A Gift from the Goddess
Chapter 97

Chapter Ninety Seven

Chapter Ninety-Seven

I woke up with a long, satisfied stretch in bed, feeling more content than I had in years.

The last few days had all blended together so much that I could barely keep track of time anymore.Was it a Tuesday? Morning? Night? I didn’t know. All I knew was that my last week had been spentwith Aleric, living and breathing every moment he could spare for me.

I continued to stretch, trying to wake up but, as I did so, I suddenly felt a pulse of pain emanatefrom my shoulder. Something I'd been ignoring the last few days despite my actual purpose incoming here.

Well, if it gave another reason to stay here a little longer, it couldn't be all that bad, right?

I sighed.

I didn’t want to leave. Of course, I didn't. It was so easy to ignore all my impending problemswaiting form e at home, choosing to just live inside my own little bubble instead. I was happy here.Actually happy. Something I hadn't felt in so long. Given everything I'd endured, surely I deservedeven the tiniest bit of respite?

And Aleric seemed happy, though he hadn't explicitly vocalised it. Not that I expected him to. Hewasn't one to normally express feelings through words unless he was prompted, usually choosing toconvey things in his actions instead. But I could tell by how he was acting that he seemed to beenjoying himself, appearing lighter and more relaxed in his mannerisms.

Thinking back now, it seemed crazy that I'd spent so many years of this life trying to run away fromhim. I had even planned to reject him. And I knew from previous experience how much that hurt,more than would warrant the benefits of going through with that process. The constant empty voidit created inside was tortuous.

It made me wonder how good things could have been from the beginning if we'd just been alloweda chance to live our lives the way we were meant to. If there were no prophecy pressures, no Selene,no markings, or Thea. Just... two people from the same pack who found each other. Would the Ariaand Aleric of that timeline, though no doubt very different from the people we are now, replacethemselves happily together too?

However, it was strange to even think of the person I once was. My first life felt more like a badnightmare and so did the person from that timeline. I'd lived such a sheltered, structured life thatthe girl from back then could barely be considered anything more than a doll. And whilst I couldn'tsay I enjoyed’ the journey, I couldn't exactly deny that the misfortunes I'd experienced since dyinghadn't matured me either; hadn't helped me grow up from the naive, juvenile Luna I'd once been.It was probably most evident in the way I'd acted upon returning. As if I were sometimes more abratty girl than a woman who had once held a high status. Far too much freedom and trauma givento a child all at once, driven by an intense motivation to escape and be their own person finally. Yet,all the while that was happening, also dealing with the basic body changes that came with being ateenager once more.

So, who was I actually? Without Thea, without the naivety, without the fear and pain? If, by somemiracle, I somehow survived this until the end, living to see a world where I was finally free of Theaentirely, what did that even look like for me? When I could finally just be myself without pressuresor manipulation? Who will I eventually become?

..But would I even survive? Selene coming to retrieve what was hers seemed more than likely forwhen this was over. She'd told me herself how she considered the other saints, the ones that camebefore me, mistakes. Did victory mean getting to live? Or was that expiration still waiting for meregardless, only buying my time the more I procrastinated facing Thea?

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..Would it mean saying a final goodbye to Aleric before we left to fight her?

Trolled over and threw my legs over the side of the bed, no longer wanting to think about itanymore. The outcome for that was not something in my control so there was no point in mullingover it.

For now... I just wanted to be happy for the time I was certain I did have.

And so I left my room, walking down the stairs to the only place I wanted to be right now.

"What are you reading?” I asked softly, standing in the doorway of the living area.

It was gently raining outside, the sound of the drops hitting the roof in a soothing way. The cloudsoutside were also darkening the sky enough that, once again, I couldn't be sure what time it wasAleric was sitting by the windowsill, book in hand, and only looked up after I spoke, a small smilewarming on his face as he did so. His eyes reminded me of the moss and trees within the woodswhen he looked genuinely happy, almost as if he were a living personification of my little cottagesanctuary outside.

“Nothing really,” he answered. “Did you have a good sleep?”

“I don’t know if I can call that “sleep’, since there wasn't much of that happening... but it was good.Some might even say... great.”

*..Is that so?”

And I crept closer until I stood in front of him, intending to look at the book in his hands, butinstead he reached out and pulled me into his lap, forcing a squeal of surprise out of me at thesudden movement. Not that I was complaining though.

And, as he positioned me to sit comfortably against his broad chest, I'd never felt so cosy and safebefore.

“This looks like one of my books,” I said, reading the words on the page. “Only a small portion ofthis is in the common tongue though.”

"Well, it's raining and there isnt much else to do for entertainment around here...”

And I felt as he then tilted his head down towards me, proceeding to nip at my ear. “Unless you hadsomething else in mind.”

