“I was aiming for a little more discretion,” Cooper murmured, watching her disappear down the trail. “But yeah, that. I know Oliver wants to be helpful, but he just keeps looking at me like ‘this was your idea, this is your kind’s ritual, what do we do now?’ And I don’t have a clue, because before I met him, I never once thought about it. I never once imagined this would be my life. But now this guy who doesn’t give a shit about marriage has agreed to marry me because he loves me, so I better think of something good. I keep researching weddings, but most of the blogs and articles and goddamn mood boards aren’t made for me either. No brides here. Groom’s party? I don’t have two friends to rub together. Choose a location significant to your relationship? Most of ours are crime scenes.”

Cooper realized his voice had steadily gotten louder and more panicked. He took a deep, steadying breath. Then another.

“Everyone wants their wedding to be perfect,” Dean said gently. “But they never are. And that’s okay. Just make a couple of romantic gestures and keep the alcohol flowing and it will be fine.”

Cooper shook his head. Maybe that was true for Dean and lots of other people, too. But Cooper didn’t have that luxury. Whether he wanted it to or not, Park agreeing to marry him was making a statement. This is what Park was choosing instead of another wolf. A human ritual tying him to a human. People were going to notice. People were already starting to take notice.

The thought of trying to explain that to Dean was exhausting, though, so Cooper let it go. “I’m just not cut out to be the center of attention like that,” he said instead.

Dean snorted, a loud, disbelieving sort of sound. “One of these days you’re going to have to accept you’re really not the shrinking wallflower you claim to be,” he said mysteriously as they walked up to the next animal exhibit.

Cooper frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Dean didn’t answer, just buried his hands in his pockets and shook his head as if chastising himself for speaking.

“Seriously,” Cooper added. “I’m not trying to fight—what do you mean by that?”

“Seems like a lot of people spend a lot of time bending over backward to make you happy, Coop.” Dean shrugged. “Maybe sometimes it’d be kinder to let them.”

Stunned, Cooper opened his mouth to protest, but Dean cut him off. “Look, forget I said anything. You’ve obviously got a lot going on and I wasn’t trying to make light of that. If there’s something I can do to help, just let me know, okay?”