Chapter 1654: The Respected Man (Part 1) The two members of Steve’s pack stared at Lupus in disbelief. They knew him well, far better than Jack’s pack did. Not just him, but the other two who had joined alongside him. Unlike how things were at Jack’s camp, the trio had spent real time woven into the life of Steve’s pack. They had gone on countless missions together, had fought side by side, had bled and struggled and survived in each other’s company. And on more than one occasion, Lupus and his group had pulled them out of danger. They’d saved lives, sometimes by sheer strength, sometimes by quick wit, but always decisively. So the two weren’t strangers to his ability. But even knowing all that... Watching Lupus take a stance in front of the strange red-eyed woman, protecting her of all people, was shocking. “Lupus, I don’t think you understand,” one of the Werewolves growled. “Our camp has been attacked again and again by those things, by people like her! And now we find her standing over one of our own, dead, right near our territory?” He pointed toward the body on the ground, jaw tight with grief and fury. “We need answers. And the fact that she looks connected to Jack’s pack somehow? It just makes this worse. Suspicious.” Lupus didn’t respond. He simply stood there, shoulders squared, body slightly shifted to shield Lilly from both men. But internally, he was piecing their misunderstanding together. These two clearly had no idea she was Jack’s wife. If they did, even they would hesitate, they wouldn’t dare drag her back so carelessly. But the situation was spiraling too fast for him to explain any of it. “Lupus, we have to bring her in!” the Werewolf repeated, frustration breaking in his voice. He didn’t wait for an answer. Both men transformed instantly, their bodies expanding, fur sprouting, muscles bulging beneath their skin. With a guttural roar, they sprang forward. Lupus transformed only his arms, but even that was enough. He lowered his stance and slammed shoulder-first into the first Werewolf. The collision was loud, a solid crack, and he stopped the attack dead in its tracks. To the right, the second Werewolf tried to slip by him, aiming straight for Lilly. Lupus saw the movement out of the corner of his eye. He tore one arm free and swung it directly into the attacker’s midsection. The punch was brutal. The Werewolf’s body lifted clean off the ground, breath knocked out of him as he crashed backward and skidded across the forest floor. Lupus spun sharply, rushing the first man before he could recover. He grabbed him by the shoulders and, using raw strength alone, ripped him off balance and slammed him down like a stone. Lilly’s eyes widened. “Whoa...” she thought. “He said he only just joined the group... but he’s this strong? He... he reminds me a little of Jack.” Both Werewolves scrambled back to their feet. Thanks to their natural healing and resilience, they recovered quickly. But it was clear now, they were facing a wall. Lupus wasn’t even fighting seriously. He was only defending her, reacting to each attack, holding himself back. Even so... it was a losing battle for them. But then, The branches rustled. Heavy footsteps shook the ground. Two more figures dropped down from the trees behind the original pair. “Dylan! What’s going on here?” one demanded, but his voice trailed off the moment he spotted Lupus. “Lupus? What are you doing here? Didn’t you go join Jack’s pack?” These two had been part of a patrol from Steve’s camp. When Dylan and his partner didn’t return, they’d gone out searching, only to stumble onto this scene. “Forget that!” Dylan snapped. “Look at the woman behind him! She killed one of ours, and now Lupus is protecting her! We need to take her in!” Lupus clenched his jaw. Two had been manageable, if only barely. But four? Four experienced Werewolves, all familiar with his fighting style from countless missions together? This was trouble. If the system weren’t suppressing him, he’d flatten the forest before letting any of them lay a finger on Lilly. But like this... And on top of that, he had to keep Lilly safe while fighting. “She’s one of the ones we’ve been looking for!” one of the newcomers said, eyes narrowing. “She’s the same as those creatures attacking our camp!” The other two transformed fully, snarling, their bodies swelling into monstrous shapes. Before they could even finish their shift, Lupus’s instincts kicked in. He shot forward in a blur. His fully transformed arm arced through the air and cracked across the nearest Werewolf’s face with a bone-splitting impact. The force of it shook the ground, rattling leaves from the branches overhead. He had to reduce their numbers before they closed in. But as soon as he landed the blow, Two fists dug into his stomach from his blind spot. The force made him fold forward, air rushing from his lungs. He barely managed to lift his hands in time to block a third punch coming straight for his face. The impact still drove him backward, boots dragging furrows into the dirt. He forced himself upright, teeth clenched. His entire abdomen throbbed. But the moment he steadied himself, the four Werewolves surged in again. “It’s been a while...” Lupus muttered under his breath, eyes sharpening. “Since I’ve actually had a tough time.” He rolled his shoulders, grounding his stance. “I thought there were only a few people left in this world who could push us, after all that training.” The forest shook around them as the four closed in. “I didn’t want to rely on it,” Lupus said. “But maybe... it’s time I used Qi as well.” He took a deep breath. He twisted his foot into the ground. The earth beneath him sank, as if it were nothing more than soft water, molding under his weight. Just as Lupus prepared to meet their charge, THUD. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖 A heavy impact echoed like thunder. Everyone froze. A deep, powerful voice followed, warped slightly by transformation, but unmistakable. “What is going on here!” The air itself trembled. Jack had arrived. **** ***** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. Instagram: jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.