A shiver ran through me, sending endless possibilities to run through my mind... though it wasshortly followed by another dull ache in my shoulder, a reminder of why we were here. I had healeda lot since we'd arrived, but our recent activities were probably regressing that process.

“I need a little break... I'm still healing, after all,” I said laughing, and I squirmed away from his teeth.“I'm pretty sure these last few days have been the opposite of allowing my body to rest.”

Much to my own disappointment, he then eased off just as I'd asked, and went back to looking atthe book instead. It was a situation where I didn't particularly want to be the responsible one.

In fact, I could think of several more irresponsible things we could be doing right now...

“Aria,” he said in a low voice behind me. “Make up your mind.”

And I felt my cheeks redden, realising we were back at square one.

I needed to be more aware of myself.

“Umm, anyway.. can you even read this?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.

He flipped it over to look at the cover and back to the page he was on. “Not really. I didn't reallybother with languages during study. I'm mostly looking at the pictures and reading the small bits ofcommon

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tongue that pop up.”

*...Did you want me to read it to you?” I offered. “I can't say I'm fluent anymore but I've been gettinga lot better over the last few months.”

I felt as his body then chuckled behind me, the vibrations making me want to melt against himmore

"..Sure,” he said

And even though the book contained nothing but factual retellings of pack dynamics severalcenturies ago, he sat and listened diligently to me anyway over the next hour or so that followed

A moment that only ended as I failed to stay awake, my lack of sleep finally coming to catch up withme. I'd tried so hard to fight against it, willing myself not to let the moment go. But, in the end, itproved too much.

..And I fell asleep in his arms.

I woke up to the feeling of my hair being gently played with, the strands delicately tugging in apleasant way, and a smile slowly crept on my lips.

"..What are you doing?” I murmured softly, waking up to see Aleric next to me in bed.

His eyes instantly locked with my own, looking as if he'd been caught doing something heshouldn't. A reaction that would have made me laugh if not for it being a bit sweet.

My chest instantly tightened at the scene before me and I grabbed his hand in mine.

“Do you like it?" I asked. “I never really did as a kid. The silver is like an old lady's.”

"..It's a pretty colour,” he replied. “I've always liked your hair. Even when I was younger, I thought itwas interesting.”

*Thump.*

He pulled me closer until I was flush up against him, resting my head on the pillow next to him sowe could face each other.

"..What else do you like?" I whispered, though a little nervously.

Truthfully, apart from the mate bond, I had no idea why he'd be interested in me. From what I couldtell, it wasn't as if I'd given him many reasons to. It was something I'd been wondering about for awhile now, always secretly speculating why, but in true Aleric fashion, he hadn't said anything yet.As awkward as it was, getting this sort of information from him was probably going to beimpossible unless I directly asked him.

He shifted a little next to me and cleared his throat, a small frown forming between his brows. Washe uncomfortable?

*..I think...” he started and then paused, silently considering my request before continuing.

“I think you're... beautiful... funny... smart... or at least, smart *sometimes,” he teased.

I playfully hit his shoulder as he laughed, but, before I could do much else, he then quickly grabbedmy hand in his and kissed it to restrain me.

“I think... I think you helped me to become a better person, whether intentionally or not,” hecontinued, now back to being serious once more. “I think... you became someone I looked forwardto seeing every day, who I genuinely enjoyed being around... someone to give me a reason to getout of bed and try to do better than the day before.”

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Chapter Ninety-Seven

I felt as my eyes began to brim with tears, feeling overwhelmed by his response. I hadn't expectedhim to go into such detail.

“I admire your confidence and strength,” he continued, “your ability to change things around you;both people and the pack. You have a way of setting your mind to do something and sticking toyour convictions, despite others who might try and stop you.”

"...I think that last one is called being stubborn,” I chimed in lightly, though my voice betrayed howemotional I was feeling.

“That's probably true,” he said and cupped my face, placing a quick peck on my forehead. “Speakingof which... were you going to train today? I couldnt help but notice you haven't done that in a fewdays now

“I'm on a break,” I grumbled as I averted my eyes to the unwelcome change in topic. “Let me havethis for just a little bit longer.”

He started to silently chuckle though, and I quickly looked back to see him watching me withamusement, his eyes holding that warmth to them I adored.

“No,” he said flatly, a smile on his lips. “Go train today. Just like how I have to patrol. Which.."Hethen looked out towards the window, gauging the time. “... Which is probably about time I do so.”“No00000," I whined softly, enjoying our lazy day in bed too much.

Just an hour or so more would be fine, surely. I didn’t want him to go yet. Not after all the sweetthings he'd said to me just now.

"Yesssss,” he replied, mimicking my tone, and pulled himself away to sit up.

“Just stay in bed with me for a little bit longer,” I said. “We can fight off intruders from here, if needbe.”

