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. 

almost completely controlling me, arms now wrapped around me to hold my body to him. All I could do

his speed increased, stealing moans from my lips with every thrust. I could feel myself tightening too, getting closer and

with a last cry escaping my lips, I felt myself come undone against him, shaking as the waves of pleasure swept

own end, a groan alerting me to his finish, and

be this good? How was one person able to make me feel so euphoric from their touch? It seemed almost like a

dream, it had to come to an

me out of my trance, reminding me of exactly what I’d just been

The meat

“Shit!”

looking back, I jumped off Aleric’s lap and ran to the stove… only

I whined,

the opposite side, no longer looking appetising in

gave Aleric an apologetic look, only he didn‘t seem phased

our half–burnt

words, the meal had been delicious. It was

*somehow*, I knew he wasn‘t talking about the

to the main story. It was a very different time when things were not so accepting. This POV shows the beginning of how Elder Luke became

meant I would need to work late today in order t o finish this in time. At least I had the entire day to

the journey to the back of the library where I would start the process, giving small smiles to those I made eye contact with along the way. This was 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 eventful life

then said behind me,

the way to the very back, however,

sir?” I asked politely, taking several

could help me for a moment. I‘m trying to

had the strong build of a warrior, with broad shoulders and

to stand directly in front of him. “...Looking for a particular book, perhaps?”

not quite...,” he replied, looking

how can I be of service today, sir? What exactly were

then came up and grabbed either side of my face, sparks immediately erupting throughout my body

mate,” he whispered, right before his mouth

taste. It was only once I found myself pressed up against one of the shelves that

me as I pulled away, smiling up at the man. At

was conscious of not being too loud so

a reason to visit you now?” he questioned back, his

once more before untangling myself from him, walking

be a t work right now. And it’s very unlike you to skip

out

asked, a small frown forming between my brows. “I would think that you‘d... not want

then contorted from the unpleasant topic. “Luke... You know it‘s not like that. I just... I’m so close to this

jaw clenching to stop myself

I promise. Maybe in a few years, and after I get this promotion, we can make our relationship public. We can even finally buy a house in town... a nicer

touch was making me want to melt into his arms

together for almost ten years now and it‘s always

“Alpha Dominic is getting older and I‘ve yet to hear the Alpha heir Tytus express any sort of... ‘grievance‘ with

“That child? He barely

true!” Xavier snapped back, a tone of irritation now in his voice.

a few moments, his blue ones filled with frustration at my remark, and I sighed in response,

my best to sound as

have that reaction. He was a good warrior after all, and a patriotic

great. It’s what

him too. His ability to have hope and see the good in people was one of the things that made me fall for him. Strong… attractive…

his shoulders relaxing. “It‘s fine. Just... you know how important my work i sto me,

to meet his eyes, but knew

seemed to be getting better in terms of change, there was still a while to go before we reached the point we needed to. Movements were already starting across the country, bringing attention to the issue, and people were beginning to realise the truth of the matter. Because if the so-called Goddess could gift us with another being then, regardless of

for us. I can feel it,” he continued, almost as

sparks emitting through me once more. However, this time, I allowed myself to give in to the sensation,

long it would be 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

for the remainder of the day and, soon enough, closing time was just around the corner. I was relieved; thoughts of my cosy couch patiently waiting

together. I‘d seen them here regularly so I knew they enjoyed this place just as much as I did, always treating the books with the respect they deserved. It was something that made me like them more than some of the more rowdy members we occasionally had.

“We‘re closing up now but we‘ll be open again

was then that I noticed their demeanour properly, cutting my sentence short.

someone had accidentally gotten hurt on

Burimit te pun 

boleh dihanan 

around the other one looked up at me,

thick with emotion. “Oh, it’s so… it’s so horrible. I don’t know how

mind began thinking of everything they could possibly

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

my blood turning

found us not long ago to inform her. Apparently, there was a disagreement and a fight broke out. Several of the warriors fought to ensure the

it was like the wind had been knocked out of me, the world starting

I was struggling to keep composure even though the anxiety was starting to constrict around my

and tried again. “...Do

really but they‘re bringing

anything else after that.

close up, I didn‘t care that there were still people inside, all that mattered was getting to the hospital. Seeing him. Making sure

fine, right? He was strong. There was no way...

that. My wolf was already frantic enough,

long, I finally arrived at the hospital, and I bee–lined

stopping to breathe.