Chapter 97


    Chapter Ny Seven


    Chapter Ny–Seven


    I woke up with a long, satisfied stretch in bed, feeling more content than I had in years.


    Thest few days had all blended together so much that I could barely keep track of time anymore. Was


    it a Tuesday? Morning? Night? I didn‘t know. All I knew was that myst week had been spent with


    Aleric, living and breathing every moment he could spare for me.


    I continued to stretch, trying to wake up but, as I did so, I suddenly felt a pulse of pain emanate from my


    shoulder. Something I‘d been ignoring thest few days despite my actual purpose ining here.


    Well, if it gave another reason to stay here a little longer, it couldn‘t be all that bad, right?


    I sighed.


    I didn‘t want to leave. Of course, I didn‘t. It was so easy to ignore all my impending problems waiting form


    e at home, choosing to just live inside my own little bubble instead. I was happy here. Actually happy.


    Something I hadn‘t felt in so long. Given everything I‘d endured, surely I deserved even the tiniest bit of


    respite?


    And Aleric seemed happy, though he hadn‘t explicitly vocalised it. Not that I expected him to. He wasn‘t


    one to normally express feelings through words unless he was prompted, usually choosing to convey


    things in his actions instead. But I could tell by how he was acting that he seemed to be enjoying himself,


    appearing lighter and more rxed in his mannerisms.


    Thinking back now, it seemed crazy that I‘d spent so many years of this life trying to run away from him. I


    had even nned to reject him. And I knew from previous experience how much that hurt, more than


    would warrant the benefits of going through with that process. The constant empty void it created inside


    was tortuous.


    It made me wonder how good things could have been from the beginning if we‘d just been allowed a


    chance to live our lives the way we were meant to. If there were no prophecy pressures, no Selene, no


    markings, or Thea. Just... two people from the same pack who found each other. Would the Aria and


    Aleric of that timeline, though no doubt very different from the people we are now, find themselves


    happily together too?


    However, it was strange to even think of the person I once was. My first life felt more like a bad


    nightmare and so did the person from that timeline. I‘d lived such a sheltered, structured life that the girl


    from back then could barely be considered anything more than a doll. And whilst I couldn‘t say I enjoyed‘


    the journey, I couldn‘t exactly deny that the misfortunes I‘d experienced since dying hadn‘t matured me


    either; hadn‘t helped me grow up from the na?ve, juvenile Luna I‘d once been.


    It was probably most evident in the way I‘d acted upon returning. As if I were sometimes more a bratty


    girl than a woman who had once held a high status. Far too much freedom and trauma given to a child


    all at once, driven by an intense motivation to escape and be their own person finally. Yet, all the while


    that was happening, also dealing with the basic body changes that came with being a teenager once


    more.


    So, who was I actually? Without Thea, without the naivety, without the fear and pain? If, by some miracle,


    I somehow survived this until the end, living to see a world where I was finally free of Thea entirely, what


    did that even look like for me? When I could finally just be myself without pressures or maniption?


    Who will I eventually be?


    ...But would I even survive? Seleneing to retrieve what was hers seemed more than likely for when


    this was over. She‘d told me herself how she considered the other saints, the ones that came before me,


    mistakes. Did victory mean getting to live? Or was that expiration still waiting for me regardless, only


    buying my time the more I procrastinated facing Thea?


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    ...Would it mean saying a final goodbye to Aleric before we left to fight her?


    Trolled over and threw my legs over the side of the bed, no longer wanting to think about it anymore. The


    oue for that was not something in my control so there was no point in mulling over it.


    For now... I just wanted to be happy for the time I was certain I did have.


    And so I left my room, walking down the stairs to the only ce I wanted to be right now.


    “What are you reading?” I asked softly, standing in the doorway of the living area.


    It was gently raining outside, the sound of the drops hitting the roof in a soothing way. The clouds outside


    were also darkening the sky enough that, once again, I couldn‘t be sure what time it was.


    Aleric was sitting by the windowsill, book in hand, and only looked up after I spoke, a small smile


    warming on his face as he did so. His eyes reminded me of the moss and trees within the woods when


    he looked genuinely happy, almost as if he were a living personification of my little cottage sanctuary


    outside.


    “Nothing really,” he answered. “Did you have a good sleep?”


    “I don‘t know if I can call that ‘sleep‘, since there wasn‘t much of that happening... but it was good. Some


    might even say... great.”


    “...Is that so?”


    And I crept closer until I stood in front of him, intending to look at the book in his hands, but instead he


    reached out and pulled me into hisp, forcing a squeal of surprise out of me at the sudden movement.


    Not that I wasining though.


    And, as he positioned me to sitfortably against his broad chest, I‘d never felt so cosy and safe


    before.


    “This looks like one of my books,” I said, reading the words on the page. “Only a small portion of this is in


    themon tongue though.”


    “Well, it‘s raining and there isn‘t much else to do for entertainment around here...”


    And I felt as he then tilted his head down towards me, proceeding to nip at my ear. “Unless you had


    something else in mind.”


