A Gift from the Goddess

Bonus Chapter – Quick Home Recipes !! Important !! – You need to have read up to at least Chapter 96 to avoid spoilers. Continue reading at your own discretion.

This is just a short one-shot between Aria and Aleric during their time at the cabin. Explicit warning

Meat… herbs… garlic… butter… carrots.... 

I stared at the ingredients as if they were a dangerous foreign entity.

Not to say they were, but it wasn’t exactly like I knew how to approach what I was going to attempt. Things had seemed so much easier when I was just reading about it... opposed to having to actually do it. 

With a sigh, I picked up the kitchen knife and began peeling the carrots; preheating the pan on the stove whilst I did so.

Aleric had been doing the cooking for us both, having at least some experience with it. During times when he‘d been on duty for the Winter Mist, there had been moments he‘d had to cook whilst making camp somewhere random. 

I

I, on the other hand, had experience that went only as far as boiling water for tea. After all, I‘d lived my whole life surrounded by attendants and chefs. 

But it couldn‘t be that hard, right? 

I wanted to surprise him and give him a night off. Between the time spent with me and patrolling, I was sure he was getting exhausted. I thought this might be a good way to show m y appreciation for his hard work. 

I’d only read a few cooking books before, but I hadn‘t retained much. I knew the basic principles and theories, and knew what steps to do. The issue was in actually executing it though and making it taste good in the process.

The cabin had come stocked with bare essentials to last a while, the vegetables coming from a small, adjourned greenhouse and the meat was whatever Aleric picked up from hunting on patrol. Altogether, we were pretty fortunate considering we were in the middle of nowhere.

_ *Slick* 

I winced, looking down to see I’d cut myself.

I definitely needed to focus more. It wasn’t like I could heal quickly, thanks to the silver ring.

After washing my hands and the knife, I threw out the spoiled carrot and tried again. He was going to be home any minute and I‘d wanted to be finished before that. Though that was probably just me being overly optimistic considering my skill level.

Carefully, I proceeded to finish with the carrots, though taking far longer with it than 1 perhaps should have, and threw some butter, herbs and garlic into the pan. When that was sufficiently all nice and melted, 1 placed the meat on top, satisfied it at least smelt nice. That was surely a good sign if nothing else. 

“What are you up to?” Aleric then said from the doorway.

I looked up sharply to see him there, a little surprised since I hadn’t heard him approach over the sound of the pan.

“Oh, I‘m ah... I‘m cooking,” I said, a little embarrassed. “I wanted to surprise you before you got home.”

“I‘m still surprised,” he said walking behind me to wrap his arms around my waist. “Surprised you haven’t burnt the house down.”

“Hey!” I yelled offended, squirming in his grasp. “Come on, it smells good!” 

But he held me against me, laughing as he refused to let me go. 

“Aleric!” 

“No, you‘re right, I‘m sorry,” he said, his head travelling to my neck and nibbling gently. “It does smell pretty good.” 

Though I wasn‘t sure whether he was still talking about the food. 

“Ok, well I need to finish up here and I‘ll —.” 

I didn‘t get to finish my sentence though, instead losing my chain of thought. His hand had started tugging up the hem of my dress and immediately begun trailing across the bare skin of my stomach.

“... I um,” was all I said. 

What was I doing?

I tried to remember as I felt his attention then change, reaching up to grab at my breast and sending a shiver through me from the sensitivity there. 

I could feel his warmth against my back, his breathing deepening near my ear, sending another wave of desire through me. 

“What‘s up?” he asked, his other hand now venturing past the hem of my underwear, causing me to gasp from the unexpected sensation. I leaned back against him, melting into the feeling of pleasure he gave, greedily taking every

second of it he had to offer.

“Aleric,” I moaned, turning my head to capture his lips against mine. His taste was intoxicating

My whole body then started burning up, my heart racing. But just before I was beginning to get too lost in the moment, I completely spun around and pushed him back against the kitchen bench, wasting no time in jumping onto his lap.

I could tell he was just as enthusiastic as me, his own lower-body betraying him, and I proceeded to move my hips against him, relishing in the way he reacted to me.

This was my doing. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. Did my touch send him into delirium just as his did for me? Was it even better for him with the mate bond?

Before long had passed, it soon became clear that this wasn‘t nearly enough for either of us.

Working as quickly as I could, I then undid his pants and positioned myself perfectly on top of him before….

“... Fuck,” Aleric slowly groaned, feeling as he pressed his length into me, and my own moan accompanied it.

How was it that he felt so perfect against me? As if he was naturally meant to always be there. Every sensation he had to offer me was enough to make me lose control instantly. As if proceeding with only pure desire. 

