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

he towered over me, something that I became painfully aware of as I became trapped between him and the

I can manage that,"

alone, the way he

were somehow devouring

that I could have sworn

was just the

"Make yourself at home."

and quickly I walked around him

trying not to let myself become too comfortable

the room was

the place

felt larger than some

an elaborate party without feeling even remotely

isn’t exactly an ideal place to do something where people might see," he said as he walked

to make do with

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

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

I yelled in

any way though, his lip

my favorite shirt," he said, as

it to

of his chest as he continued unbuttoning, his

revealed seemed moulded around

would have expected to be hiding

knew he was strong...but this? I swallowed and

"_..Ruined?" I asked feebly.

shift?" he said, almost a little

me to prove we were the

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

my mind immediately recalled the massacres I would wake

that...dangerous?" I

I need to lock you inside a

immediately made him laugh, much to my embarrassment.I was

make assumptions based on the

knowledge...it

at the ground, becoming lost in thought over

lost that I didn’t even notice when he appeared right

shiver ran through

quietly, drawing in

in this world that could ever make me hurt you.I am the last person you

a part of me wanted so

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

open space i n which he stood looking at me

ready?"

step back cautiously and nodded

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

I watched him shift forms in a mere matter

and transforming effortlessly until all that was left was

me knowingly, a look embedded

running or feel even remotely afraid, as I

felt recognition

As though this felt...right.

moving until I was

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

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

decided to trust that instinct...reaching

I mused aloud

allowing me to continue

the same sparks as when I touched his skin, I still felt an

something

go from blackouts and bloody

Kieran apparently disagreed with

he raised his head and gave me a nod, confirming

ached with

want to learn this," I

don’t want to be so afraid

felt so lonely, thinking I was a freak all these

Kieran like

that he could teach me and was willing to

final piece of the

I had

Natural.

lies or nefarious

purely a part of being

he had been telling me the truth so far… did that mean I really could 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

had clearly proven already that he had no

was back to his normal self and

said, walking over

immediately made me

there’d be like...exercises or something to do first.Some way to practice safely," I argued, slowly getting back

for me to just jump right in and do that

isn’t any way to learn other than to just do it.I'll be right here to help talk you through it.Nothing bad will