Chapter 1406: The Waiting Game
The secret location designated for the Werewolves who would take part in the battle came as a surprise to everyone. When they had first arrived at what they thought was the correct site, they found a handwritten note taped to the rusted gate, redirecting them to another place entirely.
The true location turned out to be the Howlers’ Manor.
It was a place all too familiar, a stronghold where they had once gathered, laughed, trained, and bonded. And now, it was to serve as their waiting room for war.
Though it wasn’t directly in the heart of the fighting, thanks to their full transformed states, it would only take them around fifteen minutes to arrive wherever they were needed. That is, if they were called upon at all.
Gathered around the long wooden table inside the dimly lit dining room were the fighters: Xin, Park, Midwak, Olivia, and Kevin. Each one a Werewolf, each one powerful in their own right. And among them was Tom, the only human in the room, though his calm presence made it easy to forget that detail.
“Is this really the best place to keep us?” Olivia asked, resting her elbow on the table, fingers tapping against her cheek.
“It is,” Tom replied, glancing around the room as if double-checking his own reasoning. “For a number of reasons.”
He stood, pointing toward the ceiling where several small black orbs had been installed.
“First, I’ve set up advanced sprinkler systems, ones that disperse a scent-masking chemical. It completely covers up the smell of Werewolves. On top of that, I’ve placed several smaller scent disruptors throughout the property. For the next six hours, the entire area will smell like it’s just full of regular humans.”
He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing.
“That means it’ll be nearly impossible for any Werewolf to track you down by scent. And as for this place itself, it’s almost unknown, even to most of our own Howlers. If the Lupus pack managed to extract information from someone, they’d still have no idea where to find you.”
Tom’s voice grew quieter.
“And there’s one final reason,” he added. “Just in case all of this fails, and the worst happens, this area is isolated. If they find you and attack… no innocent people will get caught in the crossfire.”
The group nodded solemnly. The logic was sound, but it didn’t make the waiting any easier.
Around the table, the digital clocks ticked with infuriating slowness. Every second seemed to stretch. The low hum of tension filled the air.
“It’s only been an hour?” Xin groaned, her head thrown back. “And we’re supposed to wait five more? This is torture.”
“I know how you all feel,” Tom said. “You’re not the kind to sit around. Even without transforming, some of you could hold your own against most Altered and lower-ranked Werewolves.”
He looked directly at Xin and Olivia.
“But your faces are known. If you step into the battlefield, they’ll recognize you in seconds. And once they do, they’ll come at you with everything they’ve got. That’s the last thing we need.”
He sighed, folding his arms.
“Think about Gary,” he continued. “He’s still out there, but he’s avoiding the fighting too. For the exact same reason. If Lupus finds out where he is, they’ll go for him first. No matter what.”
The mood turned heavier. Heads lowered. It wasn’t just about pride anymore, it was strategy. Gary had been training relentlessly with Qi and the war hammer, building a fighting chance. And yet even he had to play it safe.
“This sucks,” Midwak muttered, scratching his arm. “I used to think Lupus had a certain level of honor. That if he knew Gary couldn’t transform right now, he wouldn’t push the fight.”
“You’re talking about a pack that chose to attack because it’s a full moon,” Park replied. “They knew this was the best time to strike. They’ve already lost a lot thanks to the Altered Hunters. They’re protecting what’s left of their people.”
“Lupus puts his pack first. Always has. And I get it, I just wish it didn’t have to come to this. They said they’d talk it out. I really believed they would.”
Everyone around the table nodded quietly in agreement. After all the wars, the battles, the clashes with kings… this fight felt like the one that shouldn’t have happened.
At least the Bree family didn’t seem to be a problem for now. But still, why this? Why now?
“I wanted to ask something,” Midwak said, looking toward Xin. “Have you been able to see anything yet?”
“What do you mean?” she replied, already sensing the question was aimed at her as a Luna.
“One of the Luna’s powers is the ability to use the moon’s energy for foresight,” Midwak explained. “Ylva uses it in combat, to predict where attacks will come from. That’s why she’s so hard to fight. She sees things before they happen.”
“But it’s tied to the moon’s strength,” he continued. “The stronger the moon, the clearer the visions. Most of the time, it’s just flashes, seconds ahead during a fight. Still, it could be useful. With the moon at its peak right now, I thought maybe… you might see something. Something we could use to help from here.”
“That kind of power… it sounds overwhelming,” Tom added, glancing at Xin. “But… do you think it’s possible? Even if you can’t transform, could you still access that ability?”
Xin took a deep breath.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But there’s only one way to find out. Maybe it’s time we stop waiting and try to do something.”
As Xin closed her eyes to focus, somewhere across the city, an Ironfang was slinking through the shadows.
Ghost moved silently, slipping past the makeshift barricades of cars and frozen traps with ease. The Howlers had only fortified so much, after all, they believed the Lupus pack was after them, not the city itself.
Even still, Ghost was running into a major problem.
“In a city this size,” he whispered to himself, sniffing the air. “If they’ve masked their scent… how the hell am I supposed to find them?”
He narrowed his eyes.
“I guess… there’s only one option left.”
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