High Table. So long it has been just a name, that for many active Wolves was something like a World War. The great thing that happens once in every blue moon and you should be honored it happened in your time, so once you are pulled back from active duty you'll be able to tell pups in your class in a nonchalant tone like it was nothing special. But it was as special as it can be. For Rand at the moment was special pain in the ass. It was one of those times when your own success bites you in the ass. There were 847 Warpacks in The Big Apple and in theory, their Alphas were equals. In practice though your number designated your pecking order. And while, as the beasts that slept within them, they did not bend out of shape when some particularly dumb rituals weren't followed. For example: Everyone has to wait standing until the highest ranking member attending arrives, and takes their seat. That "rule" was never followed. At times when someone particularly important was coming the group would stand up as a sign of respect but their buts were in their seats before whoever came finished telling them to take a seat. But there were always examples, the Alpha of the First Pack was always one to lead joint operations. Usually, it was not a big deal, three to four packs. Thirty people tops and three other Alphas to coordinate and they usually knew their crews. Easy way for some cooperation practice, Rand never minded it since he took the reins of the First Pack. But as they say, there is a first time for everything. High...Fucking...Table. Triumvrat, Eclesiarhy, and Primodials in one room. Or to be less formal leadership of Werewolves, Vampires, and the Pures will be in the same room at once for the first time since The Truce 30 and something years ago. Sure there were personal visits, but the one that particularly rankled Rand was the...friendship, between his Thane Zoltán Varga and High Count Tibot Szabo, his equivalent in Corpses. It likely stemmed from the fact they were both from the same Country...Hungary, but not only that they shared the taste in books, music, chess, and even movies. A few times he was an attendant to their meetings since his tutor was part of their security detail. He felt they would rather be alone but, even this was a huge accommodation for their leaders. Just one bodyguard and attendant each.

He knew it rankled him mostly because of differences in their nature. While neither of the three groups was really Human, Wolves by the laws of nature were closest. Born normal way, grew up until 16 as any normal kid, then The First Change after that all that was considered abnormal came, they were immune to disease, barely affected by normal weaponry, decapitation could do them in if you were sort able to do it. At what they called Long Peak from 25 to 45 in War Form they were nearly unstoppable. Limbs would regenerate, the same as organs, few things in the world came close to them in speed, strength, endurance, or any other physical feat. Also while they had no Noble Prize winners, they had near-supernatural animal cunning. They were simply engines of destruction, even that fable about silver being a superweapon was just that, a Fable. Silver was poisonous to them as thousands of other compounds were to others. As medicine progressed it was nowhere near the death sentence. Ironically silver bullet in the heart had a kernel of truth but for the wrong reason. Blood, blood, and nerves were targeted by silver, and the heart basically being the largest blood pump was an awesome delivery system, in War Form especially, roughly the size of 4 hearts of the same person resting, so once hit in it in several seconds it could pump the enormous amount of that poison through the body. But on the other way, that's how Anders saved Rands's life. During one particularly nasty fight with a rogue Coven. Rand was shot through the wall with a silver .387 round. Wall slowed it down just enough so it couldn't go through the body but got stuck in the lower left chamber of the heart he opened his mouth to give his likely last commands when something punched through his chest with such power that shot from one of the most powerful revolvers seemed like comparison between being playfully punched by your 10-year-old cousin and being struck by a jackhammer. His last sight as he slumped was Dona's terrified face and his heart in Anderse's hand. When he came too they were in their car, Bodkin, still among the living at the time was gunning the car so hard that the sound of the engine almost sounded like a screaming animal. But the main attraction was happening in the back seat as always. Dona was a bit gentler than Anders, but by the look of him not by much. His chest was sawed open and kept like that By several regular screws from Bodkin's toolkit, screwed directly into several of his ribs. He was keeping in the War Form by what power of will Rand had no idea because Anders was losing consciousness every 5-10 seconds and then waking up and growling incoherently. Dona conected me to his heart and now he was