Ever since Celeste and Jeremy returned from Byron's place, a strange tension had hung in the air between them. It was like they were back to their previous lives.
Not that they didn't speak to each other at all, but the conversations were often stilted. They started to avoid each other again, tiptoeing around another invisible elephant in the room.
With Celeste's wolf now mostly healed, Jeremy didn't need to be by her side constantly anymore. Yet, this newfound freedom has only served to exacerbate the tension between them. Both wolves were acutely aware of each other's presence as if they were magnetically drawn together, yet also repelled by their humans' reasons.
Jeremy now spent most of his days outside, leaving Celeste alone in the house. Celeste understood their need for space, but that didn't dissipate the tension between them, lurking beneath the surface like a dormant volcano.
Celeste couldn't help but wonder which of them would lose control first and shatter the delicate balance they had been trying to maintain. The thought terrified her, but at the same time, there was a part of her that secretly longed for it. The temptation of giving in to the primal desires of their wolves was too strong to resist, and it was only a matter of time before their carefully constructed barrier crumbled into dust.
When her wolf was injured, his wolf exhibited an impressive display of self-control, restraining his primal urges to avoid worsening her condition. But now, as she approached a full recovery, Celeste wasn't sure if the wildness within their wolves could still be tamed.
Wolves, after all, were not guided by the social connections or ethical codes that humans lived by. Their instincts ran deeper than reason and were more powerful than mere morals. And yet, as werewolves, Jeremy and Celeste were torn between their wild and civilized selves.
Perhaps this was the moon goddess' twisted sense of humor, to leave them stranded in a limbo where neither retreat nor advance was possible. Celeste groaned. How could this be her life?!
She snapped open her eyes in frustration.
She knew it was early morning. She turned her head to look out of the window. The gentle rays of sunlight filtered through the curtain, casting a soft glow across her room.
Her mind was racing with thoughts of the rejection. As she lay there, she found it difficult to drift back into a peaceful sleep. Her eyes went to the window again.
It was then that she heard a faint sound coming from the window. It was a soft sound, barely audible, but in the quiet of the morning, it was loud and clear. She strained her ears, trying to make out the sound.
After a few moments, there was still only stillness.
Celeste began to doubt if she had heard anything at all. Probably it was just a rustling of leaves. She furrowed her brow and closed her eyes again. But her eyes were closed for less than 3 seconds before her instinct urged her to sit up.
She turned her head to the window and stared at it. In the end, with a huff, she got up and approached the window.
She drew the curtains and peered outside through the glass, scanning the roof for any signs of danger. To her left and right, nothing seemed to be unusual. But as her gaze drifted downwards, her heart skipped a beat and her throat tightened.
Kent, the treacherous rogue who had led a pack of wolves to attack their own, was staring right at her.
"W-what the heck are you doing here?" The words tumbled out of her mouth, laced with equal parts surprise and horror. Celeste tried to keep her breathing steady, assessing the situation and calculating how to warn her family if the rogue turned violent.
She stared at Kent, guarding against any move from him. In the corner of her eyes, she surveyed her surroundings for any other rogues in the vicinity. When she didn't sense other rogues, a small sense of relief came to her – if Kent was alone, she and her family would stand a chance.
But even as her mind was racing and bracing herself for an attack, Celeste couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the lax security measures around her home. How had Kent managed to get onto their rooftop undetected? It was a glaring vulnerability that needed to be addressed, and she made a mental note to improve it.
"Good morning to you, too! "Kent's voice broke through her thoughts. Then he stifled a yawn. "You wake up so early. Relax, sleeping beauty. I'm alone. I have no intention of hurting you or taking you captive."
His voice was muffled through the window, but she could still hear him clearly.
She narrowed her eyes. She didn't trust him, and his words only made her more suspicious. "You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Kent put on a hurt expression, but Celeste was unmoved.
"Oh, don't be so quick to judge. I don't have any bad intentions towards you," he said, his voice smooth and honeyed.
But Celeste was not fooled by his words. She crossed her arms, waiting for any sign of aggression.
"No, I just had something to take care of and happened to be passing by," Kent admitted when Celeste was frowning at him.
"Passing by?" she repeated, her voice laced with skepticism. "You passed by my roof? What a coincidence!" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kent's expression shifted, and Celeste could see a hint of mischief in his eyes. Then he smiled, "Have I ever told you how much I love your sharp tongue, Celeste?" he said, drawing out each syllable of her name with deliberate slowness.
Celeste felt a shiver run down her spine. But she kept her composure, determined not to show any emotion in front of the rogue. "So you passed by my roof just to tell me this. All right, now I'm aware of it. You can leave."
Kent stood up, his expression falling. "Your coldness to me makes me sad," he said, his tone flat and insincere. "Alright, I'll leave. It was nice seeing you, pretty."
Celeste frowned, watching him closely as he turned to leave. But then he suddenly turned back towards her. "Oh, by the way, I just remembered another reason for passing by your window. There are several strangers in the town lately, and I happened to catch some of their actions last night. Since I like you, I thought I'd better remind you to be careful."
The frown on Celeste's face deepened. What did he mean? But before she could respond, Kent had already leaped off the roof and disappeared into the dawn, leaving her alone in her confusion.