Gary stared at the towering creature before him, the one that called itself Unzoku. The being who claimed to be the very first Werewolf. Looking at its monstrous body, Gary couldn't deny it might be true. But it wasn't just its form that echoed with truth, it was the words it had spoken. A creation from God? The god of Werewolves? The word "god" was thrown around so loosely these days that it had lost most of its weight. Gary wondered if this was just another one of those cases, a term used to label a higher being, one that stood above the rest. But if Unzoku was truly the first of his kind, the originator of Werewolves… then maybe "god" was the right word. At least in this context. Gary had never truly thought about it before, where Werewolves had even come from. Recently, he'd spoken with Edvard, one of the original vampires. That revelation alone had started to shift Gary's understanding of the world. If vampires had a beginning, then so did Werewolves. And now… now he was standing in front of it. Still, Edvard had never claimed to be a god. Just a vampire who had lived for an impossibly long time. But Unzoku, this being, was something else entirely. His presence radiated power in ways Gary couldn't explain. This was the voice Gary had heard during the ritual. The one that had forced his transformation, set unbreakable pact rules, even tampered with his scent. While Gary was a Werewolf, this being… this thing wasn't bound to him. No, Gary was bound to it. Which meant he had no choice but to treat Unzoku as something greater. Something far superior. "I see," Gary finally said, keeping his voice steady. "It's… a pleasure to meet you. And thank you, for listening to my request last time. For making that deal with me." His throat was dry, but he pushed through. "Is there a reason you're meeting with me now? Is it because of the deal we made? Is something… wrong?" Why now? That was the question screaming in Gary's mind. Why had this powerful being chosen to speak to him? Why not Lupus? Why not someone else? Why now, of all times? "We made a deal, Gary," Unzoku replied, his deep voice shaking the air around them. "A deal you were never meant to break. And yet… I can feel it." His eyes glowed as he stepped forward slightly. "My connection to you, your thoughts, your actions, it tells me everything. And I know that today… today is the day you decided to turn your back on that deal." Gary's heart sank. He thought he had more time. That the consequences of his decision wouldn't come until the day the deal's deadline arrived. But Unzoku was right. Until now, Gary had been uncertain. Torn. But earlier today, he'd made up his mind. He wasn't going to fight Lupus. "I understand…" Gary said cautiously. "But we still made a promise, right? My mind could change again. And… why is it so important that I fight him? That the Alphas clash?" He looked directly at Unzoku now. "If you're the first, if you're the origin, then you're the one who set these rules, aren't you? You decided the Alphas must battle. But why? What could you possibly gain from that?" "Don't you want us to grow stronger?" Gary continued, raising his voice. "To surpass even the vampires? So why pit us against each other?!" Gary half expected it, and sure enough, the deep, thunderous laughter returned. It rumbled through the air and shook him to his very core. "The ones you call enemies," Unzoku said, "are more connected to you than you realize. We are all connected to him. And his goal… his goal is simple: to bring about as much death as possible." Gary's eyes widened. "Why do the Alphas fight? Because it is his will. My powers compel the two of you to clash. Everything I do serves that purpose. His purpose. To grow stronger… to feed on destruction… until the day he returns to this world." Gary shook his head, struggling to keep up. The words sounded mad, like the ramblings of a fanatic. But the way Unzoku said them… it chilled him to the bone. "So… we fight… because of you?" Gary asked. "You're the reason we lose control on the full moon? You're the reason we're forced to fight one another?" He clenched his fists. "Then that means you can stop it too! You can change it, can't you?! You have the power to end this. You can break the cycle. Stop the destiny that always makes two Alphas clash!" His voice rose with hope, desperation. Was there a chance? Was there a way out of this endless spiral of violence? But Gary had forgotten something. The core reason why Unzoku was here in the first place. "Stop it?" Unzoku's voice thundered. "Stop it?! Are you a fool?!" He almost roared the words, shaking the ground beneath them. "I came here because I could sense it, your will. You've turned away from the fight. And you ask me to stop it?" He began to move forward, slowly, his massive body making the earth tremble with each step. The air thickened with dread. "Why would I ever try to stop it?" Unzoku growled, his voice now boiling with fury. "My power may be limited, but I will use it to cause as much destruction as possible. To spread death across this world." Gary couldn't move. His legs were frozen in place, his body trembling in fear. Unzoku was standing in front of him now, towering, monstrous. Before he could react, the massive hand of the beast reached out. In one swift motion, Unzoku's giant hand gripped Gary's entire head. "If you're going to break our deal," Unzoku said with a growl, "then I will force you to fight!" *** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below: Instagram: @Jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga Be the first to hear about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, and other upcoming releases. You can also reach out to me, if I'm not too busy, I usually reply!