A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 65

Sixty–Five 

‘Three hundred and one... three hundred and two… three hundred and three... three hundred and four....‘ 

I crept my fingers like legs along the wooden panel as I sat curled up on the seat of the windowsill nook. I n my head, I would count the steps I made until my hand couldn‘t reach any further... then I‘d repeat. How many steps could I count until I was eighteen? 

Everything felt like it blended together, almost as if two timelines were now indistinguishable. It must have been at least a month or two since they dragged me in here kicking and screaming. I had tried to run the minute I saw where they were taking me, a reaction that surprised even myself. But this place held worse memories for me than even the trial grounds where I‘d died. 

‘*“No, not here,“+‘ I had said adamantly as they tried to force me to go inside. ‘*“Anywhere but here.” 

‘*“This is where you‘ve been instructed to live, Ma‘am. It‘s not up for discussion.“*” 

I was addressed as ‘Ma‘am‘ or ‘Miss‘ now. No longer a Beta heir, not yet a Luna, but everyone too nervous to call me Saintess in light of the events of that day. 

‘*“Tell Tytus that if he wants something of me marked so badly, then he can mark my words,“*‘ I‘d spat back at them when things had escalated to a point beyond reason. Their hands had grabbed at me around my waist as I had tried to wriggle free. ‘*“Tell him that as soon as I‘m free, I‘m coming for him. Tell him that he can go fuck–,” 

| shook off the memory, focusing back on my counting instead. They ended up having to lock me inside for the first few days until I stopped pounding at the door. Then, once the first week had gone by, time started to blend together. Now they couldn‘t get me to leave. 

Some days I wondered if I was even brought back to life or whether the events up until now were all a fever dream I‘d concocted after failing to escape with Sophie. Everything looked the same, felt the same, smelt the same… the only difference was within the people who visited... and this collar around my neck. 

“Ariadne,” a familiar voice echoed, like a distant memory. 

In the past, I used to go into the garden; it was somewhere I‘d go when I needed a break from it all. I would go running in the woods and let my wolf explore before we‘d inevitably have to drag ourselves back to reality. I didn‘t have a wolf yet though and it wasn‘t like this collar would have made that of any benefit anyway. But more so than that, I just didn‘t like the idea of people seeing me like this. The less that knew, the better. 

“Ariadne.” 

Even the books here were ones I‘d already read repeatedly. There were only so many times I could read about the ‘100 Greatest Battles of Wolf Kind‘ or ‘The Twenty Steps of a Successful Luna‘ before beginning to hate even the thought of picking a book up. But even if I asked someone to go to the library for me, it was unlikely there would be many books in there that I hadn‘t already read at least once. 

‘Three hundred and eighty–four… three hundred and eighty–five… three hundred and eighty–six....’ 

“Aria!” the voice cut through, forcing me to realise it wasn‘t just in my head. 

I looked up startled, blinking several times as I refocused. 

It was Aleric. How long had he been here? 

“Oh... hello,” I said, my voice sounding distant. “I didn‘t hear you arrive. Have you been here long?” 

I rigidly stood up, inclining my head in a bow of respect per standard protocol for higher ranks. After all, I 

wasn‘t a Beta heir anymore. 

“...About five minutes,” he said slowly, frowning at the formality. I had the feeling that perhaps it made him uncomfortable but I continued to do it regardless. 

“Apologies for not realising... I was just lost in thought.” 

He stared as if studying my movements. Most likely, he could tell my behaviour was more forced than genuine. “...It‘s fine.” 

“Did Sophie offer you any tea yet?” I asked, walking past him towards the kitchen. 

I could recall that there were at least two sections in ‘The Twenty Steps of a Successful Luna‘ that specified that, not only should I be presentable at all times, but that I should also ensure an Alpha was made to feel comfortable and at ease. I was pretty confident that the author of that book and my old Luna studies teacher, Mrs Stewart, would have a fit if they saw me like this now. Though I wondered what they would say given my circumstances. Surely my situation negated several areas of required etiquette. 

“...Sophie?” 

I stopped in my tracks and cursed internally. “Ah... I mean... I mean Lucy. Apologies.” 

at my head.

into the other room

for a while. “Every time I visit, it feels like you‘re slipping into a

if we were being completely accurate,

replied flatly, handing him a cup. “You saw me only yesterday. It‘s not like anything

gone for a week, remember?” he prompted. “I had that meeting out of town and I said I wouldn‘t be back for a

“How did the

the meetings. They can‘t agree on how best to handle an influx of refugees stemming from a defeated

see. I‘m sorry to hear that.”

me. “I don‘t suppose you have any suggestions?”

by the very hierarchy I was told to serve. This

“...No.” 

suggestions. None of which I felt like

said, sipping at his tea. “Then there is the issue of petty disputes. There‘s a pack fighting over a boundary line since the original territory documents

you‘re going to be busy.”

to build a new business in town but

Chapter Sutowe 

grasping at straws. Anyone with half a brain could assist with that one. Each

What are

are you doing?” he asked sharply, his tone annoyed.

not sure what you‘re referring

this* is,” he said, waving a hand towards

you with these issues,” I frowned. “I guess that‘s why they leave all pack

of distaste behind my words. He would pick up immediately on

what I meant,” he said, his jaw clenched. “I‘m talking about how it feels as though I‘m talking to a wall, like you‘re a shell not really here.”

behind what

don‘t know what you want from me,” I finally whispered, looking back down at the cup in my hands.

want you to care about something again, anything.” He sighed and walked around the room, pacing

of the collar? Because we both know there is nothing I can do about that,” he said, inspecting the bookshelf by the couch that was only collecting dust.“...Or maybe it‘s because Cai left–?”

his name,” I hissed without missing a beat.

the sting that accompanied hearing the name after all this

as

instead deciding to

I said quietly, resuming

his hair. “...No need to apologise. It‘s nice to know at least

moments, the tension in the air needing

in the vicinity get together. Tytus asked me to go

refert o him respectfully as ‘Father‘. When had that started? Probably when

voice trailed off. I knew if I said ‘nice‘ he‘d probably

he provided, finishing the sentence for me. “...Which is why

looked up shocked, unsure if I‘d

morning and we‘ll

reached up and touched at the collar. “Tylus knows about this? About letting me leave the Winter Mist

he confirmed.

didn‘t want to go. I‘d been hiding myself away from my own pack these past few months and was sure that rumours had spread already about my new... jewellery. The last thing I wanted was to be

Luna yet,”

not an Alpha yet,” he

too tired to

do nothing except sit around

was no getting out of this. But he was grossly mistaken if he

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