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. 

tell me that his wolf was

I asked, taken aback by his

found 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 

growled out. “I‘m trying to respect your space but you‘re making

of events. I could feel the warmth coming off his body as he stood so close to me, and it was unexpectantly making me want more despite the

...,” 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

The mate bond. 

was just because

then... didn‘t

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

wonder he‘d been running to get away from me.

sorry.” I said quietly. “I... I forgot that you‘d be able to

strained exhale as he took a step back, rubbing his eyes

can you at least keep it to your own room? Just

...Cai? 

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

saw you two together under the tree, remember? Cuddled u p

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

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

then what have you

dug my own grave. It

stared at something behind him, literally anything else, too

had been fixed before I‘d ruined everything,” || answered. “About how you‘re now connected to me

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

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I

me as an excuse because you‘re scared of

as all my fears of rejection and guilt flew through my head.

absence of the mate bond for me, that there was still a connection between us that ran deeper. Something

And I mean, tell me honestly this time..,” he said, bringing

have even crossed my mind for a second. In fact, I wanted nothing more than to melt

what you‘ve been thinking about these last few weeks,” he whispered, his face moving in closer

been...,” I started but my brain went blank as his proximity sent

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

“Aria.” 

again, looking back

me,” he

*Thump.* 

words ended up being the last thing I said before everything

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IVU TOI ME 

Ninety–Six –

waist, pressing me against him, and his lips enveloped my own. It was like we‘d both been starving as we hungered for the

his hands supporting my weight as I clungt o him. With one of my arms around his neck, the other was grabbing at his chest greedily, feeling his body against me.

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

repeating

so

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

Now. 

me that you‘re mine,” he growled in response, pulling away just enough to look

that even

still held true in this timeline.

receiving n o respite or recognition for doing so. If he wanted me after all of that, and was certain of that

could walk through fire for him a thousand times and it still would not

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

breathed

the closest piece of furniture in the vicinity. Clearly, just as impatient as I was.

off,” I demanded, grabbing

moments of slowing down t o admire the other. A sight I revelled in looking at.

question that this was my* Aleric. That I

over me, he began placing small kisses all over my body, sending shivers through me where he touched. And I watched him as he did so, wondering the entire time

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Ninety Six – P1#

his head. I had so many scars and bruises these days that I knew parts of me were not pretty to look at

ask. An answer that I had not

said, his gaze quickly coming back up to lock with my

was the same way that I‘d come to learn meant he was being completely honest.

once more, no longer able to endure the agonisingly

him now. I was done waiting even a second longer.

whined, arcing my body up against him,

a renewed urgency;

me. The small feeling of relief finally