While Gary continued the fight, the weight of his role as leader of the Howlers pressed heavily on him. Every move he made wasn’t just about surviving, it was about holding the line, keeping control, and somehow keeping a grasp on the wider situation. He needed to know what was happening beyond the chaos right in front of him.
From time to time, Crawley would swoop in from above, relaying updates, brief snapshots of the battlefield from his vantage point. But advice? That was harder to come by. There were no easy solutions to give, no quick way to turn the tide.
Each time, Crawley would have to dart back toward the restaurant, where he coordinated with the Alters, pointing out weaknesses in enemy formations and highlighting spots where their lines were beginning to falter. Truth be told, Crawley was one of the main reasons they’d managed to hold out this long. Without his quick scouting and coordination, their defense would have collapsed far sooner.
But the news Gary was getting now was anything but good. Their group was being pushed back, taking the heavier injuries, while the enemy, the werewolves, simply refused to stay down. Even after enduring blow after blow, they would get back up, eyes still burning with feral intent.
What do I do? What do I do? Gary’s thoughts churned. If I strike them twice with the hammer, that’s enough to make them stay down... but the ones I’m facing seem to know this. They’re not trying to win against me directly, they’re just stalling, making me waste time.
How much he wished he still had some of his old skills, Lethal Pounce, his blinding speed, the kind of abilities that could close the distance on any opponent. But without them, it was proving frustratingly difficult to end fights quickly.
Even though Blake’s holding Ylva back, they’re locked in an intense fight... Do I unleash the full power of the Warhammer and take her out? If I do, will that stop the Wolf’s Song that’s powering them? His grip tightened on the weapon. But I can only use that skill once... What if I need it when Lupus finally shows up?
Gary grit his teeth. The situation wasn’t looking good. The longer this dragged on, the more lives would be lost, pulling them further into a pit of despair.
And then, right on cue, another powerful presence entered the fray. Ylva felt it too: the approach of one of the stronger werewolves. One of the Altered from Crawley’s team swooped down from above, wings slicing the air, his movement like that of a massive insect diving in to strike.
The creature slashed with its claw, but the werewolf met it without flinching. Leaning back to avoid the strike, it shot out a hand, seized the Altered by the wing, and yanked it down with brutal force. The impact as it hit the ground was enough to make the earth tremble. Before the Altered could recover, the werewolf stomped down hard, twisting its foot left and right in a grinding motion.
“That one’s dangerous!” Sadie’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and urgent. “Don’t engage, don’t engage!”
Sadie, Frank, and Elijah all knew exactly who they were dealing with. This was the Iron-Masked Werewolf, a monster they had no desire to face head-on.
Back near the center of the fight, Ylva’s claws slashed toward Blake in a lightning-quick strike, forcing him to raise his blades and block. With a sudden shift, she followed through with an attack strong enough to push him back.
“Oh my,” Ylva purred, a smirk curling her lips. “Maybe instead of fighting against you... a reunion might be better, hmm?”
Elsewhere, where Austin had been holding the line against the second wave, the situation was just as grim. He was battered and bloodied, wounds slowing him down, his breaths ragged. Above him, his friends hesitated, unsure whether to dive into the fight.
Then they saw it, a helicopter cutting through the sky, heading straight toward them.
“Is that the enemy?” Vlad asked, his voice tense.
“I’m really not sure,” someone replied. “If it is... Austin’s going to be in serious trouble.”
The helicopter swept in low, hovering above the chaos. But Austin barely noticed; he was too locked into the fight, focusing on staying alive from one second to the next. The werewolves around him weren’t paying much attention to the helicopter either. Their focus was on Austin, they knew his strength, and they could tell he was close to the breaking point.
One of them readied a spear, taking careful aim. Muscles coiled, the weapon hurled forward with devastating force, straight for Austin’s head.
Two other werewolves lunged in at the same time, seizing Austin by both arms and pinning him in place. He struggled, but exhaustion dragged at him. He had fought for too long, taken too much damage, and the ones holding him weren’t just any werewolves, they were strong, selected for this very purpose.
The spear closed in. And then,
A shadow dropped from the sky, landing between Austin and certain death. In the same instant, a whirlpool of water erupted into existence, swirling in a tight vortex that caught the spear mid-flight. The force behind the throw was powerful enough to pierce steel, but the water held, slowing it, halting it, until the werewolf had no choice but to pull the weapon back.
“Who are you?” Broodie demanded, his eyes narrowing. “What are you doing interfering?”
“Me?” The newcomer adjusted his glasses with two fingers, calm as if he’d just stepped into a casual conversation. “I am Assistant Chief Leon Chen... formerly of the White Rose organization.”
“White Rose?” Broodie’s expression shifted in surprise. Last he had heard, the White Rose had lost its funding and was on the verge of collapse. In truth, it had practically already fallen apart.
“You think we haven’t dealt with your people before?” Broodie growled. “Even if you join the fight, nothing will change!”
“There’s something you should know,” Chen replied, his tone still infuriatingly steady. “I only join a fight if I believe we have a chance at winning. Which is why...” His lips curved into a faint smile. “...I’m not the only one here.”
(No Second Chapter Today, so Try three Tommrow)
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