A Gift from the Goddess
Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty-Three Aleric didn't look reassured by the answer I'd given but he let me go anyway,the two of us walking back over to where Thea was laughably pretending to act scared.

I scoffed at her appearance, much to the curiosity of the warriors standing around.

Aleric ignored me and walked up to her, crouching so they were eye level. And even though I feltthe urge to murder Thea more than anything in that moment, I couldnt help but feel a pang ofdistress echo inside me seeing the two of them so close together again. I knew it wasn't remotelythe same as in the past and I shouldn't care anymore, but the reaction was involuntary. It was justmore fuel for the pain I was nurturing inside. “Your name is Thea, correct?” Aleric asked.

She just nodded, her eyes wide with fear as she looked around at everyone surrounding her.

"We've been trying to locate you for almost a week now. Where have you been?”

Her voice was exactly the same as how I remembered it. I couldn“t help but wonder just how good itwould feel once I stopped her from being able to speak ever again. “I was attacked. Me and anothergirl,” she started, sounding nervous. “I think her name was Myra? She introduced herself at theshops and offered to show me around town. But that’s when we were attacked... It was at a parkdown the street... a group of men came out of nowhere and... and killed the girl in front of me.”"Why did they spare you then?”

Her eyes watered up as she began to cry. “I don't know... but they took me to a camp somewhere. Acave. Tied me up and beat me. But I didn’t want to die there in the dark. I waited until they went outfor food and twisted my way out of the ropes by shifting. I-I think I've dislocated my ankle. It was sodark though... I didn't know where I was... I've been walking aimlessly in the woods for days now,trying to replace help.”

I snorted. It was all so rehearsed, even the tears. As if the numerous patrols wouldn't have found herin that time she was allegedly alone in the woods. The entire pack was on high alert scouring thearea for rogues and didn't see her? And what was that about shifting? I swore Thea had only been ayear older than me. Was she lying about that too?

“I was so scared,” she sobbed. “I thought I was going to die. I was only meant to be here a few daysand should have been home by now. Please... help me.” “And where might “home’ be, Thea? Whichpack?” I asked smugly, unphased by her charade unlike the others around me. This was the Thea Iremembered; the manipulator. I could see how her words were making the warriors look mildlysympathetic to her situation. It was infuriating.

But I knew she would have to come clean though. There were only two answers to my question; shewas either a rogue or she would be caught in a lie when no pack would be able to verify heridentity.

“I don’t belong to any pack...” she said, turning her eyes to me. "I was mistakenly adopted andraised by humans. I've been trying to navigate how this all works and have only just stumbled intothis world recently. I'm sorry, I still don't really understand much. Did I do something wrong? Was Inot meant to come here? I was only trying to replace my birth family.”

I clenched my jaw, livid at everything that sugary-sweet sounding voice was saying.

“Lies! Tell them the truth!” If that were true, then there was no way she could have avoided theprivate investigator for as long as she did.

Thea's eyes widened more as she flinched away from me. “I-I'm sorry?”

“You think I'm going to let you get away with killing Myra and waltz into this pack? I know what youare. You can't use those tricks on me.”

The story she was suggesting wasn't necessarily an impossible occurrence, but it was incredibly rareand almost unheard of. And she knew it. She purposely chose that background because it meant wewouldn't be able to verify with complete certainty who she was... and it meant I couldn't pin her forbeing a rogue in the criminal sense.

It was all so bullshit. It sounded more like the plot to one of Myra's old fantasy books than anythingreal. As if she were a poor, average girl who just woke up one day to discover she wasn't like all theother humans. Was this the same storyline she had fed Aleric in the previous timeline? Did he takepity on her initially? “Arial” Aleric yelled at me. “Enough!”

"Oh, you're taking her side?” I laughed, turning my glower to him. “What a surprise there.”

“I'm not taking anyone's side! I'm just trying to do my job and understand what's happened.Something that you're making incredibly difficult to do!” He got up and the two of us stood in eachother's faces once more, a furious silence between us creating tension.

"..Fuck you, Aleric,” 1 finally spat out slowly, glaring up at him dead in the eye.

