Jeremy's lips curled into a sneer as he closed in on the werewolf. "So, you weren't sleeping," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The werewolf shrugged, his eyes glinting with a mix of defiance and wariness. "I call it self-preservation." Then he looked at the ropes that bound him and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You know I'm a werewolf, right? You do realize I can transform and break free from these ropes and escape, don't you?" Jeremy's gaze flickered over the ropes that bound the werewolf's wrists and ankles. "You know I'm a werewolf too, right?" He said, his voice laced with a hint of threat. "If you try to escape, I'll track you down. And trust me, you won't want to be caught a second time." "So confident…" The werewolf drawled. A wry smile twisted his lips as he sized up Jeremy, his gaze sweeping over him from head to toe. Jeremy shifted a bit uncomfortably under his intense scrutiny, feeling a knot of unease twist in his stomach.Celeste was talking to Kate when Kent strode into the room with the news about her parents. Celeste stood up and locked eyes with Kent. "What? You have news about them? Do you know where they are?" Her voice was eager, desperate. She had left her own pack and joined the rogues partly to escape her twisted mate bond with Jeremy. And it was also because of Kent promise that he would help her find her parents. Unlike her own pack, who had grown accustomed to life in the small town, Kent's pack had roamed far and wide, gathering information and resources along the way. They knew better how to track down hunters. Celeste had been with this pack for a few days now, and Kent had been working hard to keep his promise. There had been hunters in the city before, and Kent had taken Celeste to the places where they had been seen before, but like their own town, the hunters had only stayed briefly before disappearing without a trace. They still didn't know what the
Celeste was a little surprised by Kent's seemingly shy reaction, but she wasn't sure if it was really shyness. What was there to be shy about, anyway? It was then she realized he was talking about a surprise party. "A party? A surprise party?" Did they throw a party every time a new member joined the pack? "Yes, a surprise party. But it seems like the surprise is gone now. Now I guess it's just a party," Kate said, sounding a bit disappointed that she had spoiled the surprise for her. "You really don't have to do this for me," Celeste scratched her head. She never expected the rogues to throw a party just for her arrival. They were enemies not too long ago, after all. And suddenly, she was a member of the pack, and they wanted to throw a party for her. It felt a bit strange to her. "Of course, we have to throw a party for you! You're our Luna!" Kate pouted. Celeste sighed. Kate was speaking nonsense again. Celeste never agreed to be the pack's Lu
According to the address provided by Nick, Jeremy rushed to the place where the rogues were supposed to be. The place was hidden and elusive, and without Nick's information, it would have been nearly impossible for Jeremy to find. The rogues were clearly vigilant. But perhaps their vigilance was limited, as they let an outsider like Nick learn about their whereabouts and even pass it on to Jeremy. But Jeremy didn't fully trust Nick. He remained on guard, wondering if this was some sort of trap. The rogues seemed to be exceptionally busy today, coming and going frequently. They would blend in perfectly in the city, making it difficult for the unsuspecting to notice anything out of the ordinary. Only the occasional glint in their eyes betrayed their true identity. This was obviously the rogues' current stronghold, and at least Nick had not lied about that. However, Jeremy dared not get too close, for fear that his scent might give him away. He had no choic
Jeremy was seething with anger as he watched Kent get too close to Celeste. Although Jeremy would burn Kent with his rage, he knew that the wolves were completely oblivious to his inner turmoil. They wouldn't separate just because he wanted them to. In the darkness, Jeremy could barely make out the two werewolves in the distance, but he knew they were talking. He strained his ears to listen, but their words were muffled by the night's heavy silence. He could only see the rogue's smug grin. Jeremy quickly descended from the tree, his movements silent and agile. The absence of any other rogues in the area gave him a perfect opportunity to act. As he approached the two wolves, the clouds covered the moon, casting a shadow over the area. But the bright light from the nearby house illuminated Celeste and Kent, revealing their every move. Jeremy's eyes locked onto Kent's hand as it rested on Celeste's, sending a jolt of anger through him. Jeremy saw Celeste stiffen slightly and pu
Celeste's voice seemed to have some immediate effect, and the rogues stopped all at once. A few wolves still had their hands on Jeremy, and Jeremy struggled to free himself from their grasp, but he remained trapped in the circle of rogues. They were inching closer, their eyes fixated on him, eager to grab hold of him. "Let him go," Celeste's voice rang out, stern and commanding. There was an undeniable power in her voice that caused the wolves to hesitate, frozen in place. Some of their eyes flicked toward Kent. He was the true leader of the rogues, after all. The tension was palpable in the air, as everyone waited for Kent's decision. After what seemed like an eternity, Kent nodded his head, and the other werewolves backed away from Jeremy. Jeremy stood up, his eyes darting around the circle of rogues, wary of their intentions. A few of them snarled at him, revealing their sharp teeth, but he didn't flinch. His gaze was fixed on Celeste, searching for some kind of answer. But
Jeremy's mind was in a complete state of chaos, with thoughts swirling in his head like a whirlpool. The rogues had thrown him out like a sack of potatoes. When he tried to get back to Celeste again, he was punched again by the bastards. But Jeremy seemed numb to the pain. In the end, he lay on the ground. Above him, the moon was still veiled by the dark clouds, and he could not help but feel a sense of emptiness and despair creeping over him. Time seemed to have lost all meaning as Jeremy lay there, not knowing how long he had been on the ground or how he managed to crawl back to his place. His clothes were in tatters, and the mud caked on his skin was proof of the ferocity of the attack he had endured. He was bewildered by the fact that his wolf had not come out to protect him, and he wondered if it was because of the lack of moonlight or if his wolf was too heartbroken by the sudden abandonment of his mate to emerge. As he stumbled into his place, he noticed the unlocked l
Jeremy's head was throbbing painfully, and he winced as the bright sunlight seared his eyes. It felt as if a million tiny ants were relentlessly gnawing on his brain. He cursed himself for drinking so much the previous night. As he struggled to recall the events of the night before, Jeremy sat up in bed, but the sudden movement sent him reeling with dizziness. Ignoring the lightheadedness, he looked down at himself and breathed a sigh of relief to see that he was still wearing his own clothes. The werewolf hadn't done anything to him. Last night, the rogue had arrived at his place with beers. And Jeremy had confided in him about his failed mate bond with Celeste, telling him all about the reasons behind the rejection. He cringed with shame at the memory, wondering why he had felt the need to spill his guts to a complete stranger. After all, he barely knew this werewolf. Just a few hours ago, he had even tied him up to a chair and threatened to chop off his hair. "Fuck!" Jeremy
Byron asked a few more questions, but in the end, Jeremy didn't reveal why Celeste didn't want to come back with him, or what had happened between him and Celeste. Despite his continued efforts, Jeremy remained tight-lipped. Eventually, Byron let out a deep sigh and gave up Jeremy had been down ever since he came back. The pack was sad that Celeste decided to leave, but they were hopeful that he would return to his former self and lead them as their Alpha, but his aloof demeanor proved otherwise. Instead of taking charge, he secluded himself in his room, drowning in his own misery and relying on alcohol to numb his pain. Nancy tried to reach out to him a few times, but Jeremy ignored her. He could feel the other wolves' concerns for him, but he didn't care anymore. He was beyond their help. Although Byron encouraged Jeremy to step up as the Alpha of the pack, his reluctance and disinterest made it clear that he was not ready to take on the mantle. Now Jeremy probably understoo
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