Gary wouldâve been lying to himself if he said he wasnât nervous. His stomach twisted the entire time. He had two choices: follow Jack through the city or enter Jackâs house and dig through his personal space. Neither option felt remotely safe.
Following Jack might let him slip into the background and make excuses if he was caught, something like, âOh, I didnât know you were headed this way.â It wasnât a good excuse, but it was something.
But being caught inside Jackâs own house?
By his family?
There was no excuse in the world that could save him from that. Not even Gary could charm-talk his way out of trespassing inside the home of the strongest Werewolf in the region. The thought alone made his claws prickle just imagining the disaster that would follow.
Eventually, Galdark returned to the centre of the Red Wing district. As the guards resumed their positions, it was Garyâs cue to follow him at a distance. Galdark headed toward the family housing district, rows of homes along connected streets, close to the main residential area of the pack.
This was where Jackâs family lived.
The truth was, Jack had more than one house. Some were close to the Werewolf district, others were positioned nearer to the upper levels of the castle. But according to everything the local Werewolves said, his family stayed in the nearby district, among the other Werewolves who had wives, children, or extended family.
But because Gary and the others had never actually seen Jackâs family with their own eyes, theyâd only heard others talking about them, there was still uncertainty. They needed proof. Needed clarity. And this was the only way to get it.
Approaching the house, Gary noticed more Werewolves stationed around the area. They werenât guards in armor, but they watched the streets quietly, eyes sharp, ears twitching, noses lifted slightly as they monitored scents drifting in the air. Extra protection for the family of the strongest Werewolf. It made sense.
Galdark walked up to them and began a conversation, his tone serious as he fabricated another excuse.
âThereâs an investigation that needs to be done within the camp,â Galdark explained, waving a hand. âSomeone made quite the mess, and we need the guards looking into it.â
He said it so casually that the guards didnât even question him. They left quickly, confident that Galdark, Jackâs right-hand man, had the authority to send them wherever he wished.
Once the guards were gone, Galdark let out a soft whistle, Garyâs signal.
Gary emerged from the shadows of the nearby buildings.
âYou know,â Gary whispered, âIâm just thinking... you could go into the house yourself. Youâd know better what to look for.â
Galdark let out a tired sigh, rubbing his forehead.
âIâve already done so much behind Jackâs back,â he said quietly. âThis is as far as Iâm willing to go without exploding and telling him everything. You donât have to worry, his family isnât home right now. But donât take your time either. No one knows how long Jack will be gone.â
Galdark positioned himself outside the house, ready to keep watch while Gary went inside.
Gary took a deep breath. Even knowing the family wasnât home didnât completely calm him. But at least he wouldnât have to sneak around with children screaming or a wife calling out for help. If anyone did come, Galdark would signal him.
Climbing onto the roof was surprisingly easy. The houses were designed with slanted edges and sturdy stonework, enough footholds for a Werewolf to scale without leaving marks. At the top, a smaller upper door rested beneath a simple latch. Most people wouldnât lock it, since anyone could see someone entering from the streets below. It was assumed no one would dare trespass into Jackâs property in the first place.
But Gary wasnât âno one.â
âJust because people think no one would ever do this,â Gary whispered to himself, âdoesnât mean Unzoku wouldnât.â
That thought alone made his claws tremble a little. Galdarkâs warning echoed in his mind.
Hurry.
Gary pushed open the top door and slipped inside.
Meanwhile, Lupus had a relatively easy job, at least at this stage of the plan. He was already inside the forge, hammering away while he practiced the techniques heâd been taught. Each swing of his hammer carried a firmness that surprised everyone, even himself.
The forging process required him to infuse Qi into the metal, a skill needed to create special beast gear. The head forger had explained that infused Qi was what made equipment unique, giving it natural traits that matched the Werewolf who crafted it.
Once Lupus mastered infusing Qi properly, the next step would be to create gear perfectly attuned to their kind. Weapons that maximised a Werewolfâs strength and ferocity.
But while training, Lupus was also observing, studying entrances, cracks in walls, large vents overhead, and the rhythm of the workersâ movement. He wasnât here just to practice; he needed a way inside when the forge closed early.
âSo they only lock the front entrance at night...â Lupus analyzed, eyes drifting toward the massive exhaust openings overhead. âI guess the vents are the only way in. Dirty. Messy. Probably full of ash... but itâll work.â
He pictured himself squeezing through a soot-caked metal tunnel. The idea didnât bother him. Heâd crawled through worse. What mattered was whether something secret truly lay inside.
âBut if no one ever enters after hours... is anyone really hiding anything here?â Lupus wondered. âStill, Iâll check the central furnace. That area is off-limits even during the day... so if anything unusual is happening, itâll be there.â
Worst case scenario, at least heâd get to see the legendary equipment stored inside.
And maybe, just maybe...
Learn how to build something powerful enough to help them against Unzoku.
****
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