Jeremy's eyes widened at Celeste's proposal. His face mirrored a mix of astonishment and incredulity. "Team up with the rogues? Are you kidding me? They've attacked us before! The bastards almost got us killed!" he blurted out without a second thought.
Celeste raised an eyebrow, taken aback by Jeremy's immediate rejection. "But come on, Jeremy, no one got hurt last time, remember?" Goddess… She couldn't believe the words just escaped her own lips. "Kent's only got a bone to pick with Byron. He just wants to ruin Byron's reputation. But hey, if it's all just a big misunderstanding, why not clear the air? Getting rid of one enemy wouldn't be so bad for our wolf pack, right?"
Jeremy's voice took on a tinge of jealousy as he retorted, "He told you himself that it's just about ruining Byron's reputation? Did he tell you that himself?"
Celeste nodded confidently, her eyes sparkling. "He did tell me that, but so what? I believe what he said is true. If it's all just a misunderstanding, wouldn't it be better to set things straight?"
Jeremy opened his mouth to respond but couldn't find a valid argument. "And those rogues… They're all sneaky, backstabbing scoundrels, aren't they?" Jeremy continued, a touch of skepticism coloring his tone. "I mean, what else do they do besides causing trouble?"
Celeste shook her head. "Look, I'm not saying they're saints or anything, but most of them are just regular folks like us, you know? Deep down, they've got good hearts."
Jeremy scratched his head, weighing the possibilities. "But you've only spent a short time with them. You can't really vouch for their reliability. And with that bastard Kent hanging around, I bet those rogues are on their best behavior, putting on a show just for you. If they're all goody-two-shoes, then how the hell do we explain Scarface and what he did, huh? The son of a bitch tried to harm innocent kids?"
"Jeremy..." Celeste let out a frustrated sigh, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Even though we haven't been hanging out for long, I've got a pretty good read on these folks. Trust me, they're a solid bunch. And let's face it, if we want to take on those hunters, relying solely on our wolf pack won't cut it. Sure, we've got the numbers, but they've got battle scars and a load of experience."
"Oh, really? I don't see–"
"Kids..." Before Jeremy could finish his sentence, Byron raised his hand, effectively cutting him off. "I know you've got some serious beef with rogues, especially Kent, but we can't ignore the truth in Celeste's words. Besides, once we clear things up with the rogue pack, we'll have one less enemy to worry about. That means we can focus more on kicking some hunter butt without constantly glancing over our shoulders, expecting those rogues to pull some sneaky moves on us."
"Why didn't you talk to the rogue earlier then? You've been secretly in touch with him, haven't you?" Jeremy scoffed, his disbelief evident.
"I did try, but Kent just wouldn't buy it," Byron replied, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.
"Well, how can you expect Celeste to work her magic and make Kent believe if you couldn't?" Jeremy blurted out, crossing his arms.
"Because Kent believes in Celeste," Byron calmly replied. But those words seemed to pour cold water over Jeremy's head, instantly silencing him.
Celeste, too, was taken aback. "He believes in me? How can he possibly believe in me when we don't even know each other well enough? I can't claim to know him inside out yet."
"He believes in you because he believes in the Moon Goddess's intervention. According to her, you're destined to become his Luna," Byron explained, his voice brimming with unwavering confidence as he mentioned the Moon Goddess.
"How in the world..." Celeste scrunched up her forehead, puzzled as to why everyone bought into the Moon Goddess's tales. And she couldn't fathom becoming Kent's Luna, not in a million years! "And how on earth do you have insider info on what the Moon Goddess supposedly whispered to him?"
Turning her head, Celeste caught a glimpse of Jeremy's eyes blazing with renewed anger and possessiveness. He plopped himself onto the sofa, circling his hand possessively around her. The gesture surprised and amused Celeste a bit.
As if to soothe the tension, Celeste gently caressed Jeremy's arm, attempting to offer some solace. Jeremy let out an indignant huff.
"Now, explain that!" Jeremy barked, addressing Byron with a commanding tone, his voice dripping with authority.
Byron ran his hand across his face and heaved a sigh. "Honestly, it didn't make sense to me either. If you and Celeste are destined to be mates, how the heck could she end up being Kent's Luna? But then it just clicked. What if we form an alliance? You become our Alpha, and Celeste becomes Luna. Suddenly, it all falls into place."
Byron's words caught both of them off guard, freezing them momentarily. There was a glimmer of logic in that explanation. Yet, it hinged on Kent willingly stepping down beneath Jeremy's shadow. Celeste's mouth twitched, skeptical that Kent would ever choose to play second fiddle to Jeremy.
Jeremy, on the other hand, didn't seem to share her doubts. Celeste could practically feel his anger diminishing, replaced by a surge of excitement. "If that's the deal, I'm totally down for this alliance thing."
"Our wolf pack needs you to step up as the Alpha," Byron chimed in.
Jeremy was about to talk when Byron continued, "Look, I get that my methods may not be the noblest, but truth be told, our pack doesn't stand a chance under my leadership. You've been a part of this pack for years, and during every crisis we've faced, you've proven yourself as a qualified Alpha. Your wolf blood runs fiercer than mine, radiating a commanding presence. And let's not forget, we're also up against those pesky hunters."
Byron then turned his gaze toward Celeste, his eyes conveying a sense of urgency. "And, most importantly, Jeremy, you have Celeste as your future Luna, while I don't."