A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty–Four 

In the past timeline, I was sixteen when I first realised I had feelings for Aleric, eighteen when I knew I was in love with him. 

All my life I‘d grown up believing that he would be mine one day, hoping I would make him proud. I was groomed, controlled, and moulded to become the perfect Luna from the moment I was born. 

I remembered my first shift, how it felt once I saw him with the mate bond connecting us. It was like the air around him shimmered, beckoning me forward, demanding that I gravitate around him. If I focused enough, I could even still recall how his skin felt on mine; like tiny sparks of pleasure wherever it touched. So strong, an incredible leader, and capable of feats in battle no one else had accomplished. Those were the good memories of Aleric I‘d buried. 

So why was my mind surfacing this now? Maybe I was trying to justify to myself that at one point in my life I‘d wanted this. That the old Aria would have revelled in this moment. To wear an Alpha‘s mark was regarded as the highest point of honour any female could achieve in a pack. So what did I want now? 1 

... Did my wants even matter anymore? What choice was there if it was this or war? 

Though, if there was anyone else in the room whose desires should have been taken into consideration, they were standing by Tytus‘s side... looking furious. 

Aleric‘s eyes held that same glint in them that I‘d seen right before he‘d killed people in the past. The look of cold fury you didn‘t want to find yourself the subject of. 

“No,” was all he said to Tytus, his voice like ice. 

Several people around me flinched and I couldn‘t blame them for feeling that way. If you weren‘t used to seeing Aleric like this, it could be a scary sight to behold the first time. And from what I’d seen of him in this life, it was rare to see him like this now. 

But rather than flinch, a combination of mixed feelings swelled inside me instead. I didn‘t want him to mark me, sure, but a small remnant inside me stung at hearing the same rejection from him again that I‘d repeatedly heard in the past. 

“No, I‘m not doing that,” Aleric continued. 

“Alec, I‘m not asking you,” Tytus replied flatly. 

“I should have a choice–.” 

“You did have a choice,” Tytus interrupted. “You chose to help Aria cover this up for the last few months. You didn‘t think I realised that already?” 

The two stared at each other with such silent hostility that the lower ranks in the room shifted uncomfortably under the pressure. It was like a tangible air of enmity filled the room around us. 

Finally, Aleric broke first, turning his face to the side in frustration, his teeth gritted. 

It was submission. 

Without further argument, I watched as he then walked towards me, eyes cast down, every step making uncertainty churn inside me the closer he came. 

What was he feeling right now? Anger? Frustration? No... this felt like something else. 

He finally met my eyes when he stood only a few feet away and I saw something unexpected as ! searched for my answers. His face softened immediately from the ice that had been there only moments earlier... and instead he looked ashamed, embarrassed... guilty even. 

Chapter Sixty full 

And as he halted in place, I looked back as stoically as I could, II wasn‘t going to make it easier for either of us if I betrayed how I felt at that moment. How terrified I was of lying myself to the future of uncertainty i‘d tried so hard to avoid. But, without a word, 1 silently gatlieved my loose hair up in my hand and brushed it to the side, giving him clear access to the area ho‘d need, 

If this was the price of saving thousands of lives, of saving Cai, then so be it, 

I‘d always imagined growing up that this moment would be special, more intimate, i queas all of that could have been disregarded and I would have just selled for someone who actually wanted to mark me Maybe I should have found someone from the Winter Mist to do il months ago. Aller all, it wasn‘t like Tytus could un–mark me and a person from this pack wouldn‘t cause a war like Coi would have 

deep down, I had to believe that Alenc had changed, that we had changed. Perhaps he still didn‘t want me in that way this time around, but maybe the friendship wo‘d forged over the last few years would prevail enough to ensure it wasn‘t

he finally stood next to

face uncomfortably before sighing. I wished the Goddess had given me an ability to read minds rather than the cursed vision atrocity she‘d bestowed instead. How I so badly wanted to know what

in. I could feel his

so slightly. He must have realised I‘d been holding my breath since before

since he was so close, courtesy of his enhanced senses. Or maybe he was too preoccupied with the task at hand, focusing on bringing his wolf forward

I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing what was about to happen

...But nothing came. 

he whispered, barely audible even to myself,

open in surprise but I didn‘t know how to reply. It was already a loaded question even without the many eyes of the ranked council watching, expecting this marking to be happening. Where would I even begin to start

reply, I felt him exhale.

“You‘re probably

away from me and I caught sight of how dark his eyes were, proof of how close he‘d beent

“She‘s not even of age yet Youre asking me

narrowed his eyes. “Alec,

said coldly, interrupting Tytus this

our Alpha‘s orders, it was a dangerous sight. If I didn‘t know any better, I would have thought Alenc was planning to take this as far as challenging him. Was this his alternative? To

F OUI

intrusion to the display occurring in front of us. Immediately, everyone‘s eyes turned to the

Elder

all due respect,” he started, “I‘m inclined to agree with the young Alpha heir here. Putting aside the more morally questionable arguments to be made about marking someone underage by force, 1 would also like to point out that we don‘t hold much information in regards to the ramifications that biologically it would hold. By nature, the marking process is laying claim to the other‘s wolf, an instinct derived from our beast side. I feel as though we would be ignoring the obvious here if we went ahead with this, noting that Aria having no wolf yet is a possible risk. I don‘t intend to tell you the best course of action here, of course, but it would be wise to keep in mind that this would be unknown territory, even potentially fatal. Because... well... I‘m no doctor, but I imagine the girl‘s healing ability isn‘t

hear that I might have just died moments earlier. It was enough to almost make my legs give out from under me. I

was truth to his words. And this was probably what worried them as they held their breath, waiting for our Alpha to speak.

was probably still worth the risk or he‘d

be it, but I don‘t see any other

direct insult to the Goddess. I wasn‘t sure if

means keeping her in silver handcuffs, I‘m sure there is a compromise

in over–exaggeration, not to be taken

similar...,” a different Elder spoke up. I recognised them as Elder Nathaniel who typically was a voice of opposition for me. “What if we applied the same principle as silver cuffs, but adapted it to

work,” Tytus replied in

took a step forward. “Wait... hold

to stop speaking and I looked up at

collar me like a pet dog,” I

ear. “Do you prefer the alternative, Aria?” he asked in

worse than being marked?

pulling my

feel Tytus‘ eyes watching me but I refused to look at him. Was he gloating inside

this

may also have unknown results, ” Alpha

see the mild sensation that silver causes to the surface of our skin as anything of dire consequence,” Elder Nathaniel argued back. “So long as she doesn‘t keep any open wounds near it, I would think the whole thing is harmless enough. No one here can deny that it

was only more proof that everyone was actually considering this, that they were all in

holding his tongue. Perhaps he did know of how best to argue back but considered this to actually be the only viable alternative to the marking. Was this mercy or

settled,” Tytus said. “Elder Nathaniel please work on having a collar fashioned for Aria immediately.” His eyes then narrowed towards me. “Not too loose though. I don‘t want there

Cai. It looked as though he was

more thing,” he added. “I‘ve shown leniency today, noting the advice from the council, but that will not be the case in the future. Upon Aria‘s eighteenth birthday, she will

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