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."

pulled me forward through the front door and closed it behind me, his gaze never

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

think I can manage

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

he were somehow devouring me

that I could have sworn

maybe it was

"Make yourself at home."

releasing me, and quickly I walked

let myself become too comfortable

the room

day, the place was definitely

it felt larger than some

an elaborate party without

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

have to make do

I had to fight the

side as he watched me, slowly starting the process of

are you doing?" I yelled in surprise, unable to stop myself from

any way though, his lip twitching into a

my favorite shirt," he said, as if it were

don’t want it to

chest as he continued unbuttoning, his actions

revealed seemed moulded around

expected to be

this? I swallowed and quickly tried to refocus

"_..Ruined?" I asked feebly.

shift?" he said, almost

me to prove

Oh.

Right.

But, wait...

he? And my mind immediately recalled the massacres I

I quickly

need to lock you inside a

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

I could only make assumptions based on

knowledge...it

becoming lost in thought over

that I didn’t even notice when he appeared

a shiver ran through

he said quietly, drawing in

nothing in this world that could ever make me

part of me wanted so badly to believe

start pushing couches and other pieces of furniture out the way, clearing an area in

open space i n which he stood looking at me

ready?" he

step back cautiously and nodded my

..And then...something unbelievable happened.

I watched him shift forms in

effortlessly until all that was left

wolf that stared at me knowingly, a

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

felt recognition

As though this felt...right.

him, moving until I was crouched right

down on the ground, presumably

wolf move if he instructed it to? He looked at me as if he knew exactly who

trust that instinct...reaching out hesitantly to

soft," I mused aloud to

allowing me to continue feeling the

as when I touched his skin, I

really be something I can do?"I

blackouts and bloody murders to anything even close t o

Kieran apparently disagreed

and gave me a nod, confirming that this really was

chest ached

to learn this,"

don’t want to

so lonely, thinking I was a

Kieran like

willing to

the final piece of

had were apparently completely

Natural.

lies or

a part

been telling me the truth so far… did that mean I really could trust him? Abruptly, Kieran

off guard by the sudden movement but tried not to

he had no intention of mauling

finally emerge again, he was back

said, walking over

immediately made

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

idea for me to just jump right in and

to just do it.I'll be right here to help talk you through it.Nothing