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 

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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.

the last few feet between us quickly and pulled me into a hug. “You 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

few seconds, he finally pulled away, shaking his

my father swear for the first time. He really must have been furious. I could only imagine the punishment waiting for those poor warriors once they returned home. Not that it was their fault. Aleric and I had been the ones to wander off without

okay, I’m fine,” I assured him.

“Yes…. I heard.”

he wanted to say something. “What is it...?” I asked. I found his reaction odd since it was unusual these 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 he was about

meeting for your admittance to be trained 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 Aleric held the last vote to decide. If he didn‘t vote in your favour, Aria, you would

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 mind

live in wilderna 

more confused. I agreed to keep the information my father told me to myself. After all, none of the participants were meant to know

lot of time passed after the events at

to start my full responsibilities as Beta heir. With it also came the added bonus of finally being able to drop

combat. It didn’t feel as weird anymore and, on a certain level, we had even built up a 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 the very least. It seemed like such a small insignificant thing and yet… it had been something that held a lot of weight for me in my past life. My full name

were

had been a shift within myself too. 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’,

dying with his life in my hands that day had only seemed to cause something inside 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

her, the old Aria, every time I caught my own reflection in the mirror. It was like she was constantly there, scared and insecure, peering out from behind my eyes. Because of that, I found it difficult at times to assure myself that I was on the right path. I knew she was always s o close by, just hiding behind the surface. ...Whispering every 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

it came time for Aleric’s coming of age ceremony. He had turned eighteen and the event

 a la parte year your

NEROZAT Spray 

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

of course, I was expected to

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

town had been rented out for the occasion. It was double story and had a balcony surrounding it that overlooked the forest down below. Later tonight, Aleric and a few other selected pack members would go down to that forest and witness his first shift. I wouldn‘t be there for that part though; it was tradition for those witnessing to be already of age so they could go running in the woods after. Looking around inside, there were a lot of faces 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

looked up at Aleric from within the crowd and saw a slight happiness in 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

of time together. I could remember being in silent awe of him, wondering