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 as insane as m e for

really worth starting

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

the issues is because of my future status, then maybe I‘ll just... let it go. Personally, I think I‘ve missed my

I still stared at him in disbelief. He

you can‘t just abandon your

at it. Only those with *seven years o f Luna

his shoulder and started to play fight him much to his amusement. He quickly restrained me within his arms though, laughing the entire

he said, finally continuing, “it doesn‘t bother me. If it means being with you then I‘m happy

worst decision I‘ve ever made and I‘ve done

“Possibly, possibly.”

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

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

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

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

from rejection, a mark meant that there could be no other mate until one of the bonded died. It was unquestionable, final. And whilst the normal death of a

would be fully 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

that point it would be too late. By taking the choice away, it would free me in a

me raging as he continued to kiss me along that area of m y neck. “... Stop that.” It was a

he replied.

definitely not today, but the excitement it caused was involuntary. That feeling of knowing it was so wrong that it made it feel even better; as

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

body to feel unimaginable highs, I knew

in each other‘s

you could be anywhere...,” Cai asked softly afterwards, holding me against him, “doing anything at all right now

no such thing as a perfect world, just one where death was lurking

thought about it...,”

could do but couldn‘t? You‘ve lived two lives but it feels like you‘ve barely lived for yourself from what you‘ve told me.”

What would I want to

another few moments,

have nothing I needed to do. 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

his head thoughtfully as he took it all in. “Living in a

for me that no one would find. I‘d be sure to spread

for you? No partner?” he asked, hinting at the fact I hadn‘t included him.

my little cottage? I thought you‘d be too busy in this alternate reality, living

the idea if it meant I got you to myself. In this world maybe no one will come looking for me too. I

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

kids then the

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

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

me. “It‘s okay, you don‘t need to explain. I already had a feeling based on the things you

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

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

“...You. I‘d be doing you