Constance's Power

Chapter 2. Shattered Promises

Constance didn't remember how much time had passed, but she was still standing there, staring at the door behind which Keane had disappeared. The stale air in the room seemed to suffocate her; her heart was pounding in her chest, as if it wanted to escape from all her suffering. Keane's words replayed in her head, cutting at her soul—angry, relentless, how he had pushed her away and ordered her to leave, and worst of all, how he had never explained anything to her.

She had not moved since he went away. The numbness had taken control, burrowing its cold claws into her chest, and all she could do was stand there, stunned. This was not real. It could not be. They had planned their lives together, and their sould were tied together, but now everything was gone.

But why? This anxiety, sharp and insistent, knocked in her mind, demanding an answer. What Keane had done was incredibly violent. She had known him all her life and shared her heart with him; there had to be more to it than that. There was something he wasn't telling her.

A quiet knock at the door brought her out of her trance. She stiffened, her tear-filled eyes darting towards the source of the noise. For a brief period, her heart hoped that Keen would come to explain or apologize. However, when the door cracked open, it was her best friend, Lyra.

"Constance?" Lyra's voice was as soft as a caress. She stepped into the room, looking at Constance's pale face with agony etched in every line of her appearance.

Constance's lips parted to speak, but no sound came forth. She hadn't realized tears were streaming down her cheeks until Lyra was in front of her, bringing her into a close embrace. The dam broke, and she let go into Lyra's shoulder. Every sob rocked her whole body.

"Hey, hey. It's fine. I am here," Lyra gently stroked her back, trying to calm her down. "What happened?"

"Keen…" Constance's voice cracked as she attempted to speak. "He rejected me. Told me to leave the pack tonight." Although the words were awkward, they'd been said out loud. To name it gave the pain even greater impact; it was a twist of the knife.

Lyra drew back slightly and furrowed in disbelief. "What? No! That doesn't make sense. He’s been in love with you for as long as I can remember. Why would he —?"

"I don't know!" Constance exclaimed. "He did not explain. He just looked at me like I was nothing and told me to get out." Her lips were shaking while she spoke, and her chest tightened. "I don't know, Lyra. One minute, we were making plans for our future, and the next thing I know, he's throwing me out like I am a rogue."

Lyra's eyes darkened with rage. "That's not right. He can’t just do this. Something definitely feels off."

Constance shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm not sure what to do. If I leave, I will be alone. I have no wolf, no status, nothing. I will be an outcast. Maybe I should just end it here." With a desperate desire, she looked at the window, which was high above ground.

"No!" The reply felt more like a life-or-death concern than a friend's worry. She grabbed Constance's shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eyes. "You’re not alone. You've got me. And if Keen thinks he can just toss you aside without any explanation, forget him. We will leave together."

Lyra nodded furiously. "You've heard me right. I’m not sticking around in a pack that treats my best friend like she’s worthless. We’ll head somewhere else and start over. There are other packs out there, Constance. Places where we can actually be safe. "

The idea of leaving with Lyra seemed like a lifebuoy, a glimmer of hope in the heavy darkness surrounding her. "But where will we go? I've never lived anywhere else."

Lyra smiled sweetly. Her eyes were warm, and she said, "It doesn’t really matter where we go. What counts is that we'll be together. You won’t have to go through this alone."

Constance's heart was grateful, even though it remained broken. Lyra’s loyalty was rock-solid, and her support helped ease the pain Keen had caused her. Still, fear gnawed at her stomach. "What if he changes his mind? What if this is all just a big misunderstanding, and I end up leaving too soon?"

Lyra's face was momentarily stone-like, before guilt—perhaps?—crossed her face. "A person who has true feelings for you doesn't allow you to go out like this. You deserve more, Constance. You need a man who will be there for you, not one who cuts you out and doesn't say anything."

Constance flinched and bit her lip. Sorrow and uncertainty clouded her mind. But Lyra was right. If Keen had loved her as she believed, he would not have been so cold and merciless. Maybe there was something bigger going on, something she didn't understand, but she could not be treated as if she was useless any longer.

She took a big breath, wiped away her tears, and nodded. "Okay. Let's go. I can't stay here anymore."

Lyra smirked as she continued to hold Constance's hand. "That is my girl. Pack a few items; we'll sneak out of the east gate. It's the least guarded, and we can get away unseen."

Constance's heart raced as she quickly packed a small bag with clothes and a blanket. Her fingers trembled while she worked, and with each piece of clothing she added, the reality of her departure hit her harder. This was real. She was leaving the Ironhowl Pack, the only home she’d ever known. And Keen—her mate, the man she’d always loved—was no longer part of her future.

Once she finished, she threw the bag over her shoulder and turned to Lyra, who was already waiting at the door, scanning the corridor for any signs of movement. "Ready?" Lyra asked softly.

Constance nodded. Her stomach was churning with anxiety. "Yeah. Let’s go."

They crept down the hall. The night silence of the packhouse had never felt like this before. With each step, Constance felt a heavy weight settle on her chest, but she pushed on, following Lyra's confident steps.

They slipped out into the cool night air. A strange blend of dread and relief washed over Constance. The familiar scent of the woods surrounded them, yet it offered no solace. This place, once her home, now felt like a cage that she was desperate to escape.

They went rapidly through the trees, staying in the shadows and avoiding any patrols. Constance's heart raced, both with fear of being caught and the overwhelming reality of what she was doing. This was it—she was leaving for good. Everything she had known was behind her now.

When they reached the east gate, Lyra shot her a confident smile. "Almost there," she whispered. "Just a few more steps."

Constance nodded. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. She glanced back at the packhouse one last time. Keen was in there somewhere, sleeping or perhaps not caring that she was gone.

But as she looked back, a flash crossed her mind—an image, a feeling—of Keen’s last look before he turned away. His eyes weren’t just cold; they carried a troubled depth. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more underneath his rejection, something left unsaid. Lyra grabbed her arm before she could voice her thoughts. "Come on," she urges. "We need to move."

Constance paused for a moment, still caught up in the memory of how Keen had stared at her. Did she miss something? Could there be more to his abrupt coldness than she suspected?

But then Lyra tightened her grip. "Let's go, Constance. We can’t stay here."

With Lyra at her side, they slipped through the gate and into the forest that lay ahead. Constance's shoulders were finally free of the weight of the Ironhowl Pack. She had no clue where they were heading or what the future held, but for the first time since Keen's rejection, she felt hopeful.

She wasn't alone.

But when they vanished into the night, she couldn't shake her doubts. Why did he get rid of me so unexpectedly? And why Lyra look like she knows more?