Chapter Seventy–Seven 

“This is fake,” I said, coming off far more flustered than I intended. “There is no way there are people out there just running around with... with god powers. That‘s... that‘s so stupid.” 

It‘s absurd. Insane. Some sort of joke. 

Because if it was real then that meant my life had been far more controlled than I initially realised. That there were powers at be far more advanced out there than just a Goddess mark. And it meant that Cai... 

I wanted to throw up. 

“Based on your reaction,” Elder Luke said, his eyes examining me, “I can‘t help but wonder if this discovery isn‘t actually all that foreign to you. Would I be correct in assuming that perhaps you have personal insight into the theory?” 

He was right. I was getting overly worked up because a part of me had already started piecing it together ... and it scared me. The more I thought about it, the more plausible it became. 

Because, truthfully, there was something I was already all too familiar with; my visions. ‘Foresight‘. It fit perfectly with the attribute allegedly assigned to my house. But I‘d always thought the ability to see ahead was something new, something Selene gave to me only once I returned. What if I‘d always had the latent foundation inside me but couldn‘t harness it until after Selene had directly gifted me a piece of herself? 

...What if, prior to coming back, the ability had only had enough strength to manifest itself as something more diluted, something more normal. 

...Like a keen interest in strategy; the art of being able to plan ahead. 

So that meant the new piece of Selene was sort of like... a booster shot. It wasn‘t just a gift of authority and visions.... It was something already written inside my DNA, just enhancing me to the point of unnatural ability 

But what did this mean for Aleric and Cai then? What did this mean for all of us

And, quickly, I started to wonder something else too. 

...Like if this had something to do with why Selene brought me back. 

In the past Aleric and I had joined together to kill Cai... and then Aleric had killed me. We ended up destroying each other. Was this what it had come down to the entire time? Some more bullshit because o f Selene? ...But then how did Thea equate into this? 

The room then started to sway as pangs of a headache began pulsing in my head. 

This was too much. Too much information to process all at once. And that was just with me ignoring every rabbit hole of dark thoughts I wanted to fall into relating to my prior relationship with Cai. Was it even real or....? 

I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes, fighting against everything inside that wanted to let all of this get the better of me. I already thought I was completely blind when it came to the seemingly never–ending war for the future… and yet it turns out i‘d just been looking inside of a cupboard this entire time, never seeing the much, much larger room attached to it. This new information opened up theories I hadn‘t even considered, much less thought possible. 

“...Aria?” I heard Elder Luke‘s voice call out distantly. 

But it was enough to snap me out of my spiralling thoughts. 

Focus. I needed to focus on what was important right now. I needed as much information as possible sol 

Chapter Seventy–Seven 

could prepare myself. 

“No,” I lied, answering his earlier question about if I was familiar with the theory. “No, I don‘t know anything about it. I‘m just... trying to figure out if there is merit to any of this.” 

Whilst Elder Luke had never given me a reason not to trust him, he was still the kind of man who traded in secrets. I respected him only marginally more than I feared him and that, unfortunately, meant that there would need to be some truths kept hidden for the time being. Perhaps once I became Alpha I could look a t trusting him a little more. 

“The ah... families...,” I said, trying to concentrate back on acquiring more information. “The lineages rather ... how sure are you that there are only three of us left?” 

“I‘m almost certain,” he said, his manner now stern. “I did look but it appears there are just the three remaining.” 

Okay... so Thea wasn‘t one of us. That was at least one theory gone. 

“And is there some sort of... purpose for this?” I asked. “...I guess I just don‘t really understand why we would have these lines to begin with. Selene created families that each hold a diluted piece of her... and yet more than ninety–nine–point–nine per cent of our kind‘s population don‘t display anything like this? | feel as though there should be a reason for it.” 

flooking at it. It does seem strange. Truthfully, I agree with you. You‘d think having something like this would dictate that a

in thought as he reclined back into his

is a purpose for the families then, unfortunately, it

give me all of these answers before you send me back. No, you have to make

sighed in frustration. Obviously, Thea was connected to this somehow but I would need to do more research into it. Maybe I’d find something Elder Luke missed or

I stated, my tone not implying

me was angry that the Elders felt they could keep this from Aleric and me for so long. Regardless o fif they thought it

after mild hesitation. I could relate though. If I were him, I know I‘d definitely not

conversation today and thank you for your time,” I said, taking a moment to find the right words. “I think I‘ll probably

around the desk to politely follow me out.

be quite busy after today,” he said. “When can | expect your recent ah... research on the Blue Vale to be concluded by? I‘d be interested to know your thoughts once

if he‘d support my claim to take over

think everything should be in order come the day of *my

could pick up on my meaning. “It always feels better to

you on that

I was angry with. No, he‘d given me the exact answers I‘d asked for and was offering to help me. My frustrations were better directed at his colleagues and Selene.

another breath to calm myself once more and mustered up the best small smile I could manage. “I really do appreciate your assistance, Elder Luke.

up prior to the

me out of

He stood by one of the windows, the sun streaming in onto his face as he looked

he immediately looked up in surprise to

you‘re done a lot sooner than I thought you would be,” he said, greeting me. “Good

him without having time to prepare myself first had completely taken me off guard.

The word was ingrained

as though they weighed nothing, seen him take on a small army of rogue wolves by himself. And not just that either. He had been a strong leader in the past, bringing our pack to the status we obtained. There was no denying the power he held in the past.

thought it was an Alpha thing but maybe it had been more selective than that. If Selene hypothetically

he asked slowly when I hadn‘t spoken, a frown forming

replied quietly, resuming to close the distance between Elder Luke and himself.

you‘d be so I ended up just deciding to wait inside,” he explained. “Lucky I did. If I‘d returned to the packhouse you would have been waiting a while for a lift home.”

myself. Being escorted everywhere for my safety was getting

good?” he asked, looking pointedly between Elder Luke

a keen fascination, as if studying how we were interacting with one another. Was he

under the gaze of being examined. “... There won‘t be any problems with the deadline for that thing

My demeanour most likely had changed significantly since when he‘d dropped me off, becoming more unsettled, despite the confirmation that Elder Luke would

no longer wanting an audience anymore for our conversation. My head

Whapter Seventy Seven 

abruptness before turning to Elder Luke. “Thanks for your time. I‘m looking forward

Luke smiled, “You, as well, Alpha heir.”

about his pleasantries. Anyone overhearing would think they were referring to when Aleric naturally became Alpha one day.

I quickly said, giving a small bow of my head

I walked out of the lobby, heading

...Aria–.” 

at him as we got into the car. “Not yet.

wouldn‘t be able to keep this from him. It was his right to know just as

drove us back to the packhouse in silence. My mind continued to swirl with the new information, wondering

quarters, facing the moment I‘d need to finally tell him, it was almost like I was at a

ro 

I started, staring across the room so I wouldn‘t have to see his face. This

pack together,” he said, confused. The out –of–the–blue subject matter

and placed all the books down, grabbing only the one which had the diagram | needed to show Aleric. It took a little bit of flicking through to find the page again but soon the familiar

up behind to look over

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