A Gift from the Goddess by Dawn Rosewood

Chapter Eighty–One 

The room quickly erupted into chaos once Aleric had fallen. The council, who were probably all too shocked to move earlier, were now realising the full gravity of the situation, 

The situation where both Alphas now laid unmoving before me. 

Several warriors and Gamma Oliver turned their attention to me, an intent to kill written all over their faces, and I couldn‘t blame them for thinking that. Aller murdering their Alpha, Oliver would feel it were now his responsibility to retaliate given he was the only full ranked member remaining. 

Or so he thought. 

I watched as he started to charge at me, his body almost on the brink of shifting and.... 

“ENOUGH,” I shouted out, my voice thick with authoritative command, 

And everyone immediately froze around me. 

I stood, waiting for several seconds and, when I was finally satisfied everyone had completely stopped, I cleared my throat, addressing the room. 

“Everyone sit back down. NOW.” 

It seemed to come naturally to me, my authority having no more restraints to hold me back. All these months of training had apparently paid off. 

And everyone complied. Without anyone left with a comparable high rank, there was no doubt that my orders would be adhered to implicitly. 

“Okay, then,” I said, my tone relaxing a little. “Let‘s just all sit down... breathe... and talk for a second, shall 

we?” 

I walked over to where Tytus‘ chair was and sat down, earning myself a few looks of horror from several people around 

“Alright. Well…,” I started, looking out at the room, “I imagine you all have a lot of questions–.” 

“You think we‘ll follow you, girl?” Elder Nathaniel spat out, cutting me off. “That you can murder our Alpha and we‘ll just blindly accept you? Absolutely not. The sheer audacity you have to even think for a second t h–” 

“Silence,” I ordered, holding my hand up to stop him. “...Congratulations, you‘ve now lost the right to speak to me again until I say so.” 

He opened his mouth to argue back but I could tell that my order held firm. Nothing was able to leave 

past his lips. 

“Good,” I praised. “Now then, as I was saying, I know you all have a lot of questions. However, as crazy as i t sounds, I actually have things I need to do tonight that are more pressing than this. So, we‘ll just need to make this quick. Well, that... and because the former* Alpha heir will also die if he doesn‘t go to the hospital within the next few hours. Something I‘m sure none of us here want.” 

No, killing him was unfortunately not an option when I wasn‘t certain yet how it tied into Thea‘s plan or Selene. The drug I‘d dosed him with was mostly made from a sedative but contained a tiny trace amount of wolfsbane in it. The intention was that the wolfsbane would act as an immediate measure to slow him until the sedative could work its way through him. And it had worked perfectly. However, at the end of the day, it was still poison and he would die if he didn‘t receive medical attention 

“Let‘s just cut to the chase then shall we?” | continued. “Confirm the succession of Alpha to myself and w 

o can reconvene in a few days to go over the nitty gritty detalls.” 

“You can‘t just barde in here without any claim and demand the pack!” Gamma Oliver yelled, 

But I didn‘t,” I calmly replied, “Alpha Tylus is now dead, his successor, whom I challenged during his attempt to mark mo, is now incapacitated. According to the natural laws of our kind, the title is now rightfully mine. Though, need I remind you all that, with my mark from the Goddess hersell, I was always just as entitled to this pack os Aloric was, My claim fontirely legitimate.” 

“That‘s not... you can‘t...,” he stammered, trying to find an adequate excuse. 

However, Elder Luke then cut in. 

“If you believe that Aria‘s right to the litle of Alpha Is any less than Aleric‘s... then you are in contempt of the Goddess‘ will,” he said, “A challenge was issued... Aria then showed her strength and ability to overcome not just one.. but Iwo Alpha bloods. Anyone who would even begin to discredit her claim to this title would be doing so out of their own sellish beliefs,” 

That seemed to shut Oliver up. 

‘They don‘t respect you enough...,’ the voice inside whispered, ‘You should make them kneel. All of them. I I would force them to acknowledge your authority.‘ 

But I quickly pushed away her suggestion. There was no need to drag this out longer than necessary. 

“Brilliant. Any other questions?” | asked the room, scanning their faces. 

