Luna looks at me. Then at Maren. Then all three of us dissolve into quiet giggles in front of what seems like two deeply confused alphas.
"By the way," Maren says, once the giggles have run their course. She turns to Knox. "I feel like I know approximately four things about you, and two of them are your first and last name."
Knox considers this. "What are the other two?"
"You're a software developer. And Beth says you color-code things."
"I do have a system," Knox says, with quiet pride. "I also read paranormal romance."
A beat.
"Youwhat?" Maren says.
"It's a well-structured genre," Knox says, completely straight-faced. "Compelling world-building. Clear stakes."
"Clearstakes," I repeat. "Is that a vampire pun?"
"It wasn't intended as one... but I'll allow it." He offers a rare, conspiratorial smile.
Luna leans across the table toward Mason. "What about you? Any unusual hobbies we should know about?"
Mason takes a beat. "I restore trucks."
"Hereallydoes," Knox adds.
"Then how come the backseat in your truck doesn't actually fold down?" I ask. "I've been meaning to bring that up since I had to share the cab with half a hardware store."
Mason gives me a look. Flat. Unhurried. "It's a work truck. It's not usually an issue, because I don't normally chauffeur three people at once."
Luna swoops in, her smile turning wicked. "Speaking of logistics and all, I've been wondering... what do you three do together? Like, as apack? What are yourpack activities?"
I feel the corner of my mouth twitch. Because Luna knows. And Maren knows. And the alphas know they know. But the people around us definitely don't, and if anyone's going to overhear us, we might as well give them something convincing.
"We eat dinner together," I say, injecting my voice with as much warmth as I can. "Sometimes we watch TV."
"Beth cooks sometimes," Mason offers.
"Yeah, she makes this thing with pasta... a very good sauce," Knox adds, and I genuinely cannot tell if he and Mason are being earnest.
I mean, it's literally pasta with sauce from a jar. That's the whole recipe. But I decide to take the compliment, because if I don't, I might honestly pout.
Luna props her chin on her hand, aiming a highly entertained look my way. "Your pack soundsromantic."
Maren, who is clearly enjoying this, adds, "So the big, intimidating Alpha pack lifestyle consists entirely of... sitting on the couch and eating jarred marinara?
"Hey, we get wild," I say, completely deadpan. "Sometimes I spring for the fancy rigatoni."
Luna laughs, leaning back in her seat. "Speaking of going wild, is anyone up for a yoga retreat in a few months? I accidentally signed up for one and I need people to go with me."
"How do youaccidentallysign up for a yoga retreat?" Mason asks, and the surprise in his voice is so uncharacteristic that Knox actually turns to look at him.
"Long story involving a wrong turn and a very persuasive woman named Gail," Luna says. "She told me I had 'calming energy' and that I should bring friends."
"You know what, you do, weirdly, have that," I say.
"Thank you," she says. "I think it's the chaos. It wraps all the way back around."
"I'm not sure about that logic," Knox says, but he's almost smiling.
