A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Ninety Seven 

Chapter Ninety–Seven 

I woke up with a long, satisfied stretch in bed, feeling more content than I had in years. 

The last few days had all blended together so much that I could barely keep track of time anymore. Was it a Tuesday? Morning? Night? I didn‘t know. All I knew was that my last week had been spent with Aleric, living and breathing every moment he could spare for me. 

I continued to stretch, trying to wake up but, as I did so, I suddenly felt a pulse of pain emanate from my shoulder. Something I‘d been ignoring the last few days despite my actual purpose in coming here. 

Well, if it gave another reason to stay here a little longer, it couldn‘t be all that bad, right? 

I sighed. 

I didn‘t want to leave. Of course, I didn‘t. It was so easy to ignore all my impending problems waiting form e at home, choosing to just live inside my own little bubble instead. I was happy here. Actually happy. Something I hadn‘t felt in so long. Given everything I‘d endured, surely I deserved even the tiniest bit of respite? 

And Aleric seemed happy, though he hadn‘t explicitly vocalised it. Not that I expected him to. He wasn‘t one to normally express feelings through words unless he was prompted, usually choosing to convey things in his actions instead. But I could tell by how he was acting that he seemed to be enjoying himself, appearing lighter and more relaxed in his mannerisms. 

Thinking back now, it seemed crazy that I‘d spent so many years of this life trying to run away from him. I had even planned to reject him. And I knew from previous experience how much that hurt, more than would warrant the benefits of going through with that process. The constant empty void it created inside was tortuous. 

It made me wonder how good things could have been from the beginning if we‘d just been allowed a chance to live our lives the way we were meant to. If there were no prophecy pressures, no Selene, no markings, or Thea. Just... two people from the same pack who found each other. Would the Aria and Aleric of that timeline, though no doubt very different from the people we are now, find themselves happily together too? 

However, it was strange to even think of the person I once was. My first life felt more like a bad nightmare and so did the person from that timeline. I‘d lived such a sheltered, structured life that the girl from back then could barely be considered anything more than a doll. And whilst I couldn‘t say I enjoyed‘ the journey, I couldn‘t exactly deny that the misfortunes I‘d experienced since dying hadn‘t matured me either; hadn‘t helped me grow up from the naïve, juvenile Luna I‘d once been. 

It was probably most evident in the way I‘d acted upon returning. As if I were sometimes more a bratty girl than a woman who had once held a high status. Far too much freedom and trauma given to a child all at once, driven by an intense motivation to escape and be their own person finally. Yet, all the while that was happening, also dealing with the basic body changes that came with being a teenager once more. 

So, who was I actually? Without Thea, without the naivety, without the fear and pain? If, by some miracle, I somehow survived this until the end, living to see a world where I was finally free of Thea entirely, what did that even look like for me? When I could finally just be myself without pressures or manipulation? Who will I eventually become? 

...But would I even survive? Selene coming to retrieve what was hers seemed more than likely for when this was over. She‘d told me herself how she considered the other saints, the ones that came before me, mistakes. Did victory mean getting to live? Or was that expiration still waiting for me regardless, only buying my time the more I procrastinated facing Thea? 

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...Would it mean saying a final goodbye to Aleric before we left to fight her? 

Trolled over and threw my legs over the side of the bed, no longer wanting to think about it anymore. The outcome for that was not something in my control so there was no point in mulling over it. 

For now... I just wanted to be happy for the time I was certain I did have. 

And so I left my room, walking down the stairs to the only place I wanted to be right now. 

“What are you reading?” I asked softly, standing in the doorway of the living area. 

It was gently raining outside, the sound of the drops hitting the roof in a soothing way. The clouds outside were also darkening the sky enough that, once again, I couldn‘t be sure what time it was. 

Aleric was sitting by the windowsill, book in hand, and only looked up after I spoke, a small smile warming on his face as he did so. His eyes reminded me of the moss and trees within the woods when he looked genuinely happy, almost as if he were a living personification of my little cottage sanctuary outside. 

“Nothing really,” he answered. “Did you have a good sleep?” 

“I don‘t know if I can call that ‘sleep‘, since there wasn‘t much of that happening... but it was good. Some might even say... great.” 

“...Is that so?” 

