The mont they heard Dean's answer, everyone instinctively shifted back in their seats, even Gary, who was mid-chew with a piece of beef jerky still in his mouth.
"You… t him?" Gary asked, swallowing hard. "You t your brother?"
"Yes," Dean replied casually. "And it was quite recent, too.
"They say family troubles bring people together… I'm only now realizing just how true that is."
He leaned back slightly as he continued.
"To be honest, he's the one who sought out.
"Apparently, he still has connections out there in the world. He's been keeping tabs on for a while."
Gary didn't know how to feel.
The situation was complicated, ssy, even. After all, both Lupus and Dean were his family.
He had a stronger connection to Dean, of course, he was his father. But their bond wasn't exactly ironclad. Most of Gary's childhood mories were spent away from him.
So, yeah, his feelings were complicated.
"I agreed to et him," Dean went on, "because I knew he no longer saw as a threat. Ever since I lost my fur, since I stopped being like him, he never ca after .
"And I never went looking for him, either. I wanted a life away from that… away from everything."
He looked around at the group.
"But we can't avoid what's happening anymore. Not with the situation the way it is now."
"I wanted to ask sothing," Tom interjected. "If the goal is to end this whole complicated family feud… couldn't you just ask Rickle to do the sa thing he did for you?
"Have him remove Gary's fur, make him human again, not a werewolf?"
The question caught Gary off guard. He hadn't thought about that in a long ti.
What would it be like, to no longer be able to transform?
To lose all his strength, just like that, with the snap of a finger?
Would that make things better?
If he was being honest with himself… the answer was no.
If he had the choice, he would want to stay exactly the way he was.
"It wouldn't work out well now that there are two packs," Dean explained. "The Alpha role would just shift to another mber.
"So even if Gary lost his powers, it wouldn't change the fact that Lupus sees him as a threat."
Dean took a deep breath.
"I'll be honest. I think the way things are now… might be the best possible outco. That's why I ca to talk to you."
"When I spoke to Lupus, he told , plain and simple, that he has no interest in hurting you, Gary. Or your pack. He wants to leave you alone."
Everyone's eyes lit up at those words.
It confird what Gary had been feeling too, deep down, he hadn't believed Lupus wanted to fight.
"I know what you're thinking, Kai," Dean added, turning to face him. "And I feel the sa way. How can we trust him, right?"
Dean nodded to himself.
"But I truly believe him. When it was just the two of us, he was open to solutions.
"He let go, let live my own life. Even now, because of who you are, Gary… he's reluctant to fight soone he sees as family."
Dean's tone grew serious.
"And it's not just that. Right now, there's an enemy actively making moves against him."
"The vampires," Xin said.
"Correct," Dean confird. "He believes the vampires' real plan is to pit the two Alphas against each other.
"Let them tear each other apart, and then sweep in after the damage is done, regardless of who wins."
He leaned forward, his voice softening.
"Lupus is soone who wants to protect his pack, his family, more than anything. And in his eyes, he still sees … still sees us as family.
"The ones hurting his family aren't you. It's them."
Dean looked directly at Gary.
"He's not asking you to fight the vampires with him. He's not asking for your help or your alliance.
"All he's asking is that you stay out of it.
"No interference. No sides. Just a mont of peace between you both."
Gary leaned back in his seat, letting the words sink in.
His body, tense for so long, began to relax.
Lupus… was thinking the sa thing he was.
No more fighting.
No more loss.
Gary liked the sound of that.
He really liked it.
"I can't stay long, Gary, as always," Dean said, standing. "Before I ca here, I visited your mother and your sister. It was good to see them again.
"You've done well looking after them."
He stepped toward the door but paused, glancing back one more ti.
"I passed on the ssage Lupus wanted to give.
"And if it were up to … I think you're doing the right thing. I truly believe there's another way, one where the two Alphas don't have to fight."
Dean's expression grew thoughtful.
"Maybe it's true that soday the Alphas will clash. But it doesn't have to be you two."
Just as he was about to leave, he turned again.
"He said, if you want to talk, he's willing.
"After the full moon passes… he'll et with you to prove he's genuine.
"He said you'd understand what he ant by that."
With those final words, Dean stepped out and left the four of them sitting there, quiet, thoughtful, unsure of what to say.
Until finally, Gary sat up suddenly.
"Wait!" he called out, standing.
"Dad… can I ask you sothing?"
Dean paused at the door.
"If you don't know, can you ask Rickle for ?" Gary asked. "Has the system ever… glitched before? Or malfunctioned?"
His voice dropped slightly.
"And when you were a werewolf… did you ever hear a voice?"
***
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