A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 99

Chapter Ninety Nine 

Chapter Ninety–Nine 

It was the most difficult decision I‘d ever made. Sacrificing someone in order to save myself. I felt sick even thinking about it... but I didn‘t have a choice here. And not just that, but I also didn‘t have time to digest it further if I wanted to escape safely. 

On the off chance that Thea had people lying in the wait to catch me, I gathered only whatever I could pack quickest, ripping open the emergency envelope with my location and beginning the long drive home. And whilst I had taken the time to retrieve the ring, I unfortunately couldn‘t risk wearing it. If I were suddenly ambushed, then I needed to be ready to fight. One critical blow to my body and I would be instantly dead in seconds without my natural healing, something the ring would prevent. 

It meant I needed to work even harder to keep Thea out of my head, despite everything threatening to overwhelm me. 

‘Calm. Composed. 

‘Everything was fine. 

We were two hours drive west of the Winter Mist and I was both sad and relieved when I finally returned t o the pack. There were going to be a lot of questions, I knew, but I just needed to take it one step at a 

time. 

‘I could do this.‘ 

‘I needed to do this.‘ 

Heading directly to the packhouse, I immediately had patrols start double–checking the borders, wasting n o time in ensuring we were ready for if Thea decided to attack. There was always the possibility that she assumed we were weakened right now by her kidnapping Aleric, and I didn‘t want to give her the satisfaction. 

“Send out only the most trusted warriors we have,” I instructed. “I want a status report that everything is secured within the next two hours. After that, we‘ll review again if anything needs to be changed. And I need you to send word to–.” 

“Aria?” I heard someone say behind me in surprise. 

I instantly spun around to see Cai by the entrance of the door, frowning. 

“Cai,” I greeted. “We‘ve got a lot to do and we need to start working on a plan.” 

“Woah, woah, woah,” he said, putting his hands up. “Slow down. What the hell is going on? Where‘s Aleric?” 

*Thump.* 

“Not here,” I replied stoically, swallowing back my pain. “Thea had rogues grab him whilst we were at the cabin. They took him down before I could make it to him. She‘ll most likely try and use him as bait” 

“Then shouldn‘t we be getting you somewhere safe? I can find Elder Luke and start working on a plan.” 

“I‘m feeling fine,” I said, picking up the shift roster for patrols. “I‘ll be assisting with the planning. Once Elder Luke has been made aware, we can begin looking at different options. 

“Aria….” 

And I looked up at him, finally meeting his eyes. 

“...What?” 

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Unapler Ninely Nine 

I could tell he was analysing me carefully, his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched me. But then the tension broke as he sighed in defeat. “Alright. Fine.” 

...And I immediately got to work. 

It took another three days before I felt reassured Thea wasn‘t planning anything directly against the pack. With the people within the Winter Mist safe at least, I could begin thinking of ways to counter her movement. But without much information surrounding her whereabouts, I was beginning to wonder what her next step was. It‘d been eerily silent since I‘d returned. Well... except for her presence every now and then in my head. 

I was doing a pretty good job at keeping her out for the most part, but I‘d be lying if I said everything had been going smoothly. At times, my anxiety would get too much and I‘d start to hear those thoughts again. The ones nagging at me to stop wasting time and focus completely on trying to save Aleric. To ignore the pack, Cai, everything else, and do whatever it took to rescue him. 

In the last few days that had passed, I‘d used the time in sending scouts out to find information. And whilst there were a few potential leads, there wasn’t really anything definitive enough to warrant building a n entire strategy for. There was yet to be any real confirmation. 

“... What are we doing, Aria?” Cai suddenly asked in the meeting room, breaking me from my thoughts. 

We were usually holed up in here all day unless we were briefly needed elsewhere. It was important to be accessible in case someone needed to find us. 

Today, Cai seemed agitated. Restless, even. He‘d given me several suspicious glances the last day or so and they were slowly becoming more frequent. An added stress that was not needed, nor wanted, given how hard it already was to remain focused. 

“Maybe he doesn‘t care if Aleric dies. He‘s never really liked him. Perhaps he‘ll use this as a chance to hurt me.‘ 

*Breathet. 

