Being separated from Doc sucked the big one.

He'd been checked over by Dr. Tran—admitting his shoulder was a bit sore from having carried Doc all that way, but he hadn't strained anything. Then Brady had called him over while Dr. Tran started to examine Doc. It was the first time all the siblings had been together in a while, since Brice had come with the Lakewood contingent. It was good to see his younger brother, who seemed to have put on even more muscle in the weeks since they'd last seen him.

While he was with his family, Doc had managed to finally shift back to her human side, which he'd been relieved to see. Although it also meant she'd been naked and he'd felt a little growly about that even though no one was looking. Fortunately, Steele had come prepared with extra clothes for both her and Brock. 

Unfortunately, Doc’s car was definitely missing. She was pissed but there was nothing they could do. One of The Company's guys admitted they'd taken it away so she and Brock couldn't escape in it. So when Eli had started giving the orders to load everyone up into the cars to go back to their respective homes, Brock had ended up with Steele, Bethany, Bailey, and Kasim. 

Doc was in the other car going back to Cryus Peak with Brady, Jesse, Jordan, and Jacqueline. He’d tried to talk Jacqueline into switching with him, but apparently she and Jordan were now a couple and she hadn’t been willing to switch with him. The ornery honey-badger had gotten kind of mean about it too and Brock wasn’t willing to push things with her. She was the Omega, the peacekeeper, for Steele’s pack and she settled a lot of disputes with an iron fist.

So now he was wedged into the backseat with his little sister sitting between him and Kasim, both of them trying to make sure they didn’t squish her. Even though Bailey had actually grown a couple inches and put on some muscles since they’d been rescued from The Company, he and Kasim were big men and she still seemed tiny compared to both of them. The lion shifter was Bailey’s best friend and, usually, a calming influence on her. He had long dreads that went down past his shoulders, which he usually kept in a ponytail, and an easy smile that would flash bright in his dark face. But he could also be serious when the occasion called for it, and he didn’t put up with any of Bailey’s occasional nonsense that she directed at him.

It would have made more sense for Bethany to be in the back seat, and either he or Kasim sit in the front, but Steele wasn’t about to be separated from his mate for a six hour drive.

Brock kind of understood how that felt now.

Not that Doc was his mate. He definitely hadn’t had the immediate reaction to her that Bethany had to Steele. They had been fated mates.

From what Brock understood, fated mates were extremely rare. There was some debate as to why though. Some people thought it was just rare, period. Others thought it was because people grew tired of waiting for their fated mate, fell in love and mated the person they loved. Being mated cut off all chance of finding a fated mate—which people knew because if they were already in love with someone else and their animal had already accepted that person, they could mate ASAP and no longer feel the urge to mate their fated.

Bailey was all about meeting her fated mate, which had ended every relationship she’d had before it began. She’d date a guy for a few weeks, they’d realize she really was serious about waiting to see if she found her fated mate, and then they’d break up. Amicably for the most part, but a lot of them were annoyed she wasn’t even willing to give them a chance.

Actually, she’d been single for the past month because word had gotten around.

He thought she was probably over-romanticizing the whole idea. Having a fated mate didn’t mean life would be perfect ever-after. Bethany and Steele still fought. Although he sometimes thought their bickering was foreplay but he tried not to think about that too hard. Things he didn’t want to think about for a thousand, Alex—what is either of my sisters having sex?

Doc kind of seemed like she’d be the type to over-romanticize fated mates too. She did have a thing for happily-ever-afters and Disney. Was that why she wasn’t mated yet? Because she was waiting to see if she met her fated mate?

He wasn’t sure he liked that idea at all.

What if her fated mate didn’t like Disney or made fun of her for her t-shirts and adorable singing and dancing?

What if he didn’t understand her unique and sunny nature the way Brock initially hadn’t? What if he didn't appreciate it even after he did understand it?

What if he made her unhappy? His bugaboo growled at the thought of an unhappy Doc. Neither of them liked that idea.

But if Brock could make her fall in love with him then he could mate her and make sure she was taken care of. Now that he understood her everlasting optimism it didn't bother him. Yeah, he wasn't the biggest fan of Disney but he liked how enthusiastic she was about it. 

