The sight in front of Celeste made her want to take a step back.
She wondered if the images were about to engrave themselves into her memory, leaving her PTSD. She closed her eyes, hoping to shut it out, but even then, the image in the dark lingered in her mind, refusing to fade away. The metallic scent of blood in the air only made it worse, making the picture more vivid than ever before.
Suddenly, a faint but unmistakable whimper reached her ears, and she snapped open her eyes to see a wolf lying on the ground, its eyes open a little and emitting a dim light in the darkness. The woman who had been keeping her head down also looked up, revealing the relief on her face when she saw her companions.
"Thank the Goddess," Celeste breathed, finally allowing herself to exhale the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
Sarah's voice trembled as she spoke, her hoarse tone barely above a whisper. "Byron is hurt. The hunters almost caught us."
"Are you hurt too?" Celeste asked. She approached them, her eyes flickering between Byron and Sarah. She crouched down beside them, trying to assess the situation. Byron was in his wolf form to better heal himself. And at least Sarah didn't appear to have any wounds on her.
Sarah shook her head, but her body was shaking.
"Where did those hunters go?" Jeremy's voice was laced with fury, his fists clenched.
Sarah shook her head again, her eyes darting around the abandoned warehouse they were hiding in. "I don't know," she whispered, even her voice trembling with fear. "Byron got hurt and brought me here. We've been hiding ever since. The hunters haven't found us yet."
Despite the relief of finding Sarah and Byron, there were still so many questions left unanswered. But now wasn't the time to ask. Sarah was visibly scared, and Byron needed medical attention.
The werewolves helped Byron up and led them out of the secret passage, back to the car waiting outside.
Ben dug out his first aid kit and carefully tended to Byron's wounds. The injuries weren't too severe, but the deep gash on his chest looked bad. Thankfully, werewolves were known for their remarkable regenerative abilities, and the bleeding had already stopped. After cleaning up the wound, they helped Byron get comfortable on the seat.
Now that they had found Sarah and Byron, they should have returned to the hideout. But there was still one thing left. They needed to check out Jeremy and Celeste's house.
The previous tension had eased a little, but the wolves were still vigilant, watching the surrounding area for any sign of danger. But much to their surprise, the journey was equally uneventful with hunters or suspicious activity.
The only sound in the car was the roar of the engine and Byron's labored breathing.
As the car drew closer to the house, Celeste's heart raced with increasing intensity. She couldn't help but stare out the window, watching as the passing scenery became more and more familiar. The sound of the engine and Byron's deep breaths were drowned out by the thundering of her heartbeat in her ears.
The very proximity to the place stirred up a strange mix of emotions, a cocktail of hope and dread that stirred within her.
She wasn't quite sure what to expect when they arrived. Would her parents' wolves still be there? Would they be still lying in the pool of blood as she had remembered? Would their chests heave like the way Byron's did? Her thoughts were consumed with what lay ahead as the car wound through the forest road.
But among them all, she couldn't shake off the images of the two wolves lying in the crimson blood. Her stomach churned when she wondered what they might find out in the house.
She hoped the hunters were still inside planning their next move. That way, they could strike back and take them all down.
Jeremy sat beside her. And Celeste was suddenly too aware of her pounding heart. She wondered if he might hear her heart racing like a runaway train. She leaned forward slightly, trying to hide her agitation, but it was too late. He gently squeezed her forearm as a silent reassurance.
She didn't need to look at Jeremy to know that he was worried too. His familiar expression of concern was etched into his face. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She knew that dwelling on the possibilities would do no good, not now when they were so close.
The car came to a halt a few yards away from the house, and the werewolves prepared themselves for any danger that may lie ahead. The hunters had been lurking around Jeremy and Celeste's house before, so the werewolves were cautious that they may still be around.
Ben stayed behind in the car to keep watch and tended to Byron. The others quietly got out of the car.
The air seemed to be cooler here. Celeste's keen senses took into the environment. She sniffed the air for any sign of the hunters, but there seemed to be nothing in the night.
The werewolves moved like a well-coordinated army, silently and quickly advancing toward the house. As they got closer, the surroundings remained eerily quiet. The house stood in darkness, a black void in the night, and it seemed as though the hunters had vanished into thin air.
The wolves didn't let their guard down. They searched the area around the house meticulously. Despite their best efforts, there was no trace of the hunters outside. Even the scents of them were so faint.
The door of the house stood wide open, inviting the werewolves inside. Jeremy and Celeste locked eyes, a silent communication passing between them.
"Be careful," Jeremy whispered to Celeste, His voice was barely audible, but the warning and concern were clear in his tone.
Celeste nodded. Jeremy returned his eyes to the house.
As they stepped closer to the house, Celeste sniffed the air again. Her inner wolf bristled with anticipation. There was still a faint scent lingering in the air, a hint of danger that sent a shiver down her spine. But the scent wasn't fresh, and it seemed like the hunters had left a while ago.