Ezra
Someone was calling my name, the voice sounded distant but it kept getting louder.
"Ezra. Wake up."
I ignored it at first. The mattress was softer than anything I remembered sleeping on, which was weird, because I didn't own anything soft enough to sink into. My bed at home squeaked if I stirred even a bit.
"Ezra," the voice said again, sharper this time.
I opened my eyes.
A man stood at the foot of the bed. He was tall, too tall. He had silvery hair which was tied to the back, his skin was bright and so smooth, he could easily pass for a model on one of those Korean skincare ads. There was one feature that stood out unlike the others—pointed ears.
He had pointed ears, like an elf. What the fuck?
His clothes looked like something from a fantasy movie—white suit, gold embroidery, shoulder cuffs which made him look…what? Hot? Wait a second here.
My brain stalled, then restarted.
Who the hell was this man and why was he in my bedroom?
"Do you need assistance standing, son?" he asked. His tone was calm, but his eyes kept flicking to a clock on the wall. "We're already behind schedule."
Son? What does he mean by son?
I pushed up on my elbows. "Who are you?"
He blinked.
"Ezra, we've spoken three times this morning."
"That doesn't answer the question."
Confusion crossed his face then he took a slow breath Im a frustrated fashion.
"You truly don't remember?"
"No," I said. "And I don't know where I am either."
He opened his mouth, shut it, then tried again. "You're home."
No, I definitely was not. My home had peeling paint, noisy neighbors, and a microwave from 2007. This place looked like a luxury hotel designed by someone allergic to minimalism.
"You suffered a head injury," he continued. "The healers warned us there might be gaps in your memory. I didn't think it would be this bad."
"Gaps?" I repeated. "What does that even mean?"
He stared at me with tired patience. "I'm Alden. Your father."
I almost laughed, but his face was too serious for that. "No, you're not."
"Stepfather," he corrected quietly.
Still didn't help.
Before I could process any of this, the bedroom door slammed open.
"Ezra!" A girl rushed in—same pointed ears, same silver hair, but hers fell in long waves down her back. Her eyes were wide and stressed. "Why aren't you dressed?"
"I just woke up," I said. "Also, who are you?"
She clutched her chest like I'd stabbed her. "Are you joking?"
"No. I'm very confused."
She turned to Alden. "Dad. The doctor said—"
"I know," he muttered.
She stepped closer and studied my face
"It's me," she said.
"Lysandra. Your sister."
Sister?
I didn't have a sister. I had a plant named Patrick that I killed in two weeks, but definitely no sister. Is this some kind of joke?
She forced a shaky smile.
"Okay. It's fine. We'll deal with that later. But right now, we need to move. The gala starts in an hour."
"Gala?" I repeated.
"Why am I going to a gala?"
Alden rubbed his forehead. "Because the royal house invited us. Attendance is mandatory."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Mandatory parties? That sounds illegal."
"It is," Lysandra said. "But they don't care and if you don't get your ass up, we'd be all punished."
Before I could ask anything else, another door inside the room swung open and a woman—tall, dressed in dark green, ears as long as everyone else's—walked in carrying folded clothes.
She didn't look surprised to see me awake.
"Good morning, young master. I'm here to help you get ready."
Young master?
I almost checked behind me to see if someone else was there.
Lysandra pointed at me.
"Maerin, he's confused again."
The maid, Maerin or whatever, name was, bowed her head.
"That's understandable. This is his first day out of bed."
"I've been in bed?" I asked.
"You were asleep for a month," Alden said quietly.
A month.
My chest tightened.
I lifted my hands and inspected them. Something wasn't right at all.
This wasn't my body. I could feel it so strongly and this…this place was not my home.
I swallowed hard.
"I think there's been a mistake."
Alden's expression looked even more frustrated now.
"Ezra, please. We don't have time for this conversation now. Someone please make him understand."
Maerin approached with the clothes.
"If you'll allow me, young master, I'll help you change."
I flinched back.
"No, thank you. I can dress myself."
Lysandra snorted. "You say that now—wait until you see the buttons on that thing."
I reluctantly took the outfit. It was a black suit, The fabric felt like cool water and shifted when I moved it, almost like it was alive.
The collar curved up like armor, and tiny silver stones were embroidered across the sleeves.
"This looks expensive," I said.
"It is," Alden replied.
I looked at them again.
"Are those…real ears?"
They all turned to each other in frustration.
"Yes they are Ezra, now please put on the clothe."
My heart pounded so hard I felt it in my teeth.
"Okay," I breathed. "Okay. Cool. Just needed confirmation that I'm not hallucinating fantasy ears."
She touched hers self-consciously.
"They're normal here."
Normal. Right.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Big eyes. Sharp cheekbones. Lips too full. Hair a dark, almost blue shade. And my ears—shorter than theirs, but still pointed.
I didn't look like me, but I also didn't look like them entirely.
"Am I adopted?" I asked.
Alden and Lysandra exchanged a look that I could tell was their last straw.
You can't blame me. I don't understand what the hell is going on.
Maerin broke the silence.
"Young master, we truly must hurry."
Lysandra said, suddenly frantic.
"You don't want to show up late. The Alphas get tense when things don't run on schedule."
"Alphas?" I repeated. "Like wolves? Pack leaders? That kind of thing?"
All three of them froze.
Alden spoke first. "This is hopeless."
Lysander suddenly spoke again. "You know what? How about you put on your clothes and I'll explain everything on the way?"
"That sounds perfect." Adrien said.
Lysandra stepped closer and lowered her voice.
"Just follow our lead tonight. Don't argue with anyone. Don't talk back. Don't wander off. And don't smell too good."
I blinked. "Come again?"
Alden shot her a warning look.
"What?" she said. "It's true."
Maerin sighed like she'd lived through this twenty times already.
"Ezra has not awakened yet, my lord. He shouldn't release anything tonight. The healers were clear."
Awakened?
Release?
What was I—a gas leak?
Alden checked his watch again.
"Let's move."
I nodded slowly because what else was I supposed to do? Throw myself out a window? Well I might eventually because I didn't understand a single thing but at least, before doing that, let me first grasp what the actual fuck was going on.
I was scared as hell but I had a feeling it might be better to cooperate with these people.
While Maerin helped adjust my collar and sleeves, I tried to gather my thoughts. I remembered falling. I remembered being in pain. I remembered darkness. Then waking up here.
Was this transmigration? Like the stories people joked about online?
Transmigration? Yeah, I've actually started losing my mind.
"Do I have a phone?" I asked.
Lysandra frowned. "A what?"
Right. Different world.
Maerin finished straightening the suit.
"There. You look presentable, young master."
I turned toward the mirror again.
I looked… delicate. No, hot, if I might add and…
"Let's get going." Lysander said, cutting my thoughts off.
Aiden reached into his pocket and brought out a small pouch. He reached into it and shinny looking things glowed in his hand—they looked like dust, shiny dust.
I stared. "Is that safe?"
"No," Lysandra said. "But it's fast."
Alden shot her another warning look.
Alden held my gaze.
"Ezra, whatever you remember or don't remember—stay calm tonight. The wrong attention can ruin lives here.."
I swallowed.
"Why would anyone pay attention to me?"
They didn't answer.
Adrien lifted the dust looking thing in the air and threw it down while mumbling some weird language.
The last thing I remember was feeling heady and all three of us disappeared from the room.