A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 100

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. 

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

as everything

prepare myself and delve into that negative emotion Thea would be expecting. Festering in the thoughts she would be implanting into me.

to kill her today. I

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 so

ahead. I could see a clearing opening up into a large field. This would be the furthest we‘d go for now.

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Whaplet One Hundred 

still obscured by the woods but I could smell that these lands were occupied by many more people. Hundreds of rogues if Sophie‘s words

waiting

somewhere. I just needed

sent for slaughter? Or would I

and protection in mind and I was pleased with the result. I

for

I’d had specially made for today. Each was then strapped

you sure about this?” Alexander asked, coming up behind

finally pay today. Locking

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

moved. “Tell everyone to stand back until I give the order. I want to make it very clear that no one is to intervene, regardless of how much

feel his confliction as he walked with me, but he

to him, implying he shouldn‘t

turned to face the battlefield.

hold

Almost as if a wave of wolf

them. Possibly a hundred or so more than

scared to face me today? I came all this way to

afraid of a

me, but I didn‘t remotely falter or slow down. I kept walking to them with my head held high.

easy it will be to track down Cai once you retrieve your foresight back, Thea. Though be sure to tell the weasel that I‘ll be making his

been purposely preparing myself for this. Refusing to engage in anything that might weaken me so I could divert all of my attention

needed to come a little closer.

abruptly, they then stopped further than I would have liked,

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Chapter One Hundred 

standing against an entire army; now

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

each other apprehensively, weighing up what to do, before one finally came forward. The largest of the wolves near the front, clearly one of their best fighters if their size and confidence was anything to

charged towards

fast lunge, almost feeling insulted that they would think that would actually work, and easily side–stepped them as I dodged the attack. Only I didn‘t leave

dagger at my hip... and instantly embedded it into the side of their throat as they moved past me, going in for a

even react, their gross underestimation of me proving lethal. And whilst I‘d

them looking like a competent fighter.

served a purpose though; one I was pleased to see had worked. The rogues all started to advance on me again, now seeing that I meant business and wouldn‘t be taken down easily.

as every

was doing for me... for Aleric...‘

Myra... for

steps. It

my parents who couldn‘t

hurt whilst Thea

I could feel myself begin to shake from

future of those who will be

*NOW* 

few feet, making me within lunging range of

up to prepare. 

now or

took one last deep breath

KNEEL BEFORE ME!”

at the top of my lungs so loudly that

it every ounce of energy I had inside to make it work. This was a crucial part of my plan today that I needed to

The plan to even

I wasn‘t disappointed with the

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:יסרי וס וודק!!. 

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