The sun was low on the horizon, casting a golden glow across the Pacific Coast Highway as the tour van cruised along, music thumping, the windows cracked just enough to let in the ocean breeze and the scent of eucalyptus trees. The van was alive with sound—Jonah’s unhinged playlist had just segued from something vaguely Celtic into an 8-bit chiptune cover of “Break Stuff,” and nobody could figure out why.

Gabriel was driving, of course — sunglasses on, and bouncing in rhythm against the wheel. “Next hotel’s supposed to be, like, right off this turn, yeah?” he asked, glancing at Thane, who had the nav open on his phone.

Thane squinted. “…That was the turn.”

There was a beat of silence.

“I knew it,” Gabriel said, slapping the wheel with a grin. “Sooooo… detour?”

“Don’t you dare take the next —” Maya started.

Too late. Gabriel flicked on the turn signal with unearned confidence and veered off the highway onto a cracked access road.

They came to a stop in a dusty gravel lot where an ancient, sun-bleached sign creaked in the wind:

TONIGHT ONLY!
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON & THE HOWLING
DOUBLE FEATURE!

Cassie stepped out of the van, staring up at it. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Mark folded his arms. “We’re staying.”

Ten minutes and one credit card swipe later, the band had rented out the entire drive-in theater for the night. No one even asked how much it cost. They were too busy dragging out folding chairs, rigging a few speakers to the van’s interior system, and raiding the concession stand like hungry coyotes. There was a nearly full moon hanging low above the screen—just enough to bathe everything in soft silver.

Gabriel immediately took over the commentary track as The Howling played, dramatically gasping at every fake snarl and throwing popcorn at the screen. “Oh come on, that’s not even how knees work!”

Rico and Jonah held an impromptu glowstick sword fight while Maya tried (and failed) to roast a marshmallow on a tiny LED stage light. Cassie kicked her boots up on the dash and declared it the “best wrong turn ever.”

Thane didn’t even argue. He just smiled, arms folded, watching his chaotic pack under the stars.

Near the end of the first movie, a small white sedan pulled into the lot and parked a few rows behind the van. A teenage guy climbed out slowly, clutching something under one arm—thin, maybe seventeen or eighteen, with dyed green bangs and oversized boots. He didn’t try to get closer. Just stood there by his car, staring.

Gabriel noticed first. “We got a lurker.”

Thane looked over and nodded. “Not the bad kind.”

Gabriel waved him over. The kid froze, then slowly approached, holding out a notebook.

“I—I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said. “I saw the van on Instagram and just… I’ve been following you guys since your first EP.”

Gabriel took the notebook and flipped through it. Lyrics. Sketches. A few drawings of werewolves with guitars.

“I write stuff too,” the kid said. “But people keep telling me it’s too weird. Too… personal.”

Gabriel didn’t hesitate. “Dude. Weird is the point. Look at us.”

He passed the book to Thane, who gave it a respectful skim and nodded.

Gabriel found a dog-eared page. “This one right here? It’s a banger. Keep this up, and the world’s gonna catch up to you eventually.”

Maya clapped a hand on the kid’s shoulder. “You’re already doing the thing. You just gotta keep doing it louder.”

Thane added, “Next time we’re near here—bring us your demo.”

The kid just stood there, stunned, his eyes glistening in the glow of the screen.

“C’mere,” Gabriel said. “You’re part of the pack now. Grab a soda.”

The second film ended. The credits rolled. Somewhere out in the trees, coyotes howled—and the band howled back. Phones were out again, fans whispering to the internet:

“Saw Feral Eclipse at a random drive-in tonight. They gave a kid songwriting advice. Made s’mores. Howled at the moon. I love them even more now.”

Another post showed the group lit in silver glow, chairs in a messy ring, guitars half-tuned, snacks scattered everywhere. The caption?

“Not just rockstars. Pack leaders.”

Back in the van, as the road stretched ahead again and the desert fell behind, Gabriel looked over at Thane in the passenger seat.

“That was a good night,” he said quietly.

Thane nodded, tail flicking against the floor. “Yeah. It really was.”