After learning this crucial bit of information, everything seemed to have fallen into place for the Chief of Police. Anton had never thought a colour gang would try to abduct someone in such a crazy manner, but if their target had been the mayor’s daughter, doing so might have been their best shot.

Aside from a few officers who stayed behind to gather some more evidence, the rest of the police force promptly took action and left the school. One of them had informed Headmistress Young, yet the old woman made no announcement about the missing student.

Instead, a different announcement was made.

“All of you must have been looking forward to watching your fellow students display their talents, but given today’s tragic turn of events, I believe it’s for the best to postpone the talent show. Your parents have already been made aware of the situation and will be here to pick you up. For the rest of you, please stay safe and if possible go home in groups.”

Honestly, Gary thought the whole thing to be a bad joke. Who cared about the stupid talent show? If coming in hadn’t been mandatory, the teenager was sure, barely anyone would have shown up on a Saturday. However, based on how the teachers had acted in the situation they were in, he wasn’t too surprised that the old woman wanted to just dismiss everyone.

“It looks like our day ended early, so what do you want to do?” Kai asked, turning towards Gary for a decision.

He wasn’t sure why Kai was asking him, didn’t they already have plans? Or was it because his upperclassman was worried whether Gary was in the mood to still continue. In the end, he only had one thought on his mind at the moment, Xin.

‘The police are useless… they won’t be able to find her and even if they do, they will be too scared to retrieve her from wherever the red colour gang might have taken her.’ Gary thought. ‘The red colour gang were here today but were they really here for her? …or were they here for me and decided just to take her for a substitute. Somehow, I have a feeling that what happened to her today is my fault.’ The high schooler clenched his fist as he had made a decision on what to do.

“Is it okay for me to take a rain check on today’s plan? I don’t think I’ll be able to work either.” Gary finally said.

While Blake had gone his own way, Tom was still with the group. Seeing the look in his best friend’s eyes, he was naturally worried what Gary might have people. Perhaps tomorrow he would find out that another colour gang had gone missing in Slough over the Dark Web. Yet, what could he do to stop his friend? It wasn’t like he could follow him home.

At that moment, looking at his phone, Tom had received a text. It was from his parents, who must have just received news of what had occurred.

“It looks like my parents are on their way here to pick me up. Gary… whatever you plan to do… promise me to stay safe.” Tom requested, only to receive a slight nod after some hesitation. He sighed, but understood that to be the best he could have hoped for, so he left the Howlers to discuss things without him.

“It’s alright, we don’t necessarily need you to come in today.” Kai patted Gary on the shoulder. “Today was supposed to be a simple scouting job in the first place. I can head off with the others and bring back the information and fill you in later. Don’t worry about your job, either.

“Since we were going to be away, I’ve asked Austin to prepare some replacement for us this weekend.” Kai smiled. “Since they’re Austin’s ‘friends’, their wage is on the cheap side. He sent over the three he trusts the most. With them and Mrs Degrace they will be able to look after the place.

“Honestly, what I’m more concerned about is you. It’s clear you don’t just plan to go home… Nobody doubts your strength, but are you sure you want to go at it alone?”

He looked at the faces of the others, and he could see they were all determined. Wherever Gary would go, they would follow. If he asked them, for the first time in his life he felt like there were people who would agree no matter what… at the same time, exactly because they had put their trust into him, he couldn’t ask them to come along.

Unlike him, they didn’t have a reason to save Xin, except for Innu, perhaps. Besides, if anyone could get her out of that situation unhurt, it would be him. As harsh as it sounded, the rest might actually hold him back, if he were to go wild.

“Thank you, guys. We all have a job to do, and this gang needs to move fast. If you guys still feel the same way you did when we saw those red colour gang members here today, then we better get a move on. Let’s become big enough that no gang would ever dare to pull off such a stunt in our time!” Gary smiled.

“It looks like someone has gotten into your head!” Innu commented, as he wrapped his arm around Gary’s head and started to rub his knuckles in his hair.

“Eww, is this gel? How much did…” Innu was about to ask when Gary gave him a mean look which shut him up.

With everyone gone, Gary decided to head back into school for a while. The teachers weren’t meant to let them in, but none of them had the gall to stop Gary after what had happened. The teenager needed something that smelled like Xin, to be able to follow where she was.

Although, it wasn’t like her scent was all around, it would only help when he was close. After that, Gary would visit the places where the red colour gang frequently had been seen, and looking at his phone, Kai had already sent him all the information he required for that.

As Gary entered their classroom that was empty, he started to think back to something, and that was Mr Root. Back in the main hall, when Mr Root’s heat rate had started dropping, he had been worried he might not make it.

It was impossible to tell how long the ambulance would take to reach them. For one, it was Slough, and they would be called upon at all times of the day. Seeing someone he cared about close to death, he wanted to save him, and there was something he might actually do.

‘What if I bite him?’ Gary eventually thought.

If he was to bite Mr Root, he might turn his teacher. Given a Werewolf’s vitality, his teacher would surely recover. Unlike Billy, if he were to turn his teacher into a Beta wolf, he wouldn’t have to worry about the adult trying to usurp his position.

However… What kind of life would Mr Root have to lead if he made him into a Werewolf? Would he hate Gary for turning him into a monster? Perhaps he would even become another monster like Billy, forcing Gary to do what Blake had done to Billy…

Since he hadn’t been there, there was no telling how long it took for one to become an Omega wolf. Heck, he didn’t even know if there was a guarantee. What if Billy had simply been a unlucky coincidence?

Even if it would work, what about the bloodlust? He still remembered that the very first thing he had read after becoming a Werewolf had been a system message that had stated.

Your bloodlust has been lowered

Billy too had said something that Gary remembered at that moment. “I’d killed them both. I didn’t do it on purpose. It was as if the hunger and bloodlust took over me!” What if he hadn’t lied? What if it was a natural instinct of a Werewolf to attack and feast on the first thing they would see…

In the end, while he had been contemplating his choice, the sounds of the ambulance car had appeared, making him abandon his idea. Still, it did make Gary wonder… whether he could help others by turning them… After all, everyone wanted to become Altered these days, and with a simple bite he could make them become something that was close enough… maybe even better?

‘That’s a crazy idea.’ Gary thought. ’Or is it?’

*****

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