beating for both of us, the heart was strong enough to do it physically but there was only so much blood to go around since I was in Human form I was getting the better part of the deal. His blood pressure was dangerously low. I nudged Dona and signed, she thought for a while. Then signed back something dangerously close "Fuck if I know, but if you think you could do it, it would raise both your chances" She wiped the sweat from her brow leaving a long blood streak on the visible part of her face. I saw her bag was almost empty but she pulled what she had and knelt near to me. See at times like this immunity to disease comes in handy. I took a deep breath and prepped myself mentally. Everyone counts how fast you can shift into the War Form, since it's both cool and useful, changing just to Wolf was just useful so I had no one to time it and no record to break but I still practiced it religiously, and after this, if anything I doubled reps. I closed my eyes and began as quickly as I could keeping my breath because I knew smell will be what would distract me most and feeling Dona poking and prodding inside me. in the end, I exhaled, and the breath I took almost made me weep at how rancid it was. Unwillingly whine came out, and a hand came to my shoulder and grabbed a handful of hair actually petting me I opened my eyes and closed them quickly unaccustomed to sudden new light wavelengths. A few seconds later I tried again and looked around barely moving my head. Dona sat with her head on my shoulder and the other on Anderse's. He already looked better, doing his best to stay in a state of mind of staying in War Form randomly cursing this and that. Bodkin glanced at the mirror "Hold on you two, Gar already called in." Gar turned toward us "Yeah the room is ready, you'll still live to see the Heath death of the Universe. Good, I'm not ready to be number two." I buzzed in something that for Wolves passing for laughter. Inside the car was so torn and splashed with blood that we'll have to incinerate it, I already gotten used to senses and smelled that even three others didn't remain unscathed, and as a cherry on shit Sunday there was an 8-and-a-half tall Werewolf with sawed-through chest bones and wound kept open with several industrial screws tightened to his ribs, medical tubes mixed with ducktape and god know what else pushed blood from his heart to the opposite side where it pumped blood into a Wolf maybe for an inch smaller than extinct Dire Wolves and tubes went back returning blood and there was still wise ass cracking jokes.

Those were the Wolves on the Long Peek we were mostly in our 30s, I was the oldest at 35, Anders right behind me, also 35 but a few months younger, Gar and Dona were at 34, and at the tail end young Kai with 19. I knew I was raiding him hard from time to time and occasional dumb questions aside he never let me down. But we might have 10 more peak years that inevitably follow the Short Decline. In those 5 years is like all years catch up with us. It says the first time Wolf knows it's time to think about deactivation is the first time he gets a common cold. All those immunities fail one by one. There are several routes, most common for a member of a Warpack at 50 is to take a Golden Quest. Basically suicidal mission against the enemy where they perish 95% of the time but 5% are so mean bastards that even death doesn't take them. They are deactivated and actually retire. We might not be movers and shakers like the Corpses or the Pure but we DO have some influence. Actual legal papers are made and the member is out. Free to look at his children and grandchildren in relative comfort. Those who just can't let go remain active until 55 when they are deemed liability and removed from field work but remain active. Administrative work is one side and is taken usually by Spookpacks and Digitalwolves. Remains, roughly 50% Warpacks, 30% Spookpacks, and 20% Digiwolves become teachers of the new generation. By that time a little except lifetime experience and practical wisdom is left of their Wolf side. Most at that time start losing the ability to shift. The oldest one able to go into Hybid and Wolf form is Thane himself, Zoltán Varga. It's theorized he might have one more shot but he just never took it. Now in his 80s, he was the longest serving member both as a Thane and member of Triumvrat, while still able to slowly walk at the insistence of his attendants he agreed to an electric wheelchair. Now you can see him zooming across the grounds while his attendants silently jog after him, likely inwardly cursing for not suggesting pushing a chair. But he was Human in all but name at this point and we were to leave him with possibly the most powerful Leach in North America, possibly further. While Varga was becoming weaker and more Human, Szabo, his counterpart basically took over Chicago, we never had some presence there so we just took our people out before real trouble. But The Pure had a sizable presence, not as much as Vamps, but then they are often seen as the individually strongest