    A shiver ran through me, sending endless possibilities to run through my mind... though it was shortly


    followed by another dull ache in my shoulder, a reminder of why we were here. I had healed a lot since


    we‘d arrived, but our recent activities were probably regressing that process.


    “I need a little break... I‘m still healing, after all,” I saidughing, and I squirmed away from his teeth. “I‘m


    pretty sure thesest few days have been the opposite of allowing my body to rest.”


    Much to my own disappointment, he then eased off just as I‘d asked, and went back to looking at the


    book instead. It was a situation where I didn‘t particrly want to be the responsible one.


    In fact, I could think of several more irresponsible things we could be doing right now....


    “Aria,” he said in a low voice behind me. “Make up your mind.”


    And I felt my cheeks redden, realising we were back at square one.


    I needed to be more aware of myself.


    “Umm, anyway.. can you even read this?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.


    He flipped it over to look at the cover and back to the page he was on. “Not really. I didn‘t really bother


    withnguages during study. I‘m mostly looking at the pictures and reading the small bits ofmon


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    tongue that pop up.”


    “...Did you want me to read it to you?” I offered. “I can‘t say I’m fluent anymore but I‘ve been getting a lot


    better over thest few months.”


    I felt as his body then chuckled behind me, the vibrations making me want to melt against him more


    “...Sure,” he said.


    And even though the book contained nothing but factual retellings of pack dynamics several centuries


    ago, he sat and listened diligently to me anyway over the next hour or so that followed.


    A moment that only ended as I failed to stay awake, myck of sleep finallying to catch up with me.


    I‘d tried so hard to fight against it, willing myself not to let the moment go. But, in the end, it proved too


    much.


    ...And I fell asleep in his arms.


    I woke up to the feeling of my hair being gently yed with, the strands delicately tugging in a pleasant


    way, and a smile slowly crept on my lips.


    “...What are you doing?” I murmured softly, waking up to see Aleric next to me in bed.


    His eyes instantly locked with my own, looking as if he‘d been caught doing something he shouldn‘t. A


    reaction that would have made meugh if not for it being a bit sweet.


    My chest instantly tightened at the scene before me and I grabbed his hand in mine.


    “Do you like it?” I asked. “I never really did as a kid. The silver is like an olddy‘s.”


    “...It‘s a pretty colour,” he replied. “I‘ve always liked your hair. Even when I was younger, I thought it was


    interesting.”


    *Thump.*


    He pulled me closer until I was flush up against him, resting my head on the pillow next to him so we


    could face each other.


    “...What else do you like?” I whispered, though a little nervously.


    Truthfully, apart from the mate bond, I had no idea why he‘d be interested in me. From what I could tell, it


    wasn‘t as if I‘d given him many reasons to. It was something I‘d been wondering about for a while now,


    always secretly specting why, but in true Aleric fashion, he hadn‘t said anything yet.


    As awkward as it was, getting this sort of information from him was probably going to be impossible


    unless I directly asked him.


    He shifted a little next to me and cleared his throat, a small frown forming between his brows. Was he


    ufortable?


    “...I think...,” he started and then paused, silently considering my request before continuing.


    “I think you‘re... beautiful... funny... smart... or at least, smart *sometimes,” he teased.


    I yfully hit his shoulder as heughed, but, before I could do much else, he then quickly grabbed my


    hand in his and kissed it to restrain me.


    “I think... I think you helped me to be a better person, whether intentionally or not,” he continued,


    now back to being serious once more. “I think... you became someone I looked forward to seeing every


    day, who I genuinely enjoyed being around… someone to give me a reason to get out of bed and try to


    do better than the day before.”


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    Chapter Ny–Seven


    I felt as my eyes began to brim with tears, feeling overwhelmed by his response. I hadn’t expected him to


    go into such detail.


    “I admire your confidence and strength,” he continued, “your ability to change things around you; both


    people and the pack. You have a way of setting your mind to do something and sticking to your


    convictions, despite others who might try and stop you.”


    “...I think thatst one is called being stubborn,” I chimed in lightly, though my voice betrayed how


    emotional I was feeling.


    “That‘s probably true,” he said and cupped my face, cing a quick peck on my forehead. “Speaking of


    which... were you going to train today? I couldn‘t help but notice you haven‘t done that in a few days


    now


    “I‘m on a break,” | grumbled as I averted my eyes to the unwee change in topic. “Let me have this


    for just a little bit longer.”


    He started to silently chuckle though, and I quickly looked back to see him watching me with amusement,


    his eyes holding that warmth to them I adored.


    “No,” he said tly, a smile on his lips. “Go train today. Just like how I have to patrol. Which..“He then


    looked out towards the window, gauging the time. “... Which is probably about time I do so.”


    “No00000,” I whined softly, enjoying ourzy day in bed too much.


    Just an hour or so more would be fine, surely. I didn‘t want him to go yet. Not after all the sweet things


    he‘d said to me just now.


    “Yesssss,” he replied, mimicking my tone, and pulled himself away to sit up.


    “Just stay in bed with me for a little bit longer,” | said. “We can fight off intruders from here, if need be.”


    “Mmm, tempting,” he said, bending back over to kiss me.