And I crept closer until I stood in front of him, intending to look at the book in his hands, but instead he reached out and pulled me into his lap, forcing a squeal of surprise out of me at the sudden movement. Not that I was complaining though. 

And, as he positioned me to sit comfortably against his broad chest, I‘d never felt so cosy and safe before. 

“This looks like one of my books,” I said, reading the words on the page. “Only a small portion of this is in the common tongue though.” 

“Well, it‘s raining and there isn‘t much else to do for entertainment around here...” 

And I felt as he then tilted his head down towards me, proceeding to nip at my ear. “Unless you had something else in mind.” 

A shiver ran through me, sending endless possibilities to run through my mind... though it was shortly followed by another dull ache in my shoulder, a reminder of why we were here. I had healed a lot since we‘d arrived, but our recent activities were probably regressing that process. 

“I need a little break... I‘m still healing, after all,” I said laughing, and I squirmed away from his teeth. “I‘m pretty sure these last few days have been the opposite of allowing my body to rest.” 

Much to my own disappointment, he then eased off just as I‘d asked, and went back to looking at the book instead. It was a situation where I didn‘t particularly want to be the responsible one. 

In fact, I could think of several more irresponsible things we could be doing right now.... 

“Aria,” he said in a low voice behind me. “Make up your mind.” 

I felt my cheeks redden, realising we were back at square

be more aware of

this?”

“Not really. I didn‘t really bother with languages during study. I‘m mostly looking at the pictures

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pop up.”

me to read it to you?” I offered. “I can‘t say I’m fluent anymore but I‘ve been getting a

his body then chuckled behind me, the vibrations making me want to melt against him

“...Sure,” he said. 

several centuries ago, he sat and listened diligently to me

I‘d tried so hard to fight against it, willing myself not to let the moment go. But, in the end, it proved too

asleep in his arms.

up to the feeling of my hair being gently played with, the strands delicately

are you doing?” I murmured softly, waking up to see Aleric next to me in bed.

if he‘d been caught doing something he shouldn‘t. A reaction that would have

tightened at the scene before me and

as a kid. The silver is like an old lady‘s.”

pretty colour,” he replied. “I‘ve always liked your hair. Even when I was younger,

*Thump.* 

against him, resting my head on the pillow next to him so we could face each other.

you like?” I whispered, though a little

interested in me. From what I could tell, it wasn‘t as if I‘d given him many reasons to. It was something I‘d been wondering about for a while now, always secretly speculating why, but

this sort of information from him was probably going

to me and cleared his throat, a

paused, silently considering my request before continuing.

beautiful... funny... smart... or at

I could do much else, he then quickly grabbed my hand in his and kissed it

you became someone I looked forward to

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Chapter Ninety–Seven 

brim with tears, feeling overwhelmed by his response. I hadn’t expected

confidence and strength,” he continued, “your ability to change things around you; both people and the pack. You have a way of setting your mind to do something and

chimed in lightly, though my voice

which... were you going to train today? I couldn‘t help but notice

on a break,” | grumbled as I averted my eyes to the unwelcome change

looked back to see him watching me with

how I have to patrol. Which..“He then looked out towards the window,

whined softly, enjoying our lazy day in bed too

surely. I didn‘t want him to

my tone, and pulled himself away

in bed with me for a little bit longer,” | said. “We can

back over to kiss me.

filled me as I revelled in the sensation his touch offered, and I grabbed his shoulder

were up to me, it wouldn‘t have stopped there but, before I could initiate anything

tempting,” he reiterated, “but I prefer to be focused when fighting, *notdistracted by a lazy seductress in

pouted, and I sat up as he went to get changed.

feel free to prove me wrong,” he laughed, throwing on some loose

I quietly grumbled again, making

my side of the bed. “Stop looking

he quickly kissed me, a tiny spark erupting from where our lips met, and left before I could say anything

it‘d be before he came home today, knowing sometimes he was gone for a few hours. He was right though…

Wait... 

...A spark. 

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LHPRETTY even 

brought a hand up to

felt that. I‘d

definitely a spark from the mate bond. Just a

out of bed, tripping over my own legs in haste, and made it to

him, I heard the front door to outside

was already

to tell him

finally felt a spark? And it would definitely be cause for some... scientific research. To test