The whole room exuded tranquility as if it held its breath.
Jermey blinked his eyes open once more, stealing glances at the other werewolves nearby. To his surprise, most of them were slouched against the walls, snoozing away on their chairs. Ben's neck remained stiff, locked in a position fixated on the gloomy clouds above. But his tired eyes were twitching and his eyelashes seemed to engage in a battle of their own, struggling to stay shut. Jeremy's gaze landed on Kent, who was still wide awake and lost in contemplation of the cloud-covered heavens. As if sensing Jeremy's presence, Kent abruptly turned his head, forgetting for a moment that he had been stuck in the same position, resulting in a stiff neck. The contorted expression on his face confirmed this mishap. Despite the inopportune timing, Kent's unintended antics managed to tickle Jeremy's funny bone. Though they were now fighting on the same side, Jeremy still remembered that sneaky bastard hJeremy blinked his eyes open, only to find himself perched atop the four limbs of his wolf. Right beneath his nose, a dagger glimmered with a silvery radiance, as if it held a secret power. His wolf recoiled at the sight of it, sensing something off about the blade. It exuded a wicked glow under the warm, flickering light of the orange-yellow candle, almost as if it dared to mock Jeremy. It teased and taunted, never daring to come too close. As Jeremy looked upward, his eyes met a round moon, dominating the sky after chasing away the dark clouds. The moon bathed everything in its gentle, mesmerizing glow, making the stars pale in comparison. A sense of awe washed over him as he beheld the celestial spectacle. With a deep breath, Jeremy lowered his gaze, steeling himself for what he knew he had to do. He gingerly pressed his chest against the razor-sharp point of the dagger, feeling a prickling sensation mingling with the coarse texture of his fur. A wave of se
Summer weekend. The afternoon sun outside the window seemed less blinding now, but it was still strong enough to make the morning glories droop and nod in the occasional wind. Celeste Sherwood looked up from her book and eyed the sluggish flowers outside. Her cookies were almost done. She could smell it. Five more minutes at most. She decided to enjoy the view from her window and relax her sore eyes while waiting, though the sweet, sweet fragrance already drew her attention to the oven. She took a deep breath. Yeah… Sweet. Her favorite. Now that she was home, she could make cookies as sweet as she liked … as long as the said cookies hadn't turned into piles of heated and cooled sugar. Celeste was notorious for her brutal and offending sweet tooth. That explained why she had to make two kinds of cookies. One with the normal-people amount of sugar, and the other with the lethal dose. Apart from the abuse of sugar, her cookies were surprisingly good and popular, which was why she
Upon hearing their daughter's cries, Dora and Jeff ran into the kitchen. Concern and confusion were plain on their faces. They knelt down to examine their son, and soon the worry on their faces was replaced by excitement. "Don't worry about Jer. He's transforming. His wolf is trying to free himself for the first time," Dora explained to her daughter. Celeste widened her eyes in surprise. She had never witnessed a first-time transformation in her life. Out of curiosity, she had read about shifting. She knew the first time could be difficult, but she never expected it to be as sudden and painful as it seemed in Jeremy's case. "Is the first time always this painful?" The question slipped out of her mouth. "It depends. Not all werewolves have the same experience. Sometimes the first time is painful." The mother rested her hand on her boy's hair. "But as long as you stop fighting your wolf and just make peace with him, it would be easier. Relax, Jer. Let him out. Embrace your wolf
When Celeste made it to the door, Jeremy was long gone. She was both frustrated and confused. "What's wrong with him?" The father shrugged. "Maybe he's just unhappy that you both treat him like a puppy. If it was my wolf, he would rather go out for a run! It's such a good day out there, after all!" The mother snorted, "Thankfully we live in the country. Can you imagine this happening in the city? The passers-by are going to scream in terror." "That's a mild way to put it. I believe a wolf the size of a bull is going to scare the heart out of them," Celeste corrected her mother. She was proud, but she was also very envious of Jeremy. Weren't she and Jeremy twins? Why had she not shifted yet? Jeremy was only ten minutes older than her! She should have transformed by now if there was any rule of nature! Or at least she should be lying on the floor and waiting for her wolf to surface. But nothing happened. She didn't even feel anything. "Mom, Dad, why haven't I changed? I don'
A trail of wolf footprints led all the way to Jeremy's tightly closed door. There were even two leaves resting on the floor. "Finally!" Celeste whooped, a thrill burning in her eyes. She already formed an interrogation plan while Jeremy was gone. Now, the only thing she needed was to get her hands on the man and squeeze the answers out of him. She made a beeline to Jeremy's door and held her breath, a smile on her face. She knocked. One second… Two seconds… Three seconds… Ten seconds… "Have you shifted back?" she tried the doorknob. It was locked. He must have shifted back. Silence was the only answer she received. The smile vanished from her face, replaced by a frown. She leaned closer to the door and listened carefully. It was suspiciously quiet. "Stop pretending you're not there!" She banged on the door. This time, she detected a small hiss from the room. "Ah ha! I heard you!" She waited for a few seconds, and the door remained closed. "Open the door, puppy! Or I'll
