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 ran a hand down his face. The throbbing in his head persisted. He took a deep breath, and as he opened his eyes, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He was back in the hideout of his pack, and he was in the room he shared with Celeste.
What the fuck happened? he muttered under his breath, panic rising in his chest. He couldn't remember a thing about how he had gotten here. The last thing he remembered was a blurry image of the werewolf's face, laughing as he downed another beer.
The sound of knuckles rapping against the door made Jeremy's heart jump. He frowned, not expecting any visitors. "Come in," he said, his voice scratchy and raw as if he had swallowed sandpaper.
To his surprise, the door creaked open to reveal the imposing figure of the androgynous werewolf, his features still twisted into that inexplicable smile.
"You... what the hell are you doing here?" Jeremy asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Hello to you too," the werewolf's smile grew wider, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. "I still prefer the way you looked last night. You were cuter then."
Jeremy felt his cheeks grow hot at the memory of their encounter. He had been drunk and foolish, and now he regretted it. "You... you... I... we..." He trailed off, at a loss for words.
The werewolf chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Don't worry, nothing happened between us, and I told you, you're not my type."
Jeremy let out a sigh of relief, but his mind was still reeling from the events of the night before. "How did I get back here?" he asked, his voice still hoarse and raw.
"I brought you back," the werewolf replied, his tone mischievous. He stepped forward, his scent filling Jeremy's nostrils, a heady mixture of musk and pine needles.
"You brought me back? How did you know the way? How did you know I lived here?" Jeremy asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
The werewolf shrugged. "You showed me the way," he said, the mischievous glint brighter in his eyes.
Really? Jeremy covered his face with his hands, mortified. He had let his guard down and now he had brought the stranger to his pack and put everyone in danger. He couldn't even remember what had happened the night before.
"Wait a minute, how did you manage to get in here? Did no one ask you questions?" Jeremy's heart raced as he scrutinized the wolf before him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something off about this man.
Jeremy forced himself to stay alert as he looked at the wolf in front of him. But if the wolf wanted to do something to him, he would have already done it. It didn't make sense for the wolf to bring him back here.
The wolf seemed to sense Jeremy's unease and chuckled. "Well, you told everyone I was your friend, so I figured it was okay to come in," he said, grinning widely. The wolf's voice was deep and velvety, sending shivers down Jeremy's spine.
For a moment, Jeremy couldn't believe what he was hearing. His brain couldn't quite process what was happening. He stared at the wolf in front of him, speechless. "What?"
"Alright, Nicholas, enough with the teasing," Byron's voice came through.
Nick turned around and faced the Alpha. "I just couldn't resist it." His voice was clear with a hint of amusement.
Jeremy's eyes widened in surprise as he looked back and forth between Byron and Nick. The way they spoke and interacted with each other indicated a closeness that he had not expected. No wonder Nick was still in this place.
"You two know each other?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow.
"Old acquaintances," Byron said. Nick snorted.
Jeremy went to the sink and splashed water on his face.
"Did you find Celeste?" Byron's voice came from behind Jeremy.
Jeremy's heart sank at the mention of her name. It was as though the air in the room had turned frigid and his blood had frozen in his veins. He splashed more water on his face, hoping to mask the discomfort he was feeling.
"Yeah...but I wish I hadn't found her," he muttered, his voice low and somber.
Neither Byron nor Nick said anything.
Jeremy glanced over his shoulder at Byron, who wore a look of confusion and bewilderment. Jeremy had assumed that Nick had filled him in on everything, but it seemed he had been mistaken.
It was a relief, in a way. He didn't want everyone to know about his and Celeste's secret. The mere thought made him feel vulnerable and exposed.
"Why?" Byron asked at last.
"Because she didn't want to come back with me," he said with a heavy sigh.