Chapter 4

• Celeste
• “Well, that makes it okay, then, doesn’t it?” Celeste replied, maintaining her fake smile as she walked alongside Ella through the cobblestone courtyard. It was an overcast day, like most days around there, and the tall stone buildings cast long shadows on the courtyard. A chill rippled through her, and she regretted not pulling her jacket out of her backpack before leaving. Dark clouds threatened rain, and she hoped to find a place to hide before the downpour.
• Walking quickly, Celeste noticed Ella was keeping pace with her, not showing any sign of heading her own way. Trying to discreetly distance herself, Celeste asked, “So where are you headed?” Her words were tinged with sarcasm, and she hoped Ella would take the hint. She didn't need another person to publicly humiliate her; the Wolves had that covered.
• Ella grabbed her arm just as they reached the end of the courtyard. Celeste's eyes were fixed on the library. Declan’s older sister, Delaney, was a librarian there, and she was always nice to Celeste. Delaney might let her hang out in the library after hours to evade Kane's unwelcome attention.
• “He can’t blame you forever; you didn’t even do anything. Blaine’s death was a horrible accident. He was drunk by the cliffs and fell,” Ella said, trying to comfort her. Celeste frowned but didn't reveal the full story. Ella moved with her, not letting go. “Are you afraid of Kane’s attention because you’ve already hooked up with his brother? He’s gone, so…”
• Celeste's eyes widened as Ella's long pink nails dug into her forearm. “Why would you ask me that?”
• “I just thought maybe that’s why you avoid him, loyalty to Blaine,” Ella explained with a shrug. Celeste was beginning to wonder how much of Ella's behavior was genuine and how much was a ploy to extract information from her. Then, she spotted Talon jogging toward them, which was unusual for the usually polished fraternity president. His busted lip and bruised jaw were clear indicators of a recent fight. Ella tilted her head with a close-lipped smile, implying an 'I told you so.'
• Celeste was reluctant to run away and hide in one of the buildings, knowing that the only thing that could stop Talon was one of the Wolves. As her mind wandered, she wondered if what
• Ella had said was true – had Kane attacked Talon because of her?
• Heat pooled in her stomach at the thought, and she scolded herself silently for her secret desires. Despite their rivalry, Kane's aggression stirred something within her that she knew she shouldn't want. He was toxic and unhinged, but she couldn't deny the twisted allure he held over her.
• Celeste struggled to hide her distaste as she watched Talon catch his breath and flash a wide smile at them. Ella seemed delighted, but Celeste's facade quickly dropped as she realized that Ella was likely conspiring with Talon. She suspected that Ella's supposed sadness over Declan and Wilder was just an act, and she couldn't believe she'd been naive enough to think otherwise.
• Talon, still grinning, began unbuttoning his black pea coat, offering it to Celeste as he observed, "You look cold; here, take my jacket." Celeste sighed, dropping her backpack to the ground. She decided to let her long hair down from the ponytail and quickly tied her ribbon around it. "Come on, CELESTE. I don’t bite. Unless you want me to. What’s your deal?" He winked, and Celeste felt a wave of disgust but kept her composure.
• She crossed her arms, making it clear that she wouldn't accept anything from him. Only then did he pull back his arm. "My problem is that I would rather freeze to death than take a coat from someone I don’t like. It’s who I am as a person, so I don’t see that changing," she retorted, wrinkling her nose in disdain. "Anyway, if we could make this quick, I really have to get going. You’re not the only asshole stalking me today, and unfortunately, I’m all booked up for the foreseeable future. So maybe check with the Wolves and see if they have any time slots you can take. They’ve sort of cornered the market." She chirped, heading toward the library.
• But two steps in, Talon blocked her path. "Not so fast," he said, and while he didn't touch her, his hand indicated he wouldn't let her through.
• "Talon, I—" Celeste began but was interrupted.
• "I just want to talk," he said, and Celeste tried to push past him. However, he reached out, grabbing her shoulders, pulling her in front of him. They stood in broad daylight, and she felt far from safe. Talon Sanderson's family held considerable influence over the university, and even the Wolves couldn't stand against that power without resorting to criminal activities. She had a peculiar dynamic with the Wolves – they should have been the ones to scare her the most, but she had more faith in her safety around them.
• "What do you want? Spit it out, and don’t fing touch me again or I’ll cut your d off and shove it down your privileged little throat," she snapped but didn't push him away as she wished. Instead, she pulled away and put some distance between them. She glanced at Ella, who was whispering to two of her friends, who had joined them, observing the scene.
• Talon straightened to his full height, attempting to make her feel small, but she refused to show him that it was working. "You and I both know Blaine’s death wasn’t an accident," he began, feigning sympathy. "Why haven't you told Kane what really happened?" Celeste felt bile rise in her throat, but she refused to reveal what she knew to Talon. She understood how he operated – gathering information and using it against people.
• Celeste couldn't help herself from mocking Talon. "Well, holy shit, it’s almost as if you used critical thinking skills," she retorted with a roll of her eyes, attempting to conceal her unease. "Of course it wasn’t an accident, but this school covers up anything that might be a blemish on their pristine reputation."
• Talon's soft-spoken yet menacing words sent a chill down her spine. She felt her stomach coil at the threat. However, instead of cowering, she couldn't resist the urge to provoke him further. She reached out and patted his inflamed cheek harshly, masking her fear with defiance. "Doesn’t look like you saw Kane’s fist coming," she added with a smirk, swiftly turning to walk away.
• But her escape was short-lived as Talon grabbed her roughly by the back of her neck. She bit her lip to suppress the cry that threatened to escape, tasting blood in her mouth, yet she remained unyielding.
• "Come to the Kappa party this weekend," Talon demanded with a cold smile. The threat was evident in his tone, his dead eyes reveling in toying with her. Celeste, though furious, refused to give in. "You act like you have a choice," he added, attempting to touch her cheek, which she vehemently evaded.
• Just as her anger reached its peak, Declan intervened. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, gently but firmly, announcing his claim. Talon's glee was palpable as he recounted their "discussion." Yet, Declan didn't fall for the provocation; he simply took Celeste away.
• As they retreated into the dorms, Declan placed his coat around her shoulders, shielding her from the cold rain. "You’ve gotta stay away from Talon," he cautioned. Celeste didn't argue, not when she felt the warmth of his protective arm around her shoulders. "He wants to mess with us, and he’s going to use you and Delaney to do it."
• Stopping abruptly, Celeste inquired about Delaney's well-being. Declan's eyes softened briefly as he assured her, then returned to his usual demeanor. "Talon has a lot of power around here, and he knows that you and Delaney are the only weak spots we have," he explained, emphasizing the need to avoid Talon's manipulation.
• "Why am I a weak spot? The five of you hate me. Talon wouldn’t be after me if he knew you guys don’t care what happens to me," Celeste asked, studying Declan's face closely. He remained silent, his lips forming a thin line that hinted at concealed knowledge. The wind tousled her ponytail, and she huddled into his oversized jacket as they approached the front entrance of her dorm.
• Declan seemed weary, as if he had little patience for emotional matters or psychotic stepbrothers. "Don’t underestimate Talon. He is that stupid," he replied, his tone carrying an air of indifference. "Now go inside and stay in your room for the rest of the night."
• She returned his jacket and retrieved her backpack. "Yes, sir. Whatever I can do to appease the wolf gods of Westbrook," she playfully saluted him, earning a small smile from Declan, the first she had seen in a while. It might have been a subtle smile, barely showing his teeth, but she appreciated it.
• As Declan put his coat back on and walked away into the fog, Celeste fished her own coat out of her backpack. She had no intention of going up to her room where Kane believed she would be. Instead, she decided to return to the library, a place where she could take shelter from the looming turmoil.