Celeste had no idea why she was suddenly so twitchy and grumpy. Maybe it was because she couldn't even feel her wolf. Or maybe Jeremy should be blamed for shutting her out. She didn't know. They argued a lot as all the siblings did. And it was not the first time Jeremy kept her out of his room. Hell, she had done the same to him, too. But this time, the fact that she couldn't see him annoyed and frustrated her like nothing else. She had no clue why it felt so different now. She should have been glad she didn't need to deal with her idiot brother. Finally, she gave in. Fuck! She didn't need him! She would probably shift tonight and had all the questions answered instantly. She puffed and lay on the bed. She heard the little noises the summer wind made when it ran between the leaves. A small part of it entered from her window and brought in the light scent of leaves and dirt, stirring the air of the room with the fragrance of the cookies. Celeste turned to her side, facing the
After a trip to the supermarket, Celeste drove to the place she worked. Her friend Sarah was chatting with Raymond. When the young lady laid eyes on Celeste and the jar of cookies in her hands, she cried in surprise and jumped at Celeste. Raymond rolled his eyes, "Yep… Like a monkey jumping at the sight of bananas." His voice was low, but Sarah didn't miss it. She shot him a dagger and returned her attention to Celeste. "Hey, Cel! I miss you!" Celeste chuckled, "I guess you miss my cookies even more. Here you go." Without a moment of delay, Sarah took the jar and picked up a cookie. She tossed it into her mouth and moaned in satisfaction, "You never let me down." Celeste smiled. She was always happy when her friends liked the food she made. She didn't make friends with too many humans, though. Not that she was racist or distrustful of humans. No. Or she wouldn't have taken this part-time job at the very beginning. It was just that humans grew old and died while werewolve
Celeste was a bit lost by the sudden change of topic. "I mean… You and Sarah have been curious about my secret, right? And now I'm offering it to you. So, let me ask again. Do you want to know my secret or not?" Weird as it sounded, she was intrigued. She shouldn't have cared about him since she no longer worked with him. But her instinct told her to say yes. She sensed something fishy, though. "Why? Why do you decide to tell your secret now?" she asked suspiciously. "Because I… I like you. I hope we can still be friends. I want to share a secret and earn a friend," Raymond answered, gaze fixed on her. That was a very strange reasoning. "Why on earth do you think I will be your friend after I find out your secret?" "Because you're not seeing me as who I truly am. If you know my real identity, you will change your opinions of me. I think you'll even consider me a hero." Celeste snorted. "You cocky ass must hype it up, huh?" That being said, she was curious. She pond
Jeremy blinked his eyes open, only to find himself perched atop the four limbs of his wolf. Right beneath his nose, a dagger glimmered with a silvery radiance, as if it held a secret power. His wolf recoiled at the sight of it, sensing something off about the blade. It exuded a wicked glow under the warm, flickering light of the orange-yellow candle, almost as if it dared to mock Jeremy. It teased and taunted, never daring to come too close. As Jeremy looked upward, his eyes met a round moon, dominating the sky after chasing away the dark clouds. The moon bathed everything in its gentle, mesmerizing glow, making the stars pale in comparison. A sense of awe washed over him as he beheld the celestial spectacle. With a deep breath, Jeremy lowered his gaze, steeling himself for what he knew he had to do. He gingerly pressed his chest against the razor-sharp point of the dagger, feeling a prickling sensation mingling with the coarse texture of his fur. A wave of se
The whole room exuded tranquility as if it held its breath. Jermey blinked his eyes open once more, stealing glances at the other werewolves nearby. To his surprise, most of them were slouched against the walls, snoozing away on their chairs. Ben's neck remained stiff, locked in a position fixated on the gloomy clouds above. But his tired eyes were twitching and his eyelashes seemed to engage in a battle of their own, struggling to stay shut. Jeremy's gaze landed on Kent, who was still wide awake and lost in contemplation of the cloud-covered heavens. As if sensing Jeremy's presence, Kent abruptly turned his head, forgetting for a moment that he had been stuck in the same position, resulting in a stiff neck. The contorted expression on his face confirmed this mishap. Despite the inopportune timing, Kent's unintended antics managed to tickle Jeremy's funny bone. Though they were now fighting on the same side, Jeremy still remembered that sneaky bastard h
Jeremy had waited for three days. Three long days. And tonight was supposed to be the night of the full moon. He could practically feel the anticipation in the air. But... "Quit your pacing, dude! You're making me dizzy. Take a chill pill," Kent blurted out. Jeremy came to a halt, but the fiery anger inside him refused to be tamed. He turned his gaze towards Kent, his eyes burning with frustration. "Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down? Look at this freaking sky!" With an exasperated gesture, Jeremy pointed his finger at the outside world. Thick, menacing clouds raced across the sky, ruthlessly snuffing out any trace of starlight or moon glow. If anything could escape the clutches of those gloomy clouds, it would be the raindrops tumbling down from their murky depths. The rain wasn't exactly a downpour; it fell in a half-hearted drizzle, so faint that he could barely spot the drops unless he squinted. But the water puddles on the ground re