of us, he pushed them out in a month. We had two wars, Detroit and New England as a whole. Both Draws, but lopsided, I heard from my equivalents from both parts. Detroit, while we hold half most of its poor neighborhoods, according to Gavin Richt's Their First Pack Alpha, we managed to hold any bargaining power because we maintained to hold on industry and infrastructure. But losses were considerable on both sides. Targreen Two-Feathers from New England presents a bit more optimistic picture, Vamps sued for a ceasefire twice but were denied. They found out the hard way that going for an area of such size at once tends to blow up in your face. With Help from Canada, They were beaten back from Maine and Vermont, and then in the Pincer attack, most of their forces were destroyed in New Hampshire. Fighting is currently in Massachusetts but the Pure, likely eager to get payback for Chicago struck their supply lines and reserves in Connecticut from their, basically, ancestral base in Rhode Island and got in touch with our cell in Connecticut. If the talks work out They will finish off Vamps in Connecticut together and then hit them from the rear in Massachusetts ending the war. As a "thank you" letter we cede the entire Connecticut to the Pure. But that would leave them to break out from Rhode Island, add a nice chunk to their territory to the North, and, most importantly, get a significant border with their cell here in New York that was pretty isolated. Also if peace with them holds it opens supply lines to us and back toward the North.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

To shorten the point, that was what Rand's job was supposed to entail. Fighting? Yeah, a lot of it. But also coordinating with the rest of the Nation, thinking about strategy, and logistics, and making better ways to eliminate threats. However, he was in a foyer of the incredibly ritzy building having an argument about a political meeting. All the wonderful perks of being an Alpha of the States Fist Pack, maybe he should ask Gavin next time to trade places. "Are you even listening to me?" Anastasia's voice brought him back "Have you agreed that Ticks are leaving?" He guessed that raising an eyebrow was something from a Human life. Vamps rarely developed new habits after death. "Then I guess I wasn't, because there is no way I'm bringing the Triumvat into a building full of jumpy armed Humans, and when I say full..." I sniffed the air "I meant over 100 heavily armed on this floor alone. And correct me if I'm wrong, I know you like that, the meeting is on the 27 floor so how much more I could expect? Did you get every filthy traitor to Humankind for this shindig because, that would be a hell of a lot of useful gas wasted when they drive home because the meeting is postponed, or canceled, I really don't care which. You should really think about your carbon footprint..oh wait you don't have to breathe if the air quality is at Aushvitz showers level of quality it wouldn't affect you much, would it?" She growled, "Watch your mouth you small ball cunt, I'm Jewish." Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "You are what! I admit I'm behind on my theology, just a second, Gar!!" "Boss?" "How kosher is blood?" What?" "Just answer please." "A big no, no! One of the larger ones actually." "This might sound stupid, but does eating Human blood constitute an exemption?" "Don't worry boss, the first one was equally stupid, the answer is no." "Sorry, sorry I'll make it up to you" I looked at Anasthasia, "His real name is Gresham by the way, we don't have Nation members change a thing about their identity, so, now when we found out how Jewish you are what was your real name Anasthasia? Before you realized you won't advance beyond bootlicker unless you changed per their desires" Her jaw was working and for a second I was sure an attack is coming, and I kinda forgot to mention, while we win 99% of pure fisticuffs, the second thing that is not so much poison to us but more pretty potent allergen would be Vamps natural weapons. So their claws and fangs are about the nastiest thing you can get clipped with, for starters, it hurts like someone placed that body part under the oxy-acetylene torch and just left it there for about a week, and that's if you are lucky and they use claws, fangs though. You can look toward all the lovely stuff, necrosis, sepsis, and severe nerve damage. Good thing it's not permanent and unless you get jumped on by a dozen of like 6 are power users you should bounce back pretty fast. Pain though? You will remember that forever. So the N01 rule with going toe to toe with a Vamp is: don't gloat. Yeah, you will win but do it fast and fucking decisive. They are fast and give them enough time you will have a slashed carotid artery and while you trying to stop the bleeding and screaming from pain they will shimmy up the chimney and vanish. A month into the "Pound" with you. And they are God knows where because the only person with their credible scent is running a fever and suddenly gets hemophilia.