I needed them to hurry this along. The intervals between cold shivers were now decreasing in time and soon I wouldn‘t be able to focus on this anymore. Normally, a ceremony would be done for the transfer of Alpha rank however, in light of everything happening, I was happy to just opt for the verbal contract. Technically, only the words were required. 

When I was met with only silencel then smiled. “Okay, perfect. Swear me in and we can all go about the rest of our day. Obviously, someone will need to deal with Aleric... and the body. Please ensure Alericis given full medical treatment and is sent to the cells once he has recovered. No one is to have any direct contact with him unless I say so. Is that clear?” 

The room mutely nodded around me. 

“Very well,” Elder Luke said, breaking the tension slightly from the council, “Aria, please approach and kneel.” 

I stood up and met Elder Luke at the front of the room, doing so under the watchful eyes of everyone else around me. 

“Aria, do you promise to protect, serve and do right by this pack to the best of your ability?” he asked. 

I bowed my head as I took on the responsibility. “Under the gaze of the Goddess, I, Ariadne Chrysalis, do accept these terms.” 

“Then let me be the first one to officially welcome you. On behalf of those present today, we, the council o f the Winter Mist, hereby accept the Saintess, Ariadne Chrysalis, as our new Alpha and leader. We are all i n your care now.” 

I wasn‘t expecting any applause or adoration, of course. After what I‘d just done, I was completely realistic about the situation. But even if they hated me, this was for both their future and mine. Even if they didn‘t know it. 

“Thank you, Elder Luke,” I said, standing back up. “I appreciate your support and wisdom, as always. I‘m looking forward to the great work we can accomplish together.” 

But then I felt it. Like an immense pressure building inside against one of the bones in my thigh... 

...And I knew it would snap at any second. 

“Okay, everyone! Apologies for this,” I said, turning back around to face the entire room. “But... respectfully, everyone needs to get the fuck out. Like right now. I want warriors posted at the front door and no one is to enter. No one.” 

They all didn‘t waste time in moving, carrying out my order just as I‘d asked. Aleric and Tytus were also removed swiftly, something I tried not to focus on. The last thing I needed was to dwell on that right now. 

And so, after a few minutes had passed, it was finally only me and Elder Luke left. 

“Do you need a hand?” he asked kindly, already knowing what was happening. “The first time is always the most painful.” 

But I shook my head. I‘d already been through this once and knew what was ahead. And right now, I just wanted to be alone more than anything. Having someone else here would just be a sad reminder of my loss. 

Though it felt strange to be doing this in here; this place being typically reserved for only gatherings. However, the meeting hall was the largest enclosed area within the pack and I knew that leaving to the woods right now would be far too dangerous. Especially when I wouldn‘t be able to defend myself for a while. 

“Very well,” he said, bowing his head at me. “Call for me when you are ready.” 

And with that he left, the room becoming completely empty. Now it was just me and... 

*SNAP.* 

I cried out from the pain, falling to the ground. 

It hurt. It hurt so goddamn bad. This body had never felt what it was like, felt the new shapes and sensations that came with shifting. Unfortunately, just knowing what to expect didn‘t seem to lesson that i In the slightest. 

became laboured and, slowly, I could feel my bones breaking, my skin moving, my

tears falling down my face. I just wanted this

to distract them from the pain, to help and support them through this. But I didn‘t have any family left. No, it was just

to it, shutting it off inside my brain. Only the sound of my flesh

then, finally, it was done.

before I felt myself reach the end of

of

muffled sounds coming from outside the room. It seemed like there were so

I

Checusuhty on 

I felt her. 

She was waking up.

had ever had. The only one who knew of

was

I sobbed within my

was

Like she wasn‘t sure what was happening.

been through… look at everything that we have survived together,’

I showed her. Images of the past, of the present, of the pain and torture we experienced. Of the things she‘d missed, of

been too much. She didn‘t understand... couldn‘t handle the immense amount of pain

the cold truth.

wasn‘t *my wolf.

innocent in all of this. It seemed that I, alone, was the only one who

yet I‘d greeted her with an onslaught of

I spat at

within the rejection of our mate, from the lives we‘d claimed, and from the

growing up than anything of true strength. Without even trying, she had already withdrawn in order

Have it your way,‘ I hissed inside and took back full

fours, trying to remember how to maneuver the fur–covered form, and began walking around the room. And I kept walking... and walking... every second spent trying to force

back though... no

me in

me... and not my wolf.

to shift back. And I could feel myself shaking as I transitioned... but it wasn‘t from the physical

sob wracked through me, overcome with the sheer emotional distress I‘d gone through; something now made only worse by the

Chapter Egghty–One 

Goddess, I didn‘t want to do this anymore. I didn‘t want to feel this way anymore. I‘d lost everyone I‘d cared about...

