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.

too. Something no mate

that was that I knew

plainly see how he doted on her over me. Gave her the love that was rightfully mine, looking at 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,

to keep going. This was the one thing that I had 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,

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

had always been cold, clinical, as if 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

the curse of

Aleric,” I said, my voice

meet his cold green eyes as my legs began to shake. I could feel inside that my wolf

It was suffocating.

be 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

at

making Thea’s child my rightful heir. The elders have deemed this appropriate given the circumstances. They understand how important

bowed my head to him in submission, tears quietly streaming down my face. I 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 Alpha was strong, and it caused me to still love him even now.

at eight. Don’t be late,” he said finally before walking out

 his Luna, and a queen in the

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

the forest as the cold fresh 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

needed to feel free and alive. We were both trapped by our position, our duty, our mate.

discarded. I could see now that it had been for the best that I brought no children into this family. No child

well that Thea would burn this pack to

what about 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

wolf continued to run as I mulled over my internal debate. She hunted rabbits and sniffed at the different scents, taking it all in so she could try and forget everything that had

head back soon. But I didn’t want to subject her to that just yet. For

idea. Not that I blamed her. Unfortunately, I had to remind her that we needed to get home for dinner or Sophie