A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter One Hundred 

I sat atop a tree, looking down at those who would be fighting for our survival today. 

Any minute now we‘d be leaving, shifting and beginning our journey to the camp near the Silver Lake pack. With this many people, it was agreed that going on foot would be best, knowing that travelling via roads added more time and allowed for a predictable ambush. 

And there was no denying we had many people. After the final count, we numbered around two hundred strong warriors ready for battle today. 

... Ready for war. 

I sighed, the wind gently catching in my hair as I stared at all of their faces. I wouldn‘t forget what they looked like this time. No, this time I sent our men to war, I would remember them all, committing their appearance to memory and fighting alongside them to the end. 

On this day, I wasn‘t Ariadne Chrysalis, the former Luna of the Winter Mist. Always hiding behind my desk as I allowed our people to die without questions or guilt. 

Today, I was Aria the Saintess, the Alpha of the Winter Mist. Someone willing to die as I weighed the risks and acknowledged the impact it held for, not only me, but all of the people before me as well. 

Let this be the first and last war I ever see in this lifetime. 

I was meant to be getting angry, to be emotionally charging in. The whole plan was hinging on that. Except this morning, I couldn‘t help but feel impossibly calm. Almost... serene. As if this was all inevitable. Truthfully, it felt somehow eerily familiar. I wonder why? 

And with another moment of thought, it came to me. Acceptance. This was how I‘d felt right before I‘d been killed in my past life, when I‘d placed my head upon the wooden stump willingly for my execution. The acknowledgement that I couldn‘t stop my death from occurring. It was as if my body knew today was probably my expiration date, without anything even being confirmed yet. 

Perhaps this tranquillity was a good thing though. Thea needed to be within a certain distance to directly mess with me and she‘d probably already left to make her own preparations at the camp. Now it seemed almost quiet inside. If anything, these were the last moments I‘d have to myself before I‘d need to resume my role. To become the person expected of me. 

... But what I wouldn‘t give to just go back to the cabin in the woods. 

I guess it all had to end someday. Would I be allowed to see Myra again inside the Abyss? 

The warriors below then started to get restless, shuffling as their whispering became louder and louder. I could feel their anxiety and nerves radiating off them, making them more uneasy as every second passed. 

But it was their glances of scepticism that were the hardest to ignore. Many of them didn’t want me as an Alpha, I knew that. Aleric had always been the poster child for what a strong Alpha looked like, groomed since birth to fit that role. I was merely a usurper to some, a Luna who didn‘t know her place. Stealing the role by invoking Selene‘s name and authority. Locking Aleric away had surely not secured me any favour either. But regardless of their personal feelings, we needed to band together today if we wanted to survive. 

Suddenly, Alexander appeared then at the bottom of my tree, looking up at me expectantly. 

I knew what this meant. 

...It was time. 

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| quickly jumped down to meet him and he nodded his acknowledgement. 

“Oliver has everything here under control?” I asked. 

Brayden‘s father, Gamma Oliver, was the only ranked member we had that possessed enough experiencet o be trusted with the pack in our absence. It was true that I‘d prefer him on the battlefield, but I needed someone at home to protect our most vulnerable whilst we were gone. This left me with Alexander and Brayden as my right-hand people to help coordinate. 

“Everything is prepared,” he confirmed. “We‘re ready to leave on your order.” 

Well, I guess we should get this over with. 

“Everyone!” I then shouted to the crowd, stepping towards them. 

Silence immediately fell as they all turned to look at me, holding mixed expressions. 

“I‘m sure many of you are nervous or maybe even conflicted about what we‘re doing today,” I started, meeting a few eyes. “...And I don‘t blame you. But there isn‘t any reason to fear what is ahead for us. Help me and I promise to help you as much as physically can.” 

Judging just by their reactions alone, I could tell many of them still didn‘t believe me, and I quietly sighed. 

“I know some of you are probably wishing Aleric and I‘s positions were swapped,” I continued. “Make no mistake, I‘m entirely aware that some of you don‘t like me. I know I‘m not perfect. However, today I‘m not asking for you to ‘like‘ me, but I am asking for something that is going to be far more difficult than any rogue you will face.” 

