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

that I

her as if she were his sun. But every part of my being loved him even if he did not love me. And yet, by some futile dream, I remained hopeful that he would warm to me once I bore him a child. After all, I was the rightful Luna

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 seen my father, the Beta, look so disappointed

news. I lost weight, tried to make myself prettier, and dedicated myself to my Luna duties. We were the most successful pack in the country and a part of that was due to me. I thought if I could make him

his visits soon completely stopping. Those short moments he had once indulged

curse of the mate

Aleric,” I said, my voice barely

I could feel inside that my wolf was crushed, feeling her pain mixed in

It was suffocating.

Luna position

at

heir. The elders have deemed this appropriate given the circumstances. They

had done to me, I still relished in him even talking to me. The bond between Luna and Alpha was strong, and it caused me to still love him even now. Even though every part

morning at eight. Don’t be late,” he said finally before walking out of the packhouse. He didn’t

would rather see me suffer than give me even an ounce of love or affection. I was a Luna, his Luna, and a queen

do the only thing I could do in this situation; run from it all… if only for

immediately, something I breathed in greedily to help clear my head. It was nice, apart from the wind that bit at my cheeks

gave her full control as I knew she needed this. She needed to feel free and alive. We were both trapped by our position, our duty, our mate. We had sacrificed everything for

aside – just as how I had been discarded. I could see now that it had been for the best that I brought no children into this family. No

Thea would burn this pack to the ground if she became Luna. She hadn’t had any training and I was yet to witness

my own mental health? Hadn’t I suffered enough? Four years was way too long to wear my heart on my sleeve for Aleric. He had made a mockery of my love for him and couldn’t even respect me

over my internal debate. She hunted rabbits and sniffed at the different scents, taking

against the wind, now becoming colder as darkness crept up, and I knew we would need to head back 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 waiting for us back at the

hour passed and I accepted it was finally time. I gently nudged her in my head to indicate we should head home but she let out a low growl to tell me she wasn’t pleased with this idea. Not that I blamed her. Unfortunately, I had to remind her that we needed to get home for dinner or Sophie would begin to worry. With a final whimper of annoyance,