Chapter 55: He’s Coming

The living room was crowded. The original pack filled the couch and floor while Lir, Remi, and Stark stood or sat along the edges, all of them facing the television. They weren’t officially members of the pack so it was still kinda weird for them. Someone had pulled up a long YouTube compilation titled “Full Lucian Confession Breakdown – What the Anthro Said.” The video was already several million views deep and climbing.

On screen, Lucian sat bound to a metal chair under harsh lights, eyes unfocused, voice flat and steady as he answered questions. The edits were tight. Every cut felt deliberate.

Roan’s arms were crossed tight over his chest. “He’s drugged. Look at his pupils. Look at how he’s sitting. That’s not him talking clean.”

Lir’s ears angled back. “I didn’t know humans had anything that effective. Whatever they used, it opened him up completely.”

The video continued. Lucian named Nox’Thar as the leader. He described panthers and other anthros carrying out coordinated attacks with the goal of forcing a war. He admitted that certain humans worked with them in secret, passing information and covering tracks. The way the footage was cut, the broader implication sat heavy and ugly: this was not a fringe group. This was anthros as a whole moving against humanity.

Only once or twice did something like the word “resistance” surface, and each time the video jumped forward or layered in ominous music that buried the context. By the end of the compilation it was easy to walk away believing every anthro was part of the same machine.

Kiran’s tail lashed against the couch. “They’re making it sound like we’re all in on it. Every single one of us.”

Zariel’s voice was low and hard. “That was the point of the edits.”

Cass sat forward, elbows on his knees, purple-tinged eyes fixed on the screen even after the video ended. “They took everything he said and aimed it at the rest of us.”

Remi exhaled through his nose, arms still folded. Stark looked unsettled, antlers tipping slightly as he glanced around the room.

Roan reached for the remote and switched to a news playlist someone had queued. The first clip showed cell phone footage of an anthro German Shepherd on the ground outside a convenience store, blood darkening his fur, humans already scattering before the ambulance arrived. Critical condition, the reporter said. No suspects in custody.