A Gift from the Goddess by Dawn Rosewood

Chapter Fifteen

We ran outside into the parking lot, knowing we had a lot of ground to cover, and I was pleased

to see that Cai had no issue keeping up. If anything, it was me that was slowing us down.

I turned to yell out

some more directions of where we were headed next, but to my surprise, he was running in the oppc "Where are you going?” I yelled out after him. “It's this way!"

He spun around to face me as he continued to move backwards.

“Were you actually planning to run the whole way?" he shouted back, amused.

He was right. Even if I could run the whole way, I would be way too exhausted to fight by the time wi “Fine,” I said, running to catch up with him. “Hand me the car keys and let's go.”

"Woah, I'm not giving you the keys.” He looked at me incredulously.

"Don't be ridiculous, you don't even know the way!"

He stopped walking at that to look down at me seriously.

“One,” he said, holding up a finger, “you are literally fourteen. I'm not giving the keys to a child.”

I felt my cheeks burn, realising how stupid I must have sounded. I wasn't supposed to know how to c “And two..." he pointed to a motorcycle parked by the curb. “It's not a car.”

I stared at the two-wheeled death trap.

"You've got to be joking.”

He gave me an entertained smirk. “You were

willing to run into danger completely unprepared and alone just five minutes ago, but now a motorc I bit my lip. He had a point.

I sighed. “Fine. Let's just go. It's getting dark and we're wasting time.”

His

smirk widened into a genuine smile and I looked away before I'd get caught up in those feelings he « He straddled the bike and handed me the helmet.

"Get on, little wolf,” he said. “Make sure to hold on tight. You're so tiny you'll fly off with the wind.”

I pouted at his word choice which, once again, made fun of my external age. But nevertheless, I got I'd never been on a bike before and found the movement clumsy, especially

since I wasn't sure where to place my hands or legs.

“You're going to fall off like that,” he said over his shoulder.

He then reached his arms backward to grab behind my knees, and pulled me towards him

so my body was up flush against his back. I was about to protest the proximity but he grabbed at my hands before !

Chapter Fifteen

could, promptly wrapping them tightly around his torso.

It was an extremely embarrassing position to find myself in; so close to this stranger who was now se difficult to distract myself from the fact I was completely wrapped around him. At that moment, I wa: "Alright, here we go,” he said and quickly kicked the bike into ignition.

Instantly, the

rumble of the bike purred under me, growling out as he tested the gas a few times. When he was fin It was an awkward experience trying to direct him but I found that, between my yelling over the winc feeling so free in those moments

To my relief, we arrived fairly quickly, coming to a stop by the side of the road. In fact, thinking on it I the bike, then it was very likely I would have been too late.

We swiftly dismounted and I searched the tree line, looking for

anything suspicious or out of place. But when I couldnt see anything, I relaxed a little. I suspected th I nodded at Cai and saw he had done the same thing. He would probably be able to sense more thar better about what to look out for. I motioned quietly for him to follow me and we began our hike th We travelled up the small dirt path into the trees, being sure to be as quiet as possible to listen out f By the time I finally caught sight of the clearing, my heart began to race. It took all my self—

control to not just immediately run to it, but I knew that it would be far too dangerous to go exposir I pulled Cai down behind a bush just outside the edge of the clearing and sneaked a quick peek thro my relief, I didn’t spot any sign that Myra or the wolves arrived yet. We needed to stay sharp though "Okay, I've got it from here,” Cai said, still discreetly scoping the area. “You should head back to safet I turned to look back at him, disagreeing with every part of that sentence.

“No way,” I argued. “I'm not leaving you here to defend against a bunch of wolves alone.”

He met my eyes as an air of annoyance sparked between us.

“You're only going to get in my way,” he said, moving his face closer to speak in a low angry whisper “Stop treating me like a child!” I hissed. “I know how to fight a little. I can cover your back at least.” “No,” he said, adamant in his decision. “I won't allow it. You're just going to get hurt. There's plenty c "Won't allow it? Won't allow it?!” I repeated in disbelief. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Chapter Fifteen

“I'm an Alpha's

son. I get you're from a different pack, but you need to respect me and my decisions here. Leave. No Anger swept through me, making my pulse run faster.

He'd done it. He'd finally done it. He had tried to use an Alpha tone on me. I could feel his attempt a Even though I was just a Beta’s daughter, I could still

feel the weight he had intended his command to have, but he obviously didn't realise that his foreig I grabbed his shirt and pulled his face so close we were just inches apart.

“I don't think you realise that I'm the future Luna of this fucking pack. You dont get to give me order His eyes widened as he jerked out of my grip backwards. I could see his face visibly become paler as "Wait, what...? Don't tell me you're Ariadne Chr-"

His voice was then abruptly cut off by the shrilling scream of a young girl, crying out only meters aw: Oh, Goddess....