But that was the final straw for him.

“Leave! Now!" he roared. “You're off this case. Go home and cool your head.” I wanted to dispute it,to scream back at him, but I could feel this wasn't an ordinary demand. He'd actually had theaudacity to Alpha order me away. I could feel the wave of authority wash over me as it tried tocommand my movements. I didn't try to fight it though... I knew well enough that I would need toobey or it would only cause pain until I conformed. “Oh, and Aria?” he called just as I'd turned myback. I didn't turn around, choosing to remain still until he spoke. “Don't think for a second I'mletting you anywhere near her while you're like this. You're banned from seeing Thea until advisedotherwise from upper ranks.”

I didn't acknowledge his order and immediately walked off instead

“Asshole,” I angrily whispered to myself as I left. “Sympathising with the murderous bitch... I guesssome things haven't changed.”

But with every step I took, the anxiety of leaving her behind started to make it harder to keep going;the prospect of her escaping once more terrifying me. I needed to replace a way around the Alphaorder to get my hands on her. There had to be a way.

I didn't manage to make it to my car though before my father caught my attention. I was extremelyrelieved to see him. He was the only other person who could possibly understand how messed upthis situation all was and I knew I could trust him.

“Father!” I yelled out, running to him.

“Aria?” he greeted, confused. "What's wrong? What's happened?” “It's Thea. They've found her,” Isaid, grasping onto his arm desperately. “But Aleric has banned me from seeing her. You can't lether get away. Please. Please... She's too dangerous.”

His eyes regarded me warily as he was silent in thought. He knew who she was and I'd brieflyalready explained to him in private my conclusion about her hand in Myra's death a day or soearlier. Surely, he would realise just how important this was? Not just for avenging Myra's death, butto possibly save me in the future too. Possibly to save countless others.

“Please!” I said louder when he still hadn't replied.

He clenched his jaw before finally giving me a small nod. “I'll do everything I can. Don't worry.

I exhaled in relief. At least one person would help. I felt like I was going insane being the onlyperson who understood just how dire our situation was. Especially if she was working with therogues. Who knew what she was actually capable o

I shakily nodded my head and let go of his arm reluctantly. “You look tired, Aria. Go home and restfor a bit,” he said. “I'll let you know what happens once I'm done here.”

“Right. Yeah. Okay..." I mumbled.

There was nothing else I could do here and I was still under orders to return home. Maybe it wouldbe okay to rest for just a little bit?

But when I returned home, I found I was only more restless; unable to stay still as I waited for myfather to inform me of what had happened. I paced by the stairs, looking out towards the front doorconstantly. It was almost as if by some miracle my stares would somehow speed up time until he'dcome home. I felt I should be doing something. Anything. Not just standing around waiting. Notjust standing around until Thea made her next move. Was it going to be the Aleric play next? Wasthis the part where she finally tries and wins him over to ultimately turn him against me?

..But would Aleric really do that again in this timeline? We“d come so far that Id thought thingscould be different this time. That we could be equals in our contribution to the pack, not enemies.He'd shown so much respect to me since I'd become Beta heir that I was now replaceing it difficult tobelieve he wouldn't trust me when I said Thea was dangerous.

However, if the worst -case scenario came to fruition, I knew that if he tried to revert back to theAleric of the past, I wouldn't stand by and accept it this time. All the training, all the hard work, ithadn't been for nothing. I wasn't afraid of standing up to him anymore. I wasn't afraid to fight back“Aria,” a voice suddenly came from the door.

I'd somehow been concentrating so hard that I hadn't heard the front door open. My father stoodthere, a serious expression on his face that I couldn't decipher.

“How did it go?” I asked without even a greeting. I could feel my heart beating fast in my chest overwhatever it was he had to say.

"Ah..." he started, clearing his throat. “Well, she is being taken to the hospital for her injuries to belooked over.” I laughed. “Why would a prisoner be allowed access to the pack hospital? Couldn'tthey just treat her sore foot from inside her cell?”

But he didn't reciprocate my humour, averting his eyes.

