A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Eighty–Two 

*Swear your oath,” I said, my eyes marrowing at the man before me. 

His body still lowered in submission, he placed a hand over his chest in respect. 

“), Alpha Tristan Green, of the Onyx Rock, hereby pledge my pack to the alliance offered by Alpha Ariadne of the Winter Mist. May our packs continue to prosper together under your guidance and protection.” 

Good. 

Satisfied with his words, I stood up and walked over to clasp my hand in his. 

“I accepi.” 

And with thai, another pack had joined the alliance. Though, more accurately, another had sworn to continue their alliance. Something that was seemingly slow going lately, the days dragging out. 

So much so, it was hard to believe that two months had already gone by. 

Two months since I‘d killed Tytus, imprisoned Aleric, and became Alpha of the Winter Mist. 

And things were... okay. 

Not to say I was doing anything wrong. On the contrary, I had the pack running like clockwork, making us more efficient than ever before. 

No, the issues were laid more externally. Specifically, other packs, 

I had been prepared for opposition to my rise in rank however, it seemed I‘d miscalculated just how many would be against pledging to an alliance with a female Alpha. 

The ways of our kind were apparently still too archaic, too set in stone with old beliefs. 

But I‘d been wearing them down slowly. 

Little by little, I was showing them why it was in their best interest to continue, proving I was far more fearsome than most had believed. Not the helpless Saintess I‘d initially built my brand to be... but rather a foe you didn‘t want to find yourself suddenly facing. The only issue was there were still so many packs left to go. There wasn‘t one simple way to get them all to agree at once so it had been a painstakingly slow process. 

“You‘ll have access to your supply route again within the day.” I continued to the Alpha, my lips slowly twitching into a triumphant smile. “Pleasure doing business with you.” 

“Now they‘ll never forget how easy it was for us to cut them off. How much they still need our support,’ the voice said inside. 

And I agreed. 

The Alpha didn‘t stick around for much longer once the requirements for the alliance had been finalised. Not that I blamed him. I was far too busy to care though, needing to focus on other problems. 

Behind the scenes of my new operation these last few months, Iris had been utilising her network of followers across the country to support me but, since hardly any of those extended to the ranked members of those packs, the results were not instant. Not to say those contacts didn‘t have their other uses though. Uses like uncovering information for me on their packs‘ weaker points. 

It hadn‘t been hard to figure out that most of these Alphas were never going to respect me unless I forced them into some sort of submission. Proof that I really was as formidable as the new rumours had hinted a 1. All they had wanted to see was a young, naive girl... right up until I suddenly had their whole pack in a 

checkmate. 

Some were still trying to play a waiting game though, holding off to see if I would crumble under the new responsibility. They wanted me to prove them right, prove that I wasn‘t cut out for this. A gamble that some were even now risking their own packs for. Though soon they would start to feel what the loss of our alliance meant. 

I wasn‘t entirely ignorant though. I knew under the surface that even my own pack was somewhat divided. They were forced to respect me because of the Alpha bond but I knew what some of them were thinking deep down. Or, at least, what some of them were hoping for. 

...Hoping for the rising of their Alpha heir. 

The one who had been living within a cell these last two months. 

If only they knew the kind of person he really was. 

“This is going too slow,” I grumbled to Elder Luke as we entered back into my office. “At this rate, we‘ll start declining too far in status if we can‘t make enough progress.” 

“I don‘t disagree,” he said, grabbing a few documents from the desk. 

by now we‘d be seeing a small upward trend of people

than you might believe,” he said,

it wasn‘t of any comfort to hear

out for the documents he‘d been looking after for me. “We‘re missing something, I‘m sure.”

the list of packs still pending

saw. 

I asked sceptically, continuing to flick through the pages to ensure it hadn‘t been mistakenly written in the wrong

Alpha,” he

that couldn‘t be right... could it?

pack still hasn‘t sent word about whether they‘ll join or not.”

“That is correct.” 

up, dragging my eyes away from the page, though now only further confused. “But… why? mean... have they provided a reason? I didn‘t think they, of all people, would reject my

holding a grudge because of what happened between us? It seemed so petty to bring

something far worse too....

mouth turned downward. “Well, after Caius was imprisoned here for so many months, to the point of almost inciting a war, I can‘t

was Tytus‘ doing, not mine,” I argued. “I was the one trying to free Cai that entire time. I was the one working day and night to prevent

olet Enghe two 

that may be true,” he said slowly. “However, and forgive me for saying this, but, were you not the reason why he was imprisoned to begin with? Was it not due to your actions

bit the inside of my cheek,

Elder Luke continued. “If we were to fall in status now, they would just stand to gain becoming the next powerhouse pack within our region. They

interjected. “I know what path you‘ve calculated ahead and I

effects were far worse than one

was so much push back to join

to see if the Silver Lake would rise up, challenging us for

within the previous alliance would need to choose a side and, in doing so, they would be

that. If we really did fail to regain our position, the Winter Mist

to fall under the umbrella

alliance to strengthen us, we wouldn‘t be able to maintain our status for long. It meant putting ourselves in the hands of

the death

ahead for us. I saw what Elder Luke

or we‘d have to implement an approach that had the best chance

...War. 

to acquire the numbers within the alliance, it would be almost impossible to win

during that moment that we would still be able to

On 

or not we could convince the Silver Lake to join

anyone had any official confirmation yet? Any

Tobias has been busy these days, handling rogue disputes along their

I replied. “He is able

he can make the final say. He‘ll have enough senso lo realise this won‘t benefit either of us S

fact,” Elder Luke started the response

for almost

a nerve

What are we children?” I asked, incredulously. “This feels so... so

but making excuses to get out of dealing

because of his mate.

I‘m unable to verify,” Elder Luke said. “Though I would agree that this does appear

paced a few steps by the window, thinking of what to do in this situation. However, there

indecision of theirs was due to personal history so my best chance at success was to appeal directly to Cai He was the only one who would be able to sway

a message to Cai from me. Tell him... tell him that I need his help,” I said. “I want

bowed his head, acknowledging my order.

remember how he‘d looked at me eren once I‘d try to scare him away. We might not be romantically

dealt with, I moved to return to my paperwork. However, Elder Luke remained seated, almost

for you again today.”