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 

this time

sorry,” I whispered when he finally stood next

me an ability to read minds rather than the cursed vision atrocity she‘d bestowed instead. How I so badly wanted to know what he

head, and slowly, he moved in. I could feel his warm breath along my

he reminded me softly and I nodded my head ever so slightly. He must have realised I‘d been

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

and I squeezed my

...But nothing came. 

me?” he whispered, barely audible

It was already a loaded question even without the many eyes

could reply, I felt him exhale.

it doesn‘t matter,” he whispered. “You‘re probably going to resent

dark his eyes were, proof of how close he‘d beent o

Aleric declared “She‘s not even of age yet Youre asking me to mark someone who

his eyes. “Alec, this–”

Aleric said coldly, interrupting Tytus this time. “I‘m not doing it.”

his wolf was to the surface, mixed in with his absolute determination to disobey our Alpha‘s orders, it was a dangerous sight. If I didn‘t know

Sixty F OUI

like an intrusion to the display occurring in front of us. Immediately, everyone‘s eyes turned to the direction it came from.

Elder

though we would be ignoring the obvious here if we went ahead

to almost make my legs give out from under me. I knew this man was far too good for this

everyone realising that there was truth to his words. And this was probably what worried them as they

I was contained. In his head, it was probably still worth the risk or he‘d kill me anyway to guarantee no one else got their

ensure the prosperity of this pack,” Tytus concluded. “If we need to call for a doctor then so be it, but I don‘t see

cell as a direct insult to the Goddess. I wasn‘t sure if hearing his concern about it made me hopeful

keeping her in

in over–exaggeration, not to be taken literally, but some

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 a more mobile and practical form? Say... a collar, for instance? Something

could work,” Tytus

“Wait... hold on a second–.”

stop speaking and I looked up

collar me like a pet

as he moved towards my ear. “Do you prefer the alternative,

this really worse than being

and turned away, pulling my hand out of his

feel Tytus‘ eyes watching me but I refused to

hated this idea?

silver may also have unknown results, ” Alpha

keep any open wounds near it, I would think the whole thing is harmless enough. No one here can deny that it would be the most effective way of containing all her

the room was only more proof that everyone was actually considering this, that they

he had some other argument to counter Elder Nathaniel, but he looked as though he was holding his tongue. Perhaps he did know of how best to argue back but considered this to actually be the only viable alternative to

a collar fashioned for Aria immediately.” His eyes then narrowed towards me. “Not too loose though. I

as though he was refusing to let his hunch about us go.

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 be marked by Aleric. That i s not up for discussion. The

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