Last one! I hope you’ve enjoyed these; I had a lot of fun doing them. These guys and gals are still my babies, two years later. Anyway, here’s Max!
Max is Lukas’s little brother. He’s only 19, and he’s just had his first real Wolfjäger assignment. It’s boring. Max isn’t a hunter like his brother; his job is much more administrative. He’s what they call Botschafter–one of the Wolfjäger who keep records of werewolves in the city where they’re stationed, help to make sure they have steady employment and housing so they stay out of trouble, that sort of thing. They even on occasion pay a werewolf’s bail if it’s too close to the full moon, to avoid risking someone turning into a giant monster in the drunk tank.
He doesn’t take his job very seriously, since he had it handed to him without much effort on his part–the eldest Reiniger, his father, is on the council that leads the whole organization. He’d much rather be playing his DS, watching American TV, or having a beer and flirting with the local girls than doing anything that resembles work, and he usually gets away with it.
What’s nepotism?
He’s his big brother’s opposite in every way. While Lukas is tall, handsome, and imposing, Max tops out at about 5’6″ and has a cheeky grin that keeps him out of trouble (or sometimes gets him into it). He’s gregarious and flirtatious and can make a joke out of just about anything.
Max was raised at Bärenheim, the Wolfjäger home base in Cologne, after his mother died when he was a child. He grew up being taught that werewolves are definitely monsters, and maybe even demons, and learning everything possible about their history, practices, and weaknesses. Even after a lifetime of training, he’s not the most exceptional fighter, so they gave him an easy gig that makes use of his charming, friendly nature. It’s his job to keep in touch with the wolves in his district and make sure they’re all properly registered and employed. He never seems to have a problem relating to or talking with the werewolves, despite having it ground into his head that they’re evil. He never quite got on the “they’re all beasts who need to be put down” boat, even though Lukas has been the Captain of that ship for some time.
Some lessons just don’t take.
He loves American culture even though he’s never been there, and he soaks in American television and music like it’s his job. His English is remarkably good and he even uses most idioms correctly, due in no small part to being able to watch episodes of Teen Mom online.
He’s the youngest of four brothers, but he’s definitely closest to Lukas. They keep in touch by phone or by Skype no matter where in the world they are. Lukas even answers his calls when Max forgets the time difference between Cologne and New York and calls him at two in the morning to tell him about this amazing new club he found. He accidentally met Alicia during one of these Skype calls, despite Lukas’s intentions to keep his brotherly side a secret.
An exact quote.
Overall, Max is a carefree, promiscuous dude with probably the most inappropriate job he could possibly have. Without his father’s influence, he’d probably be delivering pizzas or waiting tables. He might just be happier, too.
