A Gift from the Goddess

1... 2... 3… In… and out. 

I sat outside in the fresh air amongst the trees, breathing carefully as I focused on clearing my mind. I‘d been working on these techniques over the last two weeks, and it was coming along nicely. Or at least, it seemed that way. How well it held up when it came time to actually use it, I couldn‘t be sure. 

However, I‘d definitely been getting better. Creating distance had seemed to have worked a little since every day that passed, I felt her presence a tiny bit less. Almost enough to make me wonder if it was possible to just wait it all out until I was completely free of her. The only thing was that, unfortunately, at the rate I was going, that might be maybe months or even years away. Something we probably didn‘t have time for, much to my disappointment. Settling for just strengthening my mind would need to be enough in the meantime. 

But... there were also some downsides to my improvement too.... 

I got up from the ground and brushed myself off, walking back towards the cottage. It wasn‘t that I didn‘t like going there, but I‘d be lying if I said it hadn‘t been getting... difficult. 

Upon entering, I immediately took off my shoes by the front door and was about to shout out that I‘d returned, but something caught my attention before I could do so. 

There, laying on the couch, I saw that Aleric had fallen asleep and was looking so peaceful. 

What I wouldn‘t give to walk over, curl up next to him... feel his warmth around me… taste his lips against mine. 

I quickly shook my head, pushing away that idea as far back as possible. These thoughts were becoming more frequent these days the more I regained control of myself. Similar to the negative emotions Thea had instilled inside me, my own natural ones were causing me issues of my own now. 

...Not that it probably mattered anyway. 

Over the two weeks that had already passed, I couldn‘t help but notice how it seemed almost as if Aleric was avoiding me. He would sit and chat for only small periods of time before abruptly leaving, either to his bedroom or on another patrol. Truthfully, it was starting to feel a little lonely. 

And whilst I had promised myself not to get romantically involved with him, it didn‘t seem to stop me from thinking about him that way. A part of me was craving his attention, even if that was only a little bit. Hell, even some proper eye contact once in a while would have been nice. 

‘Yet it seemed stupid to think he was trying to get away from me... right? I was surely just overthinking 

things, even if he did literally leave mid-conversation a few days ago... and start eating in his room more often... or rarely initiate conversation unless he had to.... 

I sighed and sat on the armchair opposite the couch, watching him. 

What the hell was I going to do about this? It was making my training more difficult with all these added uncertainties in my head. 

Giving in and confessing seemed selfish... especially when these days it seemed like he didn‘t really want anything to do with me. Did he miss home maybe? Resent me for having to play babysitter? If I did tell him the truth and I got what I wanted, would it just be a reaction from the mate bond opposed to what he actually wanted? That was the main question I‘d been asking myself for weeks now. One that still weighed heavily on me. 

...But then, what was one more selfish deed in the pile of things I‘d already done in this life? If it was just 

Scanned with CamScanner 

ISTITUT 

one final time to do something I knew I shouldn‘t... when it would feel so, so good... surely that would be okay, right? 

I‘d accidentally seen him just after he‘d had a shower the other day, catching a glimpse of his chest before he‘d tugged on a shirt. It was times like that which made it difficult to do the right thing. Especially when I could still recall how he felt pressed against me, how perfectly I fit there.... 

“...Why are you staring at me?” he suddenly grumbled out, eyes still closed. It caught me off guard enough to make me jump in surprise. 

My chest began racing as if I‘d been caught doing something I shouldn‘t, even though I‘d just been sitting there silently the entire time. 

“1–... I um, I just got back from... uhm training,” I stuttered out, my cheeks burning. 

He sat up and started rubbing his eyes with one hand, ending each movement by pinching the bridge of his nose. It seemed like he really had been fairly deep asleep if he was acting this tired. 

“...And what are you doing now?” he asked, still not looking at me. 

Was it actually all in my head when it seemed so apparent that he was annoyed at me? Had I done something since coming here to piss him off maybe? 

“I‘m... ah, I‘m sitting here?” 

He nodded his head quietly. “Alright, I‘ll go on another patrol before dinner then.” 

And with that, he got up and headed to the door. 

“W–wait, you just woke up. You don‘t need to rush out yet. You seem tired.” 

He didn‘t turn around or respond in any way though as he started putting his shoes on. Odd since I would have thought that he‘d prefer to shift for a patrol. Something he wouldn‘t need shoes for. 

