A Gift from the Goddess

Over the next few days, I found myself feeling anxious.

Under the constant watchful eye of both my father and Gavin, I continued to play along with my usual daily routine.

Acting as if nothing was amiss.

Doing all the training that was asked of me.

But, inside, I was thinking back to that keycard.

The one I’d hidden under my mattress.

Waiting for exactly the right moment for when I’d be able to use it.

...A moment I found finally presented itself on the night of the third day.

With my father expected to be staying overnight elsewhere for a late meeting and Gavin only working until seven o’clock, I saw an opportunity to take advantage of the soon-to-be quiet house.

And I devised a plan to leave as soon as the sky grew dark.

A few hours later, I was slowly scaling to the ground from my bedroom window.

This being something I did with ease and without being seen.

And though I never thought to use my abilities to go behind my father’s back, I certainly couldn't deny that it came in handy.

Soon, before much time had passed at all, I found myself facing the door I’d been thinking of so incessantly.

The door I’d been wondering about every day, contemplating all of the things I could possibly discover once I entered through it.

A door that might just possibly change my life forever.

And I stared at it.

...And stared.

......And stared.

And I kept staring, even while my hand reached out several times to knock, failing every time to go through with it.

..I’d been so certain in my decision and come all this way, only to—.

But then, suddenly, the door opened in front of me.

"_.Are you just going to stand out there all night?" came a voice from inside.

It was his voice.I recognised it well now.

"I ah...," I started, feeling a little awkward for being caught.

"I’m sorry.I just...I—."

"It’s okay.No need to be sorry," he said, his face then appearing from the other side of the door.

Instantly, that same effect started to hit me, a reassurance spreading throughout as his presence held me.

"I get it.If you need more time to think, I can just leave this open.I’m not pressuring you to “

 "No!" I quickly blurted out.

"No, it’s okay.Everything is okay...I’m ready."

I came here with determination to get answers.I couldn’t back out now.

Whatever happened tonight, at least I could say that I tried.

My mistake would only lie in wanting to hope for a better life.

"Okay...well, come on in," he said.

I was ready to step through the door but was stopped a s he held a hand out to me.

Just as he had done so once before.

However, the last time he’d done that, I had been too overwhelmed to reciprocate.

Too many thoughts and questions holding me back, so unsure of everything that had been happening at the time.

Now, when I looked at his outstretched hand, I sawa possible beginning.

"T just need you to trust me," he had said to me that day.

Well, I couldn’t be sure if I was ready for that just yet, but I was at least willing to believe.

Believe that there was a chance of this being real...if only for a moment...And so I cautiously reached out...hesitating once or twice as I moved...before, finally, those same sparks tingled along my skin in greeting upon contact.

"I'm really glad you came back, Raven," he said, his voice low and eyes so intense.

And, instantly, I felt as my cheeks began to burn ever s o slightly.

..Clearly, I would need to be careful in more ways than one around him.I could see how easy it would be to become distracted from the mission at hand.

"This doesn’t mean I trust you," I clarified.

"And I… I'd like some sort of proof.I’m risking a lot by coming here and I feel it’s only fair that you prove you are what you say you are."

forward through the front door and closed it

I stood, he towered over me, something that I became painfully aware

think I can manage that,"

we were completely alone, the way

he were somehow

that I could have sworn appeared darker

maybe it was just

"Make yourself at home."

me, and quickly I walked around him into the living

let myself become too comfortable

the room

the other day, the place

felt larger than

to host an elaborate party without feeling even remotely

exactly an ideal place to do something

just have to make do

to look at him, I had to fight the urge t o just spin right

to the side as he watched me, slowly starting the process of

in surprise,

seem phased in any way though, his lip twitching into a

my favorite shirt," he said,

want it to get

he continued unbuttoning,

that was revealed seemed

I never would have expected to

was strong...but this? I swallowed and quickly tried to refocus

"_..Ruined?" I asked feebly.

the shift?" he said, almost a

asked me to prove

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

to do that in here, was he? And my mind immediately recalled the massacres I would

that...dangerous?" I quickly

lock you inside a

much to my embarrassment.I was here for

only make assumptions based on the

that knowledge...it wasn’t

ground, becoming lost in thought over my

when he appeared right

instantly, a shiver ran

said quietly,

is absolutely nothing in this world that could ever make

me wanted so badly

couches and other pieces

he was done, there was a semi-large open space i n which he

ready?"

step back cautiously and

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

I watched him shift forms in a mere

effortlessly until all that

brown wolf that stared at me knowingly, a look

feel like running or feel even remotely afraid,

felt recognition from deep

As though this felt...right.

moving until I

in response, he laid down on the ground, presumably trying to

Would this wolf move if he instructed it to? He looked at me as if he knew exactly who I was, knew exactly what

I decided to trust that instinct...reaching out hesitantly to touch his

mused

upon contact, allowing me to continue feeling

I didn’t feel the same sparks as when I touched his skin, I still felt

something I

seemed impossible to think that I could go from blackouts and bloody murders to anything even close t o this level

apparently disagreed with

he raised his head and gave me a

ached

want to learn this," I

don’t want to be so

always felt so lonely, thinking I was a freak

Kieran like this

that he could teach me and was willing to help me

the final piece of the

problems I had were

Natural.

or nefarious

part of

that mean I really could trust him? Abruptly, Kieran then stood up, shaking his fur and running off into a room

by the sudden movement

had clearly proven already that he had no intention of

back to his normal self

turn," he said, walking

this immediately made

be like...exercises or something to do first.Some way to practice safely," I

idea for me to just jump right in

it.I'll be right here to help talk you