A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Forty-Four “...What?” I dropped my hands instantly and moved backwards out of his arms. “Feelings for me? Like friendship? Because we had always been friends in my mind, Cai. It was you who denied it, remember?” My chest was beating so hard that I felt like I was about to faint. He walked towards me, immediately closing the space I‘d just made between us, and cupped m y face in his hand to make me look up at him. I felt frozen in place staring up into his eyes that appeared to be completely serious. “You know what I meant, Aria,” was all he said to clarify.

I felt my mind go completely blank as he held my gaze, having been taken completely off guard by his sudden confession. But finally, after a few moments, reality kicked in.

I pushed my way backwards again, confusion slowly registering over everything he’d just said.

How could that even be possible? If that was true, then why would he have waited so long to tell me? Why keep it from me for two years? And then a sickening realisation came to me. A reason why he might have waited so long before making a move on me.

“…How many times have you used that line on girls before?” I finally asked. “...You think that now, because I‘m older, that I‘m fair game? That I‘m just like the girls you would take to empty classrooms on your lunch breaks to screw?”

His face fell and he looked taken aback. “What? Aria, no–.” 

“I thought you would have grown up at least a little bit whilst you were gone,” I said, my voice increasingly becoming more agitated the more I thought about it. “Is that actually all you wanted? Did you even care about fixing things between us? Or was it just that you‘re in town for a party and you’re looking for a quick lay before you go back home again?” “Aria, no, you‘ve got it all —.” “You’ve been back in my life for not even twenty minutes, Cai, and already you’re trying to pick me up after ignoring me for two years?”

He’d gone from admitting he‘d hurt me... to trying to hit on me. Which part of that did he think I would ever consider okay? I was willing to forgive him, to move on and mend something that had been weighing me down for so long... but this...? I could feel angry tears beginning to fall down my face again as I furiously swatted them away. “You know what? No. Fuck you, Cai. I‘m not going to be some name on your playboy to-do list. Fucked a Saintess? Better tick that one off, aye? Bet you won’t find another one of those in the country, right?” “Aria! Will you please just—.” 

“I never cared that you went around doing it. It was never my place to judge. It still isn’t. But don’t go dragging me into some sick game to tease me, Cai. I‘m not the same vulnerable girl I used to be years ago. And I don’t need you to pour fake pleasantries over me just to feel validated.”

“What the fuck, Aria–.” 

“No! Enough. There are plenty of girls who will be interested inside… but not here.” He looked hurt as he went to leave but I told myself it was just because I hadn’t given in to his ridiculous attempt of getting into my pants. … Because it was better than the alternative. The alternative where he was actually being sincere and had real genuine feelings for me, not just the typical Cai feelings about women. Because that was something I didn‘t want to consider, something I couldn’t consider. The implications of being with someone like Cai were extremely messy for myself and my current position

Not to mention I had been reborn with the purpose of surviving to stop the future from happening again. There was no room for romantic feelings or more heartbreak. I’d already lived through that once… I’d already been killed for that. I turned around to hide my face so I wouldn’t have to watch him walk out. It was already too difficult to deal with without having to see those goddamn sad eyes of his.

He knew just as well as I did that us being together would only cause problems, so why would h e even try? Or why not just be honest and say he only wanted a one night stand? At least then I could have turned down the offer without him making me feel so emotionally confused.

if he would even attempt this. As if I

I didn’t want to go back in and accidentally have to make awkward eye contact with Cai. Nor did I want to see him taking me up on my advice for him to find another girl. I‘d already seen enough of Cai hitting on women for one lifetime. And yet I felt conflicted inside. A lot of thoughts and feelings I wasn’t sure how to process, or know whether or not I even wanted to process them. ....You did the right thing,‘I heard her whisper inside; the old me. ‘Either way, this is the best thing for us.‘ “I know that!” I hissed angrily to myself. “Fuck... give me a break, you cynical bitch.” “Are you okay?” a voice then said behind me, making me jump in surprise. I quickly turned around and saw a girl. She was young, maybe not much older than myself, with black wavy hair and bright

EPRESSED 

smiled reassuringly, seeing through my obvious lie, but ultimately decided to keep walking. She must have been able to tell from my

to

turning back around to smile timidly at me. “Well… not

with my offer and she walked back over to me eagerly. “Their name is Alistair Carter, have you heard of them before?

them?” “Oh… well…,” she said. “I don’t know... it‘s silly.” She awkwardly shuffled on their feet and tucked her hair behind

be dead right now if it weren’t for them,” she said, talking excitedly as if retelling a fairytale. “I managed to track the letter trail. It brought me to the name of someone in a pack around this region… but I’m starting to think

because they were me. It

from the eastern Hidden Moon pack. The same Alpha I had amassed my original fortune from. Funds acquired by… less

me, completely taken aback. I definitely hadn’t been

“...Why?” I asked. 

information about me that should have been impossible. I’ve been wracking my mind on how they could have possibly known what they did in order to save me… and all I could come up with was that maybe we were connected and it was divine intervention.” ‘Or maybe they were working with the kidnappers.’ The thought came to me but

me with her big, eager blue eyes, I couldn’t help but do my best not to laugh. It was horrible, I knew that, but something about the whole situation occurring was insane. I also made a mental note to ensure Lucy did a better job of hiding her tracks in the future. I was genuinely happy to see

So, should I tell her that I didn’t know him? I considered it for a moment but the thought of this girl spending more time travelling the country in search of someone who didn’t exist made me feel guilty. She was hopeful that the love of her life was some foreign man who saved her via their deep connection. Would anyone ever be able to live up to that standard? Hell, even I could see how that would be stupidly romantic. “…I knew Alistair,” I said slowly. I could feel the excitement wash over her as I said it. “But he died of old age last year, I’m sorry to say.” And just like that, I forced her journey to come to an end. By claiming he had passed, it left no room for hope that he might be her

see the light in her eyes die at my words and I really

“That‘s okay, I guess. It was just a stupid fantasy anyway.” “Ahh… I’m sure they would be glad to see you

better but I honestly was at a bit of a loss for what to say. She

way,” I said and held my

the topic change, a more genuine smile spreading o n her face. “Iris Sullivan. You said ‘Aria‘, right? I‘ve heard

wasn’t going to turn into a

bit of an inspiration for girls like me. What