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 of course, she didn't give him any.
"Come with me," Jeremy said in a soft voice, his eyes locked onto Celeste's. "Whatever difficulties we may face, we can overcome them together."
Celeste's eyes drifted away from his, her expression sad and pained. "I can't," she whispered the tension and seriousness from before gone from her voice, replaced by a hollow emptiness.
"Why?" Jeremy's voice was tinged with desperation, his heart pounding in his chest.
Celeste shook her head slowly. "Just go. Don't come back for me."
"Is it because…" Jeremy's eyes ran around the circle of rogues, desperately searching for some kind of explanation. His tongue darted out to lick his lips. He suddenly felt weak and powerless. "Is it because these bastards are pressuring you? Is it because that asshole is pressuring you?" Jeremy raised his voice and pointed his finger at Kent. "Don't believe them, don't be afraid. We can overcome anything together, Cel."
"Kent didn't pressure me," Celeste said firmly. "None of them did. On the contrary, they accepted me. I left and came here of my own free will."
"Why? Why do you have to leave?" Jeremy's voice cracked with desperation as he made a step forward. But this time, he was hopeful when Celeste didn't take a step back. "We're family. Whatever the issue is, we can work it out together. There's always another way. Can't you trust me?"
Celeste's eyes flickered with pain as she shook her head. "I need to be free, and so do you. Our…" She cut herself off before continuing, "Your pack needs you, and I need to be away from you. Please, Jeremy. Just go and don't come looking for me."
Jeremy shook his head, unwilling to admit what he was hearing. He heard the wolf within him howling. He didn't know if Celeste's wolf heard it too. He stepped closer to her, his hand trembling as he reached out to touch her. He wanted to get closer to Celeste, to put his hands on her and bring her to his arms.
The rogues around him hissed and bared their teeth, warning him to stay back. Jeremy ignored them, his eyes fixed on Celeste's. He saw sadness in them.
"I can't go back," Celeste said in a low voice.
"I need you," he said. His voice almost broke and sounded almost like a plea. "My wolf needs you."
Celeste's eyes softened, and for a moment, Jeremy saw a hint of emotion and pain in Celeste's eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but Kent's hand fell on her shoulder. And that seemed to have pulled her away from Jeremy again.
Jeremy glared at the hand, wishing he could bite it off.
Celeste let out a long sigh, shaking her head. "There is nothing between you and me. There never was, and there never would be. You don't need me, Jeremy. Your wolf doesn't need me, either. You need the pack. Don't you understand?" Her words were like a tolling bell, ringing harshly in Jeremy's ears, freezing him in place.
Jeremy recalled Celeste's unfinished letter. Ever since he realized she had left, he had been unable to find any peace. His only goal was to bring her back, and her unfinished letter was a sign that maybe her heart wasn't fully set on leaving. That was what he had convinced himself of. In this strange city, he had spent every waking moment searching for Celeste, with no time to reflect. He had only ever thought about finding her and bringing her back, without ever considering the possibility that she might not want to return with him.
But now, reality hit him hard. Celeste had delivered the crushing blow, telling him to leave and never come back for her. "You should go, Jeremy. If I've made up my mind to leave, I won't be going back." Her voice drifted off into the chilly night air, hitting Jeremy's face like a harsh slap.
Jeremy stared at Celeste, hoping to see some hint of vulnerability, some sign that she didn't mean what she was saying. But she remained resolute, her face as cold and hard as stone.
"Didn't you hear him? Get lost!" Kent said, his smirk taunting Jeremy.
Without thinking, Jeremy charged forward, his fist already drawn back to hit Kent again. But Kent was ready this time, grabbing his hand and tossing it aside. The other wolves closed in on him, eager to beat him senseless, but Kent raised his hand, and they immediately stopped. "Throw the dog out."
The other wolves grabbed Jeremy's shoulders, and he struggled against their grip, but it was no use. There were too many of them, and he couldn't fight them alone. He looked at Celeste, but she closed her eyes and remained silent. Even as he was thrown out, Celeste didn't say a word.