"So that's the son of a bitch's name, huh?" Raymond muttered under his breath. "Did he drag you along too? Didn't he tell you why I'm here?"
Celeste stayed silent, her gaze fixed on Raymond, maintaining her posture like a hawk eyeing its prey. "Well, forgive me for slipping my mind again. You're the interrogator here, obviously," Raymond said, raising his hand to ruffle his hair in frustration. He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before looking up and speaking. "Alright, here's the lowdown. We decided to go all out on these wolf troublemakers. But they were sharper than we thought. And that's when those buggers snatched me up." "You attacked Kent's pack? The rogue pack?" Celeste arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. At first, Celeste figured Kent nabbed Raymond because he was just strolling around, and those wolf noses sniffed out the scent of a hunter. But she never in a million years imagined Kent actually capturing Raymond amCeleste couldn't believe her ears. Raymond's words hit her like a bolt of lightning. "Why on earth do you hunt us down?" Celeste asked, her brows furrowing. Thoughts of her captive parents surged up, causing her heart to tighten in her throat. Sure, they might have survived the hunt when the hunters took them, but how much agony and torment were they enduring right now? "As you said, in the eyes of the hunters, werewolves are nothing more than samples," Raymond replied, a hint of frustration dancing across his face. "To those hunters, werewolves are nothing but a bunch of test subjects, like lab rats. I used to think they'd just lock up the wolves, draw some blood… You know, try to figure out what genes turn you all into howling beasts," Raymond explained, casting a look at Celeste's hand, which moments ago had transformed into a fearsome wolf's claw. "And let's not forget how they are obsessed with unraveling the secret behind your lightning-fast shapeshiftin
Celeste asked Raymond more questions about the hunters. And one by one, Raymond answered her. Celeste was relieved to hear from his own lips that her parents were temporarily safe. And she even learned the exact location of the hunters. As Celeste strolled out of the room, her eyes caught sight of Jeremy and Kent, each propped up against opposite walls. The tension in the air was palpable, their gazes locked in a fierce standoff. But, to her astonishment, they hadn't come to blows. She half-expected to find a gruesome scene of blood stains on the floor as she made her exit. "How's it going?" Jeremy straightened up as soon as he spotted Celeste, a flicker of concern lighting up his face. His eyes scanned her from head to toe, searching for any signs of harm. When he found none, he let out a silent breath, visibly relieved. Celeste didn't utter a word, but her heart swelled at Jeremy's protective gesture. Kent shifted his gaze inward, peering into the room. Bath
Kent and Jeremy locked eyes, their expressions a mix of surprise and irritation. Then they both turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes landing on Celeste. Celeste couldn't help but be amused by their reactions, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. But she quickly suppressed her laughter, maintaining a serious demeanor. Her gaze fixed on Kent as she spoke, her voice laced with playful taunting, "You know, you said wolf pack could handle anything on their own. Yet, didn't those hunters take you by surprise? Maybe it's time to reconsider our alliance between the two packs, don't you think?" As Celeste voiced her thoughts, she could feel Jeremy's intense gaze searing into her skin. She knew he was secretly delighted about not having to team up with Kent, and now she had reopened the topic. Clearly, he was not very happy about that. Under the table, Celeste nudged Jeremy's knee with hers, prompting a low grunt from him. Then, her hand stealthily found h
Kent's intense gaze remained fixated on Celeste, his eyes boring into her with unwavering focus. With each step Kent took, closing the distance between them, Celeste noticed Jeremy's brow furrowing even deeper, his face contorting with a trace of annoyance. His arm around her waist instinctively tightened, as if he was asserting dominance. Celeste couldn't help but find Jeremy's possessiveness slightly amusing. He had been so confident, assuring her that he didn't care about Kent's ogling eyes because he knew Celeste was his and they had shared intimate moments together. But now, in the presence of Kent, Jeremy couldn't resist the urge to assert himself, as if proclaiming to the world that Celeste belonged to him and him alone. She wondered if it was an inherent wolf instinct, this need to mark territory. Her hand gently rested on Jeremy's shoulder, a silent plea for him to relax. Understanding her unspoken request, Jeremy tugged at the corner of his mouth, his arm reluctantly
The two Betas who had set out to gather intelligence on the hunters returned with their findings, confirming the whereabouts of their elusive enemies. This revelation undeniably supported Raymond's claims, proving that he hadn't been lying. Persuaded by Celeste, Kent finally relented and released his tight grip on Raymond. Rather than keeping him constantly restrained, they settled for locking him away. As for Raymond's ultimate fate, they decided to postpone the decision until after they dealt with the other hunters. The hunters' hideout wasn't too far from where the wolf pack currently roamed, but the wolves weren't intimately familiar with the specific location. However, thanks to the information provided by the Betas, they learned that the hunters had nestled themselves deep within a dense forest, guarded by hills on each side. It presented an unexpected advantage for the werewolves—they could use the higher ground to stealthily observe their enemies while remaining hidden.
Everything went down in a flash, catching the wolves off guard. The rogue, whom Celeste recognized as Jessie, an old-timer from Kent's rogue pack, darted straight at the hunters without a second thought. It was no secret that Jessie and Jimmy were practically inseparable. They might as well have been mates. So, when Jessie caught sight of the motionless Jimmy, he completely lost it and charged headlong toward the hunter, consequences be damned. But Jessie's undoubtedly exposed the location of the wolf pack. And it was still not completely dark outside, so they couldn't fully utilize their advantage. Clearly, their previous plan was now rendered useless due to this unexpected turn of events. Celeste shifted her gaze towards Kent and noticed a flicker of uncertainty and frustration dance across his face. But that fleeting expression was quickly replaced by a resolute determination. She could practically see the gears turning in his head. Without even glancing back, Celeste saw h
Celeste couldn't believe it. These hunters were actually using wolfsbane against them. Were they trying to kill them? The scent of the wolfsbane was thin in the air, but it clung to her nostrils like an everlasting curse. She shuddered. Just the thought of that smell sent a prickling sensation down her spine, making her skin crawl. No wonder those damn hunters suited up in protective gear. Wolfsbane wasn't just rough on werewolves, it packed a punch for humans too. Though, admittedly, it didn't hit humans as hard as it did the werewolves. As the hunters sprayed mist from their guns, the air became a deathly trap, closing in on them like an invisible snare. But the wolfsbane was diluted in the water and lost some of its toxic potency, so it wasn't a direct werewolf killer. But that didn't mean it wouldn't cause them pain. The drops of water, infused with wolfsbane, landed on Celeste's fur. And immediately, it was like a thousand tiny needles pricking her
Celeste's heart raced as she watched the silver bullet hurtling toward Jeremy. Time seemed to freeze, and her breath caught in her chest. Jeremy and she were only a few steps apart now. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins. Without a second thought, she propelled herself forward, her feet pounding against the ground, trying to catch up with the silver bullet. But everything unfolded in front of her as if she had stepped into a surreal dream. Her wolf drew closer to Jeremy, with every heartbeat. Her eyes locked onto the dangerously diminishing gap between him and the silver bullet. Panic and fear swirled in Celeste's mind, yet amidst the chaos, she somehow managed to calculate the odds of colliding with Jeremy before the bullet could reach him. Too late! It would be too late! The voice whispered in her ear, carried by the howling wind. It taunted her with the harsh reality that time had slipped through her fur. But she refused to surrender. Ho