xxix
1076 Words
Celestia met Kieran as he came out of the holding chamber. Without waiting, Kieran opened his arms wide, and Celestia ran into them, wrapping her arms around him.
“How was sleeping in there?” Celestia asked as she pulled back just enough to look at him.
“Not that good, darling. My back is killing me,” Kieran replied with a small laugh and kissed her forehead gently.
“Alpha,” Dwayne said as he stepped forward. “Forgive me. I should’ve stayed in there with you,” he added, bowing his head low. He felt guilty for leaving his Alpha alone.
Kieran placed a hand on Dwayne’s shoulder and gave it a firm pat.
“If you were in there with me, who would protect my mate?” Kieran said, glancing at Celestia. Dwayne looked at them and smiled a little.
“Let’s go? Breakfast is going to get cold,” Celestia said with a soft grin.
When they returned to Jeremiah’s house, they were all caught off guard by what they saw. Jeremiah and Adelaide were sitting together in the living room, talking calmly—without raising their voices or throwing playful insults at each other.
Kieran leaned down slightly.
“What happened while I was away for just a few hours?” he whispered into Celestia’s ear. Celestia looked just as confused.
“I honestly don’t know either,” she whispered back. “But this is good, right? Maybe they won’t fight anymore,” she said. Celestia had always wondered what happened between them in the past, but since she couldn’t ask her Aunt Adelaide, she let it go. Now, seeing them casually talking to each other made her happy.
Kieran stared at Jeremiah, then at Adelaide.
“What in the world…” he muttered under his breath.
Just then, Jeremiah noticed them by the door. He stopped laughing, quickly cleared his throat, and straightened his back.
Adelaide also looked at them, but instead of reacting, she simply smiled.
“Oh, you’re already here,” Jeremiah said and stood up. “Is everything okay now?” he added.
Kieran nodded and walked over to sit down.
“Yes. No problems during my release. It went smoothly,” he said, then leaned forward a bit. “But… what happened to Henry?” he asked, his voice calm but curious. Jeremiah sat back in his chair and sighed.
“He’s being held. He broke the law and attacked you. We’re still deciding what to do with him,” he answered.
“Because what he did was a serious offense,” Jeremiah said. “He attacked you, and on top of that, he transformed into his wolf form, which is strictly forbidden here,” he added.
“Why is it forbidden?” Celestia asked, curious.
“Eighty percent of the people living here are humans without powers,” Jeremiah explained. “I created that rule to keep them safe. If a wolf suddenly transforms in the middle of the city or witches use their powers, people could get hurt or panic,” he added.
Everyone in the room fell silent for a moment. The weight of everything that had happened finally started to sink in. It wasn’t just about rules—it was about keeping everyone safe.
As they continued eating breakfast and chatting softly, the front door opened. Flint and Freya walked in. Freya went straight to Jeremiah.
“Did you prepare what I asked for?” she asked. Flint looked at her, confused.
“What did you ask him for, mother?” he asked.
“A place where I can train Celestia,” Freya replied. “Somewhere safe, where I won’t accidentally hurt anyone,” she added and looked at Adelaide who nodded in approval.
Celestia blinked in surprise but smiled. She didn’t expect Freya to act so quickly—but deep inside, she felt ready to learn.
“Flint,” Celestia called his name. “Any tips?” she asked. Flint grinned, already knowing what she meant.
“No tips for you,” he said playfully. Celestia sighed, making everyone in the room laugh.
“It’s alright, Celestia. I won’t bite,” Freya said with a grin. Her tone was teasing, but Celestia’s heart started beating faster in her chest.
Meanwhile, back at the small inn, Esther stepped into the private dining area they had rented. She looked excited as she walked in.
“Did you hear what happened last night?” she asked, sitting down. “Two wolf were fighting in the city!” she added, eyes wide.
“I thought it was forbidden to transform here?” one of the men asked, frowning. “I want to do it, too!" he exclaimed. He was itching to transform but held back because of the rule and he doesn't want to risk his group.
Leon stopped eating, clearly interested in what Esther just said.
“I know, right? Well, I asked around, and they said both wolves were arrested—but one of them was freed,” she said. Leon looked at her.
“Did they say how he got away with it?” he asked.
“Yes,” Esther replied. “A local told me that the man only defended himself. The other wolf transformed first and attacked, so the one who fought back was only held for a short time,” she added. Leon stood up quickly.
“Did you find out where it happened?” he asked. Esther nodded.
“Yeah. The fight happened just a few blocks from this inn,” she said. Leon clenched his fists.
“Everyone, pack your things. We’re moving now. I can feel it… the marked one is close,” he said.
“Leon, can we just finish eating first, please?” Esther asked. “I just got back from scouting. I’ll be quick, but please, let us eat first,” she added.
Leon looked at his crew. All eyes were on him, silently agreeing with Esther. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh.
“I’m sorry,” he said and sat down again. “It’s just… I’m anxious,” he added.
“We understand, Leon. We really do. We all want to find the marked one,” Esther said, and Leon gave her a small smile.
“We’ll leave once everyone’s done,” Leon said. They all nodded, and he stood up to go pack his things.
- Writer