“Father?” I pressed. I could feel something was wrong here. “It's just until they take her to the cells,right? For further interrogation?” He sighed. “Aria... —."

I recognised that tone. It was the tone he used when he was about to say something difficult. “No,” Icut him off, almost in disbelief. I took a step away from him. “No, do not tell me they're treating heras a victim of the rogues.” “Aria, there was no evide—." “No!” I yelled. “No, she killed Myra. Hell, shekilled me, and you couldn't even get her in handcuffs? Do you really not give a shit?”

“Enough!” he snapped at my attitude. “There is no evidence she’s involved, Aria, and you know it!Unless you want to come forward and tell the entire council your past, then we'll need to figuresomething else out.” “You know I can’t do that! They'll think I'm insane and lock me up!” “Then thisis the best you're going to get!” he concluded, rubbing his face out of frustration. “So, that's it?We're just going to let her wander into the pack and do what she wants?” “No, no, of course not,”he said, his voice almost scolding me. “Don’t be stupid. She'll be under the watch of a warrior whilstshe undergoes treatment.” “Stupid? You're calling *me* stupid?” I scoffed. “I'm not the one who let amurderer get first class medical treatment in our own pack. At least take some ownership that youmessed up

here!”

"What did you want me to do, Aria?” he snapped back, taking several steps towards me. “Huh? Ifyou think they'll lock you up for saying you were brought back to life, what do you think they'll doto me when I start going against the logical line of thinking here? What do you think they'll do tome when I imprison the girl whose public image is currently that of a victim? And not just to me, butto your mother?”

“What...

“From what I can tell, you're not in any immediate danger so long as she is under watch. But w e,your family, do not have that luxury if I act out, Aria.”

“I can't believe you actually think I'm not in danger so long as she draws breath, regardless ofwherever she is. It's like you didn't even listen when I told you what happened in the past. She's agoddamn murderer. Her influence stretches further than doing the deed herself. She didn't need thesword in her hand last time to kill me with her words.”

“Did you even hear what I just said? My behaviour and actions affect more than just you, Aria. Doyou not care what happens to your mother and 1? We can figure this out but you need to cool downfirst. Stop thinking about yourself and look at this problem constructively.” “...So, you're calling meselfish?” I summed up slowly, a sarcastic tone to my voice. “Fine. Sure. *I'm* being selfish. I'm *so*sorry. I'm sorry for acting out passionately... so the rest of u s don't die!”

“I'm not doing this now,” he finally said, defeated. “You've had a traumatic day and had to burysomeone you loved; something I really am sorry you had to experience. I'm going to ignore all thehurtful things you've said to me and pass off your irrational behaviour right now as dealing withyour grief.”

I opened my mouth to speak but he held his hand up to stop me.

“I have to go meet with Tytus now. He's expecting me and I'm already late. Just... pull yourselftogether, Aria. You're smarter than this.”

He left me angrily glaring at the closed door where he had just stood, staring daggers at it as if myfather could somehow feel it on the other side.

I completely understood how sometimes I'd done things in my own best interest. I could evenunderstand how those wrong decisions had led to fatal mistakes; like in Myra's case. But pushing forThea's death wasn’t one of the things I'd consider myself selfish for. I was doing i t not only for me,but for all of us. I didn't know for sure what would cause the complete annihilation of our kind, but Iknew that if it occurs only once I die, then it's logical to believe that stopping Thea is imperative tothat plan. And I knew that if I was being truly selfish, I wouldn't have stayed with Aleric for as long asI did in the past, just to help the pack. 1

I knew that if I was being truly selfish, I wouldn“t have chosen to come back to life, putting myself atrisk of reliving that nightmare, just to save everyone.

I knew that if I was being truly selfish, I wouldn“t have worked tirelessly every day since beingbrought back, changing the people around me and their old traditions wherever possible, just toprevent the future.

I knew that if I was being truly selfish, I wouldn't have... I wouldn't have...

And then a thought came to me. If I was going to be labelled as selfish anyway, then why did itreally matter? And I walked out the door, knowing exactly what I wanted to do.