A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Fifty–Eight 

‘So handsome,‘ I thought to myself as I watched Cai sleeping next to me. 

I wasn‘t sure how long I‘d slept for but I‘d woken up to find him by my side. He looked so peaceful; his hair had tousled into a mess as his chest softly rose and fell. I could have watched him for hours. 

I lost track of time as I recounted the events that had transpired the evening prior but soon Cai stirred next to me. In his slumber, a strand of hair fell across his face and I couldn‘t help but reach out and gently brush it away back into place. It was so silky to touch. 

As my eyes drifted back to his face though I froze, realising he was now awake and watching me. 

“Morning,” he mumbled sleepily, reaching out to pull me close to him. 

Thad fallen asleep in one of his t–shirts but could still feel his warmth through the fabric. If not for the confusion of his words, I would have melted myself into his touch willingly. But the nagging in my mind prevented me, forcing me to pick up on the oddity. How could it still be morning when I knew I‘d slept for a t least a few hours? 

“...Morning?” I asked slowly. “How long have I been asleep?” 

“Just over a day. You were dead to the world, completely comatose.” 

I tensed up immediately realising that, if that were true, then I‘d disappeared without notice for over an entire day. Were my parents freaked out? I knew I was exhausted from using that newfound authority but I hadn‘t realised I‘d be out cold for so long. The tax it took on my body must have been far more severe than I thought. 

I sat up and knew I needed to leave as soon as possible. If they already had people out looking for me then this was the last place they should find me. 

“Why didn‘t you wake me?!” 

I tried to squirm off the bed but he held me back, his arm around my waist. 

“Relax! I already handled it all. I told your attendant you were safe but had a rough night and were staying with a friend.” 

I turned back to look at him. “...No one can know I‘m here, Cai.” 

With a sleepy sigh and completely unphased by my stress, he shifted into a sitting position to tighten his grip on me. “I already figured you‘d say that so I told her to be discreet with the information.” 

It took a few seconds to fully process his words but finally, I exhaled in relief knowing that Lucy would make up an adequate excuse to appease my parents. At least there was no search party out looking for m 

“Come on,” he said, guiding me to lie back down again. 

He pulled me up against his chest once more so we were face–to–face and softly kissed my forehead between my knitted brows. I could already guess what he was thinking. 

“You worry too much,” he grumbled, confirming my suspicion. 

“You need to take this seriously, Cai,” I said quietly. ‘Do you realise what would happen if word got out?” 

“I‘m aware,” he replied, much to my surprise. 

“...If you know then why did you pursue me in the first place? ...Why come back to the Winter Mist?” 

wanity Light 

His eyes were serious, a sharpness to them I rarely saw. He was like a different person when he was this focused, so contrasted to his normally playful manner. 

“Because it‘s avoidable,” he said. “The issues are surrounding our positions and Aleric, right? There are ways around it.” 

so well then he was just as

really worth

eyes as he remained deep in thought. “...Maybe,” he said distantly.

let it go. Personally, I think I‘ve missed my calling in life t o become a trophy husband.

joking, I still stared at him in disbelief. He

just abandon

smirk anymore. “But who said I‘d want you as my Luna anyway? You‘d probably be terrible at it. Only those with *seven years o f Luna experience need apply for the future entry–level job offered at the Silver Lake pack. Unfortunately, you‘re one year

to his amusement. He quickly restrained me within his arms though, laughing the entire time.

“it doesn‘t bother me. If it means being

the worst decision I‘ve

shrugged. “Possibly, possibly.”

see a way where we can ever

he said, silencing my lips with a kiss. “Let‘s just enjoy the moment for a second. We have plenty of time to argue about whether we go public or not. And besides, it‘s not really much of an argument when I could just....” He started kissing his way up from my chest, along my shoulder... up until I

mark would go, and a shiver of pleasure spread throughout my whole body. I could picture it so clearly and knew how amazing it would feel to wear that mark. It would bring us together in ways no one else

was how mates completed their bond, a requirement for showing full commitment and becoming one. But a mark had its own complicated downsides; one of which was that if we were to go through a mate rejection post–marking, the

final. And

want to prevent at all costs...

okay because by that point it would be too late. By taking

moaned out, the internal battle inside me raging as he continued to kiss me along that area of

he

was involuntary. That feeling of knowing it was so wrong that it made it feel even better; as

me, this... intense… desire to be close to him, as if he were a force of nature pulling me in via gravity... It was intoxicating. The more

prior, forcing my body to feel unimaginable highs, I knew I was only falling down a rabbit hole I should

were completely exhausted once more, wrapped in each other‘s arms, I

me against him, “doing anything at all right now in a perfect world,

was such a strange question. There was no such thing as a perfect world, just one where death was lurking around every corner.

about it...,”

lives but it feels like

What would I want

few moments,

would be living as far away as possible from the pack and all associated responsibilities. I would be living a quiet life where no one knew me or was looking for me... and where I wouldn‘t need to worry about abandoning the people I care for because there would be no impending doom or warrant over my head

it all in. “Living in a

my lips as I envisioned it. “In the woods. A small house just big enough for me that no one would find. I‘d be sure to spread rumours of a witch

No partner?” he asked, hinting at the fact

me in my little cottage? I thought you‘d be too busy in this alternate reality, living up a more exciting life. Why bother entertaining

if it meant I got you to myself. In this world maybe no one will come looking for me too. I don‘t exactly enjoy the responsibilities involved with

probably tell the house planner to build some extra rooms then. I‘ll definitely need the extra space if it means putting up with

up having kids then the

sick, the unwelcome reminder assaulting me over something I‘d

“I need to tell you... I‘m not

tightened around me and he quickly kissed my forehead to interrupt me. “It‘s okay, you don‘t need to explain. I already had a feeling based on the things you told me about Thea. There are other options though if we really wanted... or maybe

while now regarding a certain dead rogue doctor in a cave. However, if it turned out to be irrelevant then I

you…?” I finally asked after a few moments of silence. “If you could

“...You. I‘d be doing you in your