I was

So alone. 

don‘t need them,‘ the familiar voice of my other

Knew exactly what I was feeling. The only person who had given me the strength to do what needed

Let

up on the floor, hugging my legs to my chest. Her words were comforting for the aching inside.

let us not forget the person behind why so much has gone wrong in our

responsible for originally introducing Thea to the pack, for killing us, for why we no longer have our wolf, for gaining our trust before mercilessly betraying us... for killing

I listened, but I knew I needed to hear

...Aleric.‘ 

our undoing. He was our beginning

is gone, he will try to kill us whenever he next gets the chance. We

my head in acknowledgement at everything

and accept that Aleric was the same monster inside.

maybe that was

need anyone anymore. There was no one left in this entire pack ‘who could ever tell me what to do again. No one left to chain me up or force me to give myself

the sake of their son‘s succession.

be

me… and *hert. The

Chapter Eighty–One 

had fallen. The council, who were probably all too shocked to move earlier, were

Alphas now laid unmoving before me.

attention to me, an intent to kill written all over their faces, and I couldn‘t blame them for thinking that. Aller murdering their Alpha, Oliver would feel it were now his responsibility to retaliate given he was the only full

so he

at me, his body almost on the brink of shifting and....

my voice thick with

froze around me.

finally satisfied

sit back down. NOW.”

my authority having no more restraints to hold me back. All these months of training had apparently paid off.

comparable high rank, there was no doubt that my orders

then,” I said, my tone relaxing a little. “Let‘s just all sit down... breathe... and talk for a second,

we?” 

sat down, earning myself a few looks

“I imagine you all

Alpha and we‘ll just blindly accept you? Absolutely not. The sheer audacity you have

“...Congratulations, you‘ve now lost the right to speak

could tell that

past his lips. 

However, as crazy as i t sounds, I actually have things I need to do tonight that are more pressing than this. So, we‘ll just need to make this quick. Well, that... and because the former* Alpha heir will also die if he doesn‘t go

The intention was that

shall we?” | continued. “Confirm

days to go over the nitty gritty

claim and demand the pack!” Gamma

challenged during his attempt to mark mo, is now incapacitated. According to the natural laws of our kind, the title is now rightfully mine. Though, need I remind you all that, with my mark from the Goddess hersell, I was always just as entitled to this pack os Aloric was, My claim fontirely legitimate.”

you can‘t...,” he stammered, trying to

Luke then cut

are in contempt of the Goddess‘ will,” he said, “A challenge was issued... Aria then showed her strength

to shut Oliver up.

‘You should make them kneel. All of them. I I would force them to acknowledge your

I quickly pushed away her suggestion. There was no need to drag this

other questions?” | asked the room, scanning

time and soon I wouldn‘t be able to focus on this anymore. Normally, a ceremony would be done for the transfer of Alpha rank however, in light of everything happening, I was happy

was met with only silencel then smiled. “Okay, perfect. Swear me in and we can all go about the rest of our day. Obviously, someone will need to deal with Aleric... and the body. Please ensure Alericis given full medical treatment and

mutely nodded around me.

Luke said, breaking the tension slightly from the council, “Aria, please approach

the front of the room, doing so under the watchful eyes of everyone else around me.

do right by this pack to the best of

head as I took on the responsibility. “Under the gaze of the Goddess, I, Ariadne Chrysalis, do

the first one to officially welcome you. On behalf of those present today, we, the council o f the Winter Mist, hereby accept the Saintess, Ariadne Chrysalis, as our new Alpha and leader. We are all i n

completely realistic about the situation. But even if they hated me, this was

“I appreciate your support and wisdom, as always. I‘m looking forward to

Like an immense pressure building inside against one of the bones

I knew it would snap at any