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."

through the front door and closed it

became painfully aware of as I became trapped between him and the

I can manage that," he

the way he looked at me only

he were somehow devouring me with

sworn appeared darker for a split

it was

"Make yourself at home."

stepped back, releasing me, and quickly I walked

trying not to let myself become too comfortable around

the room was

I'd suspected the other day, the place

felt larger than

host an elaborate party

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

to make do

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

as he watched

in surprise, unable to stop myself from

any way though,

he said, as if it were

don’t want it to

of his chest as he continued

that was revealed seemed moulded around perfectly sculpted

have expected to be hiding behind his

I swallowed and quickly tried to

"_..Ruined?" I asked feebly.

he said, almost

asked me to prove we

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

he? And my mind immediately recalled

that...dangerous?" I

I need to lock you inside a

laugh, much to my embarrassment.I was here

assumptions

that knowledge...it wasn’t

the ground, becoming lost in

didn’t even notice when he appeared right in front

a shiver ran

said quietly,

nothing in this world that could ever make me

a part of me wanted

respond though, he moved past me to start pushing couches and other pieces of furniture out the

done, there was a semi-large open space i n which he stood looking at me

you ready?"

back cautiously

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

shocked silence as I watched him shift forms in a mere matter

effortlessly until all that was left was a

me knowingly, a look embedded within those

feel like running or feel even remotely afraid, as I

recognition

As though this felt...right.

started to walk towards him, moving until I

on the ground,

Would this wolf move if he instructed it to? He looked at me as if

that

mused aloud to

me to continue feeling

same sparks as when I

really be something

I could go from blackouts and bloody murders to anything even close t o this level of

disagreed

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

chest ached with new

want to learn this," I

don’t want to

thinking I was

Kieran like

was willing to help me learn about who I really

piece of

had

Natural.

or nefarious

part of being this

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

was taken a little off guard by the sudden movement but tried

had clearly proven already that he had no intention of

was back

he said, walking over

this immediately

or something to do first.Some way

a good idea for me to just jump right in and

any way to learn other than to just do it.I'll be right here to help talk