When Gary’s father had left them as a child, he didn’t really understand what had happened at the time. He hardly remembered his father’s face, only a few images of him here and there.
It was hard for him to have hatred for a person he didn’t really know, but slowly, as the situation in their family got worse, and he saw his mother struggle, he started to resent the person that had left them.
He frequently would go to school where parents would help each other, where two adults would share the struggles together, but all of it was left to his mother, and why, there wasn’t even a reason.
As time went on, he wondered how could someone just abandon two kids on a single woman. If he was still out there, did he know how much they were struggling? It was why Gary was very thankful to his mother; he knew that she would have had a much easier life if she just left them.
If she only had to work and care for herself, rather than two young kids, and it was also the reason why Gary did everything he could to help her try to climb out of that situation.
Equally, it was because of these feelings that Gary had never gone looking for his father because even if he had found him, what difference would that make? Someone who chose to run away, would he even help them if they found him?
And now, he had returned to the Wolf's Pool club, after things were looking up, after Gary had done everything to help his family. Just seeing his father was making him grind his teeth slightly.
“We’ll leave you guys alone,” Kai said, snapping his fingers. He had, of course, met Gary’s father back then, who had helped them with the situation, given them a solution to their answer. Gary was aware of this from what Kai had told him, but he seemed to disregard it, and didn’t even ask Kai many questions about his father.
“No,” Dean said. “It’s okay, I have come here to talk, and I think it’s something best for all of the Howlers to know. You have stayed by my son’s side for a very long time, and if you wish to continue to stay by his side, then it's best that you all learn the truth as well.”
His father continued to walk forward and eventually pulled a seat out and sat at the same table as Gary directly opposite him. The two of them stared into each other's eyes.
Gary so much wanted to tell the man in front of him to go away. To just disappear, that they were doing fine without him, but he couldn’t.
“What you need to tell us, it’s so important that you have decided to finally come back right now in front of us? Is it the answer to why you were away for all that time?” Gary said, he was speaking slowly and fast, clearly, he was having a hard time controlling his feelings in front of his father.
Dean's chest expanded, and he let out a big sigh while looking away.
“I know a lot of what I’m about to say will sound like excuses, but you are right. I want to tell you the reason why I had to abandon you all, why I could finally come back now, but before any of that, I want to tell you something first.
“I’m so proud of you, son,” Dean said with a soft smile.
Those words, it had hit Gary like he never expected them to. Why did his heart sink, did he have a lump in throat when he heard this person who was practically a stranger say that he was proud of him?
Did this mean, he still harbored strong feelings towards this person? He hated it, he hated that it was the case.
“You looked after the family, you looked after the town and made it an entire city, and you struggled with everything on your own, without next to no one to help you. I’ve already told your friends, like the pretty blonde boy over there, how happy I am that they were around you to help you.
“You might not be proud to have a father like me, and I completely understand that, but know this, no matter what. I am definitely proud of you.”
Gary tucked his head down into his chest and had both of his hands clenched up on the table.
“Arsehole, how can you just come here and say something like that right out of the gate…you should have at least written to us more…and mum….she always told us to not get angry at you. She always told us that you were a good person.
“I don’t know why, but she didn’t seem to hate you for a second, Damn it!” Gary said as he wiped the tears with the sleeve of his shirt.
Everyone in the room that were part of the Howlers, they hated seeing Gary like this. Hated seeing him so upset when he did so much to help them. The cause of his upsetness was a particular person in the room and now Dean could feel daggers searing right into his back.
After giving Gary a brief moment, he regained his composure and sat upright again.
“Okay, so tell me, what is so important that you needed to talk to me know, and talk to all of us,” Gary asked.
The soft smile that was on Dean’s face disappeared.
“I’m here to tell you everything I know, to prepare you, and for all of you to understand how you got into this situation, and just how you, Gary, got into this situation in the first place, obtaining, the Werewolf System.”