Chapter 69

Celeste

My footsteps resounded with the frenetic pace of my heart as I sprinted into the dense cover of the woods. All the shadows seemed to stretch and lengthen, casting eerie patterns on the forest floor.

The canopy overhead swallowed the ambient party sounds, wrapping me in an uncomfortable cocoon of silence, only broken by the ragged cadence of my breath.

However, the cool embrace of the woods did nothing to soothe my frazzled nerves. Tangled roots and darkened trees surrounded me, but their shadows only echoed my own self-loathing.

Why did I do it? Why did I try to kiss Matt, of all things, outside of my disguise?

I found a moss-covered rock and slumped onto it, gripping the edges in frustration. The night’s crisp air bit at my cheeks, which were already hot with embarrassment. “Stupid, Celeste, stupid!” I muttered under my breath, the surrounding trees acting as silent witnesses to my regret.

‘Rose’ had been my shield, my armor against the vulnerabilities I felt. Behind that guise, I had the freedom to be daring, to take chances.

But tonight? Tonight, I had stripped away that security and laid my feelings bare, and all I received in return was a brotherly touch and an apologetic look in his eyes.

“I’m really flattered, but I have a girlfriend,” he had responded.

This wasn’t part of the plan. I was just supposed to put my feelers out, to see if he would care about Celeste in more than just a brotherly way. To know whether he would still want me if I removed the mask, or if I should end things with him for good.

But it was all… muddied. Nothing made sense anymore. This whole stupid plan was just that—stupid.

What was I thinking, trying to kiss him? Of course he would turn me down and confuse everything; he was in a relationship with ‘Rose’. I pushed it too far, and now I was facing the consequences.

I drew my knees close, resting my forehead against them, feeling the weight of my poor decision pressing heavily on my shoulders. The intoxicating closeness with Matt, the way the dim moonlight had framed his face, it all played tricks on me, lulling me into that impulsive lean.

Drawing in a shaky breath, I whispered into the void of the forest, “Why can’t I just keep things simple?”

The rustling leaves and distant calls of nocturnal creatures were the only answers I received.

However, the night wasn’t over. I was doing all of this for a reason; I had to become ‘Rose’ again, and I had to end things with Matt. Because he would never love Celeste. Only Rose.

With a deep breath, I ducked behind a large oak tree and began to shed my baggy clothing to once again assume the guise of ‘Rose’. The night air was chillier than I had remembered, making my fingers tremble as I tried to unfasten my jeans.

Suddenly, a rustling from the underbrush stilled my movements. My heart raced even faster, and I strained my ears.

Perhaps it was just a small creature? The woods were home to many such animals, after all.

Drawing in a shaky breath, I gingerly continued my task, but another louder rustle from the same direction brought everything to a halt. The moonlight, filtering through the trees, painted the scene in silvers and grays. Slowly, I raised my gaze.

It stood there, the size of it making it seem like something from a fever dream.

Towering, massive, with fur as dark as midnight and eyes that glinted with a predatory glimmer, the creature appeared to be… a wolf. But it was far too large, its physique dwarfing any wolf I’d ever read about or seen in wildlife documentaries.

Frozen in place, I stared at it, blinking rapidly in an attempt to dispel the illusion. Yet each time my eyelids lifted, the beast remained, its low growl vibrating the very ground beneath me.

I couldn’t rationalize its presence or its size. All I knew was the profound sense of danger it radiated.

“Please,” I whispered, a futile plea to the universe or maybe to the creature itself.

But my voice seemed to trigger something in the beast, and its snarl intensified. It stepped out from the bushes, and as it did, a shaft of moonlight hit its face.

It was enormous, with glowing red eyes. Its fangs were bared, saliva dripping down from its hungry canines. Its paws alone were probably the size of my head.

Panic surged within me, urging me into action. Unable to contain my fear any longer, I let out a piercing scream and bolted back toward the party.

“Wolf! There’s a huge wolf by the cabins!” I yelled as I stumbled into the clearing, gasping for air.

The mood shifted instantly. Music was replaced by terrified screams, and the once jovial atmosphere dissolved into chaos.

“It must be a bear!” someone yelled, while others clamored for their cars or fled into the cabins.

Amid the pandemonium, strong hands seized me and jerked me backwards, almost causing me to fall. I looked up, meeting Jack’s piercing gaze through the tumult.

“What are you doing here, Celeste?” he demanded, his voice sharp. “I told you—”

“Jack, I’m sorry, but there’s no time!” I cried out, still reeling from my encounter. “There’s a creature in the woods, Jack. It’s huge!”

His eyes flared with a mix of disbelief and concern. “A… creature?” he asked.

I nodded, gulping. “Yes,” I said. “A wolf. It’s… huge. Bigger than anything I’ve ever seen, with glowing red eyes.”

Jack’s eyes widened momentarily. Then, without another word, he pulled me away from the party and towards the road, his grip on my wrist unyielding the entire time.

Once we were a considerable distance from the chaos, he rounded on me. “What the hell were you thinking, Celeste?” he snarled. “Sneaking into a party that I specifically told you not to go to, causing panic…”

“It wasn’t just panic, Jack!” I interrupted, frustration rising in my voice. “There was something in the woods. Something big, something I’ve never seen before!”

He scoffed. “A bear probably, or maybe you saw a deer and panicked.”

“It wasn’t a deer,” I shot back, the earlier fear making my voice quiver. “I swear, it looked like a wolf, but it was enormous, with glowing red eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

For a moment, a flicker of something—doubt, maybe—crossed Jack’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.

“Look, we’ll discuss this so-called ‘creature’ tomorrow,” he said. “You’re clearly drunk and not thinking straight. You’re coming home with me right now. We have a lot to discuss, young lady.”

His tone left no room for arguments. As he dragged me back towards our house, a profound sense of despair settled over me. All my efforts, my planning, my risks, it felt like everything had unraveled in the blink of an eye.

We reached our front porch in what felt like no time at all. With one last reproachful glare, Jack opened the door, and we stepped inside.