I paused to gauge their response, proceeding only once I felt they were still following. 

“...I‘m asking for your trust,” I said. “Trust that I‘m sending you out there today with only good intentions, committing fully to live and die by your side. We‘re fighting to save Aleric, to retrieve back someone who the majority of you know personally. Despite your individual feelings towards me, it‘s imperative that we don‘t lose focus on the purpose for why we‘re fighting today. Because you‘re not fighting for me. Today, w e go to war to save one of our own, one of our fellow pack members... we‘re fighting for our future.” 

Let them interpret that last part how they will. All that mattered was they remained focused on what needed to be done. And, with a few howls and cheers, I was pleased to see my words had gotten through to at least some of them. 

With one last look towards Brayden and Alexander, I gave the final nod for everyone to shift into their wolves. 

...And into the woods we went, beginning our journey. 

when we arrived. The three of us ranked, and several other chosen warriors, would be fighting on two legs

long as everything went to

to do. To prepare myself and delve into that negative emotion Thea would be

kill her today. I swear by it.‘

arrived, a howl being sent into the air by one of our scouting wolves in front t o alert us. They were the most familiar with these lands

opening up into a large field. This would be the furthest we‘d go for now.

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Whaplet One Hundred 

could smell that these lands were occupied by many more people. Hundreds of rogues if Sophie‘s words were to be believed. I could even faintly make out the sound of their people if

were waiting for us.

just needed

I need

were specifically designed with both agility and protection in mind and I was pleased with the result. I could feel the small protective padding i n

for

armoury... and a new one I’d had specially made for today. Each was then strapped to my body. One on m y thigh, another by my hip, and the last

this?” Alexander asked, coming up behind me.

finally pay today. Locking me up wouldn‘t even be enough to stop me

Goddess does to the dirt. Or does it become as meaningless as her existence upon exit? How will it feel for her

order. I want to make it very clear that no one is to intervene, regardless of how much

with me, but he accepted my

to him, implying he shouldn‘t follow me any

I turned to face

Do you feel how much hatred I hold for you? See how far I‘m willing to go

clearing, immediately seeing as the opposite side started to move. Almost as if a

them. Possibly a hundred or so more than

you be too scared to face me today? I came all this way to finally finish this.

of a child,

from the trees, slowly making their way towards me, but I didn‘t remotely falter or slow down. I kept walking to them with my head held high.

foresight back, Thea. Though be sure to tell the weasel that I‘ll be making his afterlife more

preparing myself for this. Refusing to engage in anything that might weaken me so I

just needed to come a

they then stopped further than I would have liked, clearly unnerved

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Chapter One Hundred 

now four or five

of?” I yelled out to the few that were in earshot. “Aren‘t your orders to retrieve m y body for your

between each other apprehensively, weighing up what to do, before one finally came forward. The largest of the wolves near the front,

they charged

went in for a fast lunge, almost feeling insulted that they would think that would actually work, and easily side–stepped them as I

they moved past me, going in for a swift kill. I only pulled it back out to clean the blade against m y clothes. It had been

I‘d moved too quick for them to even react, their gross underestimation of me proving lethal. And whilst I‘d expected someone to approach me in this manner, I hadn‘t expected them t

them looking like a

one I was pleased to see had worked. The rogues all started to advance on me again, now seeing that I meant business and

took a deep breath, watching their approach carefully as every step they

I did today, I was doing for me...

Myra... for C–..

more steps.

parents who couldn‘t return home..

I hurt

could feel myself begin to shake from

of those who will be here after I am gone.’

*NOW* 

within lunging range of their front

up to prepare. 

now or

last deep breath and....

AND KNEEL BEFORE ME!”

into the air at the top of my lungs so loudly that I was sure majority of their numbers had to have heard it.

every ounce of energy I had inside to make it work.

plan to even

I wasn‘t disappointed with the

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:יסרי וס וודק!!.