The will to choose oneâs own path. The freedom to act without being bound by fate, was that truly possible? For Gary, it was a question that lingered deeply. He understood that the nature of Werewolves and Alphas made conflict inevitable. They were born to clash, to test dominance, to fight.
But what about one personâs will? Could sheer willpower rewrite what blood demanded?
Gary thought of his father. The man had never wanted to fight against Lupus, yet heâd found a way to avoid it. Heâd gone through a situation that forced peace, but in doing so, he had only passed the burden down to the next generation. The curse remained, dormant but alive, waiting for someone else to bear it.
Now, as Gary listened to Steveâs story, he couldnât shake the eerie familiarity. Another pair of brothers, another pair of Alphas. Was history about to repeat itself? However they had managed to remain peaceful for the time being, or was the whole point of this space to show them something else?
Before anyone could ask more, Steve looked up at the darkening sky.
âAlright, weâll camp here for the night,â he said. âItâs an open space, good sightlines, plenty of trees for cover. Weâll need to hunt later, but weâve got enough supplies to last till morning. Sorry, but it looks like we wonât reach the camp until tomorrow. Rest while we set things up.â
Which also meant that the second part of the story would have to be put on pause for now.
Without hesitation, Steve leapt forward and sliced through a massive tree with a single sweep of his claws. The trunk crashed down, shaking the ground. Several of his men caught the falling sections before they could roll, cutting and shaping them swiftly into usable chunks.
In minutes, the fallen tree had become stools and firewood. The Werewolves worked with practiced rhythm, every movement efficient, every role clear. Theyâd done this countless times before.
Kai, Gary, and Lupus sat nearby, unsure whether to help. It didnât feel right just watching them work, but it was clear these wolves knew what they were doing.
âI guess this is the rescue team,â Kai murmured, watching the coordination. âTheyâre used to traveling, saving others, moving fast. Makes me wonder how many more there are in Steveâs pack.â
Lupus rubbed his chin. âWhen it came to Ruin City and our fatherâs pack, the numbers were small. The bigger a pack grows, the higher the risk something goes wrong. A small group is easier to keep loyal, to move together with purpose. But once it grows too large... factions form. Cliques. Division spreads.â
He glanced at the others, his expression darkening. âEven then, Alphas still appear. It doesnât matter how small the pack is, the balance always tips. Eventually, it happens.â
Gary nodded slowly, his mind turning to another realization. âWhatâs crazy to me is that he said he was a Dem. You all heard that, right? That means Steveâs from the same bloodline as us. Not just him, Jack too.â
âWhich means,â Kai added, âyou and Lupus might be descended from one of them.â
Gary frowned. âThatâs what Iâve been thinking. But which one? Could it be Steve... or Jack?â
Kai smirked slightly. âJudging by your brown fur, Iâd say youâve got more in common with Steve. The resemblance is there.â Then his voice softened, thoughtful. âWhat I really want to know is how strong the Alphas of this time are. This was an era when beasts still roamed freely. Remember, Werewolves grow stronger by consuming Altered and Beast crystals. If theyâve been doing that for generations, their power must be on a whole different level.â
He leaned back, eyes narrowing toward Steveâs group. âEven with our own strength limited, Iâm not sure weâd be a match for them.â
As if summoned by those words, a broad-shouldered man with huge, rounded arms approached. He wore a metallic vest that left his forearms bare, his muscles thick as iron.
âHey, big guy,â the man called, nodding toward Lupus. âYou look like the strongest one here. How about a little game?â
Gary followed his gaze and spotted a small stump nearby where two men were locked in an arm-wrestling match. Their hands strained against each other until one slammed the otherâs fist into the wood with a sharp crack. The crowd cheered.
âWe like to test the new ones,â the man said. âSome Omegas turn out to be monsters in disguise, stronger than half of us. Letâs see what youâre made of, huh? Itâs good to know who we can count on in a fight.â
Lupus said nothing. He simply rose from his seat, stretching his arms with calm confidence, and walked toward the stump.
Gary groaned. âSeriously? They just assume heâs the strongest because heâs big? These guys should know size isnât everything.â
Kai chuckled. âYou know, out of context, that sounds way too suggestive, especially coming from you. Considering how often youâve been talking about stripping lately...â
âIâm still thinking about it,â Gary muttered defensively. âMaybe Iâll just say I sleep better without a shirt. Thatâs reasonable, right?â
Kai laughed under his breath as the crowd gathered. The two Werewolves locked hands over the stump. Veins bulged, muscles tensed, and the wood creaked beneath the strain.
Then, slam!
Lupusâs opponentâs hand was driven down hard enough to shake the stump. Gasps filled the air.
âWhoa! The new guy beat Yorn!â someone shouted. âDid you see that? He didnât even struggle, just crushed him!â
âSomeone else go up against him!â another voice called. âCome on, we might have found a real powerhouse here!â
Within seconds, more wolves stepped forward, eager to test themselves. The crowd swelled around the makeshift arena, laughter and shouts rising with the flicker of firelight.
Gary and Kai stayed where they were, watching the growing spectacle. That was when Steve walked over and crouched beside them, his grin easy and confident.
âLooks like theyâre having fun,â he said. His gaze lingered on the stump before turning to Gary. âBut Iâm curious. I heard you earlier, you think youâre strong too, right? Why donât we put that to the test?â
***
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