Constance's Power

Chapter 1. The Night Before the Bond

New day. Today, a deeper, sharper cold seeped into her bones. Not just the stone bed, but his words... Her encounter with Alpha Aiden yesterday haunted her; his mysterious words echoed in her mind: You're more than you realize. When the time comes, you'll see why I've kept you alive.

Tossing and turning all night, she struggled to make sense of it. The danger in his voice and the heavy weight of his gaze left her feeling exposed and vulnerable, more so than ever before. Clearly, her future in the Nightshade Pack was more uncertain than she had previously believed. A prophecy that once seemed like her only glimmer of hope now felt like a noose tightening around her neck.

As usual, the guard pulled her from the oppressive silence of her cell and back into the packhouse. Constance trailed, her body moving, but her mind still spinning. No matter how unsettling her situation was, she had to keep working and keep blending in.

She seemed to be getting used to the tension in the pack, but now the anger wasn't only directed at her. A wave of anxiety washed over each member of the pack and carried on a stream of whispers. From the slaves to the Betas, from the Omegas to the Council, their voices were low and strained, and their gazes were more cautious. Something had changed.

As she began her chores, her hands worked on autopilot, scrubbing floors and wiping surfaces. Yet her attention was glued to the murmured conversations around her, straining to catch leftovers of conversation. At first, it was nothing more than snatches of half-formed thoughts, no clarity.

It wasn't until midday, when the packhouse finally quieted down, that Constance overheard a conversation that stopped her in her tracks.

Two older wolves stood near one of the far windows. So engrossed in their talk, they didn't even notice her busy with her cleaning.

"…this can't go on forever. The pack needs stability, not endless waiting," one said. The other, a gray-furred elder with sharp eyes, glanced around to check for eavesdroppers. "He can't lead without a Luna. It's just not how it works. How can we trust him if he won't take that position seriously?"

The younger wolf nodded. "The other packs are starting to notice. They're questioning his strength. A Luna is essential for the Alpha's authority and the pack's future."

Constance felt her heart slam against her ribs. Aiden doesn't have a Luna? The realization hit her like snow in summer. In the werewolf world, an Alpha without a Luna was like a ruler without balance, a glaring sign of instability. Their bond was sacred, a source of strength, and without it, Aiden's authority could be undermined or even challenged.

The elder's voice took on a sharper edge. "He's a strong Alpha, no one's arguing that, but strength alone won't hold this pack together. We need a Luna, and everyone knows it. The elders are getting restless, starting to doubt if he's capable of leading if he won't secure a future."

"He's turned down every match the council suggested," the younger wolf chimed in. "We've presented potential Lunas to him, but he's rejected them all."

Constance was not stupid. Aiden's refusal to choose a Luna was weakening his leadership, and the pack was losing faith in him. The whispers and tension she had sensed earlier suddenly made sense. The wolves were challenging Aiden's authority, not just because of her presence but because of his defiance of custom.

The conversation continued, the elder's frustration growing. "It's only a matter of time before other packs start to test him. They'll spot his weakness and act. We'll be left vulnerable."

"We need him to make a move," the younger wolf urged. "Before it's too late."

Once the two wolves moved away and their chatter faded, Constance quickly looked down, pretending to focus on her cleaning. Her pulse raced. Aiden, the powerful Alpha who had spared her, was losing his pack's trust simply because he hadn't chosen a Luna. The elders were questioning his leadership, and without a Luna, his position was weakening day by day.

But why? Why hadn't he made that choice? What was he waiting for?

She couldn't shake the thought as she continued to work, and it threw up more questions. Aiden wasn't one to act without reason. Indeed, there was a purpose behind his rejection—but what could it be?

The rest of the day passed in a blur, her mind too busy to think about anything else. Now, Constance understood the root of the tension in the packhouse.

By the time the guard arrived to escort her back to her cell, Constance's thoughts were a chaotic mess. Aiden's position was far more delicate than she'd realized, and if the pack's faith in him continued to waver, her own survival would become even more uncertain.

That night, as she lay on her cell's chilly stone floor, her thoughts would not stop racing. The pack was questioning Aiden's role as Alpha. They needed him to choose Luna to secure the future of the pack. But he wasn't doing it. Why?

A terrifying thought slipped into her mind, sending shivers down her spine.

What if Aiden's refusal to choose a Luna had something to do with me?

She didn't have her wolf. She was not even supposed to be in this pack, yet he had kept her alive and shielded her from harm when others would have considered her as a threat. Was Aiden perhaps waiting for something—waiting for her? That's impossible!

She couldn't be what he was waiting for.

She was wolfless, cast out by her own kind. She had no strength, no power, nothing to offer. She felt like nothing.

Yet Aiden's words echoed in her mind as she struggled to sleep: You're more than you realize. When the right time comes, you'll understand why I've kept you alive.

She couldn't sleep. What sailor could sleep in the middle of a storm?