A few days had passed since Gary had woken up and completed his tense negotiation with Blackjack, and on the surface, things seed to be progressing with a rare, peaceful montum. Gary spent much of his ti checking in on the inner circle, making his rounds to see if there was anything his friends needed, but he found that everyone was already moving along their own paths, carving out a new reality in the wake of Unzoku's fall.
The Howlers had dedicated a solemn day of mourning for the lives lost during the Glutton Werewolf incident—both their own fallen soldiers and the countless victims caught in the progenitor's madness. Kai, ever the administrative backbone of the pack, was subrged in paperwork and logistics, personally ensuring that the families of the fallen Howlers were well-compensated. He wasn't just handing out money; he was securing their futures, making sure the sacrifice of their loved ones wasn't t with financial ruin.
On another front, Tom and a specialized unit had been monitoring the public discourse. The Glutton incident had been a national catastrophe, plaguing cities across the country and leaving Centerfield in absolute ruins. Yet, as the days went by, Gary was struck by a chilling observation: almost no one was talking about the werewolves.
Official reports in cities like Centerfield claid that a massive, highly coordinated gang war had broken out, causing the chaos and structural damage. Occasionally, fringe posts would pop up on ssage boards from individuals claiming to have seen monsters—the "truth" about the Gluttons. But the public reaction was always the sa: they were mocked as liars or attention-seekers.
Blackjack had told Gary that the vampires would do their best to "clean up" the evidence, but Gary hadn't realized how absolute their reach was. Tom reported that those specific truth-seeker posts were being scrubbed within minutes, and the users behind them often vanished from the internet entirely, never to be heard from again. It was a reality Gary tried not to dwell on; his mind would spin in circles wondering if those people were rely silenced or sothing much worse. Regardless of the ethics, the silence allowed the Howlers to breathe, but it ca with a heavy, invisible price.
"You're starting to turn into Kai," Xin said with a light giggle, breaking his train of thought.
The two were walking down the sunny streets of Slough, enjoying a day that felt remarkably normal. Gary managed a small, distracted smile.
"I guess being around him as much as I am, his habits are starting to rub off on ," Gary admitted. He stopped for a mont, looking at his hands. "Xin... do you think I did the right thing? Do you think I've made the right choices as the leader of the Howlers?"
Xin stopped as well, tilting her head. "You're going to have to be a little more specific than that. You've been through a literal lifeti of choices in the last few months. What's specifically eating at you?"
"Everything," Gary said, his shoulders slumping. "I wonder if I could have done things differently to save more people. And even now, with the deal I made with Blackjack... I've left us in a tough spot. The Pack Rules are gone, the curse is lifted, but I've strictly forbidden everyone from creating new werewolves. Isn't that just becoming the new oppressor? I'm suppressing our kind just like the vampires did. Lupus would have hated this."
Xin let out a long, thoughtful sigh and stepped closer to him. "It's a tough situation, Gary. There's no perfect answer. We're no longer slaves to the full moon, which is a blessing, but there's always been a divide between Altereds, werewolves, and humans. if we start building an army of werewolves, the world will eventually find out. And it won't just be the vampires we have to worry about; humanity will detest us. They'll see us as a plague."
She looked him in the eyes, her expression firm. "Then you have to think about the vampires' perspective. If you start turning people, they'll think you're preparing for a war. It's an aggressive move. We don't know if they're building an army of their own right now, but for today, we have peace. No one knows what the future holds, Gary. As long as you know in your heart that you tried your absolute best and made the most logical decision you could at the ti... that has to be enough. You're only one person."
Gary nodded, feeling the weight on his chest lighten slightly. Talking to Xin always had a way of grounding him; she understood his internal struggles better than he did himself. He resolved to keep the pack strong through training rather than numbers, ensuring that if that fragile peace ever broke, they would be ready.
As they turned a corner, they arrived at the grand entrance of a high-end hotel. Standing near the fountain, Gary saw two familiar figures waving enthusiastically toward him.
"Amy! Mum!" Gary called out, his pace quickening.
Xin bowed politely to the two won as they arrived, imdiately reaching out to take their suitcases before they could protest.
"Please, Xin, you don't have to do that!" Maya said, blushing.
"Don't worry about it, this is easy for ," Xin insisted with a smile. "Besides, I'm just grateful to be the guest on your family trip."
"Oh, please!" Amy said, jumping up to give Xin a quick hug. "You're practically family already, Xin. Everyone knows it."
"Alright," Maya said, her expression turning slightly more serious as she looked back toward the hotel lobby. "I guess there's just one more person joining us."
The doors slid open, and a man stepped out into the sunlight. Gary's breath hitched in his throat. He looked at the man—the father he had thought was lost to him in so many ways.
"Dad..." Gary said, the word feeling heavy and difficult in his mouth. "It's... it's good to see you again. I'm glad you're on this trip with us."
"It's been a long ti, Gary," Dean said, his voice level but his eyes carrying a world of unspoken emotion. "Hopefully, over the next few days, we'll finally have the ti to talk."
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