"Is that what you're wearing to the ball?" Heath asked.

Kane looked down at his plain white tee and dark jeans. "What's wrong with this?" he asked.

Heath flopped onto Kane's bed. "You look very chill."

Kane shrugged. "Should I look less chill?"

Heath pulled his phone out and started scrolling. "You can look as chill as you want, but you want to make a good first impression, don't you?" he asked without looking up from his phone.

Kane lent back into the headboard. He didn't really believe that he would find his mate tonight. He had been to a few of these balls, and only a few matches were made every time. He doubted that he would find his so soon after turning seventeen. "The odds are that I won't even meet my mate tonight."

Heath shrugged. "There's a chance."

"I guess."

There were a few seconds of silence that hung between them. Kane could see the words forming on Heath's lips a few times but he didn't say them.

"What?" Kane asked, breaking the silence.

"You need to get over the person you've been sleeping with," Heath muttered.

"You know about that?" Kane asked. His focus was all on Heath. He didn't know how much his brother knew.

Heath put his phone down. "I borrowed your bag last week and there were condom wrappers at the bottom. You're sleeping with someone, and I know for sure that it's not your mate."

Kane sighed. Heath didn't know about Wyatt specifically. "I'm ending it soon."

"You know that I don't believe in the whole no dating until mating mentality, but I do think it's a problem when you don't even seem excited at the concept of meeting your mate," Heath explained. Heath paused for a long moment. "You do want to meet him, don't you?"

Kane shrugged. He did and he didn't. His mind was groggy on that account.

"What are you doing?" a small voice came from the doorway. Kane motioned for Grace to come into the room. She ran to him, flopping onto the bed between he and Heath.

"We are just talking about mates," Heath explained.

Kane wrapped his arm around Grace's shoulders. The small girl looked up at him with her big eyes and heart shaped face. She was so innocent, unknowing of the world outside of the walls. Kane wanted to keep her that way.

"Will you meet your mate tonight? Dad said you are going to the ball," she said.

Kane shrugged. "Maybe."

"I hope she's pretty. Like a princess," she said in a way only a five-year-old could.

Heath laughed. "I don't know if he's bringing home a princess," he said.

"Why not?"

Kane pushed her hair behind her ear. "Well, what if I bring home a prince?"

"That would be okay too," Grace said after some careful consideration. "I hope the prince is pretty, then."

"I hope so too." Kane kissed her forehead. She had the most beautiful soul he'd ever seen.

"Wyatt's here," Kane heard his mother call up the stairs.

"Grace, please watch Heath while I'm gone," he asked of her. "I don't want him getting into any trouble."

Grace giggled. "Okay."

Heath wrapped his arms around Grace's belly and started tickling her. "Are you in charge, are you?" he asked as he tickled her.

Kane smiled as he heard her laughs while he walked down the stairs. He found Wyatt at the bottom of the staircase. He was dressed up. He wore a navy button up and suit pants. His shoes shone under the low hanging lights.

"Can we talk outside?" Kane asked.

Wyatt looked confused for a moment until realisation hit his face. "Okay."

Kane led him outside, onto the patio. A small table and chairs sat at the end, far away from the windows. He looked around to check that his parents weren't within earshot before speaking. "I don't know how to say this, but we need to break up."

Wyatt nodded. "I know."

Kane raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"Adam made you, didn't he?" Wyatt asked. He was looking down at his hands. "I don't blame him, you're going to be his number two one day and he needs you to have a good reputation."

Kane shook his head. "That's not how it happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Adam advised me to break it off with you, but he didn't make me."

"You said you loved me yesterday," Wyatt whispered. Wyatt pulled his eyes up and was looking expectantly at Kane. "What changed, then?"

Kane didn't know how to put it into words. How could he explain to Wyatt that he didn't love him? He adored him and cared for him and thought he was incredible, but yesterday's ceremony had reminded him that they would never have true love. They would never be each other's soul mates.

"What you said yesterday, you were right. We aren't mates, and I can't keep pretending like that doesn't matter," Kane said truthfully. It hurt him to say, but it was the truth.

Wyatt nodded sadly. "Whoever ends up with you is going to be one lucky guy."

Kane reached across the table and squeezed Wyatt's hand for a millisecond. They sat on the porch in silence for a few minutes. Kane wanted to say more, but the words were stuck in his throat. A car horn made him look up.

Amelia's car sat in the driveway, the window down. "Sorry, I'm late!" she called out to them. "Get in the car!"

They hastily made their way to her car. Kane sat in the front and instantly began changing the radio station. Amelia wacked his hand away. Kane laughed. "You have terrible taste in music," he told her.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "You should drive yourself then."

"She does have a point," Wyatt muttered from the back.

"Thank-you Wyatt," Amelia said proudly. "Now do you want to get out of my car or listen to 2008 Rhianna?"

Kane huffed. "Whatever." He smiled cheekily at Amelia who just laughed in response.

