Celeste stood there, uncertain why she didn't have the courage to finish her whole sentence. The rest of the words seemed to stick in her throat. Even she wondered if Jeremy could even figure out what she was trying to say.
"I don't know if they're still alive," Jeremy said, shaking his head. "But either way, we'll bring them back, and the damn hunters will regret what they have done."
Celeste took a long breath, and the two of them headed back to the house. The wolves searched around the house, looking for any signs of what the hunters were up to. But the hunters seemed to have covered their tracks well, leaving behind no evidence of their whereabouts.
They had been out for too long. Plus, with Byron badly injured and needing care, the wolves returned to their secret base.
The journey back was an equally silent one, the excitement that had filled them earlier replaced with a sense of disappointment.
***
Over the next few days, the wolf pack remained holed up in their secret base, secluded from the outside world just like they did after the rogues' vicious attack.
Byron's injury had dealt a blow to the morale of the pack, and it was evident in their sluggish movements and downcast expressions. Sarah and Byron were both settled in, Sarah wasn't ready to speak yet, and Byron was still in the process of recovery and didn't want to say much.
But Jeremy, with his calm and reassuring demeanor, managed to soothe their anxieties and provided a stabilizing presence for the pack. He worked tirelessly with Nancy, ensuring that the pack's operations ran smoothly, while also keeping an eye out for potential threats.
But since that night, Jeremy and Celeste have barely spoken to each other, and Jeremy hasn't returned to their room.
With the revelation that Jeremy was an Alpha, the rest of the pack had started turning to him for guidance and direction, which probably left him with little time for them to talk. But Celeste wasn't sure if she and Jeremy were just avoiding each other.
Celeste did wonder where Jeremy slept, despite telling herself again and again to stop caring about it. Did he sleep in the meeting room? Or … Nancy's room?
Amidst all the uncertainties, Celeste was determined to do her part. Every day, Jeremy would send out a small team to investigate the hunters' situation. And each time, Celeste would go with them. Although the exploration was tiring, she could keep herself busy and not think about other things.
Besides, Celeste couldn't hide in her room all the time, waiting for news about the hunters and her parents. She could turn into a wolf herself now. She could do something. She didn't need to be protected all the time.
Celeste had gone with the investigation team for three consecutive days. Although Jeremy frowned, he didn't say anything. Celeste was relieved that he seemed to respect her choice.
But when she was asking for the fourth day of investigation, Jeremy finally couldn't keep quiet any longer.
"No, you can't go this time," he said in a firm and unyielding voice, leaving no room for questioning. He sounded again like an Alpha's command to his wolf.
But this tone only served to ignite the pent-up rage smoldering within Celeste's heart. Her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. "No, I'm going. You can't just order me around like a big Alpha."
"But I am the Alpha of the wolf pack now, and I said you will not go again," Jeremy replied automatically.
Celeste's tone dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, now all of a sudden, I have to follow whatever my powerful Alpha tells me to do! Tell me, Jeremy. Being an Alpha feels so good, doesn't it? It's so good that you no longer have to keep your promise to bring our parents back. No one is going to judge the powerful Alpha for not keeping his promise, anyway."
Jeremy flinched at her words. His lips parted, but no words came out. His face was red.
"I..." Jeremy licked his dry lips and struggled to find his voice, "I'm not… You… You know I can't leave now. The pack is a mess, and they need me."
Celeste folded her arms and snorted, "Looks like that little helper of yours is not good enough at taking the pressure off you at all."
But she regrated it before she finished the sentence. She sounded exactly like a jealous teenage girl, again. She was not being unreasonable now. She knew Jeremy was right. The pack needed him now. But she just couldn't get rid of the cloud that had been suffocating her all these days.
She glared at Jeremy's eyes and couldn't help but notice the dark circles under them. The stubble on his chin also indicated how busy he had been the past few days. She looked back at his puppy eyes and suddenly felt a sizzle of guilt.
"Let me go." Her voice was soft and low, "You know, I can't just wait here and do nothing. It's killing me."
"You need to rest, Celeste. You've shifted for four days already. It's taking a toll on your body," Jeremy said, his voice laced with concern and frustration. "Do you realize how pale you look right now?"
Celeste wanted to argue back, but the words caught in her throat. She knew Jeremy meant well, but she couldn't just stay back. She couldn't even sleep right now after what had happened. She had to find something to do, or her head would explode.
Jeremy stared at her, and Celeste held his gaze. In the end, Jeremy sighed and agreed to let her go.
But the result of her hard-earned investigation was the same as before. No traces of hunters were found. The hunters seemed to come and go like ghosts, leaving no trace behind. The disappointment was fueling Celeste's frustration. It felt like a fire burning inside her, a constant pressure that she couldn't shake.
Before she went for the fifth day of the searching, Celeste sensed a restlessness among the wolves. Wolves were creatures of freedom, and they chafed at being cooped up in here. The lack of any tangible progress in the hunt for the hunters only fueled their discontent.
The meeting hall was packed with wolves.
"What's going on?" Celeste stopped Ben, who was also heading to the hall.
"We haven't seen any trace of the hunters so far. Everyone is having a meeting and demanding Byron to explain."