Published at 4th of March 2026 7:53 am

Chapter 1758 A Warning (Part 2)

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Gary’s body had moved before his conscious mind even realized he had acted. It was pure instinct, a reflex honed by countless battles and the primal urge to protect his pack. He saw the red flash of the attack, felt the malevolent energy leaving the Vampire Leader's hand, and his body simply responded.

He could tell instantly that the strike was powerful. It wasn't just a warning shot; it was laden with intent. Although Gary didn’t expect it to outright kill someone as strong as Kai, it was clearly designed to do significant harm, perhaps to cripple or maim him as a show of dominance. Gary wasn’t going to let that happen. Not in his house, and certainly not right in front of him.

There was no time to transform. The beast within him roared, demanding release, but the attack was too fast for the physical shifting of bone and muscle. So, as he threw himself into the path of the projectile, Gary relied on the other source of power he had cultivated. He gathered his Qi from the depths of his abdomen, channeling it rapidly through his meridians and concentrating it entirely into his right fist.

As his fist connected with the swirling red aura, the collision created a shockwave that ruffled the clothes of everyone in the room. The Qi acted as a perfect counter-force. It slammed into the vampiric energy, shattering the construct completely. The red mist didn't just deflect; it disintegrated, dissolving into harmless sparks of light that faded before they hit the ground.

This specific interaction of energies was why the attack had done absolutely no harm to Gary whatsoever. His hand wasn't burnt, bruised, or even shaking.

The silence that followed was deafening.

The three Vampire Leaders stared, their eyes wide with genuine shock. It wasn't just that he had blocked it; it was how he had blocked it. To stop an attack from a Family Leader was one thing, but to do so while remaining in a fragile human form, without a single scratch? That spoke of a level of power they hadn't anticipated.

Rowa’s eyes quickly darted around the room, assessing the changing tactical situation. He looked past Gary, scanning the other members of the Howlers present in the hall.

The atmosphere had shifted from tense to lethal in a heartbeat. The Howlers were no longer just standing guard; they were ready to kill. He could see it in their stances—hands hovering over weapons, muscles coiled like springs, eyes locked onto the intruders with predatory focus. The moment their leader had acted, every single one of them had prepared to jump into the fray without hesitation.

Rowa felt a bead of cold sweat form mentally.

‘We brought along three leaders,’ Rowa thought, his mind racing. ‘We thought that if there was an issue, our combined strength would be enough to resolve this matter through force if necessary. We assumed we could at least extract ourselves from here safely. But looking at them now… if a fight truly did start in this enclosed space, would that even be possible?’

They hadn't underestimated Gary completely; he was, after all, the one who had managed to go head-to-head with their own King and survive. That feat alone proved his strength, which was why they had taken the precaution of sending three leaders instead of an envoy. But now, seeing the ease with which he nullified Rowa’s power, they were wondering if even three was enough.

Facing two Alphas and a highly disciplined pack on their home turf was a suicide mission they hadn't signed up for.

Sensing the dangerous precipice they were standing on, Haylock Sanguinis stepped forward immediately to de-escalate.

“I apologize,” Haylock said, his voice loud and clear.

To everyone’s surprise, the leader of the Thirteenth Family bent his waist and gave a deep, respectful bow towards Gary. It was a gesture of submission that was rare for their kind.

“You are right,” Haylock continued, keeping his head lowered. “We are guests in your home, we are standing in your city, and we should have never attacked you. It was a grave breach of etiquette.”

Jin Talon, the leader of the Fourth Family, quickly followed suit.

“Please forgive us,” Jin said, bowing equally low on the other side. “This was especially foolish of us, particularly when we came here truly wishing to talk, not to war. Please forgive us. If we wanted to fight, then we would have never asked to meet with you in the first place. It was a lapse in judgment caused by surprise.”

Rowa stood frozen for a moment. He looked to his left and right, seeing his peers bowing to this young Werewolf. His pride screamed at him to stand tall, but his logic—and the murderous intent coming from Gary—forced his hand. Reluctantly, he stiffened his back and then bowed as well.

“I was the one who was rash in the first place,” Rowa admitted, straightening up but keeping his tone respectful. “The situation took me by surprise. We had heard reports that the Howlers had managed to defeat Lupus, the Alpha of Ruin City. Because of that, I was shocked to see that there was another Alpha standing here. I thought that we might have been tricked into a trap or a different situation entirely.”

He gestured towards Kai. “If we explain what is happening, then you might understand why I acted the way I did. Seeing another Alpha triggered a defensive instinct.”

The three leaders lifted their heads and looked straight ahead. Although their demeanor had changed to one of diplomacy, their confidence hadn't entirely vanished. They were apologetic, but they were still apex predators. If they needed to fight for their lives, they were still ready to do so at a moment's notice.

Kai stepped forward from behind Gary, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to signal that he was okay.

“I understand the shock,” Kai said calmly, his voice smooth and controlled. “That still doesn’t forgive your actions, but we are pragmatic people. We don’t want war either; otherwise, it would just lead to many needless deaths on both sides.”

Kai decided to seize control of the narrative. He knew he had to explain his status without revealing the truth about Lupus being alive and imprisoned.

“If you are asking about me,” Kai continued, “I am a member of the Howlers Pack—or I was. During the battle where we defeated Lupus, I was the one who managed to land the killing blow on Lupus.”

He paused, letting the lie sink in.

“We don’t know why, but immediately after that, I underwent a change. I became an Alpha. However, I am good friends with Gary. We are brothers. I am loyal to the Howlers above all else.”

Kai spread his hands. “So, I have not made my own pack. I have stayed here as proof that I do not wish to fight him or challenge his leadership. I hope that clears up the confusion regarding my presence.”

Right now, Kai thought they should use this situation to their advantage. The vampires clearly knew Lupus was missing, but their intelligence was evidently spotty. They didn't know the specifics of werewolf biology any more than the Howlers understood vampire politics.

The explanation Kai gave was plausible enough. Considering how no one had seen Lupus for a rather large amount of time, it was best that the vampires continued to think of him as dead. It tied up the loose end perfectly.

Haylock frowned slightly, processing the information.

“That’s… never happened before, to our knowledge,” Haylock said, rubbing his chin. “Usually, the hierarchy is strict. If a member of another pack kills the Alpha, then the rest of the pack members should become Omegas. They are then free to join another Alpha if they wish, or roam alone.”

He looked at Kai with scientific curiosity. “Down the line, perhaps one of your own or one of the Omegas might evolve into an Alpha, but an instant transfer of power like that? It is unheard of.”

“We don’t understand it either,” Gary interjected, backing up Kai’s story effortlessly. “But it happened. We can’t truly say we understand everything there is to know about us Werewolves. We are still learning our own history. I’m guessing it’s the same for you? Do you know every secret of your bloodline?”

Gary realized that Kai was cleverly using the information they had learned from the past. Technically, this incident had happened before in history. It was similar to what had occurred between Jack and Steve in the stories they had uncovered.

While rare, there was a precedent for strange successions. The vampires might have had this in their history books somewhere, even if these specific leaders didn't know it.

The logic seemed to hold enough water to stall their questions.

“I see. Well, there is a lot we don’t understand about this world,” Jin said, stepping in to move the conversation along. He seemed eager to get to the real reason for their visit. “Which is the reason why we are currently here. We want to talk to you about a recent incident. One revolving specifically around the city of Centrefield.”

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