The drive to the ball was long. It was being held two towns over. This was one of the closest ones Kane had been to. Usually he and Amelia would travel long distances to attend the large balls, but this one was a smaller dance. It was being held in a small convention centre. The parking lot was full, so they parked on a side street.

Amelia and Wyatt walked ahead of Kane, chatting about the dance. Kane walked slowly. He pulled his phone from his pocket and saw that Adam had messaged him. How did your talk with Wyatt go? It read.

Kane replied. It was okay. He took it well.

Adam replied a few seconds later. I hope you have a good time tonight.

Kane didn't know how to respond. He couldn't stop thinking of the sadness in Wyatt's eyes, but a part of him wanted him to seize the moment and just have fun tonight. Bad moods never stuck around too long with him, but he didn't feel this one shifting anytime soon.

They showed their ID at the door and then they were inside. The room was packed with people. It was set out with a dance floor to one side and tables and chairs on the other. Kane froze as they walked in, waiting, just in case. If his mate was looking at him, then he would know instantly. He didn't feel anything different as he looked at the faces in the crowd, and from the other two's expressions, neither did they. Amelia tried to hide it, but there was disappointment in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Kane asked.

Amelia nodded. She led them to one of the food tables at the side of the room. She took a bite of a quiche. "We should dance," she mumbled around the food in her mouth.

"I agree," Wyatt said. He skulled the orange juice in his hand. "Are you coming, Kane?"

Kane shrugged.

"I'll meet you two out there," Amelia said as she moved towards the dance floor.

"Why don't you want to dance?" Wyatt asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. Usually he loved parties like this, he would be on the dance floor all night, not even worrying about making eye contact with everyone in the crowd. However, today he felt different. He wasn't in the mood for it.

"Your mate could be out on that dance floor, and you wouldn't even know," Wyatt admitted. He glanced towards the dance floor.

Kane shrugged again. "I'll see you out there soon, okay?"

Wyatt sent him a strange look, but continued out onto the dance floor anyway.

Kane grabbed a drink from the table and took a long sip. He wished that he had brought some vodka with him, it might have allowed him to rid of the dark cloud that hung above his head. He watched the dancing crowd, the mix of beta's and omega's together, moving as one. Kane's eyes found Wyatt and Amelia, they were on the outskirts of the crowd, dancing together, their hands linked.

Kane considered joining them, but shook his head at the idea. Instead, he made his way around the tables and towards the back of the room. He passed a table where a white-haired girl was wrapped around a white-haired boy. Kane smiled as he glanced at them, it seemed that someone had found their mate tonight.

He found a seat at the last table in the back, and crossed his legs. He took small sips of his drink as his eyes searched the crowd. Wyatt's words had put a tinge of fear into him. Wyatt had been right, he wouldn't forgive himself if he had come to the ball and missed his mate. So, he looked around the room for a few minutes, but none of the people whose eyes he caught did anything to his soul.

"Hello Kane."

Kane turned his head. He knew that voice. A boy with dark, slicked back hair stood next to his chair with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Sit with me," Kane said. He motioned towards the seat next to him. "How have you been, Kai?"

Kai shrugged as he sat. "Good. How about you?"

Kane's eyes moved towards Wyatt on their own accord. "I've been better."

"I assume you still don't have your mate?" Kai asked.

"Nope," Kane murmured.

"Well, it's not like you're running out of time anytime soon," Kai assured him.

Kane's eyes drifted to one of the tables at the front. He had seen them as soon as he walked in. They were those whose time really was running out. Five of them sat together, hopeful looks on their faces but worry in their eyes. They all looked much older than most of the people in the room.

"I'll shoot myself if I get to twenty-five and I'm alone," Kai murmured.

"Don't say that, Kai."

Kai gestured towards the group. "If they don't find their mates soon, then they will know for sure that their mate is dead."

Kane sighed. He couldn't rebut Kai's comment. He was right. If you didn't find your mate by your twenty-fifth birthday, then you didn't have a mate. They were dead. Perhaps they never made it past a few hours into life, or maybe they died yesterday. Their mate would never know.

"They are here, which means they haven't run out of time yet. There's still hope," Kane murmured.

"Not much of it," Kai whispered. They both stayed silent for a moment.

Kai pulled a flask from his pocket and raised his eyebrow towards Kane. Kane nodded and soon enough, Kai poured a swig of clear liquid into his cup.

"Hard day?" he asked Kai.

Kai shrugged. "Every day without a mate is a hard day."

Kane laughed. "You sound like such a traditionalist, of which, I know you're not."

Kai raised his eyebrow. "How would you know such a thing?"

"For one, we dated for over a year. That isn't a very traditional thing to do," Kane replied. "Secondly, since when have you needed a mate to make you happy?"

Kai took a swig from his flask before hiding it in his jacket pocket again. "Since my pack started falling to pieces."

Kane's eyes widened. Kai's pack