Chapter 46: Will Of The Pack

--- Lobo Blanca ---

“Okay, so these Creeps are actively hunting magic users. What can we do about that?” Red asked her elders. “Can we do anything about it?”

“We can alert the other communities for one.” He threw out, always one for a little inter-community outreach. “We’ve got enough connections to the other groups that we can get the word spread pretty quickly to everyone but the vamps.” (And even then I can probably get Hendrickson to pass it off to them easily enough.)

Given everyone else’s issues with them, he wasn’t going to say that part out loud though.

“A good idea, and one that, depending on if they’ve noticed, might buy us a couple of favors.” Fredrick nodded, seeming to think it over. “Bolin… you think you can arrange something with Sanctuary? They’re favors are a bit rarer than the rest and given their lack of Deviants this could offer us one.”

“I… might be able to arrange something, but sending it through the police will be easier. Especially if we want to keep the depths of my connection hidden.” The attorney warned.

“Do what you can.” The old man told Bolin, before Fredrick’s eyes once more drifted around the room. “This… admittedly changes a few things…”

No one said anything, easily able to tell that the old man had something to say.

“Alright, I’m sure a few of you figured out what this meeting was really about.” Fredrick eventually sighed.

(So we’re getting to this mierda…) He thought with no small amount of resignation, a feeling that was only matched by Black and the old man given how everyone else suddenly seemed very interested in what the latter had to say.

“I’ve been at this shit for a long, long time now and given how even with the wolf I’m reaching the final lap of my life it’s about time we start talking about who is going to take the pack over when I step down.” Fredrick told them all, his voice carrying the sheer weight of those long years. “Now while a lot of larger decisions are made by those of us here, this one is going to be a little too big for that. Instead of me picking someone, or you lot voting for yourselves-”

“I wouldn’t, I don’t want the job.” He interrupted. “I’m loyal to the pack and the pups, but I’ve seen you keep this trainwreck from crashing and I am not taking that job.”

Fredrick rolled his eyes, looking faintly amused by his interruption. “I’m aware, and given that I actually know what you do outside of the pack I’m not even going to try and convince you otherwise. Last thing we need to add to this trainwreck is that garbage fire.”

“Fair.” He admitted, even as everyone other than Black and the old man gave him curious looks.

They were all aware that he was the most involved with the Hunters in keeping the city’s supernatural in check, but none of them knew that that involved keeping a lot of fucked up mierda underwraps. Including but not limited to the half dozen death deities in town, several portals to the Deadlands, a few more to various hell dimensions, a couple of sleeping Eldritch Horrors, and the one Madness Nexus everyone pretended wasn’t actually a ticking time bomb waiting to drive them all insane. (And of course that’s all before we get into the random bullshit that some pendejo summons up because they thought they were some big bad cabrón.)

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After the tenth time he’d had to tell Fredrick about an impending apocalypse and the details therein of said apocalypse and the remaining dangers, the old man had just told him to warn him if it directly involves the pack but to otherwise keep it to himself. (Something whoever takes over will figure out quick enough once they’ve heard a few of those pesky little details.)

Fredrick shook his head. “As I was saying, since half of you would just vote for yourselves I’m going to make this a pack wide vote.”

“Meaning Bruce and Marinette are the two most likely candidates.” Black noted, a bit more aware of the pack politics than he’d ever been willing to entertain. “Bruce directly because of his men and Bolin’s support, and then Marinette indirectly through Tracy’s support and her magical power.”

“To be fair you’re a contender as well.” Fredrick reminded the man, as only Red seemed surprised by the man’s declaration. (Meaning they all did talk this over beforehand.)

“Mm, I’m not sociable enough for politicking like that.” Black shrugged, his eyes darting between his two noted candidates. “I’m assuming you’ll both be cordial about this?”

“I’m loyal to the pack first and foremost, as long as Mary keeps my boys alive I’ve got no problem following her lead.” Bruce nodded, before giving said woman a feral grin. “Though that doesn’t mean I won’t try for the spot beforehand.”

Marinette merely matched his grin with her own. “There’s no point to leading if it isn’t earned, and even should I lose what you lack in magical might, you more than make up for with tactical stratagem.”

Bruce let out a bark of laughter. “Ah, you’re going to make me blush.”

Fredrick clapped to reclaim everyone’s attention. “As happy as I am to see my pups getting along, we’re not holding the vote immediately. I was already planning on this little crisis to be a test of sorts for you two. We’re all, and yes that includes you White, going to be meeting up every week from now on. I won’t be vetoing anything any of you lot do as long as it isn’t so stupid it makes me question bringing you on, again White. When this crisis ends we’ll have a vote where the pack chooses which of all of you they want in charge.”

He raised a hand, earning a sigh from the old man.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Fredrick said, “If -by some unholy miracle- you get enough votes, then yes that also includes you… and Red I guess. The pack is choosing not us.”

He lowered his hand.

Nodding Fredrick gave everyone another once over. “The last time this city had a crisis of this scale was during the Rift Riots, and I’m sure we all remember how much change came from those years. I will admit that this news about the Creeps hunting magic users is more concerning than I’d initially assumed these events to be, that doesn’t change the core matter of the situation. As the city was forced to change during the Riots, we as a pack united, adapted, and survived the invasion of otherworldly entities and Asylum’s attempted genocide. Right now the city is being forced to change again, and like before we as a pack must adapt to survive, which is why whichever of you helps the pack unite in these trying times, helps them adapt to these changes, and survive this disaster will be the one put in charge of the pack as a whole. And regardless of which of you the pack makes the new leader, I know all of you will make me as proud in this as you have in everything else you seven have done for the pack.”

Fredrick began to inhaled as magic flooded the room pulling on the instinctive connection they all held to one and other, before as one they all let loose a howl that even if they couldn’t hear, every wolf in the city could feel down to their bones. Reminding them that they were not alone.