A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Forty-Two I sat by Aleric’s bed in the Golden Blade’s hospital, having waited a few hours now for him to wake up Much to my relief, the doctors said he would make a full recovery despite everything that had happened. They successfully managed to remove the knife and seal him up until his body’s natural healing ability could kick in.

Any minute now he would be waking up… and that ended up being exactly the case. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around the room with eyelids still heavy, until he finally saw me.

“Aria…?” he mumbled weakly.

“I’m here,” I replied, moving a bit closer. I guess the nickname was staying and I still wasn‘t sure how to feel about it. “What happened...?” I realised he must have had some drugs left in his system as he sounded a bit out of it all still. “It was a silver knife,” I explained. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

He just nodded drowsily, settling back into the bed again.

“You realise you shouldn’t have done that, right?” I asked. “You‘re the future of this pack. You can’t go around tanking knives for the sake of a Beta. And need I also remind you that you actually have two Betas currently? There’s no reason to risk your life.” He groaned out a bit, but I didn‘t think it was from the pain. More so because I was nagging him.

“Contrary to what you may believe, Aria,” he said quietly, closing his eyes again. “…I would actually care if you got killed.”

I didn’t know how to reply to that. Instead, I sort of just... stared at him. 

Did he realise how close I came to killing him? 

I felt sick just thinking about it now.

His face then became calm as if he were drifting back to sleep, and so I wasn’t sure if he heard what I said next. But I did end up managing to reply to him ever so quietly. “If you got killed… I’d care too,” I whispered finally, though I wasn’t sure if I was telling him o r myself.

Regardless of who I’d once known, this boy in front of me deserved the benefit of the doubt. I had to have faith that he could change. That there was a better future ahead of us this time. Shortly after he fell asleep again, I finally got up to leave, satisfied that he was going to be okay. I had instructions to head home without him and knew whoever was coming to pick me u p would be waiting.

ADRESSEN PRYWATAISYTISTA EN ESTE POSITIONS 

ternet 

I gathered up my things and left the hospital, however, I was surprised by who I found by the car. Waiting for me outside was my father, staring off to the side with a look on his face that told me he was extremely unimpressed.

scared me,” he said, relief flooded in his voice. “…I’m sorry.” Even though I was fine, it felt nice to be hugged by him. I still felt safe being with him, regardless of the fact that I had spent so long toughening up these last few months.

he finally pulled

hear my father swear for the first time. He really must have been furious. I could only imagine the

I’m fine,” I assured him. “Weirdly enough… Aleric saved my

“Yes…. I heard.”

days for him to hide anything from me, especially after what we’d shared. “Well, it’s not that strange to hear he saved you...,” he finally said. “I‘ve been wanting to tell you this for months now but I couldn’t. In fact, I still shouldn‘t. But I think it‘s important so you can get the full picture given your history.” I frowned, worried over whatever

as a Beta heir,” he started. “The confidential discussion didn‘t play out the way you probably thought. The way it was standing was a four to five sway… and

unsure what to make of that. If that were true, then he knowingly agreed to, not only work alongside me as a team, but also supported what would inevitably mean rejecting him as my mate one day. Multiple different theories started going through my

live in wilderna 

of the participants were meant to know what went on during that meeting room whilst we stood outside. If I told anyone then

after the events at the Golden Blade. For

already extremely excited to start my full responsibilities as Beta heir. With it also came the added bonus of finally being able to drop high school and begin full-time training

level of trust with each other; as most would expect after he had saved my life. Some might even say we were friendly now. However, neither of us had brought up what he’d said in the hospital since coming home, and I didn’t dare ask if he’d heard my last words either… but I was getting used to him calling me Aria now at

were more

A split. I felt like there were two Arias now. There was the ‘me’ now, who was strong, determined and constantly fighting for change… and the old ‘me’, who was broken, anxious and constantly terrified at any given moment she would be

my brain to crack, and now it was becoming painfully obvious just how different we were. It had been her voice I’d heard inside my head. The voice of a girl who would succumb to murder as a means of survival, both present

now and then my worst fears. But there was something else that bothered me too. Something that had been disturbing me for a few months now. And yet, every time I went to remember what it was, it would escape m e instantly. I found my memory would begin to have lapses like this every now and then, slowly becoming

after all these months later, it came time for Aleric’s coming of age ceremony. He had turned eighteen and the event being thrown tonight was considered

as a la

NEROZAT Spray 

first time and learn to become one with his wolf. The Alpha heir’s eighteenth was considered the biggest event of the entire

course, I was expected to attend

seriously. But it didn‘t take long for me to realise how dumb that was. I hadn’t spent all this time arguing for my right to be taken seriously as a female Beta just to try and impress anyone now by dressing more masculine. If they were going to doubt me over just the clothes I wore then they weren’t worth my time anyway. I had a right to feel both pretty and pretty badass at the same time without their judgment. And so I went with a violet dress that matched my eyes. It was definitely more embellished and delicate than what I would have chosen normally, but given the event, I felt it was necessary. Lucy also had a ridiculous amount of fun styling my hair, something I‘d normally tell her not to fuss over. But she took it to the next level and the results were, admittedly,

I did recognise, and many I did not. But everyone was impeccably well dressed in their formal attire for the evening. A few I assumed were representatives from alliances in a show of good faith for Aleric’s future, others I assumed were here in the hopes of finding their mates. It was common to travel to other packs if they had no luck in finding their other half within their own territories. I was grateful to not have to worry about any of that tonight myself. Whilst Aleric would be coming of age, he would still need to wait until I was eighteen for the mate bond to be formed. Until then, neither of us would feel it. Not that it mattered though. I planned on becoming Beta and doing what was necessary to fulfil that. It wasn’t long after everyone arrived that Alpha Tytus gathered a

his eyes that I couldn’t recall having seen the last time I‘d gone to this party. He wore the same expensive and nicely fitted suit, his black wavy hair still perfectly tamed, and yet it was his expression that stood out the most. He seemed happier, if that was even possible for his usually very stoic

past, I had been paraded next to him for this entire event, the assumed future Luna. It was one of the first times we’d ever really spent an extended amount of time together. I could remember being in silent awe of him, wondering if he would really be mine one day. In true Aleric fashion though, he had barely even looked at me the whole night. I was grateful this time that no one was pressuring me to