Constance flew into the room and dropped to the ground, cradling her brother in her arms. He was so gravely injured that he’d lost consciousness, and lay completely limp. Yet the only other one in the room who bore visible signs of a physical struggle was the human servant standing next to her fiancé. How could she have inflicted such injuries? It seemed impossible, but it was also obvious that this was not an attack by any normal werewolf. 

Her anguished cries at seeing him had alerted servants, guards, members of her pack and also guests which had recently arrived for the upcoming wedding. The large house was full, and it seemed that everyone there wanted a view of whatever commotion was happening. The crowd had gathered just outside the door, with the guards pushing their way to the front and hurrying to Constance’s side protectively.

She looked up at Suho, who was now standing in front of Esme, with wild, tear-filled eyes.

He was surprised to realize that he felt nothing; not a twinge of guilt, remorse or even sympathy.

“What has happened here?”

“Your brother did something unforgivable. He viciously attacked Esme with the intention of ending her life.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“He attacked who?”

Suho motioned behind him.

“She's been your gardener for some time, Constance. If I hadn’t sensed that something was amiss, he would have certainly killed her.”

Constance stared at him and blinked.

“A servant? She has no right to raise a hand to him! This is his home as well as mine, and he has the right to do as he pleases within these walls!”

“He has the right to kill those who work for you as he pleases? Ridiculous; anyway, she isn't the one who wounded him, I am. Would he also be forgiven so quickly if he'd killed me?”

“Don't be foolish, you know that wouldn't be the case at all. She is a human laborer, hardly irreplaceable. I simply cannot believe that you'd choose a human over one of your own kind.”

He was stunned.

“Have you gone mad?!”

She stood up, laying her brother on the floor gently and walked toward Suho, her face flush with rage.

"These injuries are obviously not from a fight between two wolves, they're something different altogether. He looks as though he's drowned, and you're behaving completely irrationally. Something strange is going on here, perhaps the human has bewitched you in some way; such things have been said to happen."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. 

"You're being very foolish, and more cruel than I thought possible of even you. Your brother will live, and you know it; not that he deserves to, of course. He's the worst kind of beast and should be kept on a leash. You should thank the laborer whose life you have no respect for, because if it wasn't for her, I would have easily killed him with no regrets whatsoever."

"Thank her? Why, I'm going to destroy her! I'll rip her apart until there's not a single shred of her large enough to fill a child's teacup."

She attempted to push past him, but he gripped her arm tightly and spun her around to face him. 

"I loathe violence, Constance, but if you lay a hand on her, I'll kill you."

She was almost too stunned to speak.

“What's come over you? Do you have feelings for this woman? I refuse to believe that this woman could steal your heart from me.”

For a moment he said nothing, only looking at her with an expression of vague disgust.

“While it may be possible that she has my heart, she certainly did not steal it from you. For that to happen, you would have had to have it to begin with, and we both know that isn't so."

She could barely contain her seething rage. He'd gone too far, and he knew it. An insult such as this in front of so many of her peers was tantamount to death for one as vain as Constance. If the wounds on her brother had been one from a common werewolf scuffle, it's unlikely that she'd tolerate it. However, his injuries were strange, and truth be told, she was frightened. 

Somehow, Sehun was smiling again.

“This is incredible”, Esme heard him say under his breath. She hadn't the slightest idea how she could possible help in this situation, and rightly assumed that it would be best if she stood between Suho and Sehun, staying as quiet as possible.

“Get that girl far away from my me, or I will kill her, Suho. You may not realize it yet, but you've made a very terrible mistake.”

The three left quickly under the cover of darkness, and would never return.

That was, however, not the last time they would see Constance, which was most unfortunate for all of them. 

 <