Possessed By The Alphas

Words full of security, yet were also selfish.

As Relina peered about, her eyes nearly burst. The large tree she encountered when she arrived at this location had developed into a tall tower. Because of the enormous and towering structures, the broad woodland and meadow appeared to be a city. The beauty of the surroundings as a whole was beyond words. In addition, the place was a lot more lovely and more civilized than their world, even though she didn't want to admit it to herself.

"Did you like it?"

Relina didn't say anything at all. She kept staring at the whole place as though she was deeply hypnotized.

She was still in awe as she regarded the entire scene. Then, from what her eyes could see, she thought she was back in their world. Nothing was more lovely than the setting as a whole. Her best friends Apple, Abigail, and Nerissa's after-school outings made her miss them all of a sudden. She was certain that her friends, in particular her Aunt Cecille, were looking for her at that same moment.

Relina noticed a variety of Yokai that she had never seen before in her entire life in addition to the enormous structures and infrastructures she could see. They behaved exactly like everyday people would—attempting to improve their quality of life. Instead of being afraid of the creatures surrounding her, she was even more amazed.

There were many different varieties of Yokai, some of which were very well-known, according to Relina's grandfather, Hiroshi.

The general call to all creatures with the capacity to morph into humans was "Obake." They received a tremendous deal of respect and appreciation for their intelligence and transformative abilities.

Japanese avian creatures known as Tengu could change into humans. They were the ferocious keepers of mountains and woods that were sacred.

The monsters were known as Kappa and were based on Japanese giant salamanders. They were found in rivers. They were said to cause disasters and drown people, according to myth.

Tsukomugami imitated everything. They were thought to possess a ghostly presence and the capacity to assume human form.

To conceal their true appearance, the Yamauba were depicted as terrible old women who lived in the mountains. They frequently pose as sweet, elderly women to entice victims of heinous crimes.

One of the well-known traditional Japanese heroes was Kintaro, which was Japanese for "golden youth." They had the strength and power from birth to grow up in the center of the forest and the capacity to speak with the creatures who traveled with them.

Every morning, Rokurokubi were just like regular humans, but as night fell, their heads extended or protruded from their bodies and floated.

Relina only knew a small number of the type of Yokai, and she had only had a small number of personal encounters with them.

She knew the creature in front of her was a wolf yokai, a demonic monster that resembled wolves. They had erect ears and teeth. On the other hand, wolf yokai didn't resemble humans, were quite enormous compared to a wolf's normal size, and could communicate through speech. They consistently appear with wolf fur and armor.

When Relina first learned about these beings, she found it hard to believe because she initially thought they were the product of her erratic imagination. Only then did she begin to believe what she had seen the first time, but she was now filled with amazement as opposed to fear for these creatures.

Powerful, aggressive, harsh, and cunning. These were Relina's grandfather's descriptions of a Yokai, although the tales he frequently told about the compassionate creature she encountered ten years ago seemed far-fetched. She trusted it right away because she did not perceive any evil in it, but after several days it ceased to be visible to her.

When her yokai friend stopped appearing, Relina was sad. She questioned whether it had been scared after she told it that, like her, her grandfather could see all forms of Yokai. She claimed that in addition to this special ability, she could ward off yokai. She didn't mean to scare it, but she believed that's what happened—why she no longer saw it.

If Relina could have one wish—aside from having her deceased parents and grandfather return to life—it would be to run into the Yokai she first met and became friends with.

Relina abruptly halted her movement. Why did she think about this issue now? She had entered the world of Yokai, which simply indicated that there were various varieties of Yokai there. Was it possible that she would discover the Yokai that she hadn't seen for a very long time?

"Is there a problem, Relina?" the demon wolf inquired after turning to face Relina.

There was a grin on the demon wolf as he glanced at Relina and said, "Don't tell me you can't walk anymore. We're not even halfway yet."

"Of course not! Not at all! I suddenly remembered something. That's all!" Relina said hastily.

"Why, is there a law in this world that forbids thinking while walking? Should you have told me earlier? At least I already know the things I should do and don't," Relina said irritatedly before continuing to walk.

The demon wolf grinned after observing Relina's reaction. He had no idea that even though she appeared frail, her nasty demeanor would make him want to know more about her.

"Don't be too literal in everything, Relina, I didn't say anything like that," the demon wolf remarked with a grin, making Relina even more irritated, but Relina chose to be silent rather than talk again because the two of them might start to argue.

"Hurry up! There's something I wanted to show you, when we get there, you'll meet different types of yokai. Whatever they tell you, just ignore them, and most importantly, don't ever leave my side. They belong to the high and powerful class of creatures in this world, and they will not waste time, especially to a human being like you," the demon wolf stared firmly.

