Carter had completely lost Brand. Or was he playing a joke at Brand's expense? If so, it wasn't funny.

"I'm sorry," Brand tried to excuse himself again. "I really should get in to Jax."

Carter grabbed his elbow, then released him as if he were made of fire. "Please, don't go yet. Do you not understand what I'm saying?"

Brand turned to him in frustration. "I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but it isn't funny."

Carter ran his hands through his hair, his fingers trembling, his skin flushed. Brand realized that whatever was going on, Carter wasn't making fun of him, and it wasn't easy for him to talk about. More than anything, he wanted to leave this awkward conversation behind him and get back to his normal schedule, going in to talk to Jax, but he couldn't leave Carter looking so… unsettled.

"How about that coffee?" Brand suggested.

Carter let out a whoosh of breath. "Yeah, that would be good."

Brand hated skipping out on Jax, but he felt he needed to work whatever this was out with Carter. He'd never seen the man like this before. Granted, he barely knew Carter, but you could tell a lot about a person by the way they handled childbirth, their own or someone else's, and Carter had been calm, collected and supportive. This was not the same Carter.

Who would be the same after losing their mate in a tragic accident, though? Brand led Carter across the parking lot to the nearby deli. It was the only option for coffee around here, unless you wanted the gas station special on the corner.

Brand ordered decaf, which Carter made a face at, but said nothing.

"Why don't you start from the beginning," Brand said after their waitress filled their cups and left.

"Right." Carter took a deep breath. "I never believed in all that true mate stuff growing up. Neither did Aaron. But we worked well together, and we loved each other. He was my everything. But then when we came in for that first appointment with you…" He looked away. "I'd never smelled something so amazing. It took me three visits to pin down what you smelled like—fresh pine—but it lingered in my nose long after we left."

Brand shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe I just have an unusual scent," he said.

"No, definitely not," Carter said certainly. "I knew. I never told Aaron. I didn't want him feeling uncomfortable with you. And besides, there was no point. I wasn't ever going to leave him."

That surprised Brand. Well, the whole conversation was surprising, but even if Carter were right about Brand being his mate, Brand had never met anyone who would have reacted that way to handling such a complicated situation. Every instance he'd heard of or seen where someone found their true mate while they were already in a relationship ended up abandoning their current partner for the true mate. There were so many things Brand felt he thought he should say, but the most important one pushed its way to the surface. "Carter, I think I get what you're trying to say, but it's impossible."

"Why is that?" Carter challenged. "I know you're unmated."

Brand felt his skin flush. Everyone knew he was unmated. "I'm not sure what it is you're sensing around me, but I'm not your true mate. I've never felt that draw toward you. I'm sorry. You're a nice guy and all, but I'm waiting for that true mate scent. It seems you are too, and I really hope you find it."

Carter's jaw dropped. "I don't understand. This isn't possible."

"If you want to see a doctor, I can recommend—"

"No, Brandon. I know what I smell. You are my mate."

Brand stiffened. "I don't know how to convince you that you're wrong, but I'm going now."

He stood and left without another word, and Carter just stared after him in shock. Of all the things he had been expecting out of this conversation, this definitely had not been on his radar.

Shit. What was he supposed to do now? He tried to ask himself, "What would Aaron do?" but came up with blanks. He'd never heard of someone falsely scenting their mate. But he'd never heard of someone not reciprocating the scenting either. What in the world was going on?

He waited until his normal pickup time to go back for Jax, and he wasn't sure whether he was relieved or disappointed that Brandon wasn't there.

* * *

Brand went straight back to his office instead of trying to cheer Jax on right now. As much as he loved the boy, he didn't want to run into Jax's father again. What was Carter thinking? He wasn't the type to play such a mean practical joke. Or maybe he was. Brand had a strong impression from the night Jax was born, but that had been over eight years ago. People changed. Especially with the loss of a loved one.

