Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 251

Ashley pov

“Constantine, we’ll find them,” I say, doing my damndest to convince him, but at this point, judging by the tension in my chest and the growing dread, I don’t know if I’m trying to convince him or me. It’s easier to lie if I believe my own lies, so I double down, despite everything. “All of them. We will find Doninic, and then, we will find the rest of your brothers. One by one. We’ll fix this, and we will do it together.”

The words hang in the air, but they don’t land the way I hope. Constantine doesn’t look at me. He’s pacing, his movements sharp and frantic, like he’s a caged animal looking for a way out. His fists clench and unclench at his sides, his breathing becomes too fast and ragged.

I take a step closer, keeping my tone calm. “You’re not alone in this. We’ll get Dominic back. We’ll figure out-”

“Stop.” He roars, making me jump. That single word cuts through me like a blade.

He turns on me, his eyes blazing with an anger I haven’t seen before, not directed at me, at least. His chest heaves, and for a moment, I think he’s going to say something else, but instead, he lets out a strangled cry, throwing his hands in the air. “Do you think I don’t know that?!” He shouts, his voice cracking mid-sentence. “Do you think I haven’t been trying to figure out how to fix this?!”

“Constantine-”

“No!” He yells, stepping closer, his face twisted in pain. “You don’t understand, Ash! You don’t know what it’s like! I still... I still love that brainless asshole!” His words hit me like a punch to the gut. That’s something I didn’t expect to hear. “I can feel him,” Constantine continues, his voice breaking again, showing me just how much he is hurting. “Every goddamn second, I feel him. His pain, his desperation, his guilt. It’s like he’s right here, inside me, and it’s tearing me apart!” He slams his fist against his chest.

My throat tightens, but I force myself to stay calm. “That’s the bond,” I say softly. “It hasn’t broken. Maybe-”

“Maybe what?!” He interrupts, his voice rising again. “Maybe I’m supposed to just live with this? With feeling him every second of every day? With knowing he’s out there, hurting, and I can’t do a damn thing about it?!”

I reach out, desperate to calm him, but he steps back, shaking his head violently.

“I can’t take it, Ash,” He says, his voice raw. “I can’t fucking take it anymore.”

“You’re stronger than this,” I say, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. “You’ve been through worse, and you’ve survived. You’re not alone, Constantine. Not anymore.”

He laughs bitterly, the sound harsh and distant. “Not alone? Really? Because it sure as hell feels like it, Ash. I can’t even trust myself anymore. I don’t know what’s real and what’s just... him.”

The air around us feels colder, heavier, as his words sink in. “You think you can fix this,” he says, his tone suddenly accusatory. “You think you can fix me. But you can’t, Ash. No one can.”

“I’m not trying to fix you,” I protest, my voice trembling now. “I’m trying to help you.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want your help!” He snaps, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and despair.

The words sting more than I care to admit. For a moment, neither of us speaks. The only sound is his ragged breathing, the tension between us crackling like a campfire. Then, without warning, he turns and storms toward the woods again.

“Constantine, wait,” I call after him, reaching out to stop him.

But he doesn’t wait, he doesn’t even look back. He walks into the woods like a man on a mission, leaving me behind with men I really don’t know, a captive and a man who’s barely holding onto his life. How am I supposed to handle all of this? 

Slowly, I walk to the small cabin and step inside. It’s empty, as empty as my heart and mind, which does nothing but angers me. I grab the door and slam it shut behind me, the sound of the action echoes against the walls like a gunshot. 

And just like that, I’m alone. Again. I stand there for a moment, just staring at the door as my mind races to make sense of what just happened. Constantine. The one person I thought I could always count on. The one person who’s been with me through the worst days of my life. Gone.

I sink onto the edge of the bed, my hands trembling as I press them to my face. What just happened? Why is he turning his back on me? I replay the conversation in my head, trying to find the moment where it all went wrong. Was it something I said? Something I didn’t say?

The pain in his voice, the anger in his eyes - it’s burned into my memory now, and I can’t shake it. He’s hurting, I remind myself. He’s not himself.

But the reminder doesn’t help. Not when the sting of his words is still so fresh. I close my eyes, taking a shaky breath. This isn’t about me. This is about him. About the bond he shares with Dominic, the bond that’s driving him to the brink of insanity and is pushing him to do things he doesn’t want to do. 

But no matter how much I try to rationalize it, the ache in my chest doesn’t go away. The last person I truly trust, the last person I thought would ever push me away is now gone, left me trying to pick up the pieces of our messed up lives. 

And now, I’m left here, trying to hold myself together while everything around me falls apart. I don’t know how to fix this, I don’t know how to bring him back. And I don’t know how to stop feeling like I’ve lost him too.