Relina had no choice but to follow the demon wolf. She was like a toddler who only listened to one word and one order.

"If you want to ask me something, do it now. I am sure you will lose the guts to question me later, especially when you confront the creatures I told you about," the demon wolf continued.

Relina, perplexed, gazed at the demon wolf and inquired, "What do you mean? What are you planning to do with me? Don't tell me you're going to offer them a free sample. Am I correct?"

The demon wolf almost burst out laughing, but he restrained himself after hearing Relina's statements to him. He didn't believe that despite everything they had discussed before, she still thought of him negatively, and what she thought of him was far from the truth. So he would have to get used to her habit since it's one of the traits of a human.

"Is that how you really see me? Because if what's in your mind doesn't change, you're free to do whatever you think is best for you."

Relina gave a small shake of her head. She was still concerned about everything. She wasn't sure if she should trust this creature, but she reasoned that everything he claimed could be true. There would be no other way for her to leave this world except with his assistance, and she could only do so if she obeyed all of his demands.

"I-I'm sorry. The fact is that I would have wanted to ask what your name is. How old are you? Where do you live in this realm, and most importantly, is the food cooked here as excellent as you claimed earlier?" Relina asked consecutively. She wasn't sure if she should ask such questions. She was certain he would laugh at her.

"A-and the inns you're referring to, is it true that the mattresses are softer than those found in famous and expensive inns in our world?" Relina added.

Relina whispered to herself, "Heaven's sake! What on earth are you talking about?' You weren't pleased with the first things you said, and now you added to your shenanigans!"

The demon wolf lost all self-control and started laughing. He mistakenly believed it to be simple rudeness, but it appeared he was mistaken because she made him laugh aloud.

The demon wolf exclaimed, laughing loudly, "I didn't think you were a good entertainer."

Relina shook her head and signed. She was one hundred one-percent accurate; this creature would simply laugh at her. Why did she choose those things to say and ask out of all the options available to her? She had no choice but to accept the severe shame she had caused him.

It would be better for her to just keep silent rather than array herself once more because she could see by the look on his face that he would not take her queries seriously.

The demon wolf then ceased laughing for a significant amount of time. He raised his head and looked up at the clear, big sky. His expression abruptly became dejected, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

When was the last time he laughed so loudly?

When was the last time he experienced such joy?

"I am Reiku, the Alpha of the Central Hidden Realm," the demon wolf replied.

"Are we there yet?" Relina asked, her legs trembling with fatigue and numbness. She also had a very dry throat. Extreme hunger was making her stomach churn. She had been walking with Reiku for more than two hours, yet up until that point it had looked as though they were wandering in emptiness.

Relina found it difficult to comprehend why they still had such a distance to walk given how modern the place was. She thought they were traveling in circles. If they persisted, she wasn't sure if her body would survive the ensuing few hours.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Reiku answered.

Relina let out a deep breath into the air. She had no choice but to trust and obey anything Reiku says. She would make it until they got to the location he specified.

After walking for more than two hours. In front of the grand stair, which Relina had never before seen in her entire life, she and Reiku came to a stop. It was so high that she felt dizzy. She would believe it was headed to heaven. The more she visualized herself climbing those stairs her body weakened. She sensed that the top of the sky marked its boundaries.

"Don't tell me we're going up that stairs?" Relina asked.

"Yes, what's the matter? Don't tell me you've entirely lost the ability to climb, just tell me, and I'll be pleased to help you speed us up," Reiku smirked as he questioned Relina.

Relina rolled her eyes, shook her head, and sighed.

"You don't have to; I can do it, so there's no need for you to," Relina answered.

Upon observing Relina's response, Reiku grinned. He struggled to contain his enjoyment as he watched her.

"All right, it's up to you. After all, it seems like you can manage yourself. Let's hurry before the heavy rain catches us," Reiku responded. He had gotten to his feet and was starting to climb. In contrast, Relina weighed herself despite her frailty.

Relina gathered the last of her energy in her chest, but even before she could advance to the first step of the stairs, her vision suddenly darkened. Despite her best efforts, her body was no longer able to support her in that position.

Fortunately, Reiku swiftly seized Relina by the arms before she fell and gently carried her into his arms. Relina would have likely fallen and gotten hurt if he hadn't been timely.

Earnestly focusing on her eyes, Reiku bent his head.

"Don't appear tough in front of people, especially in front of me. What good am I to you as your mate if I can't help you? From now on, learn to trust and rely on me," Reiku stated earnestly; his words were full of security, yet they were also selfish.