The meet-and-greet lounge backstage at TD Garden had been transformed into a temple of controlled chaos. Velvet ropes curved around fan photo zones, signed vinyl was stacked on a merch table, and the scent of fresh pretzels and cheap champagne mingled in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fans had been cycled through in groups of ten. Some cried. Some brought hand-drawn art. One kid proposed<\/em> to Jonah with a ring pop. Cassie fist-bumped three generations of a family in matching \u201cFERAL MOM \/ FERAL DAD \/ FERAL KID\u201d tees. Gabriel was glowing \u2014 hugging, laughing, radiating warmth like a wildfire that loved too hard to burn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s when the next \u201cVIP group\u201d arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel\u2019s mother walked in first, immediately looking annoyed that the room wasn\u2019t more glamorous. His grandparents followed, wide-eyed but smiling. Gabriel\u2019s father beamed and opened his arms for a hug, which Gabriel gave without hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then Nathan swaggered in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still wearing those mirrored sunglasses and filthy crocs. Still looking like someone doing a very poor impression of someone famous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel stepped back and said, politely, \u201cGlad you came.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nathan smirked. \u201cNice of you to finally play a real venue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cassie turned her head. Rico narrowed his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh?\u201d Gabriel said, trying to keep the peace. \u201cWell, it\u2019s kind of a dream come true \u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nathan cut him off. \u201cYeah, and you\u2019re just lucky the whole werewolf gimmick blew up. You weren\u2019t half this good when you lived at home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The silence hit like a dropped amp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel froze, ears flicking back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thane stood slowly from where he\u2019d been chatting with Mark \u2014 the full Alpha rise<\/em> to his full height, muscles shifting under his black polo, claws catching the light just enough to say: don\u2019t.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He walked straight toward Nathan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The room went dead silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even the venue staff stopped moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thane didn\u2019t growl. He didn\u2019t snarl. He didn\u2019t bare his teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He just got very, very close<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou ever say something like that to him again,\u201d he said, voice low and terrifyingly calm, \u201cand I\u2019ll take you on a walk down memory lane \u2014 to every moment he kept you fed, covered your mess, and paid for things you couldn\u2019t be bothered to earn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nathan blinked, suddenly aware of just how tall Thane was. \u201cLook, I didn\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou meant every word,<\/em>\u201d Thane said, stepping in another inch. \u201cBut here\u2019s what you don\u2019t<\/em> mean anymore: anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thane tilted his head just slightly, eyes glowing ice blue now, the wolf in him present<\/em> \u2014 not growling, just there<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nathan flinched. He looked down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought,\u201d Thane murmured. \u201cNow stand there, shut your mouth, and enjoy the fact that you\u2019re only in this room because of him.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel was staring \u2014 wide-eyed, lips parted. And for the first time in maybe forever, his mother didn\u2019t say a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then came a small voice from the crowd \u2014 a teenage fan, holding a phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI got that on video.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The room erupted in whispers. Cameras lifted. Jonah full-on howled.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Within minutes, the clip was everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n @EclipseForever:<\/strong> \u201cThane just disassembled Gabriel\u2019s trash brother without even blinking. I need this man to run my life.\u201d Gabriel pulled Thane aside after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thane leaned in, gently brushing their foreheads together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel laughed softly \u2014 just a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen next time, let me film it too.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The meet-and-greet lounge backstage at TD Garden had been transformed into a temple of controlled chaos. Velvet ropes curved around fan photo zones, signed vinyl was stacked on a merch table, and the scent of fresh pretzels and cheap champagne mingled in the air. Fans had been cycled through in groups of ten. Some cried. 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#AlphaEnergy<\/strong>
#ProtectGabrielAtAllCosts<\/strong>
#NathanGotHowledOn<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n