A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 79

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

Warm. 

It was so warm. 

Everything around me felt like it was burning, our skin already flushed enough from the training just prior. 

...And I wanted more. 

With one hand tangled through his dark hair, my other was tracing slowly down the front of his chest, feeling every muscle under my touch. And Goddess was it flawless. His body moulded against mine perfectly, as if it had been made to fit there. 

... This is wrong,‘ a voice whispered inside. 

And yet that thought only seemed to excite me further. 

It felt a million times better than I thought it would, his mouth moving hungrily as it responded against mine. His lips softer than I would have ever imagined. 

...Stop... 

There was a sense of urgency, a sense of need as I clung to him, pressing myself up against him closer, desperately searching for as much contact as possible. 

... You need to stop.’ 

No, I really shouldn‘t have wanted this, wanted him, but it was like a flood gate of buried emotions unexpectedly poured out, mixing with new ones I hadn‘t even noticed before. And the result was a desire shooting through me that felt insatiable. 

His body then shifted under me, trying to sit up and I moved back to allow it, giving him the space he‘d need to get himself free without leaving too much distance. 

But it was as he tried to bring his hands out to touch me, probably having momentarily forgotten the cuffs were even there, that I suddenly realised what was happening. 

As the metal from the silver dagger loudly sounded out against the handcuffs, it was as if someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water over me. 

....ENOUGH! 

....And I immediately pulled myself away. 

“Give me a second...,” Aleric said quietly as he began to free himself. He hadn‘t even realised my abrupt change in mood yet. 

But, without waiting, I quickly stood up and took a few shaky steps backwards. 

“...Aria?” Aleric asked, looking up at me now confused. 

“I–I made a mistake,” I said, my heart still pounding heavily, my head cloudy. 

...And I knew I‘d messed up badly. 

Because nothing about our situation had changed. I still didn‘t know his future, I didn‘t know what would happen to him, or if there was some sort of trigger that would set him down the same path... I still couldn‘t trust him implicitly. Not entirely. 

In fact, the only thing I‘d learnt about our situation over the last few months was that there were now even more factors from both inside and around us that were completely unknown. Especially that one ever 

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

nagging issue.... 

Power, 

I‘d already once seen what his drive to achieve that had cost. Seen just what he was willing to sacrifice in order to reach that status. 

...Who was to say what he‘d eventually be willing to do this time? 

Was it just waiting inside his core, ready to change him into that power–hungry man once more without 

any moment‘s notice? When dealing with the abilities of a Goddess, who could say for sure? 

I‘d made a deal with him to keep our relationship professional for that exact reason. A way to avoid any conflict of interest should the worst–case scenario happen in the future. 

I‘d already ruined

mistake, one that could have also had severe impacts on the pack... just like it had

talking about?” he said, slowly standing up.

I shouldn‘t have done that. That‘s not… That‘s not

“Seriously?” 

wanted to leave. There was nothing good that would result from talking about any

turned around to walk away... only his

it. I didn‘t question it because, given everything you‘ve apparently been through, it would be stupid of me to think that I‘d ever have a chance.

but I kept walking. I needed

the tiniest bit? ... How the hell do I just

back around. “I–I don‘t even know what I want... but I know being with you potentially jeopardises this pack if one day I can‘t make an impartial decision between you or their best interest. I‘ve already seen a future where I‘ve given myself to you and seen what you did with that. You think I‘m stupid enough to

Barely trusting one another, silently wondering if the other person will

remained silent, not having an answer for that.

prove to you that I‘m not *him* That I’m worth your trust and respect. And now.., this? You lead me on and then rub salt in the wounds for shit that isn‘t

could feel my blood rushing through my body furiously, my anger now tipping over the edge. It was

everything we‘ve prepared?” I spat back, seeing red. “So then am I taking this as your confirmation that you no longer want to manage the pack together? Because you should tell me that now. It‘ll be good to get that

to make yet another catastrophic mistake by sleeping with someone, Aleric, I could have just

to do

chest, an aura coming off him that would have made any lower ranks fall to their knees.

regretted what I‘d said. Somehow, I couldn‘t seem to help it though. It had left my mouth before I could stop it, being said purely out of my anger.

left me as I stood before

that I was making the right

and quickly turned around, walking out the room before I said anything else I‘d regret.

behind me, an onslaught of anxiety and guilt immediately

hell had I just done

a lethal threat. A potential danger to himself and others,‘ the

Oh, great. 

it appeared she was

the time for her to be filling my head. No, I needed to figure out what to do

back internally, continuing on

organising a few things for me before tomorrow. She was kept

greeted, looking up in surprise at my appearance. “Is everything okay?”

it yet was the last thing I wanted right

at some

to query me about it further but thankfully kept quiet, acknowledging m

straight for my bedroom to rest for a while, now exhausted from everything that had transpired; including using my abilities. It was a room for privacy...

than just the kiss. Lashing out at him for what he said wasn‘t remotely called for, especially when I knew he was probably right. Or, at least, he was justified in what he was saying from his

been keeping a barrier between us, purposely ensuring that I didn‘t get

Chapter Seventy–Nine 

was grasping at any excuse to keep that distance, even though

what had been happening inside me. Blinded to even the smallest possibility that I might have been getting too close. And now I‘d

a momentary lapse in judgement or...?

how it

flushed through

After tomorrow. 

tomorrow. For now, I just needed to cool off for a bit before I go and apologise to Aleric. I needed to fix what I‘d messed up

about going to seek him out to talk, I became conscious of just how tired I‘d already become, my eyes quickly becoming heavy against my own will. I should have realised sooner

Okay, fine then. 

small

hallway roused me from my sleep, waking me up to find myself standing

rooms were darkening, early night beginning to fall already outside as was evident from the few windows

I even get

to find

out to her.

No reply. 

though I was having a

to whatever it was I needed to see, but it didn‘t take long for us to arrive at our destination. Soon, my mother‘s office came into sight just

to the door, suddenly it

a little from his abrupt exit. “I wasn‘t expecting to see

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