My Werewolf System

Chapter 1809  The Great Retreat

Gary and the rest of the pack, along with the three vampires, were now sprinting through the outskirts of the city, following the path where the Glutton Wolves had vanished. They stayed a tactical distance behind Luzen, confident in his abilities; they knew he was the most gifted tracker among them and wouldnʼt lose the scent.

As they pushed deeper into the urban sprawl, the group decided they needed a clearer picture of the chaos. To get a wider view, they scaled a series of tall apartment blocks, leaping from balcony to rooftop until they reached a vantage point that overlooked the heart of Centerfield. They had a nagging suspicion that this wasnʼt just a localized event at the White Rose base, and they were right.

From their elevated position, the scale of the movement was staggering. Below them, a sea of fur and muscle was surging through the streets. Thousands of Gluttons were all moving in the same synchronized direction toward the North of the city. They were climbing over buildings, sprinting through narrow alleyways, and clambering over abandoned cars.

But what was even more unsettling than their numbers was their behavior. The Gluttons were completely ignoring the survivors. They could see terrified people poking their heads out of smashed windows or scavenging for supplies in the wreckage, only to be bypassed by the passing beasts. The predatory hunger that had defined them only an hour ago seemed to have been replaced by a singular, driving purpose.

“There’s clearly something wrong here,” Kai said, his eyes scanning the moving mass below. “They’re all acting differently than before. The mindless hunger is gone. This can only mean one thing: they’re following an order.”

“Well, there can only be one person capable of giving an order to an army of beasts like that, right?” Innu added, his grip tightening on his weapons. “It has to be Unzoku.”

No one needed to offer a verbal confirmation; the weight of that name hung heavy over the rooftop. They were all thinking the same thing.

“But what is he trying to do?” Marie asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Why is he calling them all back now? Is it because he lost his grip on Midwak? Did we break the link?”

Midwak let out a dry, self-deprecating chuckle. “Thank you for the flattery, Marie. But in the grand scheme of Unzoku’s plans, I don’t think I’m that big of a piece. I think the timing is just a coincidence. This feels like something much larger.”

Suddenly, a series of vibrations and sharp beeps erupted from Kai’s pocket. He realized with a jolt that he hadnʼt checked his phone since the fighting intensified. As he pulled it out and scrolled through the data, his face went pale.

He saw the reports, the frantic warning messages that had flooded in from Slough. Their home was under attack. Kai’s first thought was a bitter ‘I knew it.’ He assumed this had all been a massive diversion to lure the pack away from Slough and leave it defenseless. That was, until he reached the most recent updates.

“It’s not just here!” Kai shouted, his eyes darting across the screen. “Gluttons attacked Slough as well, but the reports say they’ve all suddenly retreated there, too. I’m checking the national feeds... if I had to guess, every Glutton across the entire country is retreating right now.”

The situation was moving from a local disaster to a national catastrophe.

“Unzoku has to be planning something massive. We have to stop him before he completes whatever ritual or move he’s making,” Austin claimed, his fists glowing with kinetic energy.

“Right, but what about Slough?” Gary asked, his eyes filled with conflict. He wanted to hunt Unzoku, but he couldnʼt leave his home in ruins.

Kai nodded, already making a decision. “Luzen will continue to follow the Gluttons. He’ll stay out of trouble and report back to us on their destination. Most likely, they’ll lead us straight to wherever Unzoku is hiding. But the rest of us need to get back to Slough. we need to protect our territory and make sure everyone is okay.”

He looked at the group. “We can gather more information from there and coordinate our next move once we know our people are safe.”

The rest of the pack nodded in agreement. Gary’s mind was also racing with concern for one more person, Lupus. If everyone else was having trouble, was the legendary Alpha facing the same tide of madness?

“And... what about you guys?” Gary asked, turning his head toward the three ancient beings standing in the shadows of the rooftop. “What are you going to do?”

Rowa, Haylock, and the third vampire looked at each other, sharing a silent communication before nodding in unison. It was clear they had already discussed their next steps while the werewolves were focused on the city below.

“This matter has become far too serious. It is affecting the entire country now,” Rowa answered, his usual arrogance replaced by a grim pragmatism. “It is beyond our scope to act out on our own initiative anymore. We must report back to the King, present our findings, and ask what he wishes for the families to do.”

The answer was understandable, if a bit disappointing.

“I guess this is where our alliance ends, then,” Gary said, offering a curt nod of respect.

“Gary,” Haylock called out as they prepared to depart. “It seems this situation is much closer to your kind than ours. It is likely you will get the first chance to deal with the heart of the problem. I wish you and your entire group good luck... I would hate to see Earth be completely consumed by all of this.”

With those final words, the three vampires vanished into the night, leaving the pack alone on the rooftop to face the coming storm.

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(Second chapter might be my morning instead)

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