Werewolf Boyfriend: Konni Part Two (special preview)

I was in a panic, but I couldn’t leave my room. I sat there in the middle of the room sobbing, even when I heard Konni leave his room. He shut his door so quietly, but I could still hear him moving around outside. I cried harder, feeling as if my lungs were going to burst and my ribs were going to shatter. I loved him, so much, and yet I was letting him run away because I was also so terrified of him. I didn’t want to be, I prayed to whoever would listen to take my terror away, but the trauma still lingered.

I let him run, and I decided to hide away. Maybe he was right and this would be the best way for us. Of course, I would fall in love with a werewolf, my life has been all about falling at the wrong moments. I have tripped and stumbled my whole life, why would anything change now when it really and truly mattered to me?

Oh well, all I can do is go on. I go to school and continue my work, but it is so hard. I have always been able to focus hard and put myself into my studies, but not now. I look at the beautiful bag that Konni gave me too and my heart breaks all over again, yet I cannot simply tuck it into the back of my closet. 

I still haven’t gone through the box he left at my door, I’m not strong enough for that yet. I haven’t even taken the dress out of the garment bag that started all of this. I wish I had just ignored everything, that I had taken the warning about Hearthway Hollow as a fairy tale and utter nonsense. I wish I had just pretended Konni was just the beautiful and amazing man I knew he was.

One day, while I am moping over a bucket of ice cream, there is a knock at the door. I answer to find Rudolf standing there with a strange look on his face.

“He left?” He blurts.

Cheslie comes up the stairs behind him, wheezing. “You run too fast!” She clings to his sweater to keep herself standing.

“Yeah,” I hang my head. “You want to come in?”

Rudolf and Cheslie follow me inside then glance at the big box sitting by my pile of shoes. “Jess, are you ok?” He asks.

“Yeah,” my voice squeaks and breaks all at the same time.

Rudolf lets his shoulders sag. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok-” I whine. I then find myself in Cheslie’s arms as I sob into her chest.

“My moms have tried calling him over and over. Have you?” Rudolf asks.

Cheslie rubs my back and sways with me. “I’m sure she has.”

I shake my head. “I haven’t,” I whimper. “I’ve been so afraid to.” I lift my head and Cheslie wipes my cheeks.

“Just try,” Rudolf murmurs. “My moms told me what happened to you, and I am so sorry. I don’t blame you at all. But Konni-”

“I know all of this!” I shout at him. “I know Konni would never hurt me! I know he’s not some vicious dog off his leash!” I step back and clasp my head in my hands. “But it doesn’t matter. My head twists everything up. The trauma, the PTSD, it all makes me think they’re all a threat.”

Cheslie sits down with me on the sofa. “Nothing is good about this situation,” she murmurs. “Neither one of you want this.”

“No,” I whimper. I then take my phone from the coffee table. I take in a deep breath, sniffling back my tears so I can get out a sentence without my voice cracking. “Ok, I’ll try.” I dial his number and wait while the phone rings.

There is a click and I open my mouth to speak, but a strange voice starts speaking. “You have reached the Vienna Salon of Konstantin Schmetterling, world-renowned hair stylist and beautician. As you might expect, I'm very busy right now creating my new Spring collection, about which I'm very excited! Regretfully, I'm far too busy to answer the phone-" I hang up the phone and let it drop to the floor.

The voice that came on was Konni’s, but it sounded so strange, so fake. It wasn’t the Konni I had gotten to know and love, it was some creation he used to present himself, the one he showed off to the world. That scared me more than anything.