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."

the front door and closed it behind me, his gaze never leaving

he towered over me, something that I became painfully aware

I can

that we were completely alone, the way he looked at me only

if he were somehow

I could have sworn appeared darker for

maybe it was

"Make yourself at home."

releasing me, and quickly I walked around him into

let myself become too comfortable around

the room was

I'd suspected the other day, the

than

enough to host an elaborate party without feeling

anything like this indoors but...well, the city isn’t exactly an ideal place to do something where people might see," he said as he walked

to make do

look at him, I had

the side as he watched me, slowly starting the process of unbuttoning his

I yelled in surprise, unable to

any way though, his lip twitching into

he said, as if it were

don’t want it to get

his chest as he continued

was revealed seemed moulded around

have expected to be hiding behind his

knew he 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 we were

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

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

I quickly

to lock you inside

made him laugh, much to my embarrassment.I was

assumptions based on the

knowledge...it

lost in thought over my prior

didn’t even notice when he appeared

a shiver ran through

said quietly, drawing in

promise you, there is absolutely nothing in this world that could ever make me hurt

of me wanted so

pushing couches and other

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

ready?"

back cautiously and nodded

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

shocked silence as I watched him shift forms in a

and transforming effortlessly until all that

large dark brown wolf that stared at me knowingly,

running or feel even remotely afraid, as I

felt recognition

As though this felt...right.

to walk towards him, moving until I was crouched

he laid down on the ground, presumably trying to make himself

in control right now? Would this wolf move if he instructed it to? He looked at me as if he

trust that

mused

upon contact, allowing me to continue feeling the different

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

be something

and bloody murders to anything even close t o this level

apparently disagreed with

and gave me a

chest ached with

to learn this," I

don’t want to be so afraid

I was

Kieran like this

willing to help me learn about who I

like the final piece of the puzzle was coming

I had were apparently

Natural.

lies or

a part of being this

had been telling me the truth so far… did that mean I really could trust him? Abruptly, Kieran then stood up, shaking his

guard by the sudden movement but tried not

that he had

was back to

turn," he said, walking

this immediately made me

do first.Some way to practice

don’t think it’s a good idea for me to

than to just do it.I'll be