Celeste went out of the room where the werewolves were engaged in the discussion to get Sarah and Byron back. The wolves were so absorbed in their conversation that Celeste guessed they didn't even notice her exit.
As she neared the doorway, her footsteps slowed down a little. She couldn't fathom why her body was doing this, but her wolf had a different idea. It was as if her wolf had picked up on something in the air, and was listening with rapt attention, waiting for something.
Celeste was hesitant to follow her wolf, but she couldn't help but pause for a second.
The second felt like an eternity to her. She held her breath, waiting for something – perhaps the sound of footsteps that followed behind her, the familiar scent of grass, or the warmth she was used to.
But the second ticked by and nothing happened. There was no sound of footsteps, no scent of grass, and no familiar warmth.
A sardonic smile flickered across her lips. For a moment, she was uncertain if the sneer was directed at herself or her own foolish wolf.
Celeste walked outside the base, feeling the air rush back into her lungs as she stepped outside. She gazed around and took in the lush greenery and the rustling trees in the distance. She inhaled deeply, desperately needing some fresh air and peace of mind.
Despite leaving the noisy meeting room, Celeste still felt as though her head was throbbing with incessant buzzing. A gust of wind billowed through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle even louder. The birds atop the branches chirped, hopping and skipping from one branch to the next. They peered down at Celeste with their beady eyes, scrutinizing her.
Celeste could feel the disturbance within her wolf. She was tempted to shift, to release the pent-up energy and run around the forest, but she knew it wasn't the best idea. Her wolf had already shifted once and ran for a long time today. And she doubted she had the energy to shift again this soon.
Celeste scanned her surroundings with a watchful gaze, taking in every detail of the dense forest that surrounded her.
She knew that their secret hideout was well-hidden among the trees, and that gave her a sense of relief. She finally reached a clearing and sat down under a tall oak tree, trying to take a moment of respite.
She thought her presence might have scared off the birds perched on the branches, but they continued to chirp and sing, seemingly undisturbed by the werewolf below them.
The curious birds even cocked their heads, peering down at Celeste with interest as if they were trying to decipher her every move. Their high-pitched voices grated on her already frayed nerves.
She bared her teeth in a futile attempt to scare them away. But that was obviously not very impressive to them. The birds remained unfazed and continued their chorus. Soon enough, a few more birds had joined the party and observed the wretched werewolf below with curiosity.
Celeste let out a sigh of exasperation and resigned herself to their company. She drew her knees close to her chest and rested her head against the rough bark of the tree trunk, staring blankly up at the rustling leaves.
As her eyes grew sour with fatigue, she closed them tightly, hoping to find some peace from the incessant noise around her.
But as soon as she shut her eyes, the image of Nancy and Jeremy in the room popped up in her mind. Celeste frowned in frustration. The air in the forest felt thinner somehow. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Looking down at the ground, she tried to ground herself in the present moment, focusing on the leaves and dirt scattered around her. But her mind inevitably drifted back to the memory of Scarface lying lifelessly in Raymond's basement, stained with dirt and blood. She blinked rapidly, trying to erase the image from her mind, but it lingered like a persistent shadow.
She blinked hard and looked away. And then her stubborn mind conjured up another image of the two wolves lying equally lifeless in a pool of their own blood.
Celeste's stomach churned. The air around her felt suffocating as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the atmosphere. She didn't know why her brain was so determined to torment her, but she desperately wished to escape their clutches.
Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down, grasping at the oxygen in the air to soothe her racing heart. But as she sat there, she could feel the pulsing anger bubbling up inside her, like a fiery inferno.
The thought of those hunters still lurking out there, unpunished for what they had done, made her blood boil. She regretted not being able to take them all down and put an end to their cruel and senseless act. But she knew that wasn't possible, not with her parents' wolf lying dead on the ground next to her.
She looked down and felt a pang of sorrow and regret. She had failed her parents. She couldn't even bring them back to the pack. She didn't even know what those hunters had done to her parents.
Yes, what had those hunters done to her parents? Why did they stay in the house instead of retreating? What were they waiting for?
At that time, Jeremy and Celeste had been both solely focused on their parents. They didn't think about what the hunters were staying in the house for. Then they were just too busy getting out of the house alive, assuming that both wolves had already lost their lives.
But if so, why didn't the hunters just leave? Why did they stay in the house and joke around as if they were killing time and waiting for something?
Celeste felt her heart, which had just calmed down a little, started beating rapidly again.
She didn't confirm it! She didn't have the time to confirm the situation of her parents' wolves! She was just startled by the blood on the ground. And seeing Scarface's lifeless body in Raymond's basement earlier had left a strong impression on her. But... maybe... maybe those two wolves were still drawing breaths!
Celeste jumped up from the ground. This sudden movement startled the birds on the tree, and they all flew away.