Mate?! How was that possible? How could Jeremy possibly be her mate? Was she still in her dream? Celeste's eyes widened in horror. She must have heard it wrong. She must have! Her heart raced like thunder in her chest, the sound drowning out even the howling of the wolves in her ears. The silence around her was suddenly too eerie. Mixed emotions of fear and confusion crept into her bones as she was left with silence and the thunderous cry for her mate ringing in her ears. She couldn't believe it. No matter how much she denied it, Celeste could feel a strong pull bringing her to him. Deep down, she had an inkling about this. She had thought about Jeremy's strange behavior after his first shift. She forbade herself to think more about it, but she guessed she always had a theory hidden behind the back of her mind. The deafening thump of her heart threatened to wake Jeremy from his peaceful slumber next to her, but miraculously he remained sound asleep. She couldn't help
It was late at night, and Nancy's unexpected visit to Jeremy only raised more questions in Celeste's mind. What was she doing here? Were they always meeting this late? "Nancy? What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked icily. Okay, maybe not icily. It was just her imagination. Jeremy's voice was neutral with an unmistakable hint of confusion. "I… I had a nightmare. Can't sleep. I still haven't recovered from the vicious attack. Whenever I dream of those horrific scenes, I wake up terrified," Nancy's voice was frail as if seeking comfort and compassion. What?! Celeste stifled a gasp. She didn't believe a word from Nancy's mouth! The last time she checked, Nancy didn't look "terrified" at all in the "vicious attack". Celeste gritted her teeth. The urge to expose Nancy's deceitful act was almost too much to bear. She knew exactly what Nancy was up to. It was crystal clear to everyone in the pack that Nancy had a massive crush on Jeremy. And this was obviously a perfect opportun
Celeste was glad that Nancy was finally gone. Her patience was hanging by a thread. She wouldn't know what she was going to do had Nancy stayed for one more second. She thought Jeremy was going after Nancy, but she was glad when hearing the click of the lock. Turned out he just went to lock the door. And now… she and Jeremy were alone again. The heat of her anger had been scorching Celeste, but now it fizzled out entirely, leaving her feeling empty and hollow like a deflated balloon. She could feel Jeremy walking back toward her. Then, suddenly as a clap of thunder, realization struck her again. Jeremy was her mate. She wished she could just shrink and disappear from under the quilt. She calmed her breathing to maintain the illusion of her still being in a coma. Shame went through Celeste as she realized she was just a coward who ran away from her problems. But damn it! She just couldn't bear the thought of talking to Jeremy right now. Her mind raced as she recalled th
The still and peaceful night was broken by the rumble of her stomach. The rumble echoed in the room like thunder during one of those wild summer storms. Great job there! Perfect timing. Jeremy was silent and still. Celeste was silent and still, too. In contrast to the thunderous rumble of her stomach, now the death of silence was almost unbearable. Celeste froze on the bed. The air around her was squeezing oxygen out of her lungs, and time seemed to have paused for eternity. The moonlight crept through the window into the room. It felt as if the moon's light had turned solid and trapped them all in its grasp, suspending the air around them. Suddenly, without warning, Jeremy burst out laughing. The hearty laughter echoed through the empty room and filled the space, bringing life back to Celeste's paralyzed bodies. Caught up in the infectious laugh, Celeste's lips curled upwards despite her attempts to feign slumber. In the end, her laughter escaped from her lips, as
Time seemed to stretch out to Celeste. It felt like an eternity since Jeremy walked out of that door. But in reality, probably only a few minutes had passed since he left the room. She had never been so clingy. She had never felt such a need to be close to Jeremy. She guessed her wolf had quite a lot to do with what she was feeling. Her wolf within her had become restless for Jeremy. But she couldn't help with it. She didn't know if Jeremy was feeling the same, though. But when he turned back to look at her before leaving, she could sense his wolf wanting the same as hers did. The memory of Jeremy's first shift flashed in her mind. She remembered Jeremy's wolf frozen when she tried to touch him. And she remembered herself standing in front of Jeremy's room, with just a thin door separating the two of them. If he had known they were mates, how much had he gone through to keep himself locked away from her? How on earth did he manage to control his inner beast? Her wolf yearned
After Celeste finished her meal, she and Jeremy fell into silence. Now that the room was well-lit, Celeste noticed the stubble on Jeremy's face and the dark circles under his eyes. She had seen them earlier while she was eating and wondered how many days he had gone without proper sleep. But she had stopped herself from asking about it. They hadn't seen each other in just a few days, but to Celeste, it felt much longer. Especially considering that Jeremy had been avoiding her ever since his first shift. They hadn't properly met in over a month. During this brief period, she noticed subtle changes in him. His gaze seemed harder and fiercer, and his whole demeanor had transformed. He had gained confidence and become more mature. Celeste wasn't sure if he actually changed. Or was it her wolf letting her look at him from a different angle? She could tell. It was hard to believe such changes could be made in such a short time. "How many days have I been unco
Jeremy did a double take, clearly not anticipating Celeste to suggest they share a bed. "I…" He fumbled for words while she waited calmly. Eventually, he swallowed hard and seemed to make a big decision, "You sure about this?" "I am. You must have felt it too. My wolf doesn't just need you for her healing power. She longs for your wolf and wouldn't settle down if you're gone." Her face was warmer when she admitted that, but she ignored it and continued, "You don't have a place to spend the night, and I don't want you to sleep on the floor or even a chair because of me. So it's better if we share a bed. I don't mind it, anyway." Her words were soft but firm. As she said so, she didn't look away from his eyes. Jeremy nodded and made his way to the opposite side of the bed. He carefully picked Celeste up and moved her over, leaving enough space for him to settle beside her. Celeste couldn't help but notice how warm his chest felt as hi
"We're going home?" Celeste frowned at Jeremy's words. Were they safe now? After the brutal attack by Kent and his rogues, the pack had gathered in their secret hideout. Celeste thought they would have to stay for a while longer. But now they were leaving already? "Why so suddenly? Did something happen?" She took the breakfast as Jeremy handed it to her. "No. Nothing to worry about." Jeremy shook his head and gave her a reassuring smile. "We've sent werewolves out to keep an eye on the rogues. And it turned out they had a disagreement and the rogues are now in another town. For now, our pack is safe. And since the traitor doesn't know our whereabouts, it's better if we split up." Celeste nodded. It made sense. Besides, the members of the pack had their own life to tend to. If they were absent for too long, it would raise suspicion. But another thought crept into Celeste's mind. Once the pack left, Nancy wouldn't be able to sneak into Jeremy's roo
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