A Gift from the Goddess novel Chapter 144

“Two packs aligned under her rule,” Allison continued. “An accumulation of two Alphas, the Saintess and a Luna. Each one more monstrous than the last. A collection that broke our sacred traditions, and dealt with those who would not join them via irrefutable orders… and death.”

She then pointed to another painting of four people; the Saintess with her silver hair and violet eyes, and a fearsome-looking male next to her with black hair and green eyes. Then a male with dark brown hair and molten gold eyes… and a girl who seemed depicted as an angel with shadow-like wings. Her brunette hair willowed in the wind as her eyes shone like sapphires.

“Their spawn continued their legacy, but it wasn’t until the Saintess’ death that a revolution was finally able to begin. A revolt against their rule and one to reinstate the ways of old. A war that lasted nearly fifty years. The Great Silver War.”

“…Was this the same war that the suppressors were designed for?” I asked.

She looked at me in surprise. “You know about the suppressors?”

And I fumbled, unsure how to answer. Kieran hadn’t told me if it was meant to be kept secret or not.

“I uh… I’ve been doing some reading at the packhouse. I think I remember something about them.”

“Oh… well, yes. It was thanks to our invention of them that our pack rose up to become the strongest rivalling force against The Mist. It was actually my father who devised the plan to finish them. Once and for all.”

‘The Mist’….? That sounded familiar. Hadn’t someone said something like that to me recently? What was it again? The… ‘Winter Mist’? But… where?

However, I was more focused on what Allison was saying. Because, as someone who had firsthand experience with the drugs, I felt a little sick hearing how she idolised its usage. Not to mention it was yet another reminder of Sterling, him being the first to tell me of Victor’s success in war.

“We’ve had peace for over a decade now,” she said. “A blessing from our Great Mother to tell us we’ve done her work. We eradicated the false believers and restored true order. Just as it always should have been. But… we unfortunately lost my mother in the process.”

“Kieran never told me what happened to her,” I said. “You don’t need to talk about it if it’s too difficult. I know it was hard on you.”

But she bit her lip as if trying to keep a strong face. “Some things in life really show the malicious nature within. The Devils of the Mist were a testament to that very fact. That is why we have their pictures here; a reminder of the evil out there so we never forget.”

And I left it at that, not wanting to pry further to upset her.

The topic was already incredibly uncomfortable even before her mother was brought up. I’d definitely had my fill of learning history for one day and it was enough to give me a headache, the gory nature of it all being deeply disturbing.

However, it seemed Allison wasn’t quite ready to move on.

“Traditions are important, Raven,” she then said, grabbing my hands. “There are reasons why we have a strong male hierarchy within the pack, why all rogues are to be treated as scum. Order is only maintained through keeping our values alive. This is what we are taught and what we will teach to our children one day.”

“Allison, you’re hurting my hand…,” I said softly.

Her grip was getting stronger, almost too strong to pull away. The topic had clearly upset her without me intending it to and her eyes locked onto mine intensely.

“When people claim they are embodiments of the Goddess and seek power through mocking our ways… that is when doom will befall us. And it almost did. Back then, the Devils were almost invincible, capable of impossible feats of strength, of swaying the minds of others, of defying death….”

“Allison…,” I said again.

But she held on.

“Even blessed silver was not enough to purge them from this world,” she continued. “Because that is how the Saintess got her name. Not for her hair, though the colour was apt… but for her ability to survive multiple wounds by weapons crafted in our most lethal substance. No person should survive such a thing. Her insanity alone saw the death of her own Alpha by her hand, all in order to take that title for herself. She made the entire world fall to their knees before her in submission.”

“Allison… please.”

“My mother had to die in order for the Devils to be finally extinguished. We live in a world of peace now thanks to her sacrifice.”

But it seemed there was no getting through to her and, though I didn’t want to, I ended up doing something I told myself I never would.

…I yelled at her.

I yelled at the girl who was Kieran’s little sister.

“Allison, enough!” I shouted. “Let go of me. Right now.”

And, finally, it looked as though some sense came over her.

She blinked a few times and looked down at our hands, my fingers having turned pale from being constricted in her grip. If I’d forced my hands away, it would have caused her harm, and that, I knew, would be far worse than simply yelling.

“Oh… I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I sometimes go on a bit of a rant.”

‘A bit’ seemed like an understatement for what that was, but I was relieved when she finally released me nevertheless. It was as if she had no understanding of just how terrifying she had become merely seconds before.

As if everything was… normal.

“I appreciate you coming with me today, Raven,” she then smiled brightly. “I really enjoy your company. Makes it easy to not dwell on the negative things.”

And though that nagging in my head was now screaming at me, the feeling of discomfort strengthening tenfold, I did my best to still push it aside.

Her mother’s death had broken her. Kieran had already told me this. Clearly, the girl needed a therapist but that was not something for me to tackle. For now, all I could do was be respectful and understanding. I knew only too well what it was like to carry trauma and she had just lost another family member she loved.

And so I didn’t bring it up, playing the situation off as if everything was fine. But after I did eventually leave the temple that day, my head was filled with only more questions.

More than what I had arrived with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..

“I have a surprise for you,” Kieran said the next day.

He’d arrived home later than normal and cancelled our training. I hadn’t thought anything of it as he had been busy all week thanks to Sterling.

“Oh?” I said.

He walked up and kissed my hand tenderly, sending those sparks through me.