Celeste stayed on the bed as she watched Kent turn his back and saunter away.
She could have sprinted after him, demanding that he spill more details about Byron and whatever secrets they had, but deep down, she knew very well that Kent wouldn't spill a word.
And sure, she could have screamed and alerted the rest of the pack to seize Kent and squeeze out every ounce of information from him. But no, Celeste wasn't keen on stooping that low. After all, Kent had taken her in when she needed refuge and treated her with kindness. She wasn't about to repay that with a vengeful act. Plus, she was clearly aware of the fact that she was now stark naked, and the thought of chasing Kent in her birthday suit wasn't exactly appealing.
So there he went, striding off without a care in the world, just as quietly as he had arrived. Celeste let out a heavy sigh, realizing that their wolf pack's vigilance was as good as a sleeping puppy. It seemed like anyone and everyone could waltz in and out of their so-called secret hideout. If Kent could breeze in and out with such ease, what would it be to stop cunning hunters from coming right in?
Something had to be done.
Yet, as Celeste glanced out the window, she noticed that the sun had barely peeked over the horizon. She still had a little more time to snuggle under the covers and indulge in a few extra moments of blissful laziness.
The cozy warmth of the sheets enveloped Celeste, making her feel like she was nestled in a cloud. As she turned her head, her eyes landed on Jeremy's peaceful slumber.
"Oh, shit!" she exclaimed, realizing she had forgotten to ask how to break the sleep magic. She couldn't help but wonder what consequences it might bring. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen.
Celeste reached out to gently touch Jeremy's cheek. His skin felt wonderfully warm, and his rhythmic breathing reassured her that everything was probably fine. The only worry now was when Jeremy would wake up. If anything went wrong, Kent would have a serious reckoning coming his way.
But as Celeste's hand lingered on Jeremy's face, a strange reluctance crept over her. She let her hand rest on his skin, relishing the comforting heat and the tender touch. His day-old stubble tickled her hand, adding a hint of roughness, yet inexplicably, it made her feel a sense of familiarity and bliss.
Fixated on Jeremy's handsome face, Celeste's gaze traversed his closed eyes, lingering on his finely shaped nose, before settling on his plump, inviting lips. A flood of desire surged within her as she couldn't resist imagining the sensation of those lips pressed against her own. In an impulsive move, she got on her side and planted a swift, stolen kiss on Jeremy's mouth.
She remained on her side, her eyes fixated on Jeremy's serene expression. Lost in the moment, she eventually succumbed to sleep, unaware of the passage of time.
When Celeste finally stirred awake, the sun's rays flooded the room, piercing through the curtains. The warmth of the sunlight washed over her, caressing her skin and evoking a tingling sensation. Yet, alongside the sun's touch, there was an inexplicably heavy, almost electric sensation on her own skin that caused Celeste to shudder involuntarily.
She turned her head and caught Jeremy's gaze fixed upon her, sporting a wide grin on his face. A hint of just-woken sleepiness lingered on his face, but it only added to his charm. Celeste shifted her body, and in that instant, she realized that Jeremy's arm had stealthily ensnared her within his embrace.
In his softest, most tender voice, Jeremy inquired, "Mind explaining why there's a whiff of that rogue bastard in the air?"
Celeste let out a groan. How on earth did Jeremy always manage to detect even the faintest trace of Kent in the air? If it weren't for his penchant for beating the shit out of the rogue every time they crossed paths, Celeste would have wondered if there had been something more between the two guys.
Jeremy arched an eyebrow, yet Celeste sensed the tightening grip of his arms around her.
Celeste provided a brief explanation of what had happened. But much to her surprise, this time Jeremy didn't fly into a rage or succumb to jealousy.
Celeste raised an eyebrow and teased him, "Hmm, your reaction seems a little different this time. Why haven't you–"
But before she could finish her sentence, Jeremy swiftly pulled her into his chest. "Well, because now I'm absolutely certain he couldn't possibly snatch you away from my side."
Celeste's heart skipped a beat. His breath tickled Celeste's neck, sending shivers down her spine. A peculiar sensation enveloped her heart, making it flutter with anticipation.
"Oh, Goddess! I really want to just mark you right now," Jeremy whispered, his voice deep and filled with an undeniable hint of desire.
It was then that Celeste became aware of something hard pressing against her waist. Suddenly, the fact that they were both completely naked became glaringly obvious.
Celeste's face flushed crimson, her body seemingly surrendering to the intoxicating atmosphere. Her inner wolf urged her to lean closer, even lifting her neck, tempting Jeremy to leave his mark.
But, in a surge of rationality, she mustered all her remaining strength and shook her head.
Not yet.
She couldn't magically transform her perception of Jeremy overnight. After all, he had been her twin brother for over two decades. And it was not that easy for her brain to suddenly accept the fact that they were no more twin siblings.
She had no idea what Jeremy was thinking, though. She thought that Jeremy wouldn't care about what she thought and would just proceed to mark her. Yet, to her surprise, Jeremy actually paused.
Celeste couldn't help it when her heart swelled. A smile played at the corners of her lips.
"What's making you smile? Delighted that I'm green with envy?" Jeremy grumbled.
Suddenly, as if a realization had struck him like lightning, his body froze in place.
"Hold on a sec! When that son of a bitch arrived, you were completely naked, weren't you?! How did I manage to sleep through that?!"