We stared at each other "This is going nowhere and risking The Truce. We'll check the body, and send you our results, and Leaders if you are so scared of an 80-year-old man in a wheelchair, a 74-year-old blind woman, and a 12-year-old girl, they can talk over the internet." She sneered showing her fangs this time they were fully extended, Two ivory stiletto daggers in her otherwise perfect mouth. "If you think we would allow you to drive off with the body you are insane." I nodded "I've been told that by your kind many times, "If you think we would allow you "???" you are insane." Funny thing, it always ends how I said, and the one who said those words ends up in anatomically impossible positions even for your kind." She actually steps forward to look me in the eyes, which she could do easily. I did have a hundred pounds of muscle on her but she was exactly my height. "Yeah, but they were not said by me in our HQ were they." I nodded again "True, but as a counterpoint, I offer that I was also only with my pack at the time. The second you attack us directly from your HQ, there will be no more "Rogue Coven's excuse" hence making The Truce null and void. In preparation for any eventuality, I mobilized all the Warpacks from the city and brought 53 more from Jersey for nice and round 900 Warpacks and the first Wave of 200 is already in place. The fresh batch of 200 will keep being delivered until this nice skyscraper is the pile of burning ruins, all 120 floors of it. And I absolutely don't care who catches and records us for all the world to see. I do believe, even if they knew about us for decades, once voters get a confirmation governments might start using Big Guns. Say night-night to a shitty little ragtag of Hunters with different agendas, and prepare to introduce your Ticks to the Seal Team 6. I do believe they will want some of you alive so they can give you nice and cozy Mengele treatment. By the way, you wouldn't be one of the lucky ones, I had the...pleasure, of meeting High Count Szabo. He strikes me as a patient man but for such a public display I think he'd make you kiss your ass goodbye, literally." Admirably she was still holding her ground "You wouldn't survive either." I raised my finger like we finally got to the point "Excellent deduction my dear Watson. However I'm not only a mortal but Alpha of the Warpack, First Warpack of the state of New York, My actual job is to die while I still can serve, tonight or in 10 years on Golden Quest, makes no difference to me as long as I cause maximum damage to the enemy. Dying does not matter to either of us." In the foyer with my packs were Packs 3,8 and 7. Together with their respective Alphas, Tina, Yuraq, and Stine, I glance at them. Stine was pretty close to the Gold Quest years, some rules were universal no matter the species, and "don't as the woman her age" is pretty close to the top of the list. But she never died her hair and I knew her all my life. Her short haircut was filled with greys and some wounds already took a bit longer to close, her left eye never recovered and now was milk white together with a long scar that went all the way from her hairline to her chin, she likely felt what I said better than the most although all understood. She released a low growl. "Warchief asked the question maggots!!! Is he wrong!" 25 voices answered as one "Fuck no!!" "What was that!!" "Fuck no Mam!!!" She grinned her canines started elongating.

Group mania can be both powerful and dangerous, even I felt the strings of the Rage tugging at me, I knew feeling in it with full 4 packs would be intoxicating since I've been there before. But with just one press of a button, I could feel how it was with 200 Packs almost 1000 Brothers and Sisters. But it was important that I remain in control, and let the others have their bonding moment, they earned it. Even Anders looked at the world with predatory amber eyes. Anasthasia paused and looked at packs in various parts of partial transformation, she had enhanced senses, maybe not to the point of the wolf but the scent of adrenalin was so strong I doubted she missed it. Especially since a lot was coming from her own employees as they slowly moved to more defensible positions. Her earpiece was buzzing with constant traffic if she was trying to check if am I bluffing she got her answer and then some, she stepped back "By the Blood Goddess you are really insane." I shrugged "So Jewish huh? I'll have to ask Gar where the passage about Blood Goddess is. But whatever makes your fall into torpor more comfortable. How fast we can expect you will act on this Thick issue?"