Constance's Power

Chapter 12: A Luna Unchosen

Aiden POV

As I stood on the balcony staring out at the vast territory of the Nightshade Pack, the cold morning air bit severely at my skin. The sky was starting to show slight hints of dawn, but the sun wasn’t fully up yet. My breath formed little clouds in the cold, but honestly, it wasn’t the weather that woke me up so early. It was everything going inside and around me that bothered me. Ever since she had shown up, sleep had eluded me.

Constance.

Her name haunted me like a whisper. The wolfless one. She was just an imprisoned outsider and a problem that I needed to resolve quickly and decisively. That's what I kept telling myself. That's what I told the council. But every day, that simple idea slipped further from my grasp.

To suppress the swirling emotions, I clenched my fists and felt the icy railing under my fingertips. This shouldn't be happening. Constance was wolfless, dumped by her pack, a burden in every possible way. And yet, she had become a thorn in my side that I couldn't pull out. Like a ghost, her spirit followed me around, bringing me anxiety and warmth at the same time.

Stop it! Pull yourself together!

I tried desperately to clear my head, but unfortunately, all I could see was her face. Those vulnerable, hesitant eyes of hers tinged with fear she desperately tried to conceal. Even now, I wasn’t ready to acknowledge just how deeply her pain resonated with me.

I ruled this pack with strength, clear decisions, and an iron will. My choices were always firm, never questioned. Yet today, every time I considered Constance, doubt crept in. A flicker of something foreign... Weakness.

No. This had to be about the prophecy.

Since I was a boy, all my mother’s fairy tales were about the magic of prophecy. And then the elders were talking about it all the time, but only in whispers in the packhouse's dark corners. They were fools to believe I didn’t know about their secret plans to find the one. The one who would either bring our species either death or salvation. An old story handed down through the years, a warning of what lay next. It seemed clear to me that Constance's being here couldn't have been a coincidence. Rejected by her pack, tossed aside like she was nothing. But she wasn't nothing. And that was the problem.

Somehow, I felt like she was connected to a force greater than us, and I couldn't shake the belief. She was not merely a prisoner. But what was she? And why am I drawn to you?

Cold balcony air wasn’t helping. I turned away from the view and paced back to my room, trying to get away from the chaos in my mind. I should be focused on my pack, the council’s demands, and the unsettling unrest growing just beneath the surface. Instead, all I could think of was Constance.

I knew the council was losing patience. For weeks, they had circled like vultures, pressing me for a decision on a Luna to solidify my leadership. Their matches, however, often seemed forced and awkward. None of them were her.

I clenched my fists tighter. How could I even think that? I’ve never been a romantic i***t to risk my status because of the lady.

A sharp and forceful knock on the door broke through my thoughts. I bit back my irritation, hissing, "Come in." Darian immediately entered the room. Predictably unpleasant, he was the most vocal critic of my choice for Luna.

"Alpha," Darian said. "We need to talk."

I didn’t turn to face him right away. With my back to him, I stared out the window. "What is it, Darian?" I asked, forcing my tone to remain calm. He stepped closer, saying, "The council is growing impatient." I could hear the tension in his voice. "The pack needs stability. They need reassurance that only Luna can provide."

I let out a silent sigh. I’d heard that speech a million times. I’d been trying to delay this conversation for as long as I could, but I knew it wouldn’t be avoidable forever. "And I’ve told you," I said, finally turning to face him. "I’ll choose a Luna when I’m ready." Darian hardly reacted. "With all due respect, Alpha, time is running out. Our neighboring packs are watching us closely. Delaying shows weakness in their eyes."

My voice was low and deadly, my patience shattered, and I stepped toward him. "You think I don't know that? Do you think I don't feel the pressure every damn day? I feel the pressure every single day. This pack is mine to lead, and I’ll make my decisions on my terms."

I looked him directly in the eyes, struggling to read his expression. "It’s not just about you anymore, Alpha. The future of the pack hangs in the balance. Every match we have brought to you, you have turned down. The council is starting to wonder why."

The weight of his words stood between us. It was clear to me what he meant. The council questioned not only my leadership but also my motives. The pack was whispering, and I knew Constance was at the heart.

I turned away from Darian again because I couldn't look him in the eyes. With a voice colder than before, "I'll handle it," I said. "The decision is mine."

"The council doesn’t trust you’re handling it, Alpha," Darian interjected softly. "They’re beginning to grow suspicious."

I froze, squeezing my fists to white knuckles. Suspicious. I knew exactly what they were suspicious of.

Constance.

I inhaled deeply, pushing the anger boiling within me to simmer. I clenched my teeth and said, "Leave."

Darian hesitated for a moment, but then he bowed his head slightly and turned to leave. The door closed behind him, leaving me alone again.

Alone, I felt the weight of the choices pressing down on me. From all sides—the council, my pack, the neighboring territories—the pressure was mounting. Each of them was waiting for me to take action. Yet Constance clouded my thoughts, making it hard to focus.

Really, could it be her? Maybe my intuition failed me and she was nothing.

I shook my head, desperate to dispel the questions tormenting me. But there was no escaping it; Constance was now at the center of everything. I craved not just answers from her but something more primal. And that scared me.

I need to test her.

I must see if she was truly connected to the prophecy or just an enticing distraction—a dangerous, intoxicating distraction.