If he mated her, then he could make sure she was safe and happy and didn't fall into the clutches of someone who might not appreciate her. 

Good plan. His bugaboo sounded eager, so he was on board. That was good.

Brady and Jesse had mated and they weren't fated mates, but they were just as happy as Steele and Bethany. They definitely bickered a lot less. He would have to ask Brady how he'd managed to lock Jesse down. Especially since for a while there he'd definitely made some mistakes and it had looked like he might not have a chance with her at all. But somehow he'd made it work. 

A sharp elbow jabbed Brock in the side, jerking him out of his thoughts. He turned his head away from the window to glare down at his baby sister, who looked up at him with guileless blue eyes. 

"What?"

"Whatcha thinking so hard about?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said quickly. Too quickly. Immediately Bethany turned around in the front seat to pierce him with a blue gaze very similar to Bailey's. They both had their mother's blue eyes and even though Bethany was blonde and Bailey brunette, they managed to look almost identical. 

Gritting his teeth, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked back out the window, indicating he didn't want to talk.

"Gee, Bailey," Bethany said in a sing-song voice that was as obnoxious as nails on a chalkboard. "What do you think Brock is thinking so hard about but doesn't want to tell us?"

"Oh, I don't know, Bethany," Bailey responded gleefully, in similar lilting tones. They both thought they were pretty cute. Actually, if their attention hadn't been directed at him right now he would have thought they were pretty cute too. "Maybe the Doc he insisted on carrying all the way through the woods?"

"But Bailey, Brock doesn't liiiiiiiike the Doc... right Brock?" 

"Well, Bethany, they did spend last night together... maybe Brock and Doc got to know each other a little better." 

His younger sister's sharp elbow jabbed into his side again. 

Unsurprisingly, Steele and Kasim were useless. They were more than willing to let Brock take all the focus of the two terrors. 

It was a long car ride. 

******

Something weird was going on with Brock. 

When they'd gotten back from the skunk community, he'd practically come rushing over to check on her as soon as they'd gotten out of the cars. That had been pretty nice. But as soon as he was assured she hadn't suffered any lingering effects from the tranquilizer she'd been shot with, he'd abandoned her to go talk to his older brother. 

Tired, sad about her missing car, and feeling a little rejected, Doc had gone back to her room and immediately fallen asleep.

The next day she'd gone into work, but when she’d swung by her office to grab some files before lunch she’d found a bag sitting on the middle of her desk with a note.

I think of you.

-Brock

Bemused, she'd opened the bag to find her favorite lunch from the cafeteria inside—turkey on rye with mayo, lettuce, and tomato and a bag of sour cream and onion chips. She didn't know if he somehow knew it was her favorite or if maybe he'd asked around to find out, but she was more than a little touched. Her puma had been especially pleased at the culinary offering, seeing it as a gift from a worthy male.

She just wished he'd stayed around to eat with her. 

Then he’d shown up in the cafeteria when she’d gone to get dinner. She’d been more than a little surprised when he’d slid into the seat next to her. She’d tried to thank him for the lunch, which he’d just shrugged off. Apparently they were back to him grunting as communication. Although he did look kind of nervous and uncomfortable, so she decided maybe it was all the other people making him quiet.

When she was done and about to take her plate over to the dish line, Brock practically snatched it out from her hands.

Standing, he took both of their plates over to the dish line… and then left the cafeteria, leaving Doc sitting at the table highly confused. No one else at the table seemed to know quite what to make of it either. She’d gotten up to chase after him, but he’d already disappeared from the hallway.

That had been yesterday.

This morning there had been another note on her desk, just as cryptic as the first.

I support you.

-Brock

Even though she was in her office all morning, he didn’t stop by to bring her lunch unfortunately, which made her puma sulky. She found out he was back on duty—and therefore patrolling—by casually questioning Dr. Phil if Brock was still going through PT.

After she finished everything for the day she went in search of someone who could maybe give her some insight.

Fortunately, Jesse was usually pretty easy to find—when she was done assisting Bethany with her duties, she always headed to the kids’ playroom. Sure enough, as soon as Doc walked into the room, she spotted Jesse’s auburn hair. She was doing her best to walk with a little kid clinging to each leg, both of them giggling madly. On the other side of the room, Brady was playing pony to a pair of kids who were directing him around the room.

