“That's either incredibly cool or absolutely terrifying.”
“Most things worth knowing about are both.”
We ate in companionable silence. The sandwiches were good, simple, clearly made by someone who understood that food was fuel and didn't need to be complicated. The cookies, though. The cookies were incredible.
“Did you make these?” I asked around a mouthful of chocolate and butter and something that tasted like home.
“Evan's recipe. His mother used to make them.” Daniel's voice went soft. “He taught himself after she died. Said he couldn't stand the idea of losing them too.”
“They're amazing.”
“I'll tell him you said so. He'll be insufferable about it for weeks.”
“Worth it.”
We finished eating as the light shifted, afternoon gold deepening toward the amber of approaching evening. I should have suggested heading back. Should have been responsible about time and obligations and all the things that usually drove my decisions.
Instead, I found myself saying: “Tell me something else. Something about you, not the pack.”
Daniel went still beside me. “What do you want to know?”
“Anything. Everything.” I turned to face him, tucking one leg under me on the stone. “I know Daniel the Alpha. Daniel who carries the pack on his shoulders and makes hard decisions andkeeps everyone safe. I want to know the other Daniel. The one who exists when no one's watching.”
“That Daniel is boring.”
“I doubt that very much.”
He was quiet for a long moment, staring at the pool like it held answers he wasn't sure he wanted to find. Then, slowly: “I like woodworking. Building things with my hands that aren't weapons or defenses. I have a workshop behind the pack house that most people don't know about.”
“What do you make?”
“Furniture, mostly. Chairs. Tables. I made the desk in my office.” He almost smiled. “It took me three years. I kept getting interrupted by pack emergencies.”
“That's the most relatable thing you've ever said to me.”
“Is it?”
“Interrupted projects are the story of my life.” I leaned back on my hands. “What else?”
“I hate mornings. Everyone assumes Alphas are early risers, but given the choice, I'd sleep until noon and stay up all night.”
“A nocturnal wolf. Shocking.”
“It's not about being a wolf. I'm just not a morning person.” He said it with such flat sincerity that I laughed. “What?”
“Nothing. I just... I like this version of you.”
Daniel's expression shifted. Something flickered in his eyes, there and gone. “What version is that?”
“The one who admits to hating mornings and making furniture. The one who tells dragon stories and packs cookies for outings in the forest.”
“This isn't an outing. It's a tactical retreat from paperwork.”
“Sure it is.”
“It is.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Alpha.” I grinned at his scowl. “You know, for someone who's supposed to be terrifying, you're remarkably easy to tease.”
