ADDED AFTER PUBLICATION SO YOU AREN'T CHARGED FOR THE WORDS: Christmas is my favorite time of year, and to me, it's all about giving to others. So your tasks for the next 12 days will all be focused on giving, encouraging, or helping someone else (NOT ME!) If you do the daily task I assign at the end of each of the chapters, every day you'll get the chance to win NovelFull Coins, mugs, t-shirts, cards, letters, paperbacks, and MORE! So enjoy today's chapter, then read your giving mission at the bottom and come back here or go to my Facebook page (which also has links to the books I'm suggesting) to let me know you did it!

*****

ELIA

Elia's mouth dropped open.

The Creator stared back at her, smiling, waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, He stroked her hair.

"Who better to talk to about this than the one who gave you the purpose. I can share the burden, Elia. I can ease your heart—and especially your fear. You do not walk out of my hand, even when evil is near. You are never out of my hand. I see the evil near you far clearer than you.

"

She gaped at Him, but there was nothing within her to argue. As He opened his arms and she fell into his chest—even larger, warmer, and broader than Reth's—He stroked her hair and whispered,

"This is a rest, just for a moment. Soon I will send you back and you'll have to face this. But I'm here to tell you, you can do this. I've given you everything you need to do this—and I will not leave you.

"

"But,

" she pulled back to meet his beautiful eyes,

"the beast… the voices said—

"

"The voices lied,

" He said, his voice deeper and brimming with such conviction, Elia felt the words as if they were carved in stone.

"They tried to steal the very strength I gave you to face this. Don't let them.

"

"I… but…

"

"Elia, no matter what happens in your life, no matter what circumstances you face, two things remain true: You have an enemy at work who will try to steal every good thing from you. And you have me on your side. I said no weapon formed against me will stand—I never said those weapons would not be made.

"

"That's what Reth said,

" she said faintly.

He nodded.

"Your mate is a good male. One of the best.

"

"Thank you,

" she said quickly,

"For him.

"

The Creator smiled and cupped her face gently.

"You're welcome. Take good care of him. This isn't the last hurdle you'll face together. But it is, perhaps, the worst.

"

They both turned then, to look down at Reth who lay in the grass, no longer seeing his friends who murmured in his ear and held his arms, trying to get him to listen.

Elia watched Reth's eyes open… and whatever Behryn and Brant said to him, she saw his heart break. Watched his great, strong chest sag under the weight of grief.

"Please, I need to help him,

" she whispered, tears in her eyes.

"You have to take the beast, Elia. She has what you need to face this and live.

"

She nodded.

"I'm just… I'm scared. Can you… help me?

"

"I'm always here to help,

" He said, putting one hand to her shoulder and watching Reth with her.

"When you find yourself afraid, talk to me. Tell me about it. Let me comfort you and give you my strength to face it.

"

"I'm terrified of the Beast,

" she said quickly.

"Terrified I won't get back. Terrified of what the voices said.

"

"The voices lied because they knew the truth and didn't want you to see it.

"

"What truth was that?

" she asked, turning to look at him.

He smiled softly.

"That your greatest fear is the very gateway I made for your victory. Your beast is not your enemy, Elia. She is your strength. Use her. They told you she would destroy you because if they could keep you afraid you would never learn the strength I had given you.

"

"But… what if I lose myself?

"

He shook his head.

"I won't let you.

"

"But sometimes it feels like—

"

"I said, I won't let you. Have I let it happen yet?

"

"How do I know you won't change your mind?

"

His smile turned a little sad.

"Because I told you so. But the truth is, this is a step you can only take and trust. Trust isn't the certainty of the outcome, Elia. It's the willingness to take the risk.

"

Elia blinked and mouthed the words to herself. Trust isn't certainty of the outcome… it's the willingness to take the risk.

But before she could wrap her head around that, the Creator nodded towards Reth again.

"Are you ready? He's about to let his anger rule because it makes him feel strong. You need to be there, to distract him and give him a focus again.

"

Elia nodded.

"I want to help him.

"

"You already have, Elia. This is a moment for him to help you.

"

"But—

"

"Just remember, no weapon will stand… and trust… trust me, Elia. Trust.

"

Then she was tumbling, the ground rushing up to meet her.

"Noooooooooooo!

" she screamed, and from deep within, her beast roared.

She was yanked back, sucked back to herself, to the beast, tumbling, flailing, scrabbling at the air, trying to return to Reth, to tell him she wasn't gone. She wasn't dead. She was there, but she needed help!

But as she fell back into her own body and the pain came alive, she screamed again—for every blow, every cut, every moment of pain and loss that had marked her life.

And she called, pleading for mercy, pleading for strength, pleading for peace.

And the Creator answered. The strength was there. The needed peace. She need only let go of the fear to see the answers He had already provided.

Elia sobbed and gave herself up, opening her mouth to roar—twin voices rising through her pain as she called her beast and demanded protection. She called her beast and demanded peace.

And her beast leaped forward to answer the call.

*****

The Beast raised to her haunches, shaking her head against the pain as she scanned her surroundings.

She was in the den again—but this time it stank. She wrinkled her nose, growling against the scents—sharp herbs, eye-stinging scents that were designed to ease the pain. But the pain did not need easing. The pain was necessary to bring the little one. But the mate was gone. The mate was needed, his bulk, his strength. He would watch over them when the babe came. He would protect when they were vulnerable.

She needed to find him.

Groaning as her body protested, she pushed fully to her feet, the kin and fang-sister freezing in her gaze, their lips making the calls of the other inside. But she shook her head. She was weakened, but not broken.

She would find the mate. She would find safety. Only in safety could she bear the little one. But soon… it must be soon.

With a hiss for the claws that sliced in her gut with every move, she leaped off the bed and raced from the cave, sliding around the corner to find her way to the outside, to the sunlight beyond, where the wind blew into her face. She could not scent the mate on it, but she could sense him nearby. She would find him, and together they would meet this. She would bring the young, he would protect.

With a roar to call him, she galloped for the forest that called her, its deep shadows and dirt providing the cover she needed to reach the gathering and find the mate. She groaned as she ran, her body screaming for relief. But she could not allow it.

Not without the mate.

The mate was safety.

She needed him.

*****

DAY 1 of #12DaysOfGiveaways (remember, ALL my giveaways can be accessed and include links to the mission books on Facebook. Go to bit.ly

/aimeelynnfb and add me as a friend!) You have 24 hours. Winner's will be announced tomorrow night!

For a chance to win 300 NovelFull Coins, comment on this chapter with the title of a book here on NovelFull that IS NOT MINE that you think doesn't get enough love! (Example: I love

"My Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest by Emme_Z because I think Graham's hot

") That's it! Good luck!