Brand locked the door behind him even though no one of his social circle would dare to open his door uninvited. It was for others. Like Carter, Brand's treacherous heart whispered to him. He rarely spoke of his yearning for a mate anymore. His parents would urge him to settle like his sisters had. But they were a fated pair. He wanted what they had. Sure, his sisters seemed happy enough, but there was something different between their relationships and his parents', at least, from Brandon's point of view. His mother could glance at a candelabra, and within minutes, his father would light them without her ever saying a word. And it was a million things like that. Things he'd seen over and over in the fated couples in his office, a connection other couples didn't have. He never would be so rude as to ask whether a couple was fated or not, but they often volunteered the information themselves.

It was interesting how many people thought that might have an effect on the health of their baby. Not that Brandon would rule it out, but if so, it seemed to him that it would be a statistically insignificant amount. Babies were babies, no matter how their parents had come to be mated.

He tried to distract himself with paperwork, but that really was the dumbest way to try to occupy his brain when he was all wound up. Thankfully, his afternoon was booked with appointments, and soon enough he was immersed in his world again. A world without Carter and his confusing statements.

* * *

It was hard coming home to an empty house that night. Harder than normal. The jangle of his keys as he tossed them on his empty counter echoed hauntingly. Damn Carter and his crazy ideas of fated mates that weren't. How could he be so confused? And even if he truly thought Brandon was his mate, how would he have held himself back from pursuing Brandon for years? Even if he was mated, didn't that override your senses for a while?

That was another reason Brandon was holding out for his true mate. He'd seen enough couples break up when one of them suddenly found their mate after years of being with someone. Even after having children. Brandon could never do that to someone. Just the thought made him feel wretched. It was too bad Carter was turning out to be a crazy. Brandon had really enjoyed cheering Jax on in his therapy, but now the chance of running into Chance made him feel uncomfortable.

He wanted to talk to his sister Evelyn. Evie was his best friend. Even though she hadn't had much time for him since she'd mated and started building a family, they'd had less time together. He checked the time. Almost six. They'd probably be having dinner right now, and then they'd be caught up in the bed time routine for their four little ones. He didn't want to interrupt that. But he could send her a text. Then she could respond whenever she was free.

Hey, sis. What are you up to?

He stuck his phone in his pocket and started making his own dinner, a terribly healthy microwave meal. At least he went for the low sodium version.

He was flicking mindlessly through channels on the TV when there was a knock on his door. Who would be stopping by at seven thirty at night? He peeked through the side window before opening his door.

"Evie, you didn't have to come all the way over."

She thrust a bottle of wine at him. "All the way over—like I had to walk more than two blocks to get here."

"The kids?"

"All asleep. It's been a while since we had a night, baby bro. Tell me what's going on."

Evie certainly didn't beat around the bush. She was all alpha, all the time. And she knew Brand better than anyone other than Ty. Brand hadn't said anything he felt would have given away his emotional upset, but she knew. He sidestepped as best he could, though. "Caroline's okay with you running around at night?"

Evie pulled two wineglasses from his cabinet as he searched for his wine opener. "Caro practically kicked me out of the house when I told her you texted. She's been trying to sneak time in to read her new book all day, but you know how the kids are. It'll be better when they're in school, but she won't let me bring up the idea of putting them in preschool or daycare."

Brand poured the wine and leaned against the counter.

"So. Rough day?"

"Strange day," Brand replied. "What would you do if you or Carolyn found your true mate?"

Evie shrugged. "Figure it out if it came up. No sense borrowing trouble. Why?"

"Evie, I'm serious. It happens. It's happened to couples who've come through my clinic. Don't you think it would change your relationship with Carolyn if you found your true mate?"

Evie thought about it this time. "I suppose it would have to, but not in the way you're thinking. I would expect it to make us stronger, honestly."

"What? Really? How do you think?"

"Okay, so think about it." Evie leaned forward against the island. "She and I have built up this really great life, right? We have awesome kids, a beautiful house, I've got a good job that lets her stay home like she wants to. And then along comes some person I find incredibly, insanely attracted. My biology starts kicking me in the lady bits, yelling at me to chase them down. And then I don't. I figure that's racking up some major brownie points."

"You really wouldn't?"

"Of course not," Evie said. "I have an amazing life. Why would I give that up for just the chance at amazing sex?"

"But isn't a true mate more than that? Your perfect match, your soulmate?"

"Look, little bro, I don't know what's got you all wound up about this, but we are more than our biology. I knew that by choosing Caro, I was giving up the chance for a biologically chosen compatible mate. And you know why I was okay with that? I'd already found an amazingly compatible person without biology's help. Why would I give up what I have with Caro, with all the history and joy we have, to start new with someone else, to build up the same happiness I already have?"

That was very different from how Brand always thought of fated mates.

"Is there someone you're interested in?" Evie asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"What? No."

Evie sighed. "You've been stuck on this idea of fated mates since we were kids, Brand. And I try really hard to be supportive because yes, a lot of people do find their mates that way. But a lot don't. I hate to see you give up on your chance for children of your own just because you think the only way you can find a mate is through scent."

I drained my glass in one last gulp.

"So, are you going to tell me what's really going on?"

"There's this guy…" I started.

"Aha! I knew there was a guy!"

"Not the way you're thinking of. He was one of my clients."

"An omega?"

"Well, no, his omega was my client. But he came to every visit. He seemed like one of the good ones. And this was eight years ago."

Evie looked confused at my wandering explanation, but I couldn't think of a clearer way to tell the story.

"And a couple years ago, the omega and their son got in a really bad accident. The omega died, and the kid has been in physical rehab with Ty pretty much ever since. He's a really sweet kid, and I like to go over and cheer him on during his sessions. Well, today, his dad, the alpha, comes up to me and wants to talk. He normally just waves to me, which is fine. We don't really know each other. But he starts going on and on about how I'm his fated mate, he knew it when he came to my office that first time, all this crazy talk."

"But he didn't say anything about this eight years ago?"

"Right. And I've never scented anything special about him. But he seemed so serious. I can't tell if he's delusional or trying to mess with me or what."

Evie was silent, her eyes darting as she thought through. I waited impatiently for her input. I could always count on Evie to tell me exactly what she thought.

"Well that's just weird."

I'd been hoping for more than that.

"Other than this mate thing, he seemed pretty normal?"

"Yeah, I mean, I haven't really talked to him much before, at least, not since his mate was pregnant with Jax."

"Maybe losing his omega made him a little nuts?"

I shrugged and Evie moved around the corner to fill up my glass again. "That's one of my theories."

"You said the kid is working with Tyler? So Tyler should know the dad pretty well. Have you asked him about it yet?"

"No, I kinda hid in my office the rest of the afternoon."

Evie rolled her eyes. "And that is one of the reasons you haven't found a mate yet. I don't know what's going on with this guy, but I definitely think you should try to get more information. At the very least, if he's crazy, forewarned is forearmed, right?"

Talking with Evie had left me with just as many questions as I'd had before she came over. But she was right. "Yeah, I'll talk to Tyler tomorrow."

Evie grabbed the wine bottle and headed to the living room. "Has mom called you, freaking out about the latest gossip?"

"No… and I don't think I missed any calls from her. Why? What's up?"

"There's rumors about a bunch of omegas going missing. It started with some packs out in Utah, but more and more reports have been popping up. In my opinion, chances are, it's just the same number as we've always head, running away from abusive alphas or whatever, but as the packs are getting friendlier with each other, we're just hearing about them more." Evie settled into the couch and Brand took his recliner. "But there's a chance it's something more. It's hard to tell, since I'm hearing about it through Mom."

Brand shook his head ruefully. "Remember when that group of human kids started popping up in the woods in clown outfits? And she was freaking out that it was some kind of kidnapping scheme?"

Evie laughed. "Caro's brother was one of the ones who ran across them while they were smoking a bunch of weed in the woods and gave them a little fright. That would have been fun. Not often we get to play wolf in front of humans. Never heard about them hanging out in the woods after that. I don't think anyone ever figured out what was up with the clown outfits."

Talking with Evie always helped. They continued to talk about nothing and drink wine until they were both a little buzzed and she stumbled home. A lone thought drifted through Brand's brain as he was falling asleep, wondering what in the world was Carter's deal, and then he was whisked away to sleep.