The playroom was always a bit of a madhouse. It was made to be like an outdoor playground, spacious and with plenty of places for active little kids to climb, play, or hide depending on their preferences. The sheer noise volume actually made it an ideal place to talk without being overheard—even for shifters it was impossible to pick out individual conversations without being right next to someone.

Catching Jesse's eye, Doc waved. Fortunately Jesse immediately realized Doc must want to talk to her and she bent down to say something to the kids using her as a means of transportation. A few quick words and the two kids unlatched themselves and ran off, joining in the rest of the chaos, so Jesse could make her way over to where Doc had situated herself along the wall—out of the action.

"Hey Doc, what's up?" Jesse asked as she approached. She took a spot on the wall next to Doc so she could keep an eye on things as they chatted.

"Not much... I um..." Now she felt kind of silly having to ask, but she'd already come here and searched Jesse out so she might as well. "Do you know if anything weird is going on with Brock?"

A little furrow of confusion appeared on Jesse's forehead as she considered Doc's words. "Weird? How so?"

Keeping her voice low—despite the unlikelihood of being overheard—Doc told Jesse about the notes, and the lunch, and last night's dinner, as well as Brock's abrupt departures. About halfway through, Jesse pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back a laugh, her silvery eyes dancing with sheer amusement. Doc couldn't help but smile too, but her smile was tinged with the giddiness of a girl with a crush. 

Because part of her did kind of think that was what was going on. Even if she didn't understand his thought process behind some of the gestures. 

"So what do you think?" she asked, feeling a little breathless even as she tried not to get her hopes up. 

"Oh gosh... I know I shouldn't laugh because of why they all struggle a little bit with relationships, but that's just... so fucking adorable," Jesse said, trying to stifle her giggles. Doc completely knew what she meant. 

Everyone in Steele's pack made allowances for some of the social awkwardness of all the Bunson siblings. After all, they'd been kidnapped by The Company and missed out on a lot of formative teenage stuff, even Brady and Bethany, who had been nineteen and eighteen respectively, when they'd been taken. Which meant they missed a lot of more current pop culture references, didn't always know how to communicate certain things very well, and the younger three were especially deficient on the regular life skills most people learned as teenagers.

It was entirely possible Brock had never even had a girlfriend before being taken by The Company.

“So you think he’s…” Doc groped for a word. Flirting wasn’t quite right. Neither was wooing or courting either though.

“I think he’s following his big brother’s advice,” Jesse said, eyes sparkling. “Brady admitted to me, after we got together, that he found tips on how to romance me on a website. It had all sorts of suggestions on how to romance a woman—surprise her, support her, show her you’re thinking of her when she’s not around… sound familiar?”

“Oh…” Now it was Doc’s turn to place her fingers over her mouth. Jesse was right. That was too freaking cute. A flush of pleasure ran through her.

“I’d bet anything that’s what he’s doing,” Jesse said, looking both smug and gleeful. She leaned in towards a suddenly blushing Doc. “Did something happen while you two were out and on the run?”

“No,” Doc said quickly. Too quickly.

To her utter relief, maybe as if sensing something interesting was happening, Brady chose that moment to come over and say hello. Being a good friend, Jesse didn’t bring up Brock’s possible interest in Doc. She was definitely glad she hadn’t chosen to go to Bethany or Bailey—the two of them loved being able to tease their brothers and she doubted they would have been able to resist keeping quiet. Jesse, on the other hand, wouldn’t tell anyone unless Doc told her it was okay to.

As quickly as she could do so politely, Doc excused herself and retreated from the playroom. She had a lot to think about.

The first thing being, she wasn’t one hundred percent sure Jesse was right.

What if Brock just wanted more of what they’d done under the willow tree? That wasn’t what Doc wanted. Yeah, she’d wanted to clear out the cobwebs, but she also knew herself well enough to realize she could definitely fall for Brock. He wasn’t the kind of guy she could sleep with and not get attached to.

Casual wouldn’t cut it for her. Not with him.

