After making sure that there was no danger of hunters outside, the wolves dispersed and slinked closer to the door and windows of the house. Jeremy and Celeste cautiously moved towards the door.
Celeste's gaze remained fixated on the open doorway and the ominous darkness that lay beyond it. Her mind conjured up vivid images of a hunter leaping out from the shadows, their gun firing silver bullets that would rain down upon them. But nothing happened. The silence was all they got.
It was an eerie kind of quiet, the kind that made the hairs on the back of Celeste's neck stand on end.
There wasn't a single sound coming from inside, not even the gentle rustling of the wind or the creaking of floorboards. The only thing that penetrated the stillness was the unmistakable scent of blood that filled Celeste's nostrils.
She recognized the scent of Raymond amidst the metallic tang, but before she could focus on it, the scent dissipated in the air, leaving behind a faint, almost ghostly trace.
Celeste's eyes flickered back to the gaping maw of the doorway, her intuition screaming at her that something was off. The cabin was so quiet it was as if there was no life inside it at all. Her stomach churned with a mix of fear and dread.
Reaching the spot where she had stood earlier that afternoon, Celeste couldn't help but remember the sight of two lifeless wolves lying on the ground. She was standing there again, but this time it was the dead of night. And Jeremy's presence was next to her, his warmth a comforting contrast to the eerie chill that had settled into her bones.
Celeste held her breath, her eyes looking into the house. She saw where the bloodstain met the hardwood, and as her eyes moved forward, they fell on the pool of blood. But the two wolves that had been lying on it earlier were gone.
She blinked, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
A feeling of dread filled Celeste's chest. She struggled to catch her breath. She turned to Jeremy, hoping for some explanation or reassurance, but his expression mirrored her own disbelief.
Desperate for answers, Celeste's gaze swept across the room, searching for any sign of the wolves or hunters. She checked every corner, every shadow, but there was no trace of them. The room was completely lifeless, and the only sound was the pounding of her heart in her chest.
"Damn the hunters!" Celeste hissed and stepped into the house. She could feel Jeremy's hand on her arm, trying to hold her back, but she was too consumed by a mix of fear and anger to listen.
As expected, the hunter had completely disappeared, along with the two wolves. The only things left were the bloodstain and the mess in the house, which seemed to be the only evidence that they were not dreaming and that the hunters had indeed been there.
What vicious plot do these damn hunters have? They stormed into the peaceful small town, shattered the tranquility that once resided there, and broke into her home. And now they've vanished without a trace, taking two wolves along with them.
Celeste's eyes stared at the blood on the ground, a stark reminder of the ruthless brutality the hunters had inflicted. She felt an inferno of rage burning inside her, causing her to pace restlessly around the house. She scoured every nook and cranny, hoping to find any clue that could lead to the hunters or wolves. But her frantic search turned up nothing. She returned to the bloodstains and paced back and forth as if that could alleviate her frustration.
Jeremy approached Celeste, placing a hand on each of her shoulders in a gesture of comfort. She abruptly halted and rushed towards the door, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed the air in search of any trace of the hunters. But the hunters' scents were faint and elusive.
Celeste pursued the faint scents onto the road outside and reached the intersection. The night breeze was working against her, dissipating the scents and scattering any chance of pursuit. She was left disoriented and unsure of where to go next.
She stood still, trembling, staring down each road with a desperate sense of urgency, hoping to catch any glimpse of the hunters or the wolves. The moonlight glimmered through the gaps in the trees, casting an eerie glow on her features, but it failed to ease her anxiety. She felt like screaming out her frustration to the moon and beyond.
A familiar and comforting scent, like a warm blanket in the cool air of the night, surrounded Celeste from behind, pulling her into an embrace. The powerful grip of the arms around her felt like a shield, offering safety and protection.
"They took them..." Celeste's lips quivered, and tears stung her eyes. "The bastards fucking took them!"
"We'll go get them back, I promise," Jeremy's voice was resolute and filled with conviction. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and his heartbeat reverberated through his chest, providing Celeste with a soothing sense of stability.
Celeste remained silent, her mind racing with fear and worry. She felt Jeremy's warmth and strength enveloping her. She ignored the voices in her head and leaned back into his chest, letting him hold her up.
The cold night air prickled her skin, but the warmth of Jeremy's embrace kept her from shivering.
The moon cast an ethereal glow over the clearing, filtering through the rustling leaves and painting the world in a soft, silvery light. Celeste gazed up at the moon, lost in thought and feeling the weight of the moment. She took comfort in the knowledge that she was not alone, that Jeremy was there with her, holding her and supporting her.
After what seemed like an eternity, Celeste stepped out of Jeremy's embrace. The cool night air caressed her skin, and the rustling of the leaves filled the silence.
The other werewolves didn't follow them here, probably trying to give them space and time to process what had happened.
Celeste's mind was racing with thoughts of her parents and what might be happening to them.
Finally, she broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper. "Do you think Mom and Dad...?"