Everything happened in a blur, too fast for Celeste's brain to keep up with her eyes, leaving her bewildered about what the heck was going on right in front of her.
Out of the blue, Jeremy's eyes snapped open, laser-focused on Kent as if he had a built-in GPS in those eyeballs. And without a moment's hesitation, he sprang up from the bed like a coiled spring, launching himself straight at the rogue like a missile in flight.
Time seemed to slow down as Jeremy's fist arced toward Kent, but Kent had his wits about him and skillfully dodged the incoming punch. Little did he know, though, that Jeremy had a sneaky surprise waiting below. And with a knock, Jeremy's other fist connected with a solid thud right into Kent's gut.
A grunt escaped Kent's lips as he staggered back a few steps, clutching his stomach in agony. Jeremy's punch packed a serious wallop, no doubt about it.
"Consider that payback for your sleep magic you cast on me, motherfucker!" Jeremy snarled, dangerously closing the distance between them.
The two men locked eyes, their gazes filled with animosity, ready to pounce on each other at any second. Clothing or no clothing, Jeremy seemed utterly oblivious to his nakedness. His eyes were filled with anger that would burn Kent alive. But Kent didn't seem to be intimated by that. He bared his teeth at Jeremy.
Finally, Celeste's mind caught up to the scene unfolding before her. She swiftly rose to her feet, wedging herself between the two wolves. "Hold up, Jeremy! He didn't put a sleep spell this time!"
Celeste's voice had a momentarily calming effect on the two men, but the fire of their rivalry continued to burn fiercely in their eyes.
"Hey, Jeremy, why don't you put some clothes on first?" Celeste chimed in, lightly tapping Jeremy's bare shoulder. "Kent's here because he got something important to discuss."
Jeremy lowered his gaze, taking in his own nakedness, before lifting his head to find Kent giving him a wary look. He nodded at Celeste and turned around, grabbing his clothes to cover himself up.
Celeste let out a relieved sigh and turned her attention to Kent. Leaning against the wall, his hand still clutching his stomach, he wore a deep frown as if he were wrestling with some intense pain.
"You know, when you put that sleep spell on him, you should've expected this day. If Jeremy catches wind of it again, he won't let you off the hook so easily," Celeste quipped.
"Yeah, yeah, thanks for the reminder," Kent shrugged, his action causing a twinge of discomfort to ripple across his face. He winced briefly, taking a long, deep breath to regain composure.
Observing Kent's current state, Celeste unexpectedly felt a tinge of sympathy. But then again, Kent was a werewolf—a quick healer. No need to fret too much.
Within moments, Jeremy had dressed himself and closed the distance between them again. Celeste sensed a subtle tension creeping into Kent's muscles as Jeremy drew near. She was a little surprised. Was Kent actually afraid of Jeremy? Did Jeremy's wolf blood flow stronger than Kent's? Or was Kent simply bracing himself for another punch from Jeremy?
But Kent swiftly released the tension from his body, assuming a carefree façade. The sudden transformation was almost enough to make Celeste doubt her own eyes, wondering if she had just witnessed a fleeting illusion.
"So, what's the deal, huh?" Jeremy halted a couple of steps away from Kent, crossing his arms with an impatient expression. "You threatened us, saying that if we ever set foot in your territory again, we'd be in for a not-so-pleasant surprise. And yet, here you are, stepping foot in my domain alone. Do you seriously think you can waltz in and out without a hitch?"
Kent's lips twitched at Jeremy's comment. "Hey, watch your tone. I came here with some serious business."
"Serious business?" Jeremy chuckled. "Is that what you call sneaking into someone's bedroom to watch them sleep? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Kent's eye twitched, his mouth gaping as he searched for a comeback. To prevent another endless squabble, Celeste hurriedly stepped forward, breaking the tense standoff between the two. "Alright, alright, let's not get caught up in this endless bickering. Kent, tell us what you came to say. You said it was about the hunters?"
Kent glanced at Celeste, his gaze catching her eyes. Finally, he swallowed his retort, deciding to let it slide. "Alright, fine. We've got ourselves a hunter."
"What?" Jeremy and Celeste exchanged wide-eyed glances. They had been tirelessly searching for a hunter for almost two weeks, but Kent and the rogues managed to catch one.
"Where did you nab this hunter? And why did you bother running all the way here to tell us about it? I thought you guys were all about that lone wolf act," Celeste raised an eyebrow, questioning the rogue.
"Maybe you guys finally realized your wolf pack's a little too thin and weak, so you're here looking for some backup, huh?" Jeremy snarked before Knet could get a word in.
Celeste felt like a babysitter here. Not only did she have to deal with the hunters, but she also had to play referee to these two squabbling brats. Couldn't they just get along?
Extending her hand, Celeste lightly pinched Jeremy's arm, silently urging him to act like a grownup for once.
Jeremy pursed his lips, shutting his mouth and directing his gaze at Kent with an impatient frown on his forehead.
Kent raised an eyebrow at Jeremy, waiting for any sarcasm. But when he didn't receive any but the death glare, he turned to Celeste and said, "I came all the way here because you actually know this hunter, Celeste."