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

that was that I

plainly see how he doted on her over me. Gave her the love that was rightfully mine, looking at her as if she were his sun. But every part of my being loved

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

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

soon completely stopping. Those short moments he had once indulged me had been everything to me. They were the only times he had ever touched me with intimacy. My skin would send sparks wherever our bodies met, and

was the curse

I said, my voice barely

as my legs began to shake. I could

It was suffocating.

your Luna position for Thea. The Goddess still chose you to be Luna,

at his

rightful heir. The elders have deemed this appropriate given the circumstances. They understand how

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

morning at eight. Don’t be late,” he said finally before

rather see me suffer than give me even an ounce of love or affection. I was a Luna, his Luna, and a queen in the eyes of our pack, but he

to stand it any longer, I decided to do the only thing I could do in this situation;

into the forest as the cold fresh air hit my face immediately, something I breathed in greedily to help clear 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 for long as I shifted into my

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

been discarded. I could see now that it had been for the best that I brought no children into this family. No child would make his feelings for me

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

enough? Four years was way too long to wear my heart on my sleeve for Aleric. He had made a mockery of my love for him and

at the different scents, taking it all in so she could

soon. But I didn’t want to subject her to

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. Unfortunately, I had to remind her that we needed to get home for dinner or Sophie would begin to worry. With a final whimper