There it was again. Getting more and more frequent. I needed to be more careful. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean... It‘s been three days and we still don‘t have a plan. What are we doing?” 

Timmediately put my pen down to look at him, addressing him in an even tone despite the mild attitude ! was sensing. 

“We‘re ensuring the pack remains strong until we can track her down. After that, we can look at the different options to hopefully recover Aleric. Until then though, we‘re managing resources to ensure we‘re fully prepared to leave at a moments notice.” 

There it was again. 

Another guarded look that seemed borderline distrustful. 

“...I thought leaving was meant to have helped you with getting better,” he said, finally deciding to say whatever he‘d been holding back. “Instead, you‘re possibly even colder than when you left.” 

save Aleric. He thinks

myself what was more important

know what you‘re talking about, Cai. That‘s exactly

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away, turning my back to him so I could concentrate on literally anything else. Anything to stop the thoughts surfacing

it was because of how much I‘d managed to recover that I was now more vulnerable.

can you just act like nothing is really happening?

silent, trying to ignore

you even give a shit that

That did it. 

too far, piercing directly into the thin shield I’d

to face him again,

break down, scream

balled my hands into fists, taking several

us further! This isn‘t the first time Thea has done something like this. She wants me to get angry. She wants me to yell and stop thinking rationally. I‘ve already told you that‘s how she digs

was taken aback by my response, looking a little guilty as I confided in him all

“...I can‘t lose him. I... I can‘t endure any more pain. I‘ve lived two lifetimes of it and

*Breathe* 

I‘d said enough 

a deep

wasn‘t going to help Aleric. If I was starting to crack this bad already then it would be near impossible to resist should Thea decide to

My resolve was getting weaker every day the more anxious I became, the urge to just give in becoming too much. It was inevitable that I was going to snap like this soon. And maybe

going

own thoughts anymore.

I‘m sorry,

to drop it before it had worse consequences. “I just want to focus on what we need to do next.

words cut short in my mouth as I realised something. Something that seemed so

was simple.

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whapler Ninety–Nine 

needed to give her what she wanted. To completely eliminate the chance of

was time to just...

it all came together, letting me see exactly what we needed to

Incredibly so. Doing something like this was reckless and might

mind...,” I said distantly, thinking it through.

someone look more confused.

–*THWACK* 

punched Sophie‘s jaw with enough force to send her straight to the ground. Blood immediately beginning to ooze from her nose from the impact.

she whimpered feebly, trying

of making her life miserable as retribution for her

this. She was a monster.‘

to Thea. Every second she wasted now was another

her fault.‘

to know,” I

that didn‘t mean

you...,” she said, cowering. “I

I kicked her in the ribs.

isn‘t in your best interest,” I said, crouching down to her eye level. “Thea isn‘t here. I am the only one you should be

my grip

the worst thing if she didn‘t tell me. Then

heard someone yell by the cell door.

Cai. 

tell me what to do,” I bit back, never breaking eye contact with Sophie as I

help me find Thea, find Aleric, then I‘d just take her to the brink of

am the only God here.’

Cai yelled again before dragging me away from Sophie.

agreed that this was what we needed to do! Why are you chickening out now?”

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Chapter Ninety Nine 

me up and forced me out the cell door, leaving Sophie

said stop it! I didn‘t agree for you to kill people. Just

walked back into the cell, shutting the door in

dammit!” I yelled,

made any difference as he remained in

let me

the door then abruptly opened, Cai somehow catching me and pushing

idiot, why didn‘t you just

the same rogues that were harassing

revelation. “Three hundred rogues? That‘s insane. They‘ll have us outnumbered after we subtract the amount of people needing to stay behind to defend the Winter

you what she told me though,” he

turning away. This was going to be more difficult than I

honest. In my opinion, I think you should give up on trying to rescue

I snapped back to him in

care if Aleric dies whilst we

‘He‘s an obstacle. 

enemy of this pack and

especially when that results in only

a coward,” I yelled, grabbing his shirt. “Too scared to fight when so

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