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. 

around me to hold my body to him. All I could

this position, his length was now pushing even further in as his speed increased, stealing moans from my lips with every thrust.

the waves of pleasure swept through me. The overwhelming

far behind in his own end, a groan alerting me to his finish, and proceeded to rest his forehead

be this good? How was one person able to make me feel

with every dream, it had

smell of burning quickly snapped me out of my trance, reminding me of exactly

The meat

“Shit!”

ran to the stove… only to find

I whined,

the opposite side, no longer looking appetising

dejected exhale, I gave Aleric an apologetic look,

our half–burnt dinner, the review I received from him

had been delicious. It was ‘one of

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

Chapter – The Cycle of Change This chapter follows a young Elder Luke (Luke Hastings) 30/40 years prior 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 the man he is today and why

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

I grabbed my trolley and began 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 life of

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 of luxury and power. The kind of lives only unranked members such as myself

voice then said behind me, making me

surprised to hear someone had followed me all the way to

sir?” I asked politely, taking

help me for

and a small air

eyebrow questioningly as I came to stand directly in front of him. “...Looking

replied, looking

how can I be of service today,

side of my face, sparks immediately erupting throughout my body

before his mouth

I was enveloped by him as we drew closer together, my senses overridden by his touch... his scent... his taste. It was only once I found myself pressed up against one of the shelves that I realised we were at my place of work… not

deep chuckle escaped me as I pulled away, smiling up at the man.

you doing here, Xavier?” I asked quietly. I was conscious of not being too loud

need a reason to visit you now?” he

before untangling myself

are meant to be a t work right now. And it’s very

more of a guilty one. “I came to tell you that I‘ll be heading out over the border today. Official business in one of the neighbouring packs. My unit has been asked

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

it‘s not like that. I just... I’m so close to this promotion, I can

jaw clenching to stop myself from speaking my mind.

and after I get this promotion, we can make our relationship public. We can even finally buy a house in town... a nicer one at

making me want to melt into his arms but I managed to hold myself

almost

things might be different soon,” he said, finding an excuse. “Alpha Dominic is getting older and I‘ve yet to hear the Alpha heir Tytus express any sort of... ‘grievance‘

immediately tsked and pushed my way out of his arms. “That child? He barely knows

not true!” Xavier snapped back, a tone of irritation now in his voice. “Don‘t say things like that about our

frustration at my remark, and I sighed in

said, doing my best

that reaction. He was a good warrior after all, and a patriotic one at that. Loyal to almost a fault, believing so

pack great. It’s what made

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

how important my work i sto me, Luke. I’m sorry that I can’t…

head, unable to meet his eyes, but knew well what

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 who they were, didn’t

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

then walked up and kissed my cheek, the sparks emitting through me once more. However, this time, I allowed myself to give in to the sensation,

that. I didn‘t know how 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

time was just around the corner. I was relieved; thoughts of my cosy couch patiently waiting for me at home filling my head. Well,

in the corner huddled closely 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

up now but we‘ll be

properly, cutting my sentence short. Because they weren‘t huddled together, so much as one

asked, worried if someone had accidentally gotten hurt

Burimit te pun 

boleh dihanan 

girl who had her arm around the other one looked

it’s so… it’s so horrible. I don’t know how they could have

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

girl speaking patted her back, soothing her. “It was during a meeting today in a neighbouring pack,” she started, her eyes beginning

my body froze, my blood turning cold.

our warriors died. Cindy‘s mate being one of them. Someone from their unit came and 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

like the wind had been knocked out of me, the world starting to spin.

struggling to keep composure even though the

“...Do we... Do you know who was hurt?”

“Not really but they‘re bringing the bodies back

didn‘t hear anything

sprinted out of the library. I didn‘t care that I didn‘t close up, I didn‘t care that there were still people inside, all that mattered was

right? He was strong. There was

was already frantic enough, making it impossibly difficult

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

even stopping to