Celeste didn't understand why Jeremy was avoiding her. Were they playing hide-and-seek again?
Was he really hiding her? Right after everything they had just gone through? Hell! She couldn't even be sure of that.
She looked over at him, trying to figure out what was going on, but Jeremy wouldn't even meet her gaze. Instead, he kept walking as if nothing was wrong.
Celeste's wolf came to a stop and let out a disapproving growl. It was clear that she wasn't happy with Jeremy's behavior, and his wolf seemed to sense that. He stiffened for a moment, but then kept walking, assuming that Celeste would follow.
But she didn't. Instead, Celeste stood her ground and glared at Jeremy's back.
When he realized that she was determined not to move, he slowed down a bit and took a few steps forward before he finally stopped. He didn't turn around, though. Celeste was left wondering what was going on between them.
It was frustrating, to say the least. And she was sick of it.
She wondered if this had anything to do with her transformation. Yes, she wolfed out now, and certainly, the final barrier between their animal desire had been shattered. Maybe their bond had grown stronger, and Jeremy was struggling to come to terms with that.
But after a quick introspection, Celeste dismissed that idea. Her adrenaline was starting to drop, and she was gradually regaining her composure. She didn't feel any particular desire now. They had just lost their families and survived a group of hunters. Her wolf had other things on her mind. Right now, she was focused on the safety of the one she cared about.
Was Jeremy hurt?
The mere thought made her unnerved. Was that why he was avoiding her? Was he hurt and trying to hide it?
She studied Jeremy's wolf carefully, looking for any signs of injury, but found none.
Perhaps he was mourning, but his stiffened muscles suggested otherwise.
Celeste's patience was wearing thin. She was tired of guessing what was on Jeremy's mind. Losing their parents had taken a toll on both of them, and she didn't have the energy to try to figure out what he needed. Her wolf growled in frustration and irritation.
Finally, Jeremy's wolf turned around.
The anger in his eyes shocked Celeste, especially when it was directed toward her. She couldn't believe it. Was she imagining things? She blinked and looked again, but the anger was still there. It was like he was blaming her for something, and she couldn't figure out what it was.
Celeste was confused and hurt. They had just lost their parents, and she didn't understand why Jeremy was directing his anger toward her instead of the hunters who had hurt them. It made no sense to her.
But as a wolf, she couldn't ask him directly what was going on. She was tempted to shift back and demand an explanation from him. But she couldn't. Because she would be naked if she shifted back.
Jeremy stood motionless, his eyes burning with anger and frustration.
Celeste could feel the intensity of his gaze, and her own anger flared up in response. The air around them crackled with tension as they locked eyes, neither willing to back down. Their wolves emitted low, warning growls, their throats vibrating with the sound. The forest seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
But neither of them made a move toward the other. Celeste refused to budge, and Jeremy stood on his ground, his anger showing no signs of subsiding.
After what felt like an eternity, Jeremy gave in. He broke their gaze and gestured towards another direction in the forest. Celeste knew what this meant - they needed to keep moving forward. They needed to get back to their secret hideout, where they could talk and sort out their issues.
She looked back toward the direction they had come from. She knew their parents' wolves were still back at the house, but the house itself was no longer visible.
They couldn't go back. Not only would it be certain death at the hands of the hunters, but they couldn't turn back time and undo the damage that had been done.
The image of the two wolves lying in a pool of blood flashed in her mind once again, and she felt a sharp pang of pain. She closed her eyes, holding back her tears, and took a deep breath to compose herself.
When she opened her eyes again and turned away her head, she saw that Jeremy's wolf was looking at her. The anger in his eyes had lessened, replaced by a hint of sadness. He took a tentative step forward as if to get closer to Celeste, but then immediately stopped and turned away.
They both knew that they had a lot to talk about and a lot to work through. But for now, they needed to keep moving forward.
The two wolves darted through the dense forest, their paws pounding the earth as they followed their memories to the hideout. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig had them on high alert, listening for any sign of danger. They couldn't let their guard down, not after what had happened.
Finally, they arrived at the hideout. Celeste's heart twisted at the sight of it. She couldn't believe that she was back here so soon. The walls were still the same, the scent still familiar, but everything was different now. She had lost her family, and the entire pack was on edge because of the hunters.
As they made their way to their old room, Jeremy's anger was still obvious. She could feel it radiating off of him, like a thick fog that refused to dissipate.
Thankfully, they had left clothes here. It was almost as if they had known they would be back.
Celeste went into the bathroom to change her clothes, knowing that Jeremy would change outside. It took some time for her to shift back, but it was not as difficult as she expected because her wolf was tired. But she still waited for a long while before she opened the door.
When the door was open, she was met with a force that she wasn't prepared for. Jeremy spun her around, pinning her against the wall with a ferocity that made her heart race.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" Jeremy's angry voice filled her ears before she even had a chance to react.