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 

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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

aback by his appearance

myself being pushed against the wall, his head travelling to the nook of my neck as he took in my scent. He didn‘t continue to touch me as he did so, but he didn‘t need to for

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Lapie Ninety Su–171 

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

feel the warmth coming off his body as he stood so close to me, and it was unexpectantly making

more patient person ...,” he continued in a low voice. “Though you might be pushing my limits a little bit too far now. I don‘t know what‘s going on in your head lately, but I‘m pretty sure it‘s not Thea since my wolf has been clawing at me inside every

The mate bond. 

because of that.

then... didn‘t that

realising that he‘d been able to sense how

he‘d been running to get away

I forgot that you‘d be able

exhale as he took a step back, rubbing his

can you at least keep it to your own room? Just meet me halfway on that one. That‘s all I‘m asking

...Cai? 

we ended up here. “Why would you assume I‘m thinking about him? We‘re not... we‘re not like that

I saw you two together

overheard our conversation a little, confusing the situation. Clearly, he‘d missed the most important part though;

just friends. It didn‘t

what have you been thinking about?”

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

at something behind him, literally anything else, too nervous to

I wish things between us had been fixed before I‘d ruined everything,” || answered. “About how you‘re now connected to me regardless of whether you

closer to make me look up at him. “When were you going to let me make that choice? I understand your situation, Aria, really, I do. You feel like you have a responsibility because of the things you’ve experienced; because you once saw a future where similar scenarios ended badly... but I‘m not a kid. Let me make up my own mind and make my own decisions –

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just... I

because you‘re scared of being

meeting his gaze as all my fears of

of how, once again, he was able to 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

this time..,” he said, bringing

just below my jaw so I wouldn‘t turn away. Not that doing s o would have even crossed my mind for a second. In fact, I wanted

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

started but my brain went blank as his proximity sent

they were right there. Promising to give me the relief I‘d been

“Aria.” 

again, looking back up into his eyes.

he repeated.

*Thump.* 

I wanted you.” ...And those words ended up being the last thing

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IVU TOI ME 

Ninety–Six –

we

him. With one of my arms around his neck,

more in control than I did i n that moment. That there was not even a shred of doubt in my mind that this was exactly

against him, repeating

I was hungry for so much more

I couldn‘t take it much longer. I‘d thought about this so many times over the last few weeks that I didn‘t

Now. 

away just enough

was that even a

say that Aleric held my life in his hands and, though different, that still held true in this timeline. He possessed a power over me unlike any other, supporting me even when that wasn‘t always easy

me happy, despite receiving n o respite or recognition for doing so. If he wanted me

soul, my very reason to keep going. I could walk through fire for him a thousand times and it still would not be enough, knowing I

matter what life I ended up in, no matter what that ‘entailed.

yours,” I breathed against

he immediately lifted me off the wall, taking us over to the couch; the closest piece of furniture in the

off,” I demanded, grabbing

only taking small moments of slowing down t o admire the other. A

there was no question that this was my* Aleric. That

arms supporting his weight over me, he began placing small kisses all over my body, sending shivers through me where he touched. And I watched

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– P1#

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

An answer that I had not

quickly coming back up to lock

looking at me, so serious in its 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 able to endure the

I was done waiting even

I whined, arcing my body up against him,

his lips immediately captured my own again with a renewed urgency; his hand that had been tracing me suddenly

gasp escaped me. The small feeling of relief finally