A Gift from the Goddess

“It looks like everyone is here now,” Aleric said, projecting into the crowd. “We are gathered here today to bear witness to the trial of Ariadne Chrysalis, former Luna to the Winter Mist pack.”

His eyes scanned over the faces of everyone around before finally landing on me.

“Do you swear on the Goddess’ name, Ariadne, that you will tell the whole truth during this trial?” Aleric asked.

I met his piercing green eyes, a shiver going down my spine. How those eyes haunted me.

“I do,” I replied loudly and confidently.

“And how do you plead?”

I held my breath, my heart racing in my chest.

“Not guilty.”

“She’s pregnant,” Aleric told me.

I stared at him in shock, my face paling. My destined mate, the love of my life, was telling me that he had gotten a girl pregnant. A girl who was not me.

It was like a kick to the gut. The mate bond made the weight of his words tortuous and my inner wolf howled out in pain. I had given everything to Aleric, suffered everything for him. And yet here he was, standing in front of me, telling me such excruciating news as if he were telling me the time of day.

“Why?” I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you,” Aleric said sharply. “You couldn’t even fulfil all your duties as my mate, as a Luna. Don’t start acting as if this is a surprise. The pack needs an Alpha heir. Something you are incapable of, Ariadne.”

His words stung, twisting deep into my flesh like a knife. We had been officially mated for six years now and it was true… I had failed to bear him a child. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t wanted to though. For months after we had officially found out about the mate bond, I would try everything to be with him as much as possible. But he was never interested in me, I could see that clearly. I knew he was only with me because I was the rightful Luna.

Something no mate should ever have to

was that I knew about his mistress;

rightfully mine, looking at her as if she were his sun. But every part of

pack doctor a year after failing to conceive and he confirmed my worst fears; I was unable to bear children. I didn’t know what to do, how to keep going. This was the one thing that I had pinned all my hopes on for my fate to change, for Aleric to change. The news of my infertility was kept only within the high ranks of the pack thankfully, but I’d never seen my father,

duties. We were the most successful pack in the country and a part of that was due to me. I thought if I could make him successful then he would pay me back in kind. However, the longer time went on,

his visits soon completely stopping. Those short moments he had once

was the curse

love you, Aleric,” I

cold green eyes as my legs began to shake. I could feel inside that my wolf was crushed, feeling her

It was suffocating.

I’m not removing you of your Luna position for Thea. The Goddess still chose you to

flinched at

heir. The elders have deemed this appropriate

to him in submission, tears quietly streaming down my face. I needed to leave, to get away from him, but I was held in place by his presence. Even after everything he had done to me, I still relished in him even talking to me. The bond between Luna and Alpha was strong, and it caused me to still love him even now. Even

before walking out

Luna, his Luna, and a queen in the eyes of our pack, but

the only thing I

my head. It was nice, apart from the wind that bit at my cheeks where my tears had fallen, forcing a chill through my body. But it didn’t end up stinging

She needed to feel free and alive. We were both trapped by our position, our duty, our mate. We had sacrificed everything for our pack,

for the best that I brought no children into

Every part of me wanted to run away, but I knew my pack needed me. In fact, I knew damn well that Thea would burn this pack to the ground if she became Luna. She hadn’t had any training and I was yet

enough? Four years was way too long to wear my heart on my sleeve for Aleric. He had made

at

to head back soon. But I didn’t want to subject her to that just yet. For just a little while longer,

I accepted it was finally time. I gently nudged her in my head to indicate we should head home but she let out a low growl to tell me she wasn’t pleased with this idea. Not that I blamed her.