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."

door and closed it behind me, his gaze never

he towered over me, something that I became painfully aware of as I became trapped

can manage that," he

the way he

somehow

I could have sworn appeared

was just

"Make yourself at home."

finally stepped back, releasing me, and quickly I walked around him into

myself

room was

the other day, the place was

felt larger than some people’s houses in

elaborate party

normally advise against doing anything like this indoors but...well, the city isn’t exactly an ideal place

have to make do with the space

But as I turned to look at him, I had to fight the urge

he watched me, slowly starting the process of unbuttoning his

yelled in

phased in any way though, his

shirt," he said, as

want it to

continued unbuttoning,

was revealed seemed moulded

sight I never would have expected to be hiding

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

"_..Ruined?" I asked feebly.

he said, almost a

me to prove

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

And my

that...dangerous?" I quickly

need to lock

immediately made him laugh, much to my embarrassment.I

could only make assumptions based on

knowledge...it wasn’t

at the ground, becoming lost

lost that I didn’t even notice when he

a shiver ran through

quietly, drawing in my

ever make

of me wanted so

he moved past me to start pushing couches and other pieces of furniture

was done, there was a semi-large open space i

ready?" he

a step back cautiously and nodded my

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

silence as I watched him shift forms in

until all that

dark brown wolf that stared at me knowingly,

I didn’t feel like running or feel even remotely afraid, as I thought I

I felt recognition

As though this felt...right.

started to walk towards him, moving until I was crouched right in front

down on the ground, presumably trying to make himself appear

if he instructed it to? He looked at me as if he knew exactly who I was, knew

I decided to trust that instinct...reaching out

I mused aloud

contact, allowing me to continue feeling

when I

this really be something

blackouts and bloody murders to anything even close t o this level

Kieran apparently disagreed with

raised his head and gave me a nod, confirming that this really was something

ached

learn

to

felt so lonely, thinking I was a

Kieran like this

was willing

final piece of

I had were

Natural.

or

a part of being this

trust him? Abruptly, Kieran then stood up, shaking his fur and running off into a room I couldn’t

taken a little off guard by the sudden

already that he had no intention of

did finally emerge again, he was back to his normal

he said, walking over

immediately

way to practice safely," I argued,

a good idea for me to just jump right in and

learn other than to just do it.I'll be