My Werewolf System

Chapter 1325: Can I Try?

After making sure everyone else had managed to grab a room for the day, Gary stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the upper floors, where the private apartments were. This wasnʼt exactly his main place of residence, but it was one of the locations he used frequently. Lately, heʼd been bouncing around too much to really settle in anywhere.

Still, this place made the most sense right now. It was convenient if anyone from the Altered Hunters needed to contact him, theyʼd know exactly where to find him. Plus, with the number of Howler members hanging around the hotel, he was certain more than a few already recognized him. If someone needed him, they wouldnʼt have a hard time tracking him down.

When he reached the door, he wasnʼt alone. Edvard had followed him up and was now standing close behind.

”Are you really sure about this?” Edvard asked, his brow furrowed. ”Because I honestly donʼt think itʼs a good idea.”

”What, letting you know where I live?” Gary replied with a casual shrug. ”Not a problem. Iʼve got more than one apartment. Comes with the perks of running this whole place.” He chuckled to himself, realizing just how surreal that sounded.

Not that long ago, he and his crew were scraping just to get dinner on the table. Now? He had several apartments, multiple homes to choose from, all right here in the city. What a turnaround.

”Anyway, you guys found me last time, didnʼt you?” Gary added as he unlocked the door. ”So Iʼm not too worried. If thereʼs one thing we shouldnʼt be, itʼs scared in our own homes, in our own city.”

He stepped into the apartment, with Edvard trailing behind. The place was clean, spacious, and had that modern-minimalist style, open-plan and elegant.

”I wasnʼt talking about where you live,” Edvard muttered. ”I meant sleeping so close to each other. You just started monologuing out of nowhere, so I didnʼt bother cutting in. But our noses? Theyʼre… sensitive to one another. You know that. Believe me, youʼre going to have a hard time sleeping.”

A little embarrassed by the oversight, Gary headed into one of the spare rooms. He quickly grabbed a mattress and dragged it into his own room, laying it out on the floor.

”Right, you said Iʼd be sleeping next to you,” Edvard said, watching. ”To keep an eye on me, right? Iʼm just surprised youʼre not asking me to sleep in your bed with you.”

Gary clenched his fist and gave him a glare.

”Are you asking for a fight right now?”

Eventually, the two of them got into their makeshift beds, lying with their backs to each other. Time passed. Then Gary realized something, Edvard had been right. The smell was unbearable.

It was like someone had dumped a steaming pile of dung right under his nose. It was strong, persistent, and impossible to ignore. When they were talking or fighting or even just moving around, he could suppress the irritation. But now, trying to fall asleep? His mind needed to be clear, and the smell made that impossible.

”Ughhh!” Gary growled in frustration, throwing off his blanket and jumping to his feet. ”I canʼt take this anymore! The sunʼs already up, itʼs hard enough for me to sleep during the day as it is.”

He grabbed his phone, scrolled through a few options, and tapped his selection. Glancing over, he noticed Edvard staring at him with wide eyes, like heʼd just seen a ghost.

”Iʼm ordering food. You want anything?”

Edvard paused, then gave a slight shrug. ”Maybe… some alcohol?”

ʼAlcohol? This early in the morning?ʼ Gary thought. ʼWell, I guess itʼs nearly noon… Iʼll just order whatever I can.ʼ

The two of them waited in silence, wide awake but not talking much. Eventually, the food arrived. Fortunately, since both of them were supernatural beings, they didnʼt really need sleep. Even after a serious fight, they had plenty of energy. For Gary, what he needed most wasnʼt rest, it was food.

Several packs were laid out on the table, nearly all meat. There were drinks, too, bottles and cans set beside the feast. As Gary began setting everything up, he heard a faint clanking sound and the thud of heavy boots moving across the floor.

”Are you seriously going to drink and wear that suit of armor the whole time?” Gary asked, raising a brow.

”Huh… Right.” Edvard glanced down. ”I should probably take it off. Enough time has passed.”

”Enough time for what? For you to trust me?” Gary asked, stabbing a fork into a thick cut of beef and barely chewing before swallowing. ”That armorʼs special, right? It gave you a big boost in that fight. What, you think Iʼm going to steal it or something? Hide it away? We went through a hell of a lot to get that thing to you.”

”Iʼm not worried about that,” Edvard replied simply.

As he spoke, the armor began to shift. It expanded outward, detaching and separating itself from his body. The process looked… alive. Like the armor had a mind of its own. Bit by bit, it peeled away, until Edvard was left standing in a tight layer of black cloth underneath.

Luckily, Gary didnʼt have to witness a fully naked man undressing. The suit underneath kept things covered. Still, Gary couldnʼt help but wonder.

ʼWearing all that… I wonder if he sweats like crazy in there. That armor didnʼt look breathable at all.ʼ Gary scrunched his nose. ʼThen again… he stinks to me either way, so maybe it doesnʼt make a difference.ʼ

As Edvard continued to strip off the last of the armor, Gary noticed something.

The fabric around Edvardʼs arms, what was left of it, was torn to shreds. But that wasnʼt the shocking part. His skin underneath… it was mangled. The flesh looked damaged, like it had been twisted and shredded. Both arms pulsed with a deep, bruised purple glow, like a fresh wound, except this looked worse than a broken limb.

”That…” Gary began, staring. ”Was that because of Lupus?”

”No,” Edvard answered, carefully placing one of the armor pieces on the sofa, moving slower now. Every movement looked painful. ”That happens if I draw too much power from the armor. Iʼm not worried about you stealing it. So far, Iʼm the only one whoʼs ever been able to use it. Even if you did take it, it wouldnʼt work for you.”

Gary didnʼt say anything for a moment. He watched as Edvard shut down and slumped on the couch, eyes half-lidded in exhaustion.

Then, quietly, Gary asked:

”…Can I try?”

*****

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