Celeste was sipping her coffee when Byron's comment caught her off guard.
She nearly choked on the liquid, her eyes widening in surprise. At that moment, she felt a rush of fear that their secret was exposed.
She shot her gaze at Jeremy automatically, but he seemed surprisingly calm. "Uh, no, we're just curious."
"Curious enough that both of you show up at my door at the same time?" Byron raised an eyebrow.
Damn! She should have known it would be suspicious.
"Uh huh," Jeremy shrugged casually, but Celeste felt his body tense slightly beside her. If she hadn't been sitting so close to him, she might not have picked up on the mask.
Byron's gaze lingered on them both. For a moment, Celeste wondered if he had found something. But Byron didn't say anything more.
Desperate to change the subject, Celeste urged, "So, what's the rejection ritual like?"
Byron smiled slyly, enjoying the suspense. "Well, in theory, it's simple enough. But in practice, it can get a bit complicated."
Celeste tried her best not to roll her eyes.
"Stop beating around the bush. Just spit it out already." Jeremy's impatience was evident. At least, he didn't stop himself from rolling his eyes.
"Alright! Alright! Your patience is short, kiddo." Byron huffed, handing his cup to his lips and taking a sip.
Jeremy brought the cup to his lips, too. But his gaze was still glued to Byron, and his eyebrows frowned dangerously.
Celeste held her breath as she waited for Byron to continue.
Byron opened his mouth and continued as she wished, "In short, you make love and mark each other to complete your bond. And then reject each other in front of the Moon Goddess."
Jeremy choked on his coffee, coughing violently as he struggled to catch his breath.
Celeste froze, feeling like all the blood had drained from her body. The air in the room suddenly felt sucked out, leaving them gasping for air. Byron's words rang in her ears.
"Wow, wow. Easy there," Byron said, sensing their discomfort. "Why are you two looking so horrified? Are you shy or something? "
Byron's words may have been meant to ease the tension, but neither Jeremy nor Celeste could relax. They were very stiffened in their seats, their minds reeling with what he had just said.
"Chill out, guys. It's not a big deal." Byron shrugged.
How could they possibly chill out right now? And how was it not a big deal?! Celeste's mind was racing with thoughts.
Make love…? Byron's words rang again in her brain.
How could that be possible? Why did this ritual have to be so twisted? Why did it have to involve such an intimate act instead of just a simple mark? The mere thought of the act made Celeste's scalp tingle with a mix of anxiety and unease.
She and Jeremy were twins, bonded by blood. And that should be the end of it. The idea of engaging in such an act with her brother was unfathomable, a notion that made her stomach churn. Fate was playing a cruel joke on them, she thought, mocking them relentlessly.
"Is there no other way?" Celeste's voice was a whisper. She was surprised the words managed to free themselves from her mouth as a complete sentence. She felt overly shocked, her head buzzing, and her thoughts scattered.
Byron pondered for a short while before he answered, "Of course, there is another way. The bond will only be released when one of the mates dies. Don't you think that's somehow poetic about it? It's really about 'till death do us part'."
"No!" Jeremy suddenly said loudly, startling both of them.
Byron furrowed his brow, eyeing Jeremy with suspicion.
At this point, Celeste no longer cared if Byron had figured out their secret. She was too lost in her thoughts to process the reality of their situation.
Desperation crept into her voice as she spoke up, trying to hold onto any possible hope. "Are you certain? There must be another option besides...besides sex or death."
Her wolf howled at the thought of being forever bound to her mate. But Celeste couldn't tell if it was a gleeful or sad howl. The wolf didn't seem to care about whether it was right or wrong. She only cared about what she wanted.
"The Moon Goddess said so." Byron shrugged, "But I've never met wolves willing to hold a rejection ritual in my life. For some of us, it might take a lifetime to find our destined mates. I don't understand why anyone would want to go through rejection. Our mates are chosen by the stars, the most compatible person for us."
The most compatible person? Celeste couldn't help but scoff at the idea of fate and destiny.
Jeremy spoke up, his voice sharp with skepticism. "But didn't the Moon Goddess also say that the rogue could pass the trust test? And what happened then?"
Byron's expression darkened at the mention of Kent. The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.
"Kent was allowed to enter the wolf pack, as the Moon Goddess permitted it," he said through gritted teeth. "The Goddess has her own thought." His last sentence was low, almost a whisper.
Celeste felt like he was hiding something. But Byron remained silent, unwilling to reveal more.
She remembered the confrontation between Byron and Kent, the way Kent had questioned Byron about what happened two decades ago. She felt a strange inkling that what had happened was somehow related to her.
"What happened 20 years ago?" she asked.
Byron's eyes twitched. "I... I don't know," he said in a low voice. "I only know that he mistook me for his enemy."
Jeremy frowned, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
They wanted to continue questioning, but Byron remained silent, unwilling to say any more.