A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty-Three Aleric didn’t look reassured by the answer I’d given but he let me go anyway, the two of us walking back over to where Thea was laughably pretending to act scared.

I scoffed at her appearance, much to the curiosity of the warriors standing around.

Aleric ignored me and walked up to her, crouching so they were eye level. And even though I felt the urge to murder Thea more than anything in that moment, I couldn‘t help but feel a pang of distress echo inside me seeing the two of them so close together again. I knew it wasn’t remotely the same as in the past and I shouldn’t care anymore, but the reaction was involuntary. It was just more fuel for the pain I was nurturing inside. “Your name is Thea, correct?” Aleric asked.

She just nodded, her eyes wide with fear as she looked around at everyone surrounding her.

“We’ve been trying to locate you for almost a week now. Where have you been?”

Her voice was exactly the same as how I remembered it. I couldn‘t help but wonder just how good it would feel once I stopped her from being able to speak ever again. “I was attacked. Me and another girl,” she started, sounding nervous. “I think her name was Myra? She introduced herself at the shops and offered to show me around town. But that‘s when we were attacked… It was at a park down the street… a group of men came out of nowhere and… and killed the girl in front of me.”

“Why did they spare you then?” 

Her eyes watered up as she began to cry. “I don‘t know... but they took me to a camp somewhere. A cave. Tied me up and beat me. But I didn‘t want to die there in the dark. I waited until they went out for food and twisted my way out of the ropes by shifting. I–I think I‘ve dislocated my ankle. It was so dark though... I didn‘t know where I was… I’ve been walking aimlessly in the woods for days now, trying to find help.” 

I snorted. It was all so rehearsed, even the tears. As if the numerous patrols wouldn’t have found her in that time she was allegedly alone in the woods. The entire pack was on high alert scouring the area for rogues and didn‘t see her? And what was that about shifting? I swore Thea had only been a year older than me. Was she lying about that too? 

“I was so scared,” she sobbed. “I thought I was going to die. I was only meant to be here a few days and should have been home by now. Please... help me.” “And where might ‘home‘ be, Thea? Which pack?” I asked smugly, unphased by her charade unlike the others around me. This was the Thea I remembered; the manipulator. I could see how her words were making the warriors look mildly sympathetic to her situation. It was infuriating.

But I knew she would have to come clean though. There were only two answers to my question; she was either a rogue or she would be caught in a lie when no pack would be able to verify her identity.

“I don‘t belong to any pack...,” she said, turning her eyes to me. “I was mistakenly adopted and raised by humans. I’ve been trying to navigate how this all works and have only just stumbled into this world recently. I‘m sorry, I still don‘t really understand much. Did I do something wrong? Was I not meant to come here? I was only trying to find my birth family.” 

I clenched my jaw, livid at everything that sugary-sweet sounding voice was saying.

“Lies! Tell them the truth!” If that were true, then there was no way she could have avoided the private investigator for as long as she did.

Thea’s eyes widened more as she flinched away from me. “I–I‘m sorry?”

“You think I’m going to let you get away with killing Myra and waltz into this pack? I know what you are. You can’t use those tricks on me.”

background because

woke up one day to discover she wasn’t like all the other humans. Was this the same storyline she had fed Aleric in the previous timeline? Did he take pity on her initially? “Aria!” Aleric yelled

turning my glower to him. “What a surprise there.”

and understand what’s happened. Something that you’re making incredibly difficult to do!” He got up and the two of us stood in each other’s faces once more, a furious silence

spat out slowly, glaring up at

final straw for him.

movements. I didn‘t try to fight it though... I knew well enough that I would need to obey or it would only cause pain until I conformed. “Oh, and Aria?” he called just as I‘d turned my back. I didn’t turn around, choosing to remain still until he spoke. “Don’t think for

acknowledge his order and

“Sympathising with the murderous bitch… I

prospect of her escaping once more terrifying me. I needed to find

before my father caught my attention. I was extremely relieved to see him. He was the only other person who could

I yelled out,

Thea. They’ve found her,” I said, grasping onto his arm desperately. “But Aleric has banned me from seeing her. You can’t let her get away.

private my conclusion about her hand in Myra’s death a

I said louder when

finally giving me a small nod. “I‘ll do everything I can. Don’t

help. I felt like I was going insane being the only person who understood just how dire our situation was. Especially if she was working with the rogues. Who knew what she was

tired, Aria. Go home and rest for a bit,” he said.

Yeah. Okay...,” I

was nothing else I could do here and I was still under orders to return home. Maybe it would be

of what had happened. I paced by the stairs, looking out towards the front door constantly. It was almost as if by some miracle my stares would somehow speed up time until he’d come home. I felt I should be doing something. Anything. Not just

in this timeline? We‘d come so far that I‘d thought things could be different this time. That we could be equals in our contribution to the pack, not enemies. He‘d shown so much respect

of the past, I wouldn‘t stand by and accept it this

voice suddenly came from the

so hard that I hadn’t heard the front door open. My father stood there, a serious expression on his face

did it go?” I asked without even a greeting. I could feel my heart

for her injuries to be looked over.” I laughed. “Why would a prisoner be allowed access to the pack hospital? Couldn‘t they

didn’t reciprocate my humour, averting

something was wrong here. “It‘s just until they take her to the cells, right? For further interrogation?” He

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