Celeste felt like she had just fallen asleep not long ago, her mind still in the realm of dreams. It was probably early morning, just after the sun had risen. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense the playful dance of light and shadows outside the window. She couldn't recall if she or Jeremy had bothered to pull the curtains shut before diving into slumber, but one thing was certain. It was still way too early.
In the midst of this groggy confusion, Celeste couldn't shake off the peculiar sensation of something on her skin, like a weighty gaze fixated on her. She desperately tried to drift back into the dream world, but it was no use. This gaze had an intensity that refused to be ignored. Strangely enough, it felt both familiar and intriguingly unfamiliar, a blend of comfort and intrigue.
After a moment of struggling, her fluttering eyelashes triumphed, and she blinked her way back to consciousness. And there, right before her, were a pair of eyes fixed upon her. The emotions in those eyes were too complex for Celeste to decipher.
Celeste couldn't quite make sense of the situation because of the haze in her mind. She blinked, "Kent?"
Was she still in her dream?
But then her memory kicked in, jolting her awareness of her whereabouts. She wasn't with rogues anymore. Nope, she had left. And now she was back with her wolf pack. She was now in the pack's hideout. She was now in the cozy confines of her and Jeremy's room, snuggled up in Jeremy's arms like a contented pup.
The fog of sleep vanished in an instant, and Celeste sat up with a jolt. But then she remembered her state of undress beneath the sheets, and she yanked the sheet up, shooting a glance at Kent. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, if he could casually infiltrate my wolf pack and snatch you away, I figured waltzing into your secret base would be a piece of cake," Kent shrugged, his eyes wandering over to Jeremy. A look of disgust and indifference flitted across his face before he refocused on Celeste. "I'm guessing neither of our wolf packs is alert enough, huh?"
Celeste smirked, nodding in agreement with Kent's observation. They both tried their best to stay on guard, but time and again, it seemed their efforts were in vain. It was like their defenses were made of tissue paper, easily breezed through by anyone with a mind to invade their territories.
But why the heck did Kent show up here?
Celeste glanced out the window, greeted by a misty morning. The day was still yawning its way into existence, and there he was, sneaking into her room all early-bird style, giving her that weird look. Seriously, what was up with Kent?
" What are you doing here, Kent?" Celeste asked.
"Nothing much, just went out for a day and boom! I came back to find out you've been snatched! Had to swing by and double-check," Kent replied with a relaxed tone, though Celeste could sense a trace of disapproval in his voice.
A pang of guilt flickered through Celeste's heart. Sure, Kent and the rogues had welcomed her with open arms. But when Jeremy came over, swooping in with a few simple words, he easily shattered all the walls she had built. Suddenly, her truest desires burst forth, compelling her to join him and take off running.
Celeste pursed her lips, taking a moment before letting out a heartfelt sigh. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me. But... I just can't resist the pull of my heart and the wild wishes of my inner wolf."
Kent's eyes remained fixed on Celeste, his expression unchanged. It was as if he had anticipated her response all along, and he shot Jeremy a knowing look, silently conveying a deeper message.
Finally, Celeste realized that something was off. Despite their conversation being relatively quiet, Jeremy should have been able to hear them. Yet, he remained blissfully unaware, still lost in dreamland.
Celeste's eyes landed on Jeremy's face, only to find him wearing an expression of pure relaxation. His breaths were leisurely, drawn out, as if he was savoring each one. It definitely didn't seem like he was pretending to be asleep.
Could it be that the day's journey had drained him completely? Perhaps he passed out the moment his head hit the pillow, exhausted beyond measure. But wasn't Jeremy always hypersensitive to the scent of Kent?
Whenever he caught even a whiff of that guy, he would go ballistic, ready to throw punches. And now, there stood Kent right in front of him, practically within sneezing distance. Even if Jeremy was in dreamland, his nose should be fully operational, picking up the scent. If that were the case, shouldn't he be springing up to give Kent a good wallop?
But no, instead, he's sleeping so serenely, as if he's completely oblivious to everything around him.
Meanwhile, Celeste had experienced the exact opposite. Just the weight of Kent's eyes was enough to stir up the unease in her and urge her to open her eyes. Celeste couldn't believe it would take Jeremy so long to notice the rogue in the room.
Celeste wrinkled her brow, tilting her head to get a better view of Kent, who had a mischievous glint in his eyes that flashed ever so briefly.
"What the heck did you do to him?" Celeste asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
"Relax, I didn't do anything to him," Kent shrugged nonchalantly. "I just cast a little sleep magic, that's all."
"Sleep magic? Hold on a second—how did you even get your hands on that?" The look on Kent's face made it clear to Celeste that he wouldn't tell her that, of course. "Ah, forget it! Why on earth would you cast a sleep spell on him?"
"I just wanted to know what you're thinking and make sure he wouldn't get in the way," Kent replied, taking a casual step forward, closing the distance between himself and Celeste.