A Gift from the Goddess
Chapter 56

Chapter Fifty—Six

I walked up and approached the stump slowly, unsure if I even wanted to proceed.

Just being here made me feel sick. Ever since coming back, I'd always purposely avoided this place,knowing it would dredge up memories that already haunted me more than enough.

And that's exactly what was happening.

I could see flashes of it all happening before me again as if it were real. An alternate reality where Iwas convicted of a wrongful death.

I saw the faces of the pack members as they stared at me with such malice, parting the crowd to letme walk up. I saw the Elders sitting in the chairs assembled in a semicircle... and, of course, Alericand Thea. Thea who was seated in the Luna's seat.

In a daze, I continued to walk forwards, the large oak stump beckoning me on like an old friend.Hadi become delirious? When was the last time I had even slept? The combination with myweakened state probably wasn't doing me any favours as it all felt so real.

But nevertheless, I kept walking forwards until I stood before that stump and, immediately, I sank tomy knees, just as I had in the past. The ground felt just as cold as I remembered and that sameshiver went down my spine.

This was it. This was the place it had all ended. I could hear as the voices around me recited thewords of the trial as if I were there once more. Usually, I did everything I could to block out thememories, to repress it, but this time I sat and listened quietly, letting it all play out just as it had.*“I think the evidence here has weighed in an obvious result. Do you have anything to say in yourdefence, Ariadne?"* I heard Aleric's voice ask.

It was my line next. I still remembered the words perfectly.

*" sincerely hope the Goddess smites you all for the murder of an innocent you are about to carryout,”+' II said quietly to the panel of ghosts trialling me. My voice only held sadness now, not thebitterness I'd felt when I'd first spoken these words. **“There is nothing I can do anymore to provemyself not guilty against the stacks of false evidence you have brought forward, but deep down... Ihope you all suffer. When I am gone and you are alone, I hope I haunt you. I hope my face is whatyou see when you finally meet your demise. My only mistake was in loving someone.”*'

It was strangely true that I had come back to haunt them, just not in the way they would expect. Isuppose they should consider themselves lucky I didn’t make it my goal to kill them all as soon as Ireturned.

A small smile tugged at my lips humourlessly over that thought as I gently reached out, placing ahand on top of the stump that had held my last moments. So much pain Id felt at that time, somuch betrayal and hurt... so much emptiness.

And I realised it was similar to how I felt now. It was as if I'd gone full circle having becomesomeone I was finally proud of... only to revert back. Id reverted back and become someone somuch worse.

But this didn't need to be me. Whoever this was now.. it was dark. It was someone... unpredictable,scared, and seeing enemies in even those I cared about. So terrified of the past reoccurring that I'dpushed everyone away and tried to kill Thea myself.

I was acting insane in my desperation to prevent the same future.

In a weird way, Thea had been right. I was meant to be smarter than this, a logical thinker, and yetI'd done several stupid things tonight without a second thought. I'd always felt my strengths werealigned in

my ability to think out a strategy but it was clear I was still weak when it came to my own emotionsand other people.

Sighing, I calmed myself in my mind, letting go of the things I'd been holding onto. This wasn’t thepast anymore and I needed to focus on the future.

Including learning to accept Myra was dead... and move past it.

*Therefore,”*'I heard Aleric's voice once more, the trial having continued the duration I was inthought, *" with the power held within me, I, Aleric Dumont, Alpha of the Winter Mist Pack,sentence you, Ariadne Chrysalis, former Luna of the Winter Mist Pack, to death. Your sentence is tobe carried out immediately. “*

I didn't feel scared though. This trial wasn't real and it didn’t need to hold power over me anymore.Instead, I turned around and rested my head on the stump as I stared up into the sky. It was acathartic experience, one that left me feeling... peaceful.

I knew this darkness was something I'd need to be careful about from now on. It was clear just howquickly I could negatively impact everything around me and lose my ability to think logically.

..And it was clear just how quickly I could become dangerous. To both myself and others.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep as I laid on the ground by the stump. Because the nextthing! remembered was a voice calling out to me.

“Aria?”

I stirred but didn’t wake up. I still felt so exhausted from the night before, my body feeling tooheavy to move.

"Aria, are you okay?” they called again.

I begrudgingly opened my groggy eyes finally and saw Cai standing near me.

He sighed in relief when he saw I was okay.

“Do you have any idea how worried I've been?” he stressed. “I went to your house a few hours afteryou left and the attendants told me you still hadn't made it home yet. With how you were acting, Ifreaked out thinking the worst. I've been searching all night for you, tracking your scent, terrifiedsomething had happened to you.”

I could see that behind me the sunrise was starting to dimly light the area around us. It lit up hisfeatures enough that I could see how angry he looked but I knew it was just out of fear for me. Icouldn't help but replace my breath catching slightly at the sight of him though. The warm orangetones of the light made him look almost otherworldly.

