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Chapter 9: Remembering Pieces

-Celeste-

Brendon didn’t stay with me all day, he couldn’t. As one of the most powerful warriors in the pack, security was his domain, and to train the other fighters. He had a job he had to take care of, even though he insisted he would gladly stay with me if I needed him. I told him I would be fine and instead went to one of the living rooms to relax by myself. Simone found me later in the day, letting out a relieved gasp when she saw I was perfectly fine.

“You had me so worried,” she scolded as she fell down beside me on the couch, where I was reading a book.

“I don’t know what happened.”

“Yeah, I take my eyes off you for a few moments, and then you just pass out.”

“That wasn’t exactly what happened.”

“Then what? We drank the same. I just don’t see how you were slipped something and not me. I was more drunk than you.”

I chuckled a little. “I ran into someone on the way to the bathroom.”

“Who?”

“Zack.”

“Of the Moon Lake Pack?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“He is an arrogant prick,” she groaned.

“Well, he invited us to drink with him, and he was actually very nice toward me,” I told her.

“Really? Then he must have wanted to sleep with you.”

I rolled my eyes before scolding her with them, but she smiled at me, looking pleased with herself.

“I hope you told him you already have the hottest warrior to fuck your brains out at home.”

“Goddess, Simone!”

“What? You might not have had anyone before him, but you told me you sometimes black out so good he makes you feel,” she told me and winked.

I did? I mean, from what he did to me this morning, I was not surprised, but there was something else I focused on.

“Brendon was my first?” I asked.

“Yes, of course.”

Just then, I felt the sharpest pain cut right through my temples, and I bent forward, screaming in pain into the couch.

“Celeste? Celeste?”

“Let me see you. Fuck, you’re beautiful,” a dark voice says. I can’t see them, but the voice makes me feel incredible and brave. I’m a little nervous, but warm hands guide me to a body, and I feel something between my legs. Am I ready for this? I wonder, but I don’t stop what is happening. I want this, don’t I?

“Celeste? Celeste, can you hear me?” I blinked my eyes open, staring up into multiple faces that were gazing at me with fear in their eyes. My mother stood over me with Simone beside her, and then a few other pack members I knew well.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?” she asked.

“Um…”

“I heard your screams all the way to the other end of the hallway. What happened?”

“I… don’t know,” I whispered, but that wasn’t completely the truth. An image had gotten stuck in my head this time. An image of Zack, naked! How did I know what Zack looked like naked? It was very disturbing, and after being helped up into a sitting position, I forced myself onto my feet and then took off.

“Celeste!” my mother yelled after me.

I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to talk about what had happened because what if something had happened between me and Zack once? Was Brendon even my first? I stormed back to my old bedroom. It still stood as I remembered it. As a child, I had a habit of hiding under the bed if I was afraid or if I was hiding because I was in trouble. Out of instinct, I slipped underneath my bed, staring up at the bottom of it and taking deep breaths. What was happening to me?


“Celeste?” I hadn’t realized I had fallen asleep, but I was completely drained from everything that had happened. Yet a voice woke me from my slumber, and I knew right away who had entered.

“Down here,” I whispered, but I knew Brendon heard me.

I watched as his feet came closer, and then he bent down to the floor to see me lying under the bed. He looked puzzled at me, but then slipped underneath to lie beside me.

“What are you doing under here?” he asked.

“You came to find me here, I’m sure you know.”

“Yes, but you haven’t done this since you were like ten,” he reminded me.

“I just needed it.”

“Does it help?”

“A little. It feels safer.”

“Safe from what?” he asked.

“From… whatever is happening in my head.”

“Your mother came to find me. She couldn’t quite tell me what had happened, but she said you weren’t feeling good again,” he said.

“I’m not.”

“Why not?”

I placed my hands over my face, unsure of what to tell him. I wanted to be honest, but I barely understood what was going on myself. All I knew was that after running into Zack, strange things had happened, and now I had an image of his naked body in my head. However, while the things I had experienced—the dream or whatever I had seen—felt good, now that I was fully awake, I felt disgusted by them. Why had my mind conjured such a scenario?

“Celeste?”

“I didn’t sleep with anyone before you, did it?” I asked, turning my head and looking at Brendon, who appeared puzzled by my sudden question.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you trying to confess something to me?” he asked, sounding a little irritated, but I didn’t blame him for that.

“I can’t remember others,” I assured him.

“So why are you asking me?”

“I…”

“Celeste, you need to be honest with me completely if you want my help.”

“But I don’t know if you can help me.”

“Try me,” he insisted.

I sighed, knowing I couldn’t keep it a secret forever, but I wasn’t even sure what I was really telling him either.

“I have had these images,” I told him.

“Images?”

“Flashing in my mind. I can never really see what is happening, but it’s always followed by pain, and then I blackout.”

“All right.”

“But today, an image stuck.”

“What did you see?” he asked, and I looked away from him because I couldn’t face him saying it.

“Someone… naked.”

“Someone?” he repeated, his voice turning harsher.

“Zack…” I whispered.

“Wait… Zack as in…”

“Yup…”

It went dead quiet, and then I heard Brendon slip away from me. I turned my head, listening to him hurry toward the door.

“Brendon!” I yelled, following after him.

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