"A vampire!?" one of the Altered Hunters shouted.
The tension inside the Wolf's Pool Club immediately shifted. More hunters had arrived, survivors from the chaos in Ruin City. Among them was Saiber, who had gotten word about the meeting location. Several agents who had escaped alongside Joy were also present.
Not all of them had seen what Edvard had done firsthand, but they had certainly felt it. The force. The destruction. The unexplainable surge of power from far off in the distance.
"Next, you're going to tell us we were fighting Werewolves instead of Altered," Saiber muttered, arms crossed.
His voice was laced with bitter sarcasm, but the room's reaction said enough. Several faces turned away. Eyes dropped to the floor. A silence swept over the Howlers as they avoided eye contact with the hunters.
"Honestly, after everything we went through, I think… that's exactly what this is, isn't it?" Joy said, stepping forward. "You mentioned explaining things. You talked about the Altered Hunters being used. This battle wasn't about rogue Altereds, it's your little war between Vampires and Werewolves, isn't it?"
Her voice cracked slightly, her anger barely restrained. The image of Cooper, her teammate, her friend, flashed through her mind. He hadn't made it back.
"I said I would explain everything," Edvard responded, calm and steady. "From the beginning. From the creation of the Altered Hunters to what really happened. Many of you don't have the full picture yet, especially about what happened in Ruin City. I think it's time we all laid our truths out, for everyone's understanding."
His words, quiet yet firm, were enough to hold the room together. For now, the tension was dialed back, and those still seething were pulled back by those close to them.
So Edvard began his tale.
He didn't go all the way back to the origin of vampires. That story could e another day. He started with the Altered Hunters, how they were created, and why.
It hadn't been his idea. A group of individuals with a shared interest had formed it, and the vampires had seen a strategic advantage. They placed Edvard among them, and he eventually climbed his way to the top.
But it wasn't just the Altered Hunters.
Vampires had been entwined with society for much longer than anyone realized. Quietly, they had embedded themselves everywhere: within White Rose, within the government, in positions of power across the world.
Given their strange abilities and long lives, it made sense. The others in the room, now hearing this, began to understand just how much influence the vampires truly held.
Edvard explained that everything he had done had been to protect the integrity of the Altered Hunters. Yes, he'd been given targeted missions by his people, but this was the first time the organization had been mobilized directly against Werewolves.
That's when Gary and the others jumped in, explaining their side of the story.
They weren't just any Werewolf pack. They were different. Their intentions, their way of life, even their abilities set them apart. The vampires had approached them for help in dealing with Lupus.
Of course, Gary left out the part about his uncle. About his family's connection to the opposing pack. That wasn't relevant here, not right now.
One by one, the members began recounting what they had experienced.
The confrontations with the Ironfangs. The brutal fights. The people they had lost.
As they spoke, they realized… this wasn't just a nightmare anymore. It had been real. All of it.
Austin talked about the pain he had endured while fighting Lupus, the overwhelming strength, the Luna's abilities, and the fear of not making it out alive.
Those who hadn't been there were silent, their expressions shifting with each new piece of the story. They were starting to realize just how close they'd all e to disaster.
The Howlers and the Hunters talked with each other, sharing their losses and trying to process it all together.
But it was one story in particular that cut through the noise.
Gary stepped forward, his voice serious.
"Edvard… I thought we had a deal," he said. "We fought alongside each other. Against Lupus. So why did Kim betray us and try to kill Kai?"
The room fell quiet again. All eyes shifted to Edvard, and Blackjack, who sat next to him.
The two exchanged a glance.
"I can't say for sure what was going through her mind," Edvard said finally. "But the history between vampires and werewolves… it goes back a long way. Centuries. There've been countless feuds, small skirmishes, even full-scale battles."
He paused.
"There's one key difference between our two races. Our lifespan. Our grudges last far longer than yours. What feels like ancient history to you may still feel fresh to us. Maybe Kim… maybe she couldn't confront the one who originally wronged her. Maybe she carried that hatred for so long, it festered. And she let it out on all Werewolves."
The room absorbed his words, some more uneasily than others.
"You need to understand something," Edvard continued. "Vampire politics are messy. plicated. Getting a room full of humans to agree on anything is hard enough. Werewolf packs clash with each other too, don't they?"
He turned to Gary.
"So don't judge all of us by the actions of one. But also… don't assume we all see you the same way either."
Gary thought back to how Edvard had fought to save him. The way he'd risked his life. There was no denying that. But something twisted inside Gary as he listened to his words, conflicting feelings battling beneath the surface.
He wondered if the others felt it too. He glanced at Kai, at Austin, at Innu. Was he the only one starting to question things?
Then Edvard looked him straight in the eyes.
"I want to help you, Gary. As a personal favor. For delivering the armor. This isn't from the settlement. This isn't an order from the King. This is me offering you a reward."
He stood.
"If there's anything you want to ask, anything you need, speak up. And if there's something you wish to request from us or the settlement, I'll do everything I can to make it happen."
That's when a voice spoke up from the side.
"Then let's talk," Midwak said, stepping forward. "About them."
He pointed toward Edvard.
"You knew about it before the fight, didn't you? The issue with the Dark Guild?"
****
(Hospital visit today, still no baby, just checking everything is healthy! Will continue chapter two in the morning.)
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