My Werewolf System

Chapter 1822  Change The Future

Inside a brightly lit restaurant, families were enjoying their meals and friends were engaged in lighthearted chatter. To the casual observer, the world was continuing as if there were no issues at all; to the general public, that was exactly the case. There were smiles all around as waitstaff moved efficiently, and plates of hot food were delivered quickly to the various tables. However, there was one person in the restaurant who seemed remarkably restless, a stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of the room.

Sitting right up by the window at a small, round two-seater table, Dean was bouncing his knee up and down with an agitated, nervous energy. His eyes darted toward the glass, watching the street as if expecting a storm to break at any moment.

“Do we have to keep doing this?” Dean asked, his voice low and strained. “Do we have to stay on the move the entire time? It feels like we’re just running in circles while the world burns.”

“That is coming to an end,” Rickle replied calmly, taking a slow sip of the whiskey he had out on the table. Unlike Dean, who had a plate of half-eaten food, there was nothing in front of Rickle but his glass.

“With the Settlement having made its move to try and stabilize things here, they have decided to force everything to do with Altered research and activity and get rid of it. Since I’m one of the founders of NIRV, there is no doubt they will be looking toward every high-ranking member. I’ve told you before, but it’s best I keep my tracks clean from them. They can never find out where I am or who I’ve become,” Rickle answered, his gaze distant. “It feels like it might be time for a new generation for me soon. I might even have to start going under a new name entirely.”

“I don’t understand,” Dean said, his frustration boiling over. “The current matter, everything with the Gluttons and the chaos, it affects everyone, including those in the Settlement. And that damned partner of yours is right in the middle of it, right? So why aren’t the two of you getting involved? Why aren’t you doing everything you can to stop what is happening? You did it once before, so why don’t you do it now?”

Dean leaned forward, his eyes darting around the room to ensure no one was eavesdropping before he spoke again.

“There are eyes that are watching this situation very carefully, Dean,” Rickle said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Getting too involved brings more attention, and the wrong type of attention at that. Believe me, we both have already done more than we ever should have. Things can change here and there in the short term, but there are things in this world that we simply cannot change. I’ve explained this to you many times before.”

“Right, but what’s the use if everyone ends up dead?” Dean countered, his fists clenching. “Shouldn’t we be trying to stop this as well? Shouldnʼt we be doing anything we can to protect people?”

As Dean was about to speak more, his eyes drifted toward the table next to them. A young kid had just sat down, and for a moment, the boy reminded Dean painfully of Gary. The boy appeared to be around sixteen, with rather long black hair that trailed down his neck in messy strands. His eyes looked heavy, filled with dark bags and swollen as if he hadnʼt slept in days.

As for the older gentleman opposite him, who Dean could only guess was the boyʼs father, he wore the exact same expression. It was the look of two people who had spent hours crying, grieving over something heavy and life-altering.

“It’s alright, Tai,” the older man said, reaching out to touch the boyʼs hand. “We’re safe now. We managed to get out. We finally get to enjoy things like this again, you know? So you should try to eat up.”

The kid, Tai, just stared at the table, not touching his food.

“Dad... can’t we do something about this?” Tai asked, his voice breaking. “How can we just sit here and act like nothing happened? How?”

The kid broke down into tears again, his shoulders shaking. The father looked as if he were lost for words, his own grief mirrored in his son’s breakdown.

“I might be missing for a while,” Rickle said, pulling Dean’s attention back to their own table. “I need to make sure I have precautions in place for anything that is unforeseeable. For this next phase, it’s best I move on my own, and it’s best that you keep doing what you have been doing.”

Both of Dean’s fists were clenched.

“You want me to look after a kid while my own son is out there fighting for the sake of everyone? He could lose his life at any second!” Dean grunted, his voice a harsh whisper.

“I promised I would look after and protect your family, Dean, but Gary is in too deep,” Rickle said, standing up and smoothing his coat. “I can’t help him now.”

“But why should I be looking after someone else’s child when I should be looking after my own!” Dean claimed.

“You know the answer to that already,” Rickle said, looking down at him. “Because Dem’s don’t have the power to change fate... but he does.”

“If they have all of this power, then why do I have to stay here watching them?” Dean asked, looking toward Tai Talen.

“Just because they can doesnʼt mean they will,” Rickle replied cryptically. “And, it might not always be for the better.”

Right after Rickle left the restaurant, Dean turned his head to the side. He watched the young kid, Tai Talen, the one he was meant to protect while the world moved toward its end.

“They can change fate... but Gary can’t?” Dean whispered to himself. “Then what’s the point of him fighting so hard? If the deck is stacked against him...”

It was then that an idea clicked in Dean’s head. If Gary couldnʼt change fate on his own, then Dean realized there was something he could do. He didnʼt have to be a bystander anymore.

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