Constance's Power

Chapter 13. The Alpha’s Test

Constance received Aiden's order just as the sky began to darken. It caught her off guard, but honestly, she never really grasped everything going on in the pack. He reached out to her again for another run-of-the-mill task. Yet she couldn’t shake off the feeling that the air was tinged with something more than the usual chaos.

As she followed him across the pack’s territory, she noticed how far they'd come. The familiar sounds of the pack faded away, leaving behind only trees surrounding them, no buildings, and no wolves. All she could hear was the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional rustle of the wind.

Aiden slipped into the woods without making a sound. Just because he held a high rank didn’t mean he was used to the office chair. He was a strong, young wolf, effortlessly forging a path through the trees. Constance followed closely behind him, and with every step, her anxiety grew. She had no idea what was coming, but she sensed that it wasn't going to be good. If he wanted to kill her, he could have ordered it without getting blood on his sleeves. Possibly he needed her to disappear; tell everyone she ran away at night.

They finally got to a clearing, a quiet area of land tucked away in the bush. Constance nearly stumbled into him, taken off guard by his sudden stop. He faced her with a chilly, inscrutable glare.

He replied, "I need you to complete a task," quietly but demanding.

Constance was all on pins and needles. She nodded, though terror tore at her gut. Cleaning floors and scrubbing windows were tasks she was all too familiar with, things meant to keep her in her place. But this felt different. This wasn’t just about keeping her busy; there was something else at play. At the very least, if he wanted her to disappear into the woods, he would have ended her without any tasks.

“What do you need me to do, Alpha?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

His eyes were fixed on her. His presence was smothering, and his aura was heavy with authority. He pointed down a dark path leading deeper into the woods. “I need you to find something in the forest. There’s a small cave by the river. You will find it inside. Bring it to me.”

Constance's pulse quickened. It didn't seem too difficult, but there was more to it than meets the eye. She was sure of it.

She nodded once more, fully aware that she had no other option. The women turned away from him and headed down the narrow path, her footsteps thudding on the forest floor. The trees grew denser, and the air turned cooler, filled with the scent of damp earth and pine needles. Even from a distance, she could feel Aiden's eyes on her, making every step feel like a challenge.

Soon, she came upon the slow-moving river. She noticed the cave across the stream. It was small and not particularly intriguing, but it looked scary all by itself. Constance hesitated. This felt wrong. Everything felt like a trap or challenge. Failing would only prove to Aiden that she was worthless—maybe even a burden he’d want to get rid of.

Even with her worries swirling around, she took a deep breath and crossed the small river, stepping carefully into the cave. The walls were damp and the air chilled her skin. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed the object she sought—a tiny, weathered leather bag resting at the far end of the cave. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she moved cautiously toward it.

Just then, a noise from behind made her turn around. Her breath caught in her throat. A massive wolf stood at the entrance. Its burning blue eyes were staring at her. The sound of its deep growl echoed in the confined space.

Constance was paralyzed with fear. Did he send me here to die?

A wolfless werewolf, torn apart by a wolf—what irony.. She was helpless. For a moment, she stood frozen in terror, her mind racing for a way out.

The creature was enormous. One step closer, two. They could feel the heat of each other's breath. But the wolf didn't attack. It stared at her for what seemed like an age before turning and disappearing into the trees. Clutching the bag tightly, Constance let out a nervous breath. She had no idea what had just happened, but there was no way she was sticking around to find out.

She left the cave, and a thrilling yet terrifying thought crossed her mind: ‘What if I ran in the opposite direction, away from pack territory?’"

But she was either not brave enough or not desperate enough, so she hurried back through the woods. Her hands and shoulders were trembling by the time she returned to the clearing. Aiden was waiting for her. She handed him the pouch

Without a word, Aiden took it from her. He opened the bag and glanced inside before focusing back on her.

"You completed the task," he murmured, almost sounding pleased. But there was no relief in his tone. Instead, there was something else, darker.

Still catching her breath, Constance managed to ask, “What… what’s this for?”

Aiden stepped closer, his intense gaze locking onto hers in a way that sent shivers down her spine. He was too close—overwhelmingly so.

"Do you even understand what you mean to this pack?" He asked in a low voice, almost a growl.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Before she could react, he seized her arm, pulling her closer. His grip was firm and unyielding, and his tone turned dark. “You’re connected to something bigger than any of us. You may not have a wolf, but you’re not powerless.”

He held her tightly, sending chills of dread through her. THis grip felt more than physical; it pulled her mentally and emotionally into his world, into depths she couldn’t comprehend. He searched her eyes, like he was trying to unearth something within her that she didn’t even know existed.

"You're not just a prisoner, Constance," he whispered with an ominous tone. "You're mine."

His words made her shiver. From the time she arrived, she had been struggling for survival in this pack, yet, now standing here with Aiden, she felt more trapped than ever.

She tried to look away, but she couldn’t break free from his gaze. His grip on her arm tightened, and she felt like she might crumble under the weight of fear and anxiety and the strange, shifting energy between them.

Then, just as suddenly, Aiden released her and stepped back, his gaze fixed on her with a look of control rather than possessiveness.

"Go back to the packhouse," he commanded. "And remember what I told you. You're mine."

Constance nodded, but her body was still shaking. As she walked back, she could still feel his gaze lingering on her, and she knew this was far from over.