"So that's the son of a bitch's name, huh?" Raymond muttered under his breath. "Did he drag you along too? Didn't he tell you why I'm here?"
Celeste stayed silent, her gaze fixed on Raymond, maintaining her posture like a hawk eyeing its prey.
"Well, forgive me for slipping my mind again. You're the interrogator here, obviously," Raymond said, raising his hand to ruffle his hair in frustration. He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before looking up and speaking.
"Alright, here's the lowdown. We decided to go all out on these wolf troublemakers. But they were sharper than we thought. And that's when those buggers snatched me up."
"You attacked Kent's pack? The rogue pack?" Celeste arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
At first, Celeste figured Kent nabbed Raymond because he was just strolling around, and those wolf noses sniffed out the scent of a hunter. But she never in a million years imagined Kent actually capturing Raymond amidst the chaotic battle.
But seriously, what were those hunters thinking? Were their brains addled or what? The rogues were nastier and more alert than average werewolves. Did the hunters not know that?
If the hunters were interested in going after some werewolves, shouldn't they target her own wolf pack? After all, they would be more familiar with the city where their own pack resided, right? Yet, Celeste couldn't find a single whisper about those hunters in town, not even when they headed for the rogues. So why the heck did the hunters go through all the trouble of hunting down rogues over here?
And now, with Raymond in their clutches, shouldn't those hunters be laser-focused on him? Weren't the rogues practically waving a massive bullseye on their backs?
"That's because this gang of rogues is going berserk. And the hunters… They need more samples." Raymond explained when he saw the perplexed look on Celeste's face.
Samples? What on earth did that mean? And what the heck were these hunters up to? Celeste couldn't help but notice Raymond's choice of words. He referred to the hunters as 'they' instead of 'us'. Celeste's curiosity was piqued as she wondered what had gone down between Raymond and the hunters. But the thought flickered through her mind like a fleeting spark.
"You said the hunters need more samples. Are you telling me you're doing some kind of crazy scientific experiment?" Celeste blurted out, even surprising herself for a moment.
And wouldn't that actually make sense? Celeste couldn't help but recall all the despicable actions of those hunters. They swooped in and snatched up the werewolves by the bunch, but instead of finishing them off, they kept them alive. So, every time these hunters went out on their hunting spree, it was all about collecting samples? What the heck were they planning to do with them?
As these thoughts raced through Celeste's mind, anger started to bubble up, morphing into a genuine concern for her parents. Her gaze shifted to Raymond, silently demanding an explanation. But to her dismay, Raymond remained as tight-lipped as a clam.
Then, Celeste remembered Kent's description of Raymond. The hunter might have gotten caught by the rogues, but he was a real pro at keeping secrets under lock and key. So of course, he wouldn't immediately change his strategy and suddenly treated Celeste as a confidant, revealing all the secrets all of a sudden.
"Raymond, look, I know we're like on opposite sides here, you being the werewolf hunter and me, well, the werewolf. But hey, we've been working together for months. And I gotta say, I've gotten to know you a bit. Deep down, you're a good guy, I can tell. Plus, I've noticed there's a spark between us," Celeste said as she uncrossed her arms and leaned closer to Raymond, her eyes fixed on him.
"But let's get real, you guys snatched my parents, and now I have no clue where they are. You know I won't rest until I find them. So, spill the beans today or keep it a secret, it doesn't matter. We'll go to great lengths to track down those hunters," Celeste asserted with determination.
Raymond's gaze briefly shifted away from Celeste's, his eyes revealing a tinge of guilt. Yet, Celeste held her ground, unwavering, locking her determined gaze onto Raymond.
"I just don't get it. Are you hunters treating us werewolves like lab rats? I remember when we were at my parents' place, and you promised they wouldn't hurt me..." Celeste's mind automatically conjured up the memory of Raymond, back then a hunter, wielding his advantage. But now, he was a captive who was tied to a chair by the werewolves. "And now, you're telling me that to you, werewolves are nothing more than your samples. Raymond, I can't help but wonder if you were just lying to me back then."
As her words hung in the air, Celeste sensed a momentary tension in Raymond's body. After what felt like an eternity, he turned his head to face her but quickly averted his gaze. And then, in a hushed voice, she prodded, "So, what's the deal, Raymond? What's your excuse?"
"Look, back then when I said we wouldn't hurt you, I wasn't lying. I meant it. I never wanted to hurt you. But..." Raymond's voice, now more hydrated, lost some of its hoarseness. Although he spoke softly, Celeste caught every single word, crystal clear.
"But once I found out the extent of what they've been up to, I'm actually relieved we didn't take you with us," Raymond sighed, his eyes locking onto Celeste's once again as if he finally made his decision.