I started to move again, his hands on my hips as he guided me against him, and every few seconds I would alternate between his lips, ear, and neck. 

His own movement then slowly became more forceful as he quickened my pace, sending me into my own frenzy as that familiar buzz started to build inside me. 

he was almost completely controlling me, arms now wrapped around me to hold my body to him. All I could do in turn was coil my own arms around his neck and hold on as I let

his length was now pushing even further in as his speed increased, stealing moans from my lips

shaking as the waves of pleasure swept through me. The overwhelming bliss fogging up my

wasn’t far behind in his own end, a groan alerting me to his finish, and proceeded to rest his forehead against mine as we both fought

make me feel so

with every dream, it had to come to

burning quickly snapped me out of my trance, reminding me of exactly what I’d just

The meat

“Shit!”

jumped off Aleric’s lap and ran to the stove…

whined,

completely black on the opposite

exhale, I gave Aleric

half–burnt dinner, the review I received from him

It was ‘one of the most satisfying dinners he’d

I knew he wasn‘t talking about the food.

a very different time when things were not so accepting. This POV shows the beginning of how Elder Luke became the man he

needed to reshelve today. Several more than the day before, even more than the day before that. It meant I would need to work late today in order t o finish this in time. At least I had the entire day

library where I would start the process, giving small smiles to those I made eye

to say I didn‘t enjoy my work. On the contrary, I immensely loved what I did for a living. But I couldn‘t deny that it wasn‘t as interesting as say the ranked members of our pack. No, they led an

voice then said behind me, making me turn

surprised to hear someone had followed me all the way to the very back, however, I

I do for you, sir?” I asked politely, taking several

hoping you could help me for a moment. I‘m trying to find something...”

with broad shoulders and

I came to stand directly

quite...,” he replied, looking

I be of service today, sir? What

face, sparks immediately erupting throughout my body from where our skin made

mate,” he whispered, right before his mouth came down to meet

senses overridden by his touch... his scent... his taste. It was only once I found myself pressed up

away, smiling up at the man. At

Xavier?” I asked quietly. I was conscious of not being too loud so w e

to visit you now?” he questioned back, his lip pulling into a

untangling myself from him, walking back towards

appreciate your presence, it‘s just that I know you are meant to be a t work

to tell you that I‘ll be heading out over the border today. Official business in one of the neighbouring packs. My

a small frown forming between my brows. “I would think

that. I just... I’m so close

my jaw clenching to stop

“Soon, I promise. Maybe in a few years, and after

melt into his arms but I managed to hold

been together for almost ten years

soon,” he said, finding an excuse. “Alpha Dominic is getting older and I‘ve yet to hear

“That child? He

back, a tone of irritation now in his

frustration at my remark, and I sighed in response, rubbing my face with my

I said, doing my best to sound as genuine as

after all, and a patriotic

what

the good in people was one of the things that made me fall for

you know how important my work i sto me, Luke. I’m sorry that I can’t… That we can’t… Well, some people just aren’t so accepting,

to meet his eyes, but knew well what he was

to the issue, and

has a plan for us. I can feel it,” he continued, almost as if he’d read my thoughts. “Don’t lose faith in our future just

myself to give in to the sensation, bringing my hand up to hold his head against mine, craving his presence for just

until I saw him again, his out of town pack business sometimes taking an uncertain amount of time. There was one thing I did know for sure though, and that was that it would certainly be a lot quieter around the house for a little while.

was relieved; thoughts of my cosy couch patiently waiting for me at home

seen them here regularly so I knew they enjoyed this place just as

approaching them. “We‘re closing up now but we‘ll be open again tomorrow

cutting my sentence short. Because they weren‘t huddled together, so

asked, worried if someone had accidentally gotten hurt on

Burimit te pun 

boleh dihanan 

who had her arm around the other one

haven’t heard?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion. “Oh, it’s so… it’s so horrible.

curiosity now and my mind began thinking of everything they could possibly

the girl speaking patted her back, soothing her. “It was during

body froze, my blood turning cold.

them. Someone from their unit came and found us not long ago to inform her. Apparently, there was

knocked out of

what um... ah, sorry...,” I said, flustered. I was struggling to keep composure even though the anxiety was

tried again. “...Do we... Do

eye as a tear escaped her. “Not really but they‘re

anything else after

my body moved on its own as I sprinted out of the library. I didn‘t care that I didn‘t close up, I didn‘t care that there were still

He was strong.

was already frantic enough, making it impossibly difficult to think

finally arrived at the hospital, and I bee–lined for the administration desk

stopping to