So, if he was trying to romance her how could she make sure he was actually down for more than just sex?

Well. Time to bring out the test again. It had been a while since she’d gotten to do it, but it had never steered her wrong before either.

******

Coming off of his patrol shift, Brock checked his text messages.

Immediately his heart started pounding in his chest and he snapped his head up, looking wildly around for his older brother. Practically running through the corridors of the Peak, he finally spotted Brady headed in the direction of his and Jesse’s rooms.

“Brady!” he shouted, not caring about the odd looks he was getting from the rest of the pack over his unusual behavior. Most of them looked more startled than anything. His bugaboo was bouncing around in his head like a happy little jackrabbit, making him feel even more unlike himself.

His brother turned around, frowning in concern when he saw Brock rushing towards him, phone held out in front of him like a kind of offering.

“What’s going on?” Brady asked as Brock neared.

Panting, Brock held out the phone for Brady to see the text Doc had sent him. Bending forward, Brady read it quickly and then grinned widely. Reaching out, he clapped Brock on the shoulder.

“Dinner and a movie. It worked, good job.”

“Are you sure?” Brock asked. He could still hardly believe it. “I thought it would take longer.”

Keeping his hand on Brock’s shoulder, Brady started moving again, steering Brock in the same direction. Which was good because it was unlikely anyone would be able to overhear them while they were moving through the corridor.

“You must have done a good job,” Brady said cheerfully. “How far down the list did you get?”

“I made sure she knows I think of her and I support her, and I brought her lunch, and I cleaned up after she ate last night… I just thought I would have to do more,” Brock said, shrugging a little sheepishly.

This felt too easy.

“You are going to have to do more,” Brady said, which actually reassured him. “This is just step one. Now, when you go over for dinner, you need to bring her something. It’s even better if you bring her something you made. And I know this looks like a Netflix and Chill situation, but you can’t have sex with her.”

Brock’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“Because if you have sex before the third date, she won’t think you’re serious.”

“But we already had sex,” Brock said, his panic starting to rise again, which alarmed his bugaboo.

“That’s okay, you weren’t romancing her yet,” Brady said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “But now you can’t have sex with her again or she’ll think that’s all you two are doing. You have to make her wait for it. Since it’s the first date you can give her a kiss.”

“This seems backwards,” Brock grumped.

“Thou shalt count to three,” his brother intoned, making his voice high and more nasal than it normally was. “No more, no less.”

They said the next part of the Monty Python quote together. “Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three.”

Brock chuckled. He trusted his brother even as his bugaboo whined plaintively in his head. He sighed. “All right. You haven’t steered me wrong so far. Plus, if Monty Python says so…”

Plus it did make a kind of sense. None of the other women he’d been with had wanted more than sex, and they’d had it immediately. That’s definitely not how he wanted things to go down with Doc.

Besides, he had bigger things to worry about.

“What should I bring her?” he asked.

“Lots of guys go the flowers or chocolates route,” Brady said, sounding very much like he was teaching a class. Maybe he should teach classes. Brock could suggest that to him later. If everything with Doc worked out. “But Jesse’s favorite thing I’ve ever given her is the picture I painted of her. It’s terrible, like, it looks like a dog with mange and a massive tail, but she fuckin loves it because I made it for her.”

“Wait, the painting hanging in the hallway?” Brock had thought one of the kids had painted it for her. One of the younger ones. It really was awful. Comparing it to a dog with mange might even be too kind.

“Yeah, it sucks right? But she loves it,” Brady said proudly. “Even cried a little when I gave it to her.”

“Are you sure she wasn’t crying because it sucked?” Brock teased.

His older brother laughed, smacking Brock’s shoulder again before letting it go. They were getting close to Brady’s home. “No, I told her she didn’t have to put it up but she went and got it framed and did anyway. And she yelled at Daniel when he said it sucked. She loves it because I took the time to make it.”

“Huh.”

Dropping Brady off at his front door, Brock turned that over in his head.

While he wasn’t too confident in his ability to make something good, he could definitely make something that sucked. He just had to put a little thought into it.

We’ll be a good mate, his bugaboo thought smugly.

He wished he shared the creature’s confidence.