A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight It had Alpha Tytus written all over it. He had ‘coincidentally’ chosen a night my father was out of town and my mother was shifted t o work at the hospital. This meant it would be just me… and Aleric. It seemed I had assumed incorrectly that Tytus was done trying to play matchmaker with us. When I had been accepted as a probationary Beta heir, naturally I had thought the surprise dates would come to an end. Did he think I was going to fail in my endeavour to best Alexander? Or was his idea that I could be persuaded to drop out of the running for the title if I fell for Aleric?

Putting all of that aside, I now found myself with less than seven hours to get the entire house ready.

To have the Alpha or Alpha heir come for dinner was considered a high enough honour already, but hosting Aleric would just make things more difficult. I‘d never found him an easy person to please in my past.

I worked tirelessly, from the moment I found out he was coming, to organise everything down to the most minute detail. From briefing the attendants on behaviours to avoid around him, to creating a menu for the cooks so they could prepare Aleric’s preferred foods, nothing was left to chance.

By the time I was finally finished organising, I found I only had an hour for myself to get ready and dressed.

And then, finally, the time came.

As Aleric entered the house, I saw him pause a moment to take it all in. I wondered what was going through his mind and couldn’t recall if he‘d ever come here before. But judging from his face, he didn’t remember either.

“Greetings, Alpha heir,” I said, bowing my head.

“Evening, Ariadne,” he replied. 

I looked up and saw him staring at me strangely already. Had I done something off? I wracked my brain but couldn‘t think of anything. 

“It‘s an honour to receive you tonight,” I continued. “If you‘ll follow me to the parlour, we can sit there while we wait for our meals to be ready....” 

We walked into the large sitting area with two couches. I stood at the doorway, allowing him t o move first to choose where he would sit. When he‘d made himself comfortable, I purposely sat on the opposite couch with just enough distance. Close enough to not be rude, but far away enough that I didn’t have to worry about flinching at any of his sudden movements.

“So, how have you been, Ariadne?” he asked finally, after several moments of silence had passed. “It’s been… a week since our last meeting?” “Yes, Alpha heir,” I said. “I‘ve been well. Yourself?” 

“I‘ve been good...,” he said, his face turning that same odd frown again. “You can call me Aleric, you realise? You’re a Beta heir now. The formalities aren‘t required.” Oh… so this was why he’d given me that look at the door. I’d found it easier to call him Alpha heir these last few months, the sound of his real name on my lips always leaving a bitter taste.

I clenched my jaw, preparing myself to force to words out. “Apologies… Aleric.” He regarded me warily. Obviously, something else was still bothering him that he hadn’t mentioned.

least having food in front of me would give me an excuse to not keep the conversation going. We sat down in the dining room, Aleric at the head of the table, myself to his right; just as it always had been. I could feel the anxiety begin to creep into my chest at his proximity, knowing I was within arms reach of him at any given moment. But

to come out then and I was grateful everything had been prepared exactly the way I had instructed. The spread was diverse enough for even four people, but I hadn’t wanted to leave anything to chance. I looked up to check on Aleric, to gauge his reaction, but he seemed completely fine; this being at least one comfort to my anxiety. I knew

your liking… Aleric?” I

he said. “Thank you.” That didn’t tell me much but at the very

that, we both began to

sudden eye contact. “It was good. I went to a northern territory called the Opal Tide. It‘s the central

he said, trailing off. “Yes?”

he wanted to talk about something but wasn’t sure if

“Nevermind.”

to the airport 

curious and wanted to know what

the rest of our meal in silence after that. I wasn’t sure what to talk about o r whether I should even try to start a conversation or not, and so I let him

had gone as planned. “Do you think I could trouble you for a cup of tea?” Oh, he wanted tea? I suppose I could make

at him confused. He said he wanted tea? I was getting him tea....

asked the attendant there to boil me some water as I prepared the tea leaves. They, too, gave me an odd look that I still couldn‘t decipher. Several moments later, I was on my way back with

to place it on the table in front of him when suddenly his arm shot out

not expecting him to have moved so quickly, and dropped the teacup...

…Right onto his leg.

and cursed in pain. I realised too late that he had actually just been reaching for the cup in my hand, but I hadn‘t expected it. I hadn‘t thought he would move so abruptly. “Oh, Goddess, no...,” was all I could say. Instinctively, I had already begun pacing backward until I found myself up against the wall. “Please… no, I’m so sorry.” He was patting at his leg with a napkin, wincing from the pain, when suddenly his eyes looked up to meet mine. I had messed up. I had messed up so badly. “I’m sorry, please, I’m so sorry,” I kept repeating, my body beginning to shake. “It‘s

with a tone of irritation now. And then he started walking towards me, looking unsettled by my

you?” I recoiled away but there was nowhere to move. I was already trapped by the wall. And then finally he’d had enough. “Why do you always have this reaction to me, Ariadne?” he snapped, frustrated. “I don’t get i t! What have I done to you? What could I possibly have

stared at him mutely,

became Beta heir, we literally had only spoken maybe five times growing up. So, what the hell did I

saw him. Really saw him for

a killing spree. This wasn’t the man who had trapped and used me. This was a teenage boy who was probably still learning who he was himself. He had the same midnight curls and green eyes, but his face didn’t have the same lines from battle he’d acquired over the years. He was younger,

because I can’t take it

been something piling up inside him for a long time now. “Because whenever I look into your eyes, all I see is a reflection of myself, seen in the form of some kind of monster.

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