Chapter 1380: What Is The Howlers? No matter how hard the group thought about it, no matter how many times they went over the possibilities, they couldn’t come up with another solution for the full moon that loomed ahead like a ticking clock. They had two choices, either reach out to Unzoku now, perform the ritual, and hope it led to something, anything, or Kai would have to disappear before the full moon and only return after. Only then could they try and figure out what came next… and see if there was still a future for them working together. To Gary, the idea of losing Kai, especially now, when things were still fragile, felt like one of the biggest blows the Howlers could suffer. Kai wasn’t just a strategist or a comrade; he was the glue between them all. If he was gone, the cracks might finally spread too far to hold. Still, if there was one small relief, it was that this was happening after they had dealt with the chaos of the Kings. After everything, they had earned at least a little peace. With time running out, Kai had made his decision. He said he would leave when the sun rose. Quietly. No dramatic goodbyes to the others, it would take too long, and if he saw their faces, it might hurt too much. Better, easier, to leave without a final look. But there was one person Gary did choose to wake up. Xin. He brought her down to the main room. She wasn’t one of the founders of the Howlers, technically. But she had been there from the very start of this tangled, dangerous mess. She had earned her place, many times over. Since there were still a few hours of night left, the core members of the group decided to stay up. No one said it out loud, but they knew it might be the last time they sat together like this, for a while, maybe for longer. So they talked. About the past. About the beginning. About when they first formed the Howlers. How Kai and Gary met. The underground tournaments with Austin. The madness with Billy. The time they faced Olivia, and how they helped the others escape from under the thumb of the Underdogs. Xin had heard the stories before, of course, but not like this. Not in this much detail. Sitting among them now, she realized how much had happened between these people. How much had been shared, survived, and built, right here, in front of her. “Man, I wish Blake was here,” Innu muttered, breaking the moment with a sigh. “He was there at the beginning too.” “Tom as well,” Gary added. “I still remember that nightmare at Cipen Park. He’s probably sleeping like a log right now, so I figured I’d let him rest. And besides…” Gary looked straight at Kai, eyes serious and steady. “This isn’t goodbye.” He needed Kai to hear it. Believe it. “Where will you even go, Kai?” Austin asked, his voice softer than usual. “I don’t know,” Kai admitted. “On the night of the full moon, I’ll find somewhere far away from people. Somewhere I won’t hurt anyone.” He paused, then added, “Before that, there are plenty of cities I can stay in. The Howlers are bigger than ever now, we’ve got connections, resources. I have enough funds, so don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. And once I figure this out… I’ll be back. Just like you said, Gary.” He smiled. It was forced, but real. Outside the windows, the sky had begun to lighten. Maybe they had thirty minutes left. Just thirty minutes before everything changed. The room grew quiet, a heavy silence blanketing the group. Then someone stood up. “I’ve thought about it a lot,” Marie said, her voice firm, her shoulders squared. “And I have to do this. Kai, take me with you.” The entire room froze. “What are you asking him to do? Take you as an emergency snack?” Midwak asked with a raised brow. “Not saying it’s the worst idea for keeping his hunger in check, but something tells me that’s not what you mean.” He tilted his head, more serious now. “Look, even if you’re not an Alpha, you’re still part of a Pack. You should already feel how strange it is, how… wrong. You can’t ignore that. It’s like a headache that builds up day after day, or a nagging mother who won’t quit. Eventually, you explode, and when you’ve got claws and fangs and the strength to tear someone apart… well, it’s not pretty.” “Thanks for the visual, Midwak,” Xin muttered. “Anytime. Just looking out for you guys.” It was hard to tell if Midwak was being sarcastic or dead serious. Maybe both. “Marie,” Kai said gently. “Midwak’s right. It’s too dangerous.” “Are you the one being an idiot now?” Marie fired back. “I’m not asking you to just drag me along. You’re an Alpha now. That means I can become part of your pack.” She took a step closer. “I’ve already thought about it. When you were talking about loopholes, about other ways to survive this, I had an idea. Gary can release me from the Howlers, and I can join you. Just like Midwak did. Then there’s no conflict. Right?” Midwak gave a solemn nod. The plan could work. But Kai didn’t look convinced. “Marie, what you’re suggesting… making you leave the Howlers… it’s the last thing I want,” Kai said. “If we start dividing into Gary’s pack and my pack, that’s exactly what will split us. That’s what’ll tear the Howlers apart from the inside.” His voice cracked with emotion. “I have no intention of turning anyone. No intention of building my own pack.” The room was silent for a beat. The words hung heavy in the air. “You can’t just keep pushing people away like this,” Marie said, her voice softer now, but no less passionate. “I’m not saying you need to build a pack. I’m just saying you don’t have to be completely alone.” She looked him in the eye. “We’ve been through this together from the very start. You’ve always been there for me. Now I’m going to be there for you. Whether you want me to or not.” She turned to the others. “Let me ask you something, are Innu and Austin werewolves?” “Not that I know of,” Innu replied with a smirk. “Unless I’m about to sprout fur next full moon.” “Exactly,” Marie said. “But aren’t they still part of the Howlers?” She stepped back toward Kai. “Being a werewolf, or being in your pack, isn’t what defines us. It’s the choices we make. The loyalty we give. That’s what makes us Howlers.” She folded her arms. “So I’m making a choice. I’m standing my ground. Either you accept me into your pack, or I’m following you anyway.” Her voice didn’t waver. And this time, no one had anything left to say.