“Mmm, tempting,” he said, bending back over to kiss me.

Immediately, little butterflies filled me as I revelled in the sensation his touch offered, and I grabbedhis shoulder to draw him closer.

If it were up to me, it wouldn't have stopped there but, before I could initiate anything further, hethen quickly pulled away.

“It *ist tempting,” he reiterated, “but I prefer to be focused when fighting, *notdistracted by a lazyseductress in bed.”

“I'm not lazy,” I pouted, and I sat up as he went to get changed.

Then feel free to prove me wrong,” he laughed, throwing on some loose clothes. “Go train.”

And I quietly grumbled again, making him laugh harder.

“Alright, I'm off,” he said, coming back around to my side of the bed. “Stop looking so forlorn. I'llsee you soon.”

And with that, he quickly kissed me, a tiny spark erupting from where our lips met, and left before Icould say anything else.

I wondered how long it'd be before he came home today, knowing sometimes he was gone for afew hours. He was right though... I probably should train

Wait...

..A spark.

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LHPRETTY even

I quickly brought a hand up to my lips in confusion.

I'd felt that. I'd felt that.”

That was definitely a spark from the mate bond. Just a small one. But it had happened.

I jumped out of bed, tripping over my own legs in haste, and made it to the top of the stairs.

..But, before I could follow after him, I heard the front door to outside open and close.

..He was already gone.

“Then I guess I'll have to tell him later,’ I thought with a smile.

It would be something to look forward to. What better progress could I tell him than to say I'dfinally felt a spark? And it would definitely be cause for some... scientific research. To test when Icould and couldn't feel it, of course. Probably some “extensive physical contact’ would do the trick.I bit my lip knowingly and went back into my bedroom, throwing myself down against the sheetsonce more.

Somehow, I was feeling better than ever. Better than even before I'd put on the ring. I was feelingstronger and more fulfilled, my shoulder feeling basically completely healed. Things were reallygreat.

In fact, now I thought about it, my shoulder *did* feel healed. Not even an echo of an ache wascoming from it now... which was kind of strange considering just yesterday it had been hurting me.I got up and walked towards the mirror, pulling my shirt to the side to inspect the wound. Itprobably still had another few weeks given I was wearing silver...

..But, as I finally saw it, I immediately frowned in surprise.

.. Because it was healed.

Fully healed. Now only an undertone of a bruise remaining on my skin.

But then, didn't that mean...

I quickly looked down at my hands...

..Only to replace they were completely bare.

“Fuck.”

The ring was gone.

"No..." I whispered in disbelief, staring at the place the ring should have been. “No... no, no no, no.”I was so used to the feeling of silver that I didn't even register the burn anymore. How long had itbeen missing? A day? Two?

..Had Thea realised?

I ran down the stairs, an overwhelming panic fuelling me as I scrambled to replace it and startedlooking everywhere I could. Under and behind furniture, the laundry amongst my clothes, literallyanywhere! could think of.

When had I seen it last?

..Hadn't it been there yesterday?

The windowsill.

I looked up sharply to where we'd sat together the day before... and saw it.

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Luule VIITEIT Stich

Nearly entirely hidden by a pillow, it was there. Glinting as the sun hit the exposed surface, almostas if mocking me for losing it.

This meant it must have accidentally fallen off my finger when I fell asleep.

How many hours had passed since then though?

However, as I started to run towards it, suddenly I felt a familiar sensation I hadn't felt in months.One that filled me with dread. Something I hadn't felt in so long yet hadn't particularly missed.Everything around me instantly began to blur, my legs giving out from under me.

And, before I could completely wrap my head around what was happening, suddenly, I was in thewoods.

..And I became trapped within a vision.

The sounds of birds and nature surrounded me as if I really were there, even the scent seemedindistinguishable. Everything felt so real... and familiar.

With a lurch to my stomach, I realised these were the woods outside the cottage.

spun my head around frantically, searching for the one thing I desperately didn't want to replace. ...But,of course, they were there. I'd suspected as much the second I'd seen where I was, but I'd ferventlyhoped I was wrong.

Because I knew what this meant now. How could I not?

Aleric stood by a tree, surveying the area around him, looking the same as when he'd left not eventwenty minutes earlier. Even his clothes were the same. Which told me two very crucial details...One; that it was happening today.

And, two; ...that he hadn't even shifted yet... meaning it was literally happening any second now, ifnot already

“Aleric!” I screamed out, running towards him

But he didn't respond, being unable to hear me inside the vision. It was yet another cruel restrictionthat came with this ability,

I immediately felt myself begin to cry, my breathing becoming shallow as I watched helplessly inmute terror.

Because there was one other very important, yet cruel restriction that came with having visions. Oneknew painfully well, having experienced several over the last few years. ..And that was that theyalways* brought bad news.