Tomorrow night would be a full moon.
The night sky darkened, but Celeste was unable to settle into a peaceful slumber. She tossed and turned, her mind racing with thoughts and worries that refused to leave her alone. She tried to count sheep, but that didn't seem to work. The more she tried to relax, the more anxious she became.
As the hours ticked by, the tension in her body continued to mount until it felt like her very skin was vibrating with nervous energy. She couldn't put her finger on what she was feeling, but the feeling was there, a constant presence in the back of her mind.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Celeste began to feel the tug of sleep at the corners of her mind. Her eyelids grew heavy. She let out a deep sigh of relief. She closed her heavy eyes, and when she opened them again, it was morning. But at least she didn't have to toss and turn and wait for the break of the day now.
Then she realized she was wrong. Because even the day seemed to drag on.
The tension between her and Jeremy grew thicker, like a fog rolling in. It seemed like their relationship had become even more strained than before. They sat in silence for hours, the only sound being the gentle ticking of the clock on the wall.
Celeste should be glad because the awkwardness between them seemed to have vanished. But now, it had been replaced by the anxiety about the approaching full moon night.
Their eyes would occasionally meet, but it was a fleeting and uneasy connection. Neither of them spoke about what was really on their minds as if their unspoken feelings were a ticking time bomb.
"Did something go wrong? You two looked tense here."
The mother asked once. But Celeste and Jeremy smoothed it over automatically. They couldn't imagine what would happen if their parents found out about their mate bond.
But they both knew that their secret couldn't remain hidden forever.
Celeste was even a little surprised that her parents hadn't discovered their relationship yet. She and Jeremy were basically inseparable every day.
Celeste was constantly replaying the moments they had shared in secret, the stolen glances and yarning that had ignited a fire within her. She wondered if anyone else in their pack had noticed the way they looked at each other, the electricity that seemed to spark between them. But no one had said a word, and the silence was starting to make her paranoid and drive her crazy.
As the sun gradually dipped below the horizon, the sky melted into deep orange.
Celeste focused on her inner wolf again and was confirmed she couldn't transform tonight. She was almost healed physically, but her wolf was not ready.
Even so, at the thought of the full moon, she still felt a shiver of anticipation deep in her soul. She could sense the call of the wild as the night sky descended.
She pulled her attention back from the window and found Jeremy's gaze on her. An impulse to look away tugged at her, but the magnetic pull of his stare held her captive.
"Celeste," Jeremy's tongue darted out to moisten his lips, his hesitation palpable. She held her breath, waiting for him to continue speaking, but the silence stretched on.
"What?" she prompted, her voice tinged with impatience.
"I..." He balled his hand into a fist, his muscles tense. "I know we've been dancing around this topic all day, but the moon waits for no one. It rises whether we discuss it or not."
Celeste's heart fluttered in her chest, her gaze landed on the man in front of her. His eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity, and she could feel the raw power emanating from his lean, muscular frame.
"Fuck... I... I don't know how to say this," he growled, his voice low and husky. "When my wolf isn't in control, I can't be sure of anything. But these days, when I'm with you, I feel safe. My wolf is calm, subdued."
He hesitated, his gaze flickering away from her face. But soon, it darted back to her eyes. "But tonight... I don't know. My wolf is restless and wild. I might lose control. I turned into a wolf and ran into the woods the day before, and it did sap my strength. But…" he paused, "But it also reminded me of the primal, untamed nature of my beast. The moon has a way of amplifying that nature and making it impossible to resist."
Celeste's heart thudded in her chest, fear and a strange hint of desire echoing within her. But she was lost for words.
"I'll do my best to keep him under control," he promised, his hand reaching out to… to do what? She didn't know, because Jeremy withdrew his hands immediately. "But I can't guarantee anything. My wolf is unpredictable. When he comes out tonight, he may not be kind. He may … hurt you."
Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the tormented expression etched across Jeremy's face. She wanted to reassure him that his lupine instincts wouldn't harm her, but the words froze on her tongue. She didn't know. She wasn't sure if his wild nature would take over, just like it had on that fateful night.
Jeremy had mentioned tying himself down, but that wouldn't keep the beast at bay. And it would be too suspicious. Celeste was left with the only choice of locking herself in her room.
Their eyes met. A heavy silence descended, punctuated only by Jeremy's hesitant voice. "I... That night, I'm so sorry. It wasn't my intention to treat you like that," he murmured, his tone laced with fragility and remorse. "I hate feeling so powerless. I'm sorry."
Celeste's heart softened at his words. "No, Jeremy, I understand. It was the pheromones, not you." She knew the pull, the risks, and the danger. With the mate bond, they were drawn to each other like a moth to a flame. They couldn't help it.
Jeremy took a long, deep breath.
In such a short time, the sun had slipped further below the horizon. Celeste and Jeremy rose from their seats, each making their way to their rooms.
Celeste shut her door with a definitive click, locking it tightly. She paused, waiting for the sound of Jeremy locking his. A moment later, the familiar sound echoed through the hallway. The corner of her mouth lifted. It was irrational to believe two flimsy doors could protect her from Jeremy's fierce wolf.
With a soft sigh, she crossed the room to the window, pulling the curtains shut. The room went dark immediately. Her eyes adjusted to the change. Her senses seemed to sharpen, particularly her hearing.
She could hear Jeremy's restless footsteps echoing through the walls. The sound of his pacing was matched only by the palpable sense of anxiety that radiated from the crack of the door, filling her room with almost tangible energy.