Gary, Lupus, and Kai arrived at the very sa park where war had once ignited between all of them. The mont they stepped onto the familiar ground, all three could tell that ti had passed. The park was open to the public again. People were walking through it freely, children ran across the grass, and there were even couples sitting on benches talking casually as if nothing had ever happened here.
Large parts of the park looked greener than before. Entire sections had clearly been rebuilt, the grass fresher, the trees healthier. No doubt this was because so much of the area had been destroyed in the past, forcing full reconstruction rather than patchwork repairs. In a strange way, it made the place look better than it ever had.
Kai was thankful for that.
The people he had left behind to clean up the Howlers’ ss while he was gone had done their job properly. He hadn’t needed to micromanage anything. The systems he had put in place worked. That alone was reassuring.
When they spoke to the closest Howler mber who ca running toward them in shock, barely able to believe what he was seeing, they learned just how much ti had passed.
Two months.
They had been gone for two entire months.
Apparently, after that brief exchange, the Howler mber admitted they hadn’t been able to reach anyone else yet. He said soone would be sent to explain everything properly, but until then, there wasn’t much information he could give.
Because of that, the three of them decided to head to the Wolf’s Pool Club, just like in the old days, while they waited to hear exactly what had happened during their absence.
Since it was still dayti, the club was never too busy at that hour. By calling ahead and letting them know they were coming, they could cover the cost of whatever drinks or gas were already going on and offer free entry later when the place got busy. It was simple, familiar, and comfortable.
As they walked toward the club, however, sothing beca very obvious.
There were a lot of people around.
More than usual.
And nearly all of them were wearing Howlers uniforms.
Whispers followed them wherever they went. Conversations died down the mont they passed by. Heads turned, eyes widened, and people watched them carefully but didn’t approach.
“It seems news of our return has spread through the city already,” Kai said quietly.
“Yeah,” Gary replied. “A lot of them are probably wondering where we were and want to ask a hundred questions. They’re just not coming up to us out of respect.”
“Or…” Lupus added calmly, his gaze scanning the crowd. “They could be wondering why the enemy they were fighting so hard against is standing right next to you.”
There was no denying it.
Lupus stood out.
His presence alone drew attention. Even without saying a word, people recognized him. He was far more noticeable than most, especially to those who had witnessed the battles firsthand. His image had been burned into the minds of many.
“I think it’s best if you stay close to us until we clear everything up,” Kai suggested. “If you travel around on your own, you might get attacked.”
Lupus smirked slightly at the suggestion.
“Like they would be able to hurt even if they wanted to,” Lupus replied. “They’re more likely to hurt themselves trying.”
Still, Lupus could feel the difference.
The real world felt different from the one he had been trapped in.
For one thing, during the war, Lupus had been locked in his True Alpha form. He hadn’t been able to break out of it, not after Ylva’s death. With no current Luna, that form was sothing he had lost, at least temporarily.
However, during that sa war, Lupus had consud Ice, granting him powerful ice-based abilities. And beyond that, he had also consud Don Tinge.
The head of the White Rose.
A powerful Leviathan creature who had even given Lupus trouble during their fight.
Because Lupus had consud him while in his True Alpha form, and then been sent to another world imdiately after, this was the first ti he was truly feeling the effects of that power settling into his body.
He was stronger now. Stronger than he had ever been.
‘Even if Unzoku doesn’t co after the Howlers or ,’ Lupus thought, ‘I’ll go after him myself.’
The only issue was the dallion. It was currently in Kai’s possession.
If there was one thing they had learned, it was that taking down Unzoku wouldn’t be possible alone. No matter how strong any one of them beca, they would have to work together.
Eventually, they entered the Wolf’s Pool Club. Several mbers were already inside, and the mont they saw the three of them, reactions exploded. Vere was there. Vlad. Crawley and Park. Even Tom had shown up.
“I can’t believe it!” Vere exclaid. “You three are really back. You’re actually here! What happened? Where were you?”
“Gary!” Tom shouted. “I thought you might’ve been dead!”
Gary laughed.
“You know it’s really hard to kill ,” he said. “Even this big idiot uncle of mine wasn’t able to pull that off.”
They all wanted to ask questions. They could see it in their eyes. But at the sa ti, it felt awkward. There was soone else standing right there in the room with them, soone who complicated everything.
“So we don’t have to explain our situation over and over,” Kai said, getting straight to the point. “Where are the others? Marie, Austin, Innu.”
“Xin,” Gary added imdiately. “What happened while we were away? What happened over the last two months?”
As Gary spoke, his thoughts drifted briefly.
During his travels in the other world, Xin had crossed his mind more tis than he could count. With everything that had happened, she had done so much for him. She had even given up her powers to beco a Luna.
She deserved more.
When all of this was over, he wanted to spend ti with her properly. To treat her the way she deserved.
But for that to happen, the biggest threat standing in their way had to be dealt with. Unzoku.
And if possible, Gary hoped there would be no need to involve the rest of the Howlers in that fight.
Crawley exhaled slowly.
“It feels like it’s been a lifeti,” he said. “Where do I even start?”
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