Chapter 1623: What Started the War (Part 2)

Jack walked over to the three of them while the others drifted toward the sides of the courtyard. The moment he appeared, the entire atmosphere shifted. Those who had been training moments ago paused mid-swing, exchanging quick glances before respectfully bowing their heads. Then, without needing to be told, many of them quietly excused themselves, heading off toward the training rooms, the weapon racks, or simply dispersing into the nearby corridors.

No one wanted to intrude on a conversation involving Jack Dem.

Now that he stood directly in front of Gary, Kai, and Lupus, the three could feel the weight of his presence in a way they hadn’t expected. Up close, Jack was even larger than he had looked from afar, bigger and bulkier than Lupus, who already appeared like a mountain of a Werewolf compared to most. Jack’s shoulders were broad, his chest thick, and even relaxed, his voice rumbled faintly in the air.

His eyes scanned the three of them up and down, as though evaluating the depth of their souls with a single glance.

“You three…” Jack said, his voice coming from deep within his chest. “Just from looking at you, I can tell you’re fine warriors. And even if you weren’t, Werewolves are always welcome here at the Red Wing Pack.”

There was a warmth to his tone, a friendliness, but also something that didn’t quite match his expression. The smile was there… yet to Gary, something about it felt strained.

“I do have to warn you, though,” Jack continued. “The Pack is under restructuring at the moment, so things aren’t quite what they usually would be.”

At those words, Galdark shot Jack a brief side-eye. This was the first time he’d heard anything about a restructuring. The flicker of confusion was small, but noticeable, at least to the trio, who were watching closely.

“Because of that,” Jack went on, “we can’t integrate you into particular teams as such. But you’re free to have a place to live. You’ll be fed. You’ll have no worries while you stay here. Just try to become part of our Pack life, and feel free to rough up some of my boys here!”

Jack let out a friendly laugh, loud and hearty, as if trying to project ease and confidence into the air. His smile widened, his arms spread slightly.

But even then, Gary felt something off.

Jack exchanged a few more words with them, small talk, introductions, the kind of polite conversation a leader would give to new recruits. After that, Jack excused himself, saying he needed to greet the rest of the Pack.

He left with a firm nod, and Galdark immediately stepped forward.

“I’ll meet with the three of you every two days at your separate dorms,” Galdark said, his tone far more serious than Jack’s had been. “I showed you the room earlier. I’ll make sure everything is organized so you have a good time here.”

The meaning was clear between them.

Meeting up every two days was just the excuse. What Galdark really meant was:

We need to exchange information without raising suspicion.

When both Jack and Galdark were gone, the courtyard suddenly felt wider, emptier, and strangely quiet. It was just them now, the three of them standing beneath the fading afternoon light, surrounded by weapons racks and the faint sound of Werewolves training deeper inside the building.

“Well…” Kai exhaled. “That was stranger than I thought.”

He crossed his arms, brows drawn as he replayed Jack’s behavior in his mind.

“It almost seems like Jack trusts us completely. If he was worried about Unzoku and other Werewolves sneaking in, wouldn’t he keep a closer eye on us? But instead, he practically just told us to do whatever we want and live here with no trouble. He seemed… open. Relaxed.”

“Maybe it’s a trap,” Lupus said, his arms also folding over his chest. “To see if we start doing anything on our own. If we start investigating and we’re caught snooping around… we could be in serious trouble.”

“Right,” Kai nodded. “But we also have Galdark. We should use him. Did you see the strange look he gave Jack earlier? It seems like Jack might’ve slipped up when speaking. Something’s off.”

Kai let his eyes drift toward the tower where Jack had disappeared.

“Still…” he added. “It’s hard to imagine a man who looked that happy, doing anything with Unzoku.”

Gary had been silent the entire time, staring at the stones beneath his feet, thinking, feeling. But eventually he lifted his head, and the words he spoke made both Kai and Lupus turn toward him.

“Jack… looked happy to you guys?”

Kai blinked.

“He… didn’t to you?”

Gary shook his head slowly.

“No. The smile he gave, and his voice, to me it almost seemed like he was in pain. Even when he was looking at us, when he was talking… it was like something else was on the back of his mind. Like he was staring through us instead of at us.”

He frowned deeper.

“I can’t explain it well. But I actually don’t think it’s a trap. I think Jack doesn’t care what we do because whatever is troubling him… it’s even bigger than us being here.”

The other two stared at him in silence.

“Everything he did, everything he said, it felt like he was just going through the motions,” Gary continued. “I think back to when we first met Steve. He wanted us in his Pack. He watched us every step of the way. He cared.”

Gary looked toward the upper floors, where Jack’s office was.

“I can see how much these Werewolves respect him. So Jack must be a great leader too. The kind who would do anything for his Pack. But even though I don’t know Jack… even though this is my first time meeting him… it seems like he’s changed.”

Kai’s expression softened.

This, right here, was what made Gary the leader of the Howlers.

Kai had always known it.

Gary didn’t think like he did. He didn’t analyze every possibility or break things down logically. Instead, Gary felt things. He sensed danger, fear, sincerity, lies. When he trusted those instincts, the pack thrived. Every major decision Gary had made, good or bad, came from his gut. And somehow, it always led them forward.

Kai preferred the shadows. He was support. Strategy. A quiet blade.

But Gary was the front, the heart. The Alpha.

“Well then…” Kai said, lowering his voice and glancing toward the hall. “Let’s do some investigating. And try not to get caught.”

Lupus nodded.

Gary cracked his knuckles.

Their plan was simple.

Learn about Jack.

Understand what changed him.

Uncover the truth behind the coming war.

*****

For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below.

Instagram: jksmanga

P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga

When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.