Jeremy had waited for three days. Three long days. And tonight was supposed to be the night of the full moon. He could practically feel the anticipation in the air. But...
"Quit your pacing, dude! You're making me dizzy. Take a chill pill," Kent blurted out.
Jeremy came to a halt, but the fiery anger inside him refused to be tamed. He turned his gaze towards Kent, his eyes burning with frustration. "Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down? Look at this freaking sky!"
With an exasperated gesture, Jeremy pointed his finger at the outside world. Thick, menacing clouds raced across the sky, ruthlessly snuffing out any trace of starlight or moon glow.
If anything could escape the clutches of those gloomy clouds, it would be the raindrops tumbling down from their murky depths. The rain wasn't exactly a downpour; it fell in a half-hearted drizzle, so faint that he could barely spot the drops unless he squinted. But the water puddles on the ground revealed their presence, serving as evidence of their meager existence.
Jeremy couldn't wrap his head around it. It had been pouring down rain for three goddamn days straight, without a moment's respite. Did those clouds have an infinite reservoir up there or what?
As much as he despised it, those arrogant clouds seemed utterly oblivious to his plight. They continued their wicked dance in the sky, mocking him with every twist and turn.
Deep inside Jeremy, his inner wolf began to stir, an itch crawling under his skin. Oh, how he longed to burst out of his human form, using his razor-sharp fangs and claws to tear those clouds apart like fluffy marshmallows. Just a sliver of moonlight breaking through would have sufficed. But, he was but an ordinary, frustrated werewolf. Even as the alpha of his pack, it seemed he had no power to alter the weather patterns up above.
"Fuck!" he couldn't contain himself any longer, his fists crashing against the wall in a futile attempt to release his pent-up frustration. It was as if the wall held the key to his relaxation, but it proved to be a futile endeavor. A heavy weight settled in his chest, while his glare intensified, fixated on the impenetrable wall of clouds. They remained stubbornly thick, unaffected by the wild winds that whipped through them. It was as if they had an unlimited supply, as if they had made the sky their eternal abode.
"Is this fate, after all?"Byron muttered under his breath. His voice was barely more than a whisper, carried away by the wind.
Jeremy's senses were heightened, his pounding heart and the howling wind merging into a symphony. But amidst this tumultuous symphony, he miraculously caught Byron's words.
"What the hell did you just say?!"
Jeremy didn't want to come across as a total hothead, but damn, he just couldn't rein himself in. Three agonizing days had passed, and his search for Celeste had left him utterly drained. Disappointment had transformed into a raging inferno, blazing within the depths of his chest. And now, all his remaining hopes were pinned on the enchanting Moon Goddess.
It felt like the storm clouds hanging in the sky weren't merely there for show–they seemed to have gathered directly above his head, forming an oppressive shroud that suffocated his every breath.
Byron's words hit him like a physical blow, manifesting into an imaginary slap that smacked his face hard.
"What the hell did you just say?! What's all this nonsense about fate?" Jeremy's body acted on pure instinct, hurtling forward to forcefully pin Byron against the wall.
"I couldn't care less if it's some damn cosmic plan. I'll be damned if I don't find Celeste." His eyes bore into Byron's with an intensity that could melt steel, each word punctuated with unwavering determination.
For the first time in his life, Jeremy detected a fleeting flicker of fear in Byron's eyes–a sight that took him aback. He loosened his grip and released Byron.
He didn't want to succumb to impulsive behavior, but damn it, he couldn't hold himself back any longer. The Moon Goddess represented his final glimmer of hope.
Three excruciating days had come and gone, the pressure building up within his chest, all leading to this moment of desperate anticipation.
If the moon failed to grace the night sky tonight, preventing them from performing the sacred ritual, Jeremy couldn't fathom whether he stood a chance of ever finding Celeste. Would he have the resilience to endure the endless wait until the next night of the full moon? It was a daunting uncertainty that gnawed at his very core.
"Sorry, man" Jeremy murmured, sneaking out of Byron's personal space as if trying not to disturb the air around him.
Byron reached out and gave Jeremy's shoulder a reassuring pat. " We're in this together, Jeremy."
Jeremy nodded, turning around to find Kent gazing right at him. There was a determined gleam in Kent's eyes too, as if he had a secret pact with the universe. "No matter what tricks we have to pull, we'll track her down. Those goddamn hunters will pay for what they've done."
Jeremy's eyes quickly swept across the room, and he noticed the other werewolves wearing the same resolute expression. It hit him suddenly–this wasn't a one-man battle. He had his pack, his family, standing right there with him, ready to fight by his side.
It wasn't just Celeste who had been snatched away. There were several other werewolves and rogues, victims of these vile hunters. Goddess knows what torture they were going through.
Everyone was anxious, no doubt about it. They just didn't wear it on their sleeves as Jeremy did.
With a sigh, Jeremy raised his gaze toward the sky. The damn clouds seemed to be mocking him, teasingly swirling and twisting.
But then a gust of wind blew away one cloud, and he caught a glimpse of the sky behind it–a fleeting moment of clarity that made his heart skip a beat.
However, just as quickly as that cloud vanished, a larger, denser one took its place. Jeremy clenched his teeth, frustrated by the universe's cruel joke.
He locked his gaze onto the clouds above, staring them down as if his life depended on them. He lost track of time, his eyes growing weary and strained, yet the sky remained a canvas of gloomy clouds.
Finally, Jeremy lowered his head, feeling the strain in his neck. He closed his eyes, wincing at their slight burning sensation. Even with his eyes shut, he could still visualize the sky–the clouds dancing and shifting, as if etching an indelible image on the canvas of his eyelids.