A Gift from the Goddess

“It looks like everyone is here now,” Aleric said, projecting into the crowd. “We are gathered here today to bear witness to the trial of Ariadne Chrysalis, former Luna to the Winter Mist pack.”

His eyes scanned over the faces of everyone around before finally landing on me.

“Do you swear on the Goddess’ name, Ariadne, that you will tell the whole truth during this trial?” Aleric asked.

I met his piercing green eyes, a shiver going down my spine. How those eyes haunted me.

“I do,” I replied loudly and confidently.

“And how do you plead?”

I held my breath, my heart racing in my chest.

“Not guilty.”

“She’s pregnant,” Aleric told me.

I stared at him in shock, my face paling. My destined mate, the love of my life, was telling me that he had gotten a girl pregnant. A girl who was not me.

It was like a kick to the gut. The mate bond made the weight of his words tortuous and my inner wolf howled out in pain. I had given everything to Aleric, suffered everything for him. And yet here he was, standing in front of me, telling me such excruciating news as if he were telling me the time of day.

“Why?” I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you,” Aleric said sharply. “You couldn’t even fulfil all your duties as my mate, as a Luna. Don’t start acting as if this is a surprise. The pack needs an Alpha heir. Something you are incapable of, Ariadne.”

His words stung, twisting deep into my flesh like a knife. We had been officially mated for six years now and it was true… I had failed to bear him a child. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t wanted to though. For months after we had officially found out about the mate bond, I would try everything to be with him as much as possible. But he was never interested in me, I could see that clearly. I knew he was only with me because I was the rightful Luna.

I knew too. Something no mate should ever have to live

that I knew about

if she were his sun. But every part of my being loved him even if he

pinned all my hopes on for my fate to change, for Aleric to change. The news of my infertility was kept only within the high ranks of the pack thankfully, but I’d never

a part of that was due to me. I thought if I could make him successful then he would pay me back

he were performing a duty rather than enjoying himself. But then everything changed once he learned of my infertility, his visits soon completely stopping. Those short moments he had once indulged me had been everything to me. They were the only times he had ever touched me with intimacy. My skin would send sparks wherever our bodies met, and his scent would intoxicate

curse

you, Aleric,” I

legs began to shake. I could feel inside that my wolf was crushed, feeling her pain mixed

It was suffocating.

pathetic,” he scoffed. “You should count yourself lucky I’m not removing you of your Luna position for Thea. The Goddess still chose you to be Luna, even if she

at

heir. The elders have

needed to leave, to get away from him, but I was held in place by his presence. Even after everything he had done to me, I still relished in him even talking to me. The bond between Luna and

Don’t be late,” he said finally before

or affection. I was a Luna, his Luna, and a queen in the eyes of our pack, but he could not even spare me

longer, I decided to do the only thing I could do in this situation; run from it all… if only for a few

air hit my face immediately, something I breathed in greedily to help clear my head. It was nice, apart from the wind that bit at my cheeks where my tears had fallen, forcing a chill through my body. But it didn’t end up

She needed to feel free and alive. We were both

it had been for the best that I brought no children into this

was in an impossible situation. Every part of me wanted to run away, but I knew my pack needed me. In fact, I knew damn well that Thea would burn

too long to wear my heart on my sleeve for Aleric.

continued to run as I mulled over my internal debate. She hunted rabbits and sniffed at the different scents, taking

soon. But I didn’t want to subject her to that just yet. For just a little while longer, I wanted her to forget about everything

pleased with this idea. Not that I blamed her. Unfortunately, I had to remind her that we needed to get home for