I smiled at him a little, something that only deepened his frown, but I couldn't help it. His concernonly heightened how I was feeling.

I sat up and reached my hand out towards him silently, indicating for him to come closer and take it.He hesitated for a second, regarding me warily, before finally giving in.

Immediately, I could feel how warm his hand felt in mine as I pulled him towards me, drawing him inuntil he was next to me on the ground.

"What the hell, Aria, you're freezing,” he said and quickly wrapped me up in his arms, rubbing themdownt o warm me up. “Were you here all night?”

I sighed contently and nestled my head into the crook of his neck sleepily, gently grabbing onto hisshoulder. I could feel him begin to relax at my touch, just the same as how his presence made mefeel calmer too.

"Yes," I answered quietly.

"Why?"

I shrugged my shoulder slightly. “I did some stupid shit and fell asleep here.”

He pulled away slightly in surprise, trying to look down at me to see if I was being serious. A part ofme whined inside as he moved away and I grabbed onto him a little tighter.

“Are you in danger? Do you need help?” he asked.

I shook my head and smiled. “I'm fine. Genuinely, this time. Believe it or not, my camping adventurewas very therapeutic. Maybe it can be a new hobby. I've never really had one of those.”

He looked at me incredulously as he gauged my seriousness and I could see how it might be hardfor him to trust anything I was saying based on our last conversation. But to my relief, he finallycracked, his lip twitching at the side into a small smile at my joke.

“I'll have to give it a try sometime,” he said. “Though, if I'm being honest, the trial grounds in myopinion would be like camping in a haunted house. Why would you come here of all places?”

A quiet half-hearted laugh escaped me and I reluctantly pulled away to rest my head back on thestump. The stars above were starting to fade as the sun rose higher and I gently entwined myfingers with his, hoping some of his strength would pass to me.

“Because I'm connected to this place. A piece of me lives here, reliving the same memories. I guessyou could say that I'm one of the ghosts haunting this place,” I said softly, feeling too exhausted formore excuses. “... This is where I died, Cai.”

I didn’t turn to look at him but I felt him tense up, his fingers pressing harder against my own

It was time. Even if he thought I was insane, even if he never wanted to see me again, telling Cai waswell overdue. If he knew then at least he could understand what was actually happening and what Iwas currently going through. Or maybe he'd just call me crazy and that would be that.

“What...?"

“I died here,” I repeated. “Eight years from now I get wrongfully convicted of poisoning Aleric’smistress and causing a miscarriage. The pack condemns me and in my final moments, I die herealone, scared and in pain... and at the hands of my own mate.”

“Who...?"

I knew what he was asking.

I turned to look at him, meeting his gaze so he could feel how genuine I was being about this. But itwasn't an unpleasant moment. It was the first time I'd been able to talk, or even think of the past,without immediately bawling my eyes out.

Seems as though last night really had allowed me to make peace with it.

"Aleric,” I answered. “Just as the Elders predicted.”

I could see a flash of pain in his eyes momentarily at the confirmation of who my mate was and Iquickly squeezed his hand in mine for comfort. His reaction made it seem as though a part of himhad still been hanging on to hope that maybe I was his. My heart ached for him.

He cleared his throat, pausing before saying anything else. I knew how difficult this was to believebut I was relieved he was at least not completely dismissing me yet.

“And the mistress...?" he finally asked.

Chapter Fifty Sex

..Thea. The girl who killed Myra. The one they're allowing to be treated as a patient in the hospitalright now. She manipulated those around me for years until it eventually ended in my deathsentence.”

He understandably looked incredibly confused as he frowned, trying to comprehend exactly what Iwas telling him.

“Aleric... didn’t love me,” I finally explained after he hadnt spoken for a while. “The different personhe was in the past is someone I hope you'll never have to meet, or anyone else meet for that matter.I dedicated my life as a Luna to him, thinking that because he was my mate, that one day he wouldfinally love me. Instead, he used and hurt me for years only for his pursuit of becoming the country’smost powerful pack. Something that, once we had accomplished that feat, I was discarded.”

"... That's why you were so scared of him.”

I nodded. “That day we bumped into Aleric after the Jade Moon attack was the first time I'd seenhim since being executed. It had barely even been a week at that point since I'd been broughtback.”

There was a pause in conversation as I turned my eyes away. What was he thinking? He'd told mehe would be there for me even as a friend and it was something I'd been willing to accept as a riskonce opened my mouth. But even friendship was more than I had a right to ask for right now afterpushing everyone away in my life.

He tugged at my arm gently until I finally met his eyes, and slowly, I moved towards him as hepulled me closer.

“Come here,” he said and propped me into his lap facing him. “You should have told me sooner,little wolf.

Tears stung at my eyes over hearing him say that. He believed me. He actually believed what I wastelling him. “I know,” I whispered.

There was another moment of silence, both of us having too much to say and not knowing where tostart, before he finally spoke again.

*..Should I be worried you're taking advantage of me?” he eventually said lightly. He leaned awayand used his arms to support himself as he regarded me.

I frowned, unsure what he meant, and worried whether he felt used by me keeping my secret for solong.

“I don't..." I started, tilting my head.

“Well, you're... what? Twenty... six now?” he said, his lip curling in one corner as he failed to hide hissmile. “Aren“t I a bit young for you?”

I stared at him in complete disbelief for a second before bursting out into laughter. Of all the thingshe could have been freaked out by, he was making jokes about my goddamn mental age.

“Yeah, you're an immature pest, that's for sure,” I said, still laughing. “Especially when you talk downtom e. I conquered an entire country, was a renowned and feared strategist, and yet you keptpetting my head like a damn ten year old.”

“You're right,” he said, chuckling. “I really should respect my elders more, my mistake.”

Igently hit his shoulder only causing him to laugh harder. His entire body was shaking under me as Isat against his legs and I could feel my body warming up even without his arms around me. 1When the laughing had died a little he sat upright, his face suddenly inches from mine, and staredat me with all seriousness. “I guess it would be really inappropriate if I wanted to kiss you then.”

His eyes burned into me and I felt my cheeks redden. Everything around me felt unreal as my heartstarted pounding quickly in my chest.

“Would you still want to...? Even after everything I've told you...?" I whispered, unable to stop myselffrom staring at his lips. His face was so close I couldn't help but feel a buzz of energy drawing menear.

“It's fine,” he quietly replied as he leaned in. “I'm not opposed to dating older ladies.”

I couldn't help but laugh at his joke, breaking the trance as I looked away. “I swear I'm going toactually hit you in a second for a real.” 1

He wasn't deterred though and quickly grabbed my chin to make me look back at him again. Thesudden movement forced a small sharp breath to escape me out of surprise.

“Kinky,” he was all he whispered before finally bringing his lips to meet mine.

Instantly, flames ignited inside me, overwhelming me to the point of stopping any other thoughts orlaughing at his last remark. It was stronger than any of the previous times, something that I couldn'thelp but wonder whether it was because I'd finally opened myself up to him.

I felt as though I would melt away at that very second if it weren't for his strong grip on me still.With one hand on my waist, his other hand had weaved itself through my hair and was preventingme from even thinking of pushing away, not that I could have convinced myself in a thousand yearsto do so in that moment anyway.

“Cai,” I breathed against his lips as I pressed myself against him more, my hands already greedilygrabbing at his body to feel him closer.

His lips suddenly broke into a smile and he pulled away laughing lightly.

“I said a kiss, Aria,” he joked. “You realise that we're sitting two feet away from where people getexecuted, right?..Unless you're into that sort of thing... little freak.”

I sighed in mild annoyance, a small embarrassed smile spreading across my face, and felt my cheeksburn deeper. “I'm already regretting everything and it's only been five minutes.”

He mustn't have liked that answer as he grabbed at my thighs and dragged my body flush upagainst him, his lips suddenly right at my ear. My mind went blank and any grievances from mewere quickly wiped away with just his touch.

“No, you're not,” he quietly growled as he nipped softly at my sensitive skin there. A noisesomewhere between a gasp and a sigh escaped me before I could stop it, instantly making meforget where we were again.

I would have been happy to resume where we'd left off but he chuckled again and gently tappedmy legs t o say we should get up.

“Come on,” he said, gently helping me back to my feet. “This place is fucking dismal and cold. Idon’t wanna hang around here any longer.”

I wasn't even sure I was ready for walking yet after feeling like a melted puddle only a minute prior,but somehow I managed. He had a point though. I needed real rest and this place really washorrible.

After replaceing my balance and retrieving my dagger, we started walking back in the direction ofcivilisation. Immediately, he grabbed my hand in his, something I couldn't help but smile over. Iwouldn't tell him how happy it made me though; I had a feeling it would only go to his head rightnow.

"I obviously have a million questions,” he said as we walked. “But there's one that's sort of burningin my mind more than the others right now.”

I nodded. “That seems fair.”

He stopped and turned to look at me, his expression becoming serious.

Chapter Fifty—Six

"Did we know each other in that previous life? Were we at least friends?”

And all the blood that had been blushing my cheeks immediately drained from my face, feelingmyself freeze. It was insane how quickly a moment of feeling on cloud nine could easily be draggeddown, kicking and screaming, back to reality.

Because I'd neglected to divulge one of the most crucial details of all. ... That i'd killed him.