Sunlight filtered in through the thick penthouse curtains, casting golden streaks across velvet couches, designer coffee tables, and a blanket pile where Jonah was still snoring like a motorboat. Somewhere deep in the suite, the luxury espresso machine was already purring to life—thanks, of course, to Gabriel.
Thane padded barefoot into the kitchen area, stretching with a grunt and raking a clawed hand through his tousled fur. Gabriel passed him a coffee without a word, the two of them sharing a sleepy glance over the mugs.
“You good?” Gabriel asked, his voice still scratchy from sleep.
“Yeah. Just… waitin’ for the chaos.”
Right on cue, Rico’s phone buzzed with a ding. Then another. Then Cassie’s. Then Mark’s, followed by a very muffled, “What the heck?” from Jonah under his blanket.
Emily stepped out from one of the guest rooms with her laptop already in hand. “It posted around 6am. I added closed captions, stitched in slo-mo, and… well. It’s everywhere.”
Thane raised an eyebrow. “Define ‘everywhere.’”
She turned her screen.
The video title read:
“The Wolves Who Tried to Blend In (And Failed Spectacularly)”
Views: 4.8 million and rising
Hashtags: #Mallgate #FeralEclipse #WerewolfWatch2025
The footage was a masterclass in controlled chaos.
It started with a blurry zoom of Thane examining LEGO sets like a dad comparing prices. Cut to Gabriel presenting a cinnamon roll like it was an artifact from a museum. Then the fan recognition moment—dramatic music sting included—followed by a sudden edit of Jonah tripping over the pretzel stand in slow-mo with airhorns layered over it.
Fans online were howling:
🐺 @MoonlitMoshpit: “Thane in boots is my Roman Empire. #Mallgate”
🎤 @CassieForPresident: “The eyeliner mustache was a CHOICE. Jonah you absolute icon.”
🥨 @FeralSnaccs: “I can’t believe security just let them escape like they were royal fugitives. I love this stupid band.”
📸 @EclipseEditz: “Petition for Gabriel to give city tours in disguise. I would pay so much.”
💔 @TeamSaintsSwitch: “Okay but I used to stan the Vandal Saints. Now I’m Team Eclipse and I brought snacks.”
Gabriel scrolled through the comments, his muzzle twitching with laughter. “Oh my god someone drew us as mall ninja superheroes.”
Thane peered over his shoulder. “Is that… me with a boot launcher?”
“Yes. And Diesel’s driving a Segway tank. Look.”
Mark walked by with a dry grunt. “Y’all broke the fanbase.”
Cassie, sipping something pink and fizzy, waved her phone. “We’re getting tagged in mall cosplay now. There’s a Jonah lookalike doing a dramatic reenactment with a churro sword.”
Jonah wandered in, wrapped in a robe and clutching a banana. “I regret nothing.”
Emily sat down at the table, pulling her laptop closer. “But the end of the video—where you and Gabriel are on the balcony? Fans loved that.”
Thane raised an eyebrow. “You left that in?”
“I added music. Just something soft. People needed to see that side too.”
Sure enough, comments had already flooded in:
🌙 @WolfpackDreams: “That moment on the balcony… it felt real. I teared up.”
🎥 @BehindTheFur: “They’re not just rockstars. They’re home to each other. #RelationshipGoals”
💙 @ThaneAndGabriel4ever: “I swear I could feel the love through the screen. I’ll never recover.”
📦 @EmilyTheIntern: “New editor unlocked. 👋 Hi.” — pinned comment
Gabriel leaned over and gave Emily a warm nose-nuzzle to the cheek, catching her off guard and making her laugh.
“Guess we’re stuck with you now,” he said.
Emily flushed. “I mean… I wasn’t gonna leave anyway.”
The day rolled on, but not before Diesel sauntered in, coffee in hand, and muttered, “Y’all made the morning news. And someone sent flowers from a Wetzel’s Pretzels corporate account.”
Thane blinked. “Are they thanking us or suing us?”
“Too early to tell. I say we roll with it.”
Thane looked at Gabriel, who grinned back.
“Next city?” Gabriel asked.
“Next adventure,” Thane replied, their claws brushing again under the table.