Park’s face turned sad, apologetic. “No,” he murmured. “No, of course not. I’m sorry, Cooper, I—” He dragged his hand through his hair. “You’re right, it really is supposed to be impossible. And a month ago, a week ago—hell, yesterday morning—if you’d told me your number I’d have agreed with you that yeah, the test is faulty. You filled it out wrong. It doesn’t mean anything. No big deal.”

“But...” Cooper prompted when Park didn’t continue.

“But,” Cola said. “In case you haven’t noticed, the ghost story we were raised on as children is haunting DC and if this little aberration gets out, wolves are going to start thinking it’s you.” She paused. “Are you?”

“Am I an all-powerful being risen straight out of folklore here to wipe out all the little wolf sinners? Well, I’ll have to check my agenda, but let’s pencil in a soft no for now,” Cooper said, irritated.

“You need to stop dismissing anyone who believes the Moon might be more than a fantasy as fools, Dayton,” Cola snapped, an unexpected edge to her voice. “These things are not as clear cut for us. Your fairy tales are our reality. Or do I need to remind you that you’re standing in a room with two werewolves?”

Cooper felt a blush of shame and glanced at Park, who was staring back at him, obviously still tense. “I’m sorry,” Cooper said to both of them. “I’ve been rude and I just—I’m sorry. You’re right, this sort of thing is...beyond my experience. Which is why I don’t understand why you’d think I was the Moon. Even if AQ is real. Even if mine is one hundred, what does one thing have to do with another? I’m a human. An outsider.”

“The being we call the Moon is not necessarily a wolf,” Cola said. “They’re just supposed to be...powerful. Someone able to influence wolves in unprecedented ways. An alpha unlike all others. Someone destined to change the status quo. Your alpha quotient is quite literally off the charts. Your results indicate unprecedented power. And you certainly seem to shake shit up for our kind every few months.” She gestured around. “Even Neil Gerhart can do that math.”

“Neil is scribbling on the walls in marker, a confirmed stalker and very possibly a murderer,” Cooper said bluntly. “With all due respect, I’m done taking his opinions about me seriously.”

“If you like.” Cola shrugged. “But others won’t be so quick to dismiss the idea. And seeing as how someone has been going through a lot of trouble to make these murders look like the work of the Moon, the accusations won’t stop there.”