    Immediately, little butterflies filled me as I revelled in the sensation his touch offered, and I grabbed his


    shoulder to draw him closer.


    If it were up to me, it wouldn‘t have stopped there but, before I could initiate anything further, he then


    quickly pulled away.


    “It *ist tempting,” he reiterated, “but I prefer to be focused when fighting, *notdistracted by azy


    seductress in bed.”


    “I‘m notzy,” I pouted, and I sat up as he went to get changed.


    Then feel free to prove me wrong,” heughed, throwing on some loose clothes. “Go train.”


    And I quietly grumbled again, making himugh harder.


    “Alright, I‘m off,” he said,ing back around to my side of the bed. “Stop looking so forlorn. I‘ll see you


    soon.”


    And with that, he quickly kissed me, a tiny spark erupting from where our lips met, and left before I could


    say anything else.


    I wondered how long it‘d be before he came home today, knowing sometimes he was gone for a few


    hours. He was right though… I probably should train


    Wait...


    ...A spark.


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    LHPRETTY even


    I quickly brought a hand up to my lips in confusion.


    I‘d felt that. I‘d felt that.*


    That was definitely a spark from the mate bond. Just a small one. But it had happened.


    I jumped out of bed, tripping over my own legs in haste, and made it to the top of the stairs.


    ...But, before I could follow after him, I heard the front door to outside open and close.


    ...He was already gone.


    ‘Then I guess I‘ll have to tell himter,‘ I thought with a smile.


    It would be something to look forward to. What better progress could I tell him than to say I‘d finally felt a


    spark? And it would definitely be cause for some... scientific research. To test when I could and couldn‘t


    feel it, of course. Probably some ‘extensive physical contact‘ would do the trick.


    I bit my lip knowingly and went back into my bedroom, throwing myself down against the sheets once


    more.


    Somehow, I was feeling better than ever. Better than even before I‘d put on the ring. I was feeling


    stronger and more fulfilled, my shoulder feeling basicallypletely healed. Things were really great.


    In fact, now I thought about it, my shoulder *did* feel healed. Not even an echo of an ache wasing


    from it now... which was kind of strange considering just yesterday it had been hurting me.


    I got up and walked towards the mirror, pulling my shirt to the side to inspect the wound. It probably still


    had another few weeks given I was wearing silver...


    ...But, as I finally saw it, I immediately frowned in surprise.


    ... Because it was healed.


    Fully healed. Now only an undertone of a bruise remaining on my skin.


    But then, didn‘t that mean....


    I quickly looked down at my hands....


    ...Only to find they werepletely bare.


    “...Fuck.”


    The ring was gone.


    “No...,” I whispered in disbelief, staring at the ce the ring should have been. “No… no, no no, no.”


    I was so used to the feeling of silver that I didn‘t even register the burn anymore. How long had it been


    missing? A day? Two?


    ...Had Thea realised?


    I ran down the stairs, an overwhelming panic fuelling me as I scrambled to find it and started looking


    everywhere I could. Under and behind furniture, theundry amongst my clothes, literally anywhere!


    could think of.


    When had I seen itst?


    ...Hadn‘t it been there yesterday?


    The windowsill.


    I looked up sharply to where we‘d sat together the day before... and saw it.


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    Luule VIITEIT Stich


    Nearly entirely hidden by a pillow, it was there. Glinting as the sun hit the exposed surface, almost as if


    mocking me for losing it.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    This meant it must have identally fallen off my finger when I fell asleep.


    How many hours had passed since then though?


    However, as I started to run towards it, suddenly I felt a familiar sensation I hadn‘t felt in months.


    One that filled me with dread. Something I hadn‘t felt in so long yet hadn‘t particrly missed.


    Everything around me instantly began to blur, my legs giving out from under me.


    And, before I couldpletely wrap my head around what was happening, suddenly, I was in the


    woods.


    ...And I became trapped within a vision.


    The sounds of birds and nature surrounded me as if I really were there, even the scent seemed


    indistinguishable. Everything felt so real... and familiar.


    With a lurch to my stomach, I realised these were the woods outside the cottage.


    spun my head around frantically, searching for the one thing I desperately didn‘t want to find. ...But, of


    course, they were there. I‘d suspected as much the second I‘d seen where I was, but I‘d fervently hoped


    I was wrong.


    Because I knew what this meant now. How could I not?


    Aleric stood by a tree, surveying the area around him, looking the same as when he‘d left not even


    twenty minutes earlier. Even his clothes were the same. Which told me two very crucial details.…


    One; that it was happening today.


    And, two; ...that he hadn‘t even shifted yet... meaning it was literally happening any second now, if not


    already


    “Aleric!” | screamed out, running towards him.


    But he didn‘t respond, being unable to hear me inside the vision. It was yet another cruel restriction that


    came with this ability,


    I immediately felt myself begin to cry, my breathing bing shallow as I watched helplessly in mute


    terror.


    Because there was one other very important, yet cruel restriction that came with having visions. One


    knew painfully well, having experienced several over thest few years. ..And that was that they always*


    brought bad news.