A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two-Ch.# 40

The possibility of having family still alive felt a little too good to be true, though it was hard to disregard what the

lady was saying. A lot of thad passed since | was a child, yet there was potentially someone out there

claiming to be related to me, to be from the spack | apparently once belonged to.

‘Claiming’ being the keyword.

It would be naive to completely believe it so easily. I'd already been burnt by Ashwood for trusting too much and

| didn’t wish to repeat this.

But if she *was* my family... could that maybe mean...?

“Be careful, Rheyna,” the lady added in my silence. “I can see you're eager to find whoever this is but... |

wouldn't get your hopes up. Even putting aside her inability to provide documents, she was also vague on *how*

she was related to you, something that seemed a little strange. | know you might wish her to be your mother,

but there wasn’t much resemblance between the two of you.”

She pointed out the sconcerns I'd already thought of, killing the small piece of hope I'd had that maybe my

birth mother was still alive. If anything, she now madewarier about tracking her down.

“I appreciate the insight and your time,” | said genuinely. “You've been extremely helpful.”

And as | said my goodbyes, | then turned around to leave, heading back to my car with a feeling of relief. | didn’t

want to stay here any longer than | had to, the place still makinguncomfortable.

Even if things really hadn't been my fault as she’d said, it still didn’t magically makereminisce fondly.

As soon as | was back in the driver's seat,

| reached over to grab the stolen Ashwood book and began skimming through it for information, hoping to try

and find something to tellthe location. This was the only source of information | had access to that might

shed sinsight into the Silver Mist.

From what | was able to read, the town within the pack was supposed to be completely abandoned now, having

been destroyed during the war. And, just as I'd already assumed, the book mostly boasted about Ashwood’s

successful victories against them more so than any real information. A few notable figures, a few strategies

used....

...But then | found it.

A map.

A way to get to the remote location, seemingly miles into what I'd thought was just woods my whole life.

This was it. My way of finding the Silver Mist.

...And as | placed the book back down, | immediately started driving towards it.

Getting to the Silver Mist was significantly more difficult than I'd anticipated. | suppose | should have expected

this given they'd gone forever undetected by the human world, but I'd thought there would still be seasy

way in and out available to those who needed to know.

Of course, I'd been wrong.

According to the map, the Silver Mist was surrounded by packs on all sides, its land on top of a mountain deep

within the woods. And, though there was a network of roads that travelled independently between these packs,

there was still the issue of *getting* to those roads.

Roads that were seemingly guarded by other packs to gain access to them. Almost like gatekeepers scattered

along different entry points where it bordered human territory.

It seemed a little crazy to think that they needed to travel through someone else’s land just to enter the human

area, but | suppose they had no need to go there. Or, as | thought on it more, | realised there possibly was

another option... though it was not available to me. An option of shifting... and running through the unclaimed

woods as a wolf.

Alas... | was going to be reliant on my car for this one.

The closest gatekeeping pack wasn’t too far from the orphanage, just a few hours’ drive west. With any luck, this

place had a way forto drive through it without any problems.

However, this immediately proved difficult as the first major obstacle revealed itself; being able to just find the

pack’s entrance.

From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like an average dirt driveway to someone’s house. But after going past

it multiple times, | realised that it was in fact what | was looking for. The only possible option. And, cautiously, |

proceeded to drive up it.

Already, it was clear how different it was from Ashwood. Where one had opened trade with humans and

established a way to access it easily, this pack appeared to want to keep people far, far away. | was several

metres down the road when | started to see the signs that were posted.

Big red ones with the words ‘private property - keep out’.

But | remained undeterred.

Slowly, | crept up the road as quietly as possible, going only far enough until | could see a structure in the

distance. It was here that | parked and began to look around.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say that the building was a house for border control. What | needed to find though

was an alternate route around it... maybe try to find a-.

*knock* *knock* *knock*

| violently jumped in my seat as someone tapped on my window, takingby complete surprise. They must

have walked up in my blind spot as | was focused forward.

“Hello? Miss?” said the man. “Can you wind your window down please?”

Okay... okay... tto think fast.

My mind started to whirl with what to do as | complied with his request, flashing a bright smile in the process.

“Oh! You scared me!” | laughed. “Sorry about that. | was lost in thought.”

He didn’t seem to share my enthusiasm. though, maintaining his stoic expression.

“What are your intentions here?” he asked, cutting straight to the point.

“Oh... uh, I'm just trying to pass through. Hope that's not too much trouble.”

His eyes narrowed as he peered atcloser, sniffing several times.

“Which pack are you from? The Silent Forest wasn’t informed of anyone coming through here today.”

Oh, fuck.

| didn’t exactly take the tto memorise the geography and knew that looking down at the map next to me

would probably be a dead giveaway.

...Which only left one option. The only place that cto mind.

My smile tensed as | forced it in place.

“Ashwood,” | answered. “I'm from... Ashwood.”

“Ashwood?” he repeated. “What brings you through here then? Ashwood has their own access point.”

“R-right,” | agreed. “But | just cfrom doing business in Lockdale City and I'm heading directly south now.

Was hoping to avoid driving all the way up north again first.”

“They allowed you into Lockdale?...Who are you anyway? What's your name?”

Were unranked members not allowed in the city? That sounded vaguely familiar but didn’t think it would be this

much of an issue. It was starting to feel as though | were sinking in quicksand with these lies, my knowledge

sorely lacking to navigate the situation.

“...My name?” | delayed, thinking through my options, but it was clear there was only one choice here. Only one

female from Ashwood who could possibly pass as important enough. “My nis... Allison.

Allison Lycroft.”

“Alpha Victor's daughter?” he asked, surprised.

“Yep... that’s me. I'm... Victor's daughter,” | said. “Uh... Kieran's... sister.”

He seemed taken aback by my claim, only adding to his confused expression.

“What's down south for you?” he asked. ” | didn’t think Ashwood had any business in that region right now. If

there was an alliance meeting, we would have been made aware.”

“I'm... visiting a friend.”

“From which pack?”

Goddammit. This wasn’t going to work.

Tto switch approaches.

“Is that any of your business?” | asked pointedly. “I've already told you who | am and why | am here. This

interrogation is incredibly disrespectful.”

Kieran had said that Ashwood climbed to power after the war. Since this person mentioned an alliance, | was

hoping that it meant the Lycroft ncwith sweight and associated perks.

“If you can’t help me,” | continued, ”

then just say so. But I'll be sure to let my father know about my experience here toda-.”

“No, no, please, | apologise,” he said quickly. “I meant no offence. It's just we can’t be too careful with outsiders

these days. I'm sure you're aware of the inflated rogue problem since the war.”

“Right...,” | said. “Those... damn devil rogues.”

The man spat on the ground. “Good riddance. Best damn thing Ashwood ever did was create those suppressors.

Your father is a hero.”

The book had mentioned something about the rogues, this being the issue | assumed he was referring to. After

the war, the unranked who didn’t repent for their loyalty to the Silver Mist were condemned to live the life of a

rogue.

1iM23

Given the size of the pack, this created a rather large shift in the prior population.

And as for the ranked members...? Well, there wasn’t a population issue there anymore.

“Yes... I'm so blessed by our Great Mother to have him as my father,” | said, hoping it sounded like something

Allison would say.

To my relief, he nodded in complete agreement.

“Praise Selene,” he said.

| thought that this was a good sign that he would finally letthrough... but then he took a step backwards.

“Well, | hope you don’t mind waiting. I'll just need to grab one of the ranked members here to verify you,” he

said. ” Should be a friendly face. You would have met Beta Kevin a few months ago when he cto visit. Give