Ramen's place was situated deep in the woods, far from any urbanization.
The dense trees and bushes surrounding the house gave it an almost secluded feel, and the absence of any nearby neighbors added to its privacy. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds, creating a peaceful façade of the area. The small house looked unremarkable from the outside, almost blending into the surrounding wilderness. Its wooden walls were weathered and worn, giving it a rustic feel. A small porch with a couple of chairs and a table overlooked the forest, and a few potted plants were scattered around. Jeremy had parked his car on the side of a road leading to the house. They had walked the remaining distance to the small cabin, avoiding leaving any tracks or trails that could alert the hunter. Peering through the window, they could see that the house appeared empty. The room was sparsely furnished with a few pieces of basic furniture, suThe staircase seemed to stretch endlessly downward, disappearing into the darkness. The light was scarcer as Celeste and Jeremy went deeper into the basement. But they were werewolves. With their convenient night vision, they were able to navigate the dimly lit surroundings. Celeste's eyes adjusted to the change of environment very soon. Shadows danced around her, and the silence was deafening. Yet, it wasn't the eerie atmosphere that made her skin crawl. As they descended further into the depths of the basement, the stench of decay grew stronger, assaulting her senses with an almost tangible force. The smell was so repugnant that it almost made her gag. She had to fight the urge to cover her nose and mouth. But amidst the putrid odor, what set her even more unnerved was a faint yet unmistakable hint of the scar-faced rogue. It was a strange mixture of blood, sweat, and fear. It was a disturbing realization. Despite her best efforts, her heart rate quic
The sudden, shrill ringing of the phone echoed through the quiet basement, almost making both Celeste and Jeremy jump in surprise. "Jesus!" Jeremy exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "You didn't mute your phone when you sneak into someone else's house?!" Celeste felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as Jeremy's eyes fell on her. It was her first time breaking into someone's house, okay? It was not that she had been informed beforehand to mute her phone. "Okay, okay! It's not like I'm as experienced as you are. Stop judging me," Celeste retorted and threw her hands in the air. She retrieved her phone from her pocket and glanced at the caller ID. Her expression changed to concern as she read the name. "It's Byron." Why did Byron always call when they were together? Celeste wondered, her forehead creasing in confusion. She looked up and saw the same perplexed expression on Jeremy's face. She hesitated for a moment before pressing t
It felt like an eternity had passed before Celeste and Jeremy finally arrived home. But as they turned onto their street, an uneasiness settled over them when they noticed two unfamiliar cars parked along the road. Jeremy hesitated and decided to park the car at a distance from their home. Celeste stepped out of the car, her eyes fixed on the strange vehicles with growing apprehension. She tried to talk herself out of her fear, but her wolf was restless inside her, sensing the danger lurking nearby. She couldn't fathom how Jeremy could remain so calm when their family could be in huge danger. She couldn't even hear the sound of his heart racing, but his steady demeanor was undoubtedly a comfort to her. However, when she saw the veins bulging in his hand as he shut the door of the car, she realized that he was probably just as worried as she was. He was just being strong for her. They couldn't both lose their shit. She drew in a deep breath, tryin
Missing what? What were the hunters up to? Celeste and Jeremy locked eyes. The hunter's words had made them both tense, like a bowstring stretched to its limit. Jeremy squinted his eyes and clenched his jaw. Celeste could see the anger burning in those blue eyes like hot coals. The two of them retreated towards the woods, moving as quietly as possible to avoid being detected by the hunters. They knew that they had to be careful. One wrong move could mean the end for both of them. "Did you see Mom and Dad?" Jeremy asked when they were sure the hunters couldn't see them, his voice low and urgent. Celeste shook her head. "No. I couldn't see much from my angle. I only saw two hunters inside. But since there are hunters inside and outside guarding, they should still be in there. I wonder what these hunters are waiting for." "Are you sure there are only two hunters inside?" Jeremy narrowed his eyes. "At least two. I was trying to look at
Celeste crept silently towards the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She carefully peered through the house for her enemies. She saw the two hunters engrossed in conversation. Their backs were facing her. She held her breath, afraid they might hear her, but they remained oblivious to her presence. They didn't seem to even notice their guards were gone. Celeste wondered what kind of conversation they were having. She looked across the room and noticed the rifles were still resting on the table. She couldn't help but wonder what made these hunters so confident. Was it their recent success in catching werewolves after the full moon, or was it their deep-seated contempt for her kind? She knew one thing for sure though, their arrogance would be their downfall. The hunters continued to chat, their voices a mere murmur to Celeste's ears because of the distance. Celeste took a tentative step forward. And that was when she saw what was lying on the g
Raymond, the werewolf hunter, was standing right in front of Celeste with his gun pointed directly at her. The scene was somehow surreal to Celeste. She knew Raymond was a hunter, and it was true that he had shocked her several times. But he never actually harmed her. And after months of working together, Celeste still saw Raymond as a somewhat clueless colleague. Now there he was, a completely different person. His finger tensed on the trigger. The weight of gun seemed heavy in his hand. His eyes flickered with a complicated mix of emotions. Celeste's heart pounded in her chest as she stared down the barrel of the gun, her wolf instincts screaming at her to fight or flight. But she froze. "Let the man go, Celeste," Raymond said in a low voice, his eyes staring down at her. She froze when her name came out of his mouth. How did he recognize her? That was the first thought that came to her mind. It was her first time turning into a wolf, so
The sudden gunshot caught Celeste off guard and froze her immediately. The loud sound echoed through the room, reverberating off the walls and causing Celeste's ears to ring. She felt a surge of adrenaline as she braced herself for impact, expecting the bullet to hit her flesh and bone. But the anticipated pain never came. The bullet hadn't hit her. And then, she heard the furious growl of a wolf. Celeste snapped her eyes in the direction of the sound and saw Jeremy's wolf. Her heart raced as she searched eagerly along Jeremy's form, worried that he had been hit by the bullet. To her relief, he didn't seem injured. Jeremy's wolf stood tall, baring its teeth at Raymond. Its fur bristled, and its eyes blazed with fury as it faced off against Raymond. Then she realized she had been so focused on the situation that she didn't even sense Jeremy's presence. But she didn't have time to consider that, as Raymond once again raised his
Celeste didn't understand why Jeremy was avoiding her. Were they playing hide-and-seek again? Was he really hiding her? Right after everything they had just gone through? Hell! She couldn't even be sure of that. She looked over at him, trying to figure out what was going on, but Jeremy wouldn't even meet her gaze. Instead, he kept walking as if nothing was wrong. Celeste's wolf came to a stop and let out a disapproving growl. It was clear that she wasn't happy with Jeremy's behavior, and his wolf seemed to sense that. He stiffened for a moment, but then kept walking, assuming that Celeste would follow. But she didn't. Instead, Celeste stood her ground and glared at Jeremy's back. When he realized that she was determined not to move, he slowed down a bit and took a few steps forward before he finally stopped. He didn't turn around, though. Celeste was left wondering what was going on between them. It was frustrating, to say the least. And s
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