Chapter 1382: A kept Secret
The city of Ruin was in recovery mode.
After the widespread attacks launched by the Altered Hunters, events now broadcast and dissected on every major news outlet, the world was grappling with how to respond. There was rising support to dismantle all existing Altered projects and facilities across the globe.
Yet, amidst the cries for total eradication, there was one place that stood out with a different voice: Ruin City.
Why? The answer lay in the influence of one individual, Lupus, and the grip his group had over the city’s people. Despite the chaos, they were doing what they could to rebuild. To reclaim their home. And most importantly, to prepare for whatever came next.
At this very moment, Lupus walked the stone corridors of what was once a towering estate but had now become the central base for his werewolf pack. The echo of his boots was accompanied by a softer, steadier step beside him. It belonged to Galark, the werewolf who held the title of Book Keeper.
Within the werewolf tradition, the Book Keeper was more than just a recorder of events. The role had existed for as long as their kind had walked the earth. It was a sacred duty, someone meant to remain neutral when conflict arose between two Alphas. A silent observer. A witness to history.
Rather than taking sides, the Book Keeper would document every shift in power, every battle, every decision, and ensure that knowledge was passed down to the next generation.
Usually, when conflict emerged between two Alphas, it was because both had once belonged to the same pack. For instance, if Lupus’s pack was the only one in existence, and a new Alpha emerged from it, the Book Keeper would record that change.
But the situation now was different.
This time, the rival Alpha, Gary, was someone Galark had never even interacted with. His allegiance had always been with Lupus. The uniqueness of the moment wasn’t lost on either of them.
“Do you think what I’m doing is foolish?” Lupus asked, his voice calm but laced with something unspoken.
Galark considered the question before responding. “There will always be some who disagree with your choices, just like they did back then… with your brother,” he said. “However, I truly believe you’ve always acted in the best interest of the pack. Our lives have improved immensely, though I won’t deny the risks have increased too.”
He paused for emphasis. “But you’ve never acted out of impulse, or emotion. That’s more than most leaders can say.”
“Right.” Lupus gave a quiet chuckle. “And yet many will accuse me of defying destiny itself. That history will repeat, as it always has, and that the situation we face now is just another chapter in that endless cycle.”
He turned to Galark, eyes sharper now. “I thought the item might give me answers… Were you able to locate it?”
Galark reluctantly shook his head.
“I only know about the item because of my position,” he confessed. “But there’s no confirmed location for it. Some even think it’s a myth.”
Lupus smiled dryly. “I’m convinced it’s real. Nearly everything passed down by the Book Keepers has proven true. Why would that one detail be the exception? No… I believe the item is out there. And if I had to guess, I’d say the vampires are the ones holding it.”
“They probably know exactly what it does, that’s why they’re keeping it from us. But regardless, I’ve made my decision. Anyone unhappy with my actions is welcome to challenge me face-to-face.”
Elsewhere in Ruin City, nestled in the middle of one of its expansive public gardens, stood a new structure, one that hadn’t existed before the recent destruction. Where a modest cabin once stood, there was now a reinforced, high-security facility. The section had once been labeled Poison Plants, but that was no longer what it was known for.
Thick metal walls had replaced the fragile wooden planks. Concrete and steel had taken over where earth and roots used to be. Inside, sterile hallways glowed under artificial lights, and occupying the facility was one woman, Ylva.
She was more than a Luna werewolf. She was a scientist. And right now, she walked the halls of her creation, heels tapping against the metal floor, her expression unreadable.
“I don’t understand Lupus,” she muttered under her breath. “How could he flip so suddenly?”
There was bitterness in her voice, a tightness that betrayed her frustration.
“Is he being weak just because it’s family? But he’s never shown any sign of sentimentality before.”
She clenched her fists.
“The pack, especially the Ironfangs, we’ve lost members because of those people. Because of them. The settlement worked with us once, yes… but it’s proof they’re willing to betray us again. And yet… he trusts them.”
She exhaled through her nose as she stopped in front of a sealed door.
Reaching forward, she placed her palm on the nearby pad. It beeped, recognizing her presence, and the door slid open with a low hiss. Light from the hallway spilled into the room, cutting through the dim interior like a blade.
Ylva stepped inside without hesitation.
The air was heavy. Thick with the metallic scent of chemicals, the sharp tang of blood, and something else, something animalistic and wrong.
A growl rumbled from the shadows.
Still, she didn’t flinch.
Instead, her cold, curious gaze swept across the chamber. The walls were scarred with claw marks, deep gouges that told stories of pain and fury. Chains lay broken at the edges of the room, and in the center of it all, something stirred.
Seven feet tall, hulking, monstrous, its fur was matted, its muscles trembling with suppressed power. But what caught the eye first wasn’t the sheer size of the creature.
A steel contraption covered the werewolf’s snout. Not a regular tool for sedation or safety, this one had been custom-made. Welded, bolted, permanent. It made the creature look half-machine, half-monster.
With a roar, it lunged forward. Its claws crashed against the floor, shaking the room. A tray of tools was flung into the air and clattered to the ground in a deafening crash.
One word. Firm. Sharp. Commanding.
It halted mid-attack, its claws scraping to a halt, leaving jagged lines in the metal. It growled lowly, its body trembling, but it didn’t move any further.
“You can’t change back, can you?” Ylva said softly, more a statement than a question. “Even if you wanted to. Your form… it’s stuck now. Fused permanently.”
The werewolf snarled.
But it didn’t lash out.
Its eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light, blinked once. Slow. Controlled. A clear sign.
Ylva took another step closer until she was face to face with the beast. Her voice dropped to a whisper, and a thin smile traced her lips.
“…They’re going to be in for quite the surprise.”
She turned to leave, her cloak brushing across the floor as she walked away.
“Isn’t that right, Ozacas?”
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