But his blatant disregard for even acknowledging what I said sparked a mild annoyance of my own, one I‘d purposely been pushing down these last few weeks believing I was just overreacting. Clearly, I wasn‘t making it up if he wouldn‘t even reply to me anymore, 

“Aleric, seriously,” I said, getting up to approach him. “Is something bothering you? Ever since we came here it‘s like you can barely even look at me.” 

Considering everything going on at the moment, I didn‘t exactly expect him to give me any sort of courtesies but at the very least I thought we could hold a conversation. He hadn‘t been acting all that strange when we were still at the Winter Mist. This felt like something more specific to us coming here. 

“Aria, leave it,” he said, still without even turning back. 

But I was tired of this. Tired of living with a brick wall. 

“Aleric.” 

And I grabbed his arm so he was forced to turn around and look at me. A sight that almost made me jump back as I caught a glimpse of his face. 

Or, more accurately, a glimpse of his eyes. 

to tell me that his wolf was

aback by his appearance

to the nook of my neck as he took in my scent. He

Scanned with CamScanner 

Lapie Ninety Su–171 

crazy,” he growled out. “I‘m trying to respect your space but you‘re making that exceedingly difficult.”

before and I found myself frozen, completely taken off guard by the sudden turn of events. I could feel the

more patient person ...,” he continued in a low voice. “Though you might be pushing my limits a little bit too

The mate bond. 

was just because of that.

then... didn‘t that mean....

been able to sense how much I‘d wanted him over the last two

running to get away from me.

sorry.” I said quietly. “I... I forgot that

out a strained exhale as he took a

room? Just meet me halfway on that one. That‘s all I‘m

...Cai? 

up here. “Why would you assume I‘m thinking about him?

you two together under

confusing the situation. Clearly, he‘d missed the most important part though; the bit where Cai caught me in a lie

we‘re just friends. It didn‘t mean anything beyond that. We don‘t see each other that way

have you been thinking about?”

uncomfortably on my feet, realising I‘d now dug my own grave. It seemed like

him, literally anything else, too nervous to meet his eyes.

before I‘d ruined everything,” || answered. “About how you‘re now connected to me regardless of whether you want it or not. How,

Aria, really, I do. You feel like you have a responsibility because of the things you’ve

Scanned with CamScanner 

I don‘t–”

you‘re scared of

I stood there, meeting his gaze as all my fears of rejection and

read me so well. That, despite the absence of the mate bond for me, that there was still a connection between us that ran deeper. Something stronger and irrefutable. He was right. I should have told him. I should have given him the chance to make the decision himself

I mean, tell me honestly this time..,” he said, bringing me out of my

that doing s o would have even crossed my mind for a second. In fact, I wanted nothing more than to melt into his touch entirely, to finally

thinking about these last few weeks,” he whispered, his face moving in closer t o

went blank as his proximity sent another

give me the relief I‘d been craving so badly

“Aria.” 

looking back

he repeated.

*Thump.* 

...And those words

Scanned with CamScanner 

IVU TOI ME 

Ninety–Six – Pt# 2

was like we‘d both been starving as we hungered for the other, everything happening so quickly.

his neck, the other was grabbing at his chest greedily, feeling his body against me. Constantly wanting

n that moment. That there was not even a shred of doubt in my

moaned against him, repeating the

for so much more than

along my neck, but the sensation was making me grow impatient. I couldn‘t take it much longer. I‘d thought about this so many times over the last few weeks that I didn‘t want to wait. I wanted to feel his skin

Now. 

that you‘re mine,” he growled in response, pulling away just enough to look at me with his still dark

that even

in this timeline. He possessed

countless times and sacrificed his own desires just to make me happy, despite receiving n o respite or recognition for doing so. If he wanted me after all of that, and was certain of that choice, then

my life, my soul, my very reason to keep going. I could walk through fire for him a thousand

Through and through. No matter what life I ended up in, no

yours,” I breathed against

me off the wall, taking us over to the couch; the closest piece of furniture in the vicinity. Clearly, just as impatient

this off,” I demanded, grabbing

small moments of slowing down t o admire

from this timeline originally, but there was no question that this was my* Aleric. That I was always meant to find my

my body, sending shivers through me where he

Scanned with CamScanner 

– P1# 2

these days that I knew parts of me were not pretty to look

the question for me without even needing to ask. An answer that I had not anticipated, feeling that it

perfect,” he said, his gaze quickly coming

intensity… it was the same way that I‘d come to learn meant he was being completely honest. The same look that would pierce through

my restlessness once more, no longer

wanted him now. I was done waiting even a

my body up against him, and hoping he‘d

renewed urgency; his

eventually, a gasp escaped me. The small feeling of relief finally being