• The next thing I knew, the floor seemed to vanish from beneath my feet. A wave of dizziness washed over me, a kaleidoscope of colors exploding behind my eyelids. The sound of the music and voices warped into a deafening roar. I felt a strange pulling sensation, as if I were being sucked through a vortex.
• And then… nothing.