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.” 

If he knew the ramifications of this so well then he was just

worth

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

one of the issues is because of my future status, then maybe I‘ll just... let it go. Personally, I think I‘ve missed my calling in life t o become a trophy husband. You can be the breadwinner Beta if you really want.”

stared at him in

just abandon your pack

probably be terrible at it. Only those with *seven years o

play fight him much to his amusement. He quickly restrained me within his arms though,

doesn‘t bother me. If it means being with you then I‘m happy to do whatever, Aria.”

me,” I replied. “This is literally the worst decision I‘ve ever made and I‘ve done a lot of dumb

shrugged. “Possibly, possibly.”

really don‘t see a way where we can ever be public–.”

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 could feel his warm

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 would ever be able to compare

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 process would potentially kill us. Our wolves were unlikely to survive the intense

It was unquestionable, final. And whilst the normal death of a mate

tied to Cai and, by extension, his pack; something that Tytus would want to prevent at all costs... And yet a part of me wanted him to do it. To quell any doubts in

okay because by that point it would be too late. By taking the choice away,

the internal battle inside me raging as he continued to kiss me along that area of m y neck. “...

he replied.

involuntary. That feeling of knowing it was

up under the fabric of his shirt I wore, working its way along my waist and upwards towards my chest. These feelings he gave me, this... intense… desire to be close to him, as if he were a force of nature pulling me in via gravity... It

he had the morning prior, forcing my body to feel unimaginable

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

softly afterwards, holding me against him, “doing anything at all right now in a

no such thing as a perfect

it...,” I said slowly.

lived two lives but it feels like you‘ve barely lived

would

after another few moments,

I 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

it all in. “Living

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 living theret o scare off any

asked,

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

idea 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

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

having kids then the extra space

I felt sick, the unwelcome reminder assaulting me

unable to meet his eyes. “I need to tell you... I‘m not sure... ... -” 1

feeling based on the things you told me about Thea. There are other options though if we really wanted... or maybe I‘ll decide

the tears stinging in my eyes before nodding my head, grateful he was so understanding. But I didn‘t have the heart to tell him yet about my suspicions. Suspicions I‘d been thinking for a while now regarding a certain dead rogue doctor in a cave. However, if it turned out to be

silence. “If you could be doing anything right now in a perfect

thought. “...You. I‘d