Celeste's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She paused for a moment. She knew this hunter? Raymond was the only hunter she knew.
"You caught Raymond? Wh- How?" Celeste stammered, utterly taken aback to discover that it was Kent and his ragtag group of rogues who had managed to get their hands on Raymond. Raymond's place was right in this town, and she never expected him to get caught by the rogues.
"Let's just say this guy lacks some serious hunter skills." He shrugged, leaving out any further explanation.
Jeremy furrowed his brow and asked, his impatience evident, "Even if this hunter knows Celeste, what does that have to do with you showing up here?"
"Well, my friend, that's the twist. This hunter might be as clumsy as a drunken squirrel, but he's tighter than a clam when it comes to talking," Kent paused, leaving Celeste wondering what it meant. What had they done to Raymond? Tortured him, perhaps? "We couldn't pry anything useful out of him. But maybe there's another way to crack the nut."
As Kent uttered his last sentence, he shot Celeste a cryptic look, causing an uneasy shiver to run down her spine. What did he mean by that? Did they expect Celeste to play the heartstrings card? But she hadn't known Raymond too well.
"In English, please," Jeremy, growing increasingly impatient, retorted.
Kent rolled his eyes and answered. "I'm hoping Celeste can squeeze more information out of this hunter during her little interrogation session."
"And how on earth did you figure out there's a connection between Celeste and the hunter?" Jeremy fired back. He crossed his arms, his eyes filled with unmistakable distrust.
"Do not underestimate our knack for digging up information," he declared, flashing a mischievous wink at Celeste.
Celeste's lips twitched. Well, if each rogue possessed Kent's knack for nonchalantly sneaking into people's rooms and spying on their slumber, their information-gathering skills had to be off the charts, no doubt about it.
Out of the corner of her eye, Celeste caught a glimpse of Jeremy's fist clenching tighter.
To avoid any potential clash between them, she hurriedly interjected, "So, you want me to interrogate Raymond and squeeze out every bit of intel on the hunter? Sure thing, I can give it a shot."
She could sense Jeremy's gaze fixed upon her, filled with a mix of uncertainty and worry. Meeting Jeremy's eyes, Celeste tilted her head slightly before looking back at Kent again. "Alright then, where's Raymond hiding now?"
"Follow me," Kent said, pushing himself off the wall. Avoiding Jeremy's personal space, he walked towards the door with an air of self-assuredness.
Celeste couldn't help but wonder if this guy had practically mapped out every nook and cranny of their hideout. She could see Jeremy's muscles growing taut, as if coiled springs just waiting to unleash a punch on Kent if he presented any hint of a threat to the pack. Knowing Jeremy too well, Celeste had a hunch he might seize the opportunity to strike when Kent least expected it. After all, Kent had hit Jeremy with sleep spells twice, while Jeremy had only retaliated with one swift punch to his gut.
Placing her hand gently on Jeremy's shoulder, Celeste felt his tensed muscles gradually relax beneath her touch. Jeremy turned his head, locking eyes with Celeste, and they exchanged a nod.
Without further ado, they trailed behind Kent as he led the way out of the room, his confidence practically oozing from every step.
As they strolled down the corridor, they unexpectedly ran into other members of their pack. The sight of Kent among them sparked astonishment and wariness, but when they noticed Jeremy and Celeste behind him, the wariness in their eyes waned and was replaced by new curiosity.
Celeste couldn't fathom why Kent strutted so boldly into their secret hideout. What was his game? Was he deliberately testing their patience?
Venturing beyond the confines of their covert base, they went deeper into the wooded area until they stumbled upon Kent's inconspicuous vehicle. From the outside, it appeared just like any ordinary car, concealing its secrets within. And to Celeste's keen senses, there was no hint of anything out of the ordinary.
And obviously, there was no one inside the car. Celeste couldn't detect any scents either.
Kent, in a gallant gesture, swung open the car door, motioning for Celeste to hop in.
Arching an eyebrow, Celeste couldn't help but wonder what kind of trick he was playing. "Where's Raymond?"
"You can't seriously expect me to have the hunter locked up in the car for your interrogation, can you? He's right where he belongs, back at our place," Kent replied with a sigh.
Furrowing her brow, Celeste exchanged a glance with Jeremy, perceiving the lingering traces of distrust in his eyes. It could be a trick, really. After all, not too long ago, Kent had hijacked their vehicle and subjected them to a precarious bind. And now, with their alliance dissolved, suspicion naturally clung to each of them.
Furthermore, Jeremy and Celeste would be outnumbered if they just got into the car and let Kent take them to his pack. If things were to take a turn for the worse, their chances of receiving prompt backup were far from certain.
Yet, it was worth noting that following their last tense standoff, Kent hadn't laid a finger on them. They had returned unscathed. Perhaps this time around, Kent wouldn't resort to drastic measures either.
"So, are you two getting in the car or what?" Kent quipped impatiently.
"You said you would delve into the events of the past, to investigate, remember? Do you finally believe what I told you earlier, Kent? Byron wasn't the cold-hearted culprit behind the massacre of your old wolf pack," Celeste said.
Kent let out a deep sigh. "We did some investigation, and perhaps you do have a point there. But until I apprehend a hunter directly linked to that incident, I can't be completely certain. Alright then, are you coming with me and meeting the hunter or not?"
Casting one last mutual glance at each other, Jeremy and Celeste exchanged nods, silently conveying their decision. Celeste finally took the plunge and settled herself inside the vehicle.