Jeremy recognized the familiar voice. Immediately, he snapped his head up. There stood his old Alpha, Byron. Byron had shouldered the burden of Jeremy's true lineage for all these years, even betraying the trust of their own wolf pack. When the truth came out, the pack's disappointment was palpable. Yet, in the end, they begrudgingly accepted Byron's presence, albeit stripping him of his leadership status. As fate would have it, just as Byron had hoped, Jeremy eventually rose to become the pack's new leader. However, Byron vanished without a trace. Though the pack had extended their reluctant embrace to him, Byron seemed incapable of forgiving himself. He had chosen to wander off on his own. But at this very moment, Byron stood before Jeremy, appearing considerably aged, yet Jeremy couldn't help but notice that the perpetual tension that had clung to Byron seemed to have dissipated. Perhaps, now that his secret was out in the open, it brought a sense of
It seemed like the hunter vanished into thin air, taking Celeste along for the ride. The werewolves had been tearing through Wolf Town all day long, desperately trying to sniff out any trace of their elusive hunter. But this place, despite its name, hadn't laid eyes on a single wolf. The poor werewolves were completely stumped. They had been at it since the crack of dawn, covertly searching while keeping their senses sharp for any hint of the hunter's whereabouts. But now, as the sun started its descent, painting the sky a blazing red, the pack gathered together, heads shaking in a shared disappointment. The look of defeat was written all over their furry faces. Jeremy's mood was growing increasingly restless. Since morning, he had been plagued by these annoying, erratic breaths that come out of nowhere. It was like someone's squeezing his heart every time, catching him off guard and causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead. With each occurrence,
"We're here, Cel. No doubt about it!" answered Celeste's father, Jeff, as he glanced at Celeste with a worried look on his face. "Hey, sweetheart, what have they done to you?" Her mother reached out and gently caressed Celeste's cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes, visible to Celeste. Celeste shook her head, determined to push aside the lingering dizziness. Though a bit disoriented, she refused to let it bother her. The blasted silver chains held her captive, severing her connection to her wolfish powers. Normally, as a werewolf, she would have bounced back from the electric shock in no time. But now, without her wolf mojo, she struggled to fully recover from the hunters' torment. With watery eyes, she looked at her parents and couldn't help but let a sob creep into her voice. "Oh, gosh, I missed you guys so darn much! Jeremy and I have been on the hunt for you for ages!" All she wanted was to give her parents a big, warm hug, but their hands were tied t
Celeste had no clue when she zoned out. All she could recall was the jarring click of a switch, the sudden glow of crimson lights, and a jolt of electricity coursing through her body, causing her to let out a scream. She squeezed her eyes shut, almost envisioning a lightning whip crackling against her wolf-like form. The excruciating pain hit her like a sucker punch, making her body writhe and convulse, but the damned silver chains held her captive. Yet, this first wave of agony wasn't enough to knock her out cold. Thankfully, the electrical surge was only fleeting, disappearing as swiftly as it had come. As Celeste regained her wits, she gulped down air as if she'd been trapped underwater, her heart hammering against her ribcage while her surroundings swirled in a dizzying haze. Once she'd gathered herself to some extent, Celeste's gaze fell upon Kevin, who was also gasping for breath, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. Had he just experienced a shocking sh
Jeremy and the rest of the wolves finally arrived at Wolf Town. As soon as Jeremy stepped out of the car, a peculiar sensation tingled through his body, leaving him bewildered. His heart skipped a beat, and he could feel a distinct surge in the connection between him and Celeste as if someone had turned up the volume. Without a doubt, Celeste was here, but where the heck was she? Where were the hunters hiding her? Jeremy closed his eyes, desperately trying to follow the invisible thread that bound him to her. It felt like Celeste's presence was swirling in every direction, teasing his senses. With every breath, he almost caught a whiff of her intoxicating scent, but dang it, where was she hiding? He was utterly disoriented, like a compass gone haywire. This sensation felt all too familiar. It reminded him of when Celeste had slipped away with the rogues before. Back then, he had been plagued by the same feeling, an uncanny awareness that Celeste was clo
What the actual heck was happening here? Celeste's eyes widened as she watched her twin brother clamber onto the same seat, getting all strapped up like her. It was downright unbelievable. Seriously, what was he up to? And what the heck did these hunters think they were doing? Wasn't Kevin one of the hunters? Did these hunters plan to experiment on Kevin too? As Celeste glanced back at the other hunters in the room, she noticed that two of them had sauntered out, leaving behind the black-haired man. His face was a mixed bag of emotions, and when his gaze swept over Kevin, a flicker of concern and guilt flashed across his expression, though it vanished in a heartbeat. Kevin locked eyes with the man and flashed a tiny smile at him. Celeste blinked, wondering if she was seeing things. What on earth was the deal between Kevin and this guy? Suddenly, two lab-coated figures waltzed in. Compared to the hunters, they were on the scrawnier side, lacking t