It felt like an eternity had passed before Celeste and Jeremy finally arrived home.
But as they turned onto their street, an uneasiness settled over them when they noticed two unfamiliar cars parked along the road.
Jeremy hesitated and decided to park the car at a distance from their home. Celeste stepped out of the car, her eyes fixed on the strange vehicles with growing apprehension. She tried to talk herself out of her fear, but her wolf was restless inside her, sensing the danger lurking nearby.
She couldn't fathom how Jeremy could remain so calm when their family could be in huge danger. She couldn't even hear the sound of his heart racing, but his steady demeanor was undoubtedly a comfort to her. However, when she saw the veins bulging in his hand as he shut the door of the car, she realized that he was probably just as worried as she was.
He was just being strong for her. They couldn't both lose their shit.
She drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
They would be fine. She told herself in her mind.
Celeste and Jeremy approached the house with stealth, their footsteps barely making a sound. As they went closer, her heart pounded in her chest like a jackhammer.
They would be fine. She repeated the words to herself, praying that her parents were safe inside.
But as they rounded the corner, her worst fears were confirmed. Two strange men stood guard at her front door, the house wide open as if inviting them in.
At that moment, Celeste's mind went blank, and she felt as though she couldn't breathe. Who were these men, and what was their purpose?
The two men, one chubby and one skinny, exuded an air of calm and confidence. Chubby was leaning against the wall, lazily chatting with Skinny. Their movements were easy and relaxed as if they were in their own home.
Despite their looks, Celeste couldn't shake the feeling that these men were hunters, and that her family was in danger. Her mind raced with questions. How many hunters were inside the house? Were her parents okay? What were the hunters doing?
Now Chubby and Skinny were clearly joking around, laughing as if they didn't have a care in the world. Neither of them noticed that two werewolves were watching them.
Celeste stared at them with a mixture of fear and anger.
She felt like she could charge at them any moment, but Jeremy held her back. She turned to face him, seeing the stern look in his eyes.
"Calm down! We don't know what we're dealing with yet," he hissed through clenched teeth. Celeste could see the veins bulging on his forehead, his eyes blazing with fury. He was dead serious.
Celeste took a deep breath, cooling down her pacing wolf. "But... We can't just stand here and do nothing," she protested, her voice shaking slightly.
Jeremy pointed to the window, and Celeste followed his gaze. The curtains were drawn back, exposing the interior of the house. But from this angle, she couldn't see much about what was going on in the house.
"Let's check through the window first and see how many hunters are in there before we make any moves," Jeremy said firmly. He was right. They needed to know what they were up against before they could take action.
Celeste nodded. She was grateful for Jeremy's level-headedness and quick thinking.
She tried to remain calm, and she knew that they had to be careful. But the urgency of the situation made it difficult to remain calm.
As they started to make their way towards the window, Jeremy rested a hand on Celeste's shoulder again and reminded her, "Don't be impulsive."
She rolled her eyes, but when she saw the seriousness on his face, she nodded.
Together, they moved quickly and silently, circling around the front of the house to avoid the hunters who were standing guard. Celeste's wolf was restless inside her, watching for the danger lurking nearby.
When they reached the window, Celeste and Jeremy worked together seamlessly, without needing to communicate verbally. They moved as one, each playing their part in keeping watch and assessing the situation. Celeste lay on the frame to peer inside, while Jeremy kept watching around them.
From where Celeste was, she could only see some part of the room, but it was enough to tell her how many hunters were inside.
She tried to keep her breathing slow and steady, but her heart was racing, and her palms were slick with sweat. This was her home, and the thought of hunters being inside filled her with dread.
As she watched, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. This was the second time she had spied on a house through a window today. But this time, it was her own house and she was sure the enemies were inside. She knew that the hunters were armed and dangerous, and she didn't want to risk Jeremy or her getting hurt.
Celeste's eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of danger. She spotted two hunters chatting, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She wanted to take a closer look, but one of the hunters seemed to sense her presence and turned towards the window.
Shit!
Quickly, she ducked down and gave Jeremy a look, signaling that they needed to retreat. They moved quickly and quietly, slipping away to the back of the house.
As they stopped, they heard the sound of a window opening, followed by laughter from inside. "Relax. You're always so tense, you know? Look. There's no one here. Those wolves are dumb as rocks, they won't notice one or two missing–"
Then the sound of the window closing cut off the voice, but the words echoed in Celeste's mind. She felt a surge of anger and confusion. She looked at Jeremy and found his eyes burned with the same emotions.