A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

Warm. 

It was so warm. 

Everything around me felt like it was burning, our skin already flushed enough from the training just prior. 

...And I wanted more. 

With one hand tangled through his dark hair, my other was tracing slowly down the front of his chest, feeling every muscle under my touch. And Goddess was it flawless. His body moulded against mine perfectly, as if it had been made to fit there. 

... This is wrong,‘ a voice whispered inside. 

And yet that thought only seemed to excite me further. 

It felt a million times better than I thought it would, his mouth moving hungrily as it responded against mine. His lips softer than I would have ever imagined. 

...Stop... 

There was a sense of urgency, a sense of need as I clung to him, pressing myself up against him closer, desperately searching for as much contact as possible. 

... You need to stop.’ 

No, I really shouldn‘t have wanted this, wanted him, but it was like a flood gate of buried emotions unexpectedly poured out, mixing with new ones I hadn‘t even noticed before. And the result was a desire shooting through me that felt insatiable. 

His body then shifted under me, trying to sit up and I moved back to allow it, giving him the space he‘d need to get himself free without leaving too much distance. 

But it was as he tried to bring his hands out to touch me, probably having momentarily forgotten the cuffs were even there, that I suddenly realised what was happening. 

As the metal from the silver dagger loudly sounded out against the handcuffs, it was as if someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water over me. 

....ENOUGH! 

....And I immediately pulled myself away. 

“Give me a second...,” Aleric said quietly as he began to free himself. He hadn‘t even realised my abrupt change in mood yet. 

But, without waiting, I quickly stood up and took a few shaky steps backwards. 

“...Aria?” Aleric asked, looking up at me now confused. 

“I–I made a mistake,” I said, my heart still pounding heavily, my head cloudy. 

...And I knew I‘d messed up badly. 

Because nothing about our situation had changed. I still didn‘t know his future, I didn‘t know what would happen to him, or if there was some sort of trigger that would set him down the same path... I still couldn‘t trust him implicitly. Not entirely. 

In fact, the only thing I‘d learnt about our situation over the last few months was that there were now even more factors from both inside and around us that were completely unknown. Especially that one ever 

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

nagging issue.... 

Power, 

I‘d already once seen what his drive to achieve that had cost. Seen just what he was willing to sacrifice in order to reach that status. 

...Who was to say what he‘d eventually be willing to do this time? 

Was it just waiting inside his core, ready to change him into that power–hungry man once more without 

any moment‘s notice? When dealing with the abilities of a Goddess, who could say for sure? 

I‘d made a deal with him to keep our relationship professional for that exact reason. A way to avoid any conflict of interest should the worst–case scenario happen in the future. 

somehow I‘d already ruined

I‘d almost fallen into yet another mistake, one that could have also had severe impacts on the pack... just like

he said,

shouldn‘t have done that. That‘s

“Seriously?” 

want to get into that argument now. No, I just wanted to leave. There was nothing good that would result

around to walk away... only his voice

in that way and I understood why that was. I completely respected it. I didn‘t question it because, given everything you‘ve apparently been through,

kept walking. I needed to remain strong

I meant to convince myself that you don‘t want me now? Not even the tiniest

even know what I want... but I know being with you potentially jeopardises this pack if one day I can‘t make an impartial decision between you or their best interest. I‘ve

what our future will look like together? Barely trusting one another, silently wondering if the other person will

silent,

you, Aria,” he said, taking a step back. “I‘ve done everything humanly possible to prove to you that I‘m not *him* That I’m worth your trust and respect. And now.., this? You lead me on and then rub salt in the wounds for shit that isn‘t even my fault? Things from a past

my anger now tipping over the edge. It was fueled only more on from the

we‘ve prepared?” I spat back, seeing red. “So then am I taking this as your confirmation that you no longer want to manage the pack together? Because you should tell me that now. It‘ll be good to

sooner. Because if I‘d wanted to make yet another catastrophic mistake by sleeping with someone, Aleric, I could have just run away to

to

turned dark and the loudest snarl ripped through his chest, an aura coming off him that would have made any lower ranks fall to their knees. He was angry to the

to help it though. It had left my mouth before I could stop it, being said purely out of my

a sense of calm throughout my body. Immediately, all my anger left me as I stood before him, looking him up and down. The only thing

that was that I was making the right decision.

around, walking out the room before

me, an onslaught of anxiety and guilt immediately began to

the hell had I

a lethal threat. A potential danger to himself

Oh, great. 

events earlier... but it appeared she was back, having

to be filling my head. No, I needed to figure out what to do next in light of everything that just

you,‘ I hissed back internally, continuing on my way. I needed to cool down before

my quarters I found Lucy walking about, organising a few things for me before tomorrow. She

looking up in surprise at my appearance.

yet was the last thing I wanted right

and collect my bag and dagger from the gym at some point today? I left in a

she wanted to query me about it further but thankfully

headed straight for my bedroom to rest for a while, now exhausted from everything that had

remotely called for, especially when I knew he was probably right. Or, at

angry at. I had been keeping a barrier between us, purposely ensuring that I didn‘t get that* close, and now

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

me. Like I was grasping at any excuse to keep that distance, even though

happening inside me. Blinded to even the smallest possibility that I might have been getting too close. And now

or...?

hand up to my lips absentmindedly, remembering how it felt. Remembering how his mouth had responded to

a burning flushed through my

After tomorrow. 

now, I just needed to cool off for a bit before I go

to seek him out to talk, I became conscious of just how tired I‘d already become, my eyes quickly becoming heavy against my own will.

Okay, fine then. 

small

roused me from my sleep, waking me up to

already outside as was evident

I

for the source of the noise only to find Lucy walking, heading in the direction of

called out to

No reply. 

it seemed as though I was having a

up to her, I then followed behind, letting her lead me to whatever it was I needed to see,

door,

a little from his abrupt exit. “I wasn‘t expecting to