The investigation this time was just like the previous few ones – monotonous, uneventful, and ultimately disappointing. The werewolves' keen senses were on high alert, but despite their efforts, they found nothing.
They asked around and learned that the hunters had once rented a room at the town's inn. They hurried to the inn, hoping to find some trace of the hunters. But when they arrived, they were met with the disappointment they had grown accustomed to by now.
The hunters had long gone without a trace. Celeste could still smell the hunters' stench in the room, but the scent was too faint, obviously indicating that they had not returned for a long time, or had left a long time ago.
But the investigation pressed on. The wolves combed through the town, searching for any clues that might lead them to the hunters. They visited the restaurant where Celeste and Raymond used to work, but found no clues. The same went for Raymond's coffee shop, which was eerily quiet and deserted.
They even went back to Jeremy and Celeste's home. The blood on the ground had been cleaned up, but Celeste still didn't feel comfortable enough to stay here for a longer while. Each time she set foot inside, she felt as though she could see the two wolves lying on the floor again.
They asked around a bit, and it seemed that no one had heard of any strangers moving around in the town recently. If the hunters were still in town, they should have been discovered unless they were hiding too well.
Another day of searching that yielded no results. The werewolves began to suspect that the hunters were no longer in the town.
The team finished their day's search and prepared to return to their secret base.
But the thought of facing Jeremy and the possible Luna filled Celeste with a sense of dread. She couldn't bear the thought of confronting them so soon after everything that had happened. She needed time to gather her thoughts and steel herself for what lay ahead.
"I've still got some unfinished business here," Celeste said, her voice firm and determined. "You guys head back first, and I'll be back soon after I finish up."
Emma's expression twisted with concern and disapproval. "Are you sure about this? We can't be certain that the hunters are not lurking around. Going alone is risky. We can go with you."
Celeste could feel the same argument from Ben. She was happy that they cared about her, but she needed to get alone. Before Ben could voice his concern, Celeste cut him off. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I won't go anywhere dangerous, and if any hunter does come for me, my wolf is strong enough to take them down. Plus, you already know, my wolf is one of the fastest among us."
Celeste's confidence was not misplaced. Her wolf was a fierce and formidable creature. During her recovery, they couldn't see her wolf, but in their investigation, when Celeste shifted into a powerful wolf, the other wolves would instinctively submit to her, following her lead without hesitation.
Despite her reassurances, Emma and Ben were still hesitant. Celeste didn't leave with a chance to argue. She turned on her heel and waved at them as she walked away.
Celeste was thankful that the other werewolves didn't follow her. But there was a moment when she suddenly wasn't sure why she had to leave the pack. She could have followed the pack back and stayed in her room, and she didn't think Jeremy would go to her room to talk to her anyway.
Suddenly, she didn't know where she was going. She could go home. But the thought of being cooped up in the house alone, with the hunters' scent still lingering in the air, made her skin crawl. She dismissed the idea.
Then she realized that they were supposed to check out Raymond's cabin again, to see if any other hunters had returned there, but they had missed this place. She furrowed her eyebrows. In fact, they had been there yesterday and had not noticed anything unusual.
Celeste took out her phone and dialed Emma's number, but the werewolf didn't pick up the phone. Maybe her phone was on silent, and she didn't notice the call?
Whether or not they went to the cabin again today wouldn't make much of a difference. But since Celeste didn't know where else to go, she decided to get herself busy and finish the job.
The cabin wasn't too far away from where she was. She arrived quickly and everything seemed to be exactly the same as when they had come yesterday. The inside of the house was still as dark as night. The dust on the windows and doors had not changed one bit. She could see no suspicious signs around.
After scanning the area and making sure that nothing was amiss outside, Celeste slowly pushed the door open and let herself in.
The musty smell inside the cabin told her that nobody had lived there for a long time. She gazed at the open entrance to the basement, feeling an inner struggle of whether to go down or not. Her last visit had revealed Scarface's body which had since been removed. But she didn't understand why the hunters bothered to take the body away with them. She had no idea what the hunters were up to.
As Celeste moved closer to the entrance of the basement, her nose suddenly caught a faint but unmistakable scent. Her senses were on high alert, warning her of a potential threat. Her heart racing, her eyes twitching, Celeste felt an unshakable sense of impending danger.
A trace of regret went through her mind. Her wolf urged her to get out.
Just as she turned to walk towards the door, she felt something shoot out of the air and clasp her mouth, cutting off a startled cry from her.
The next second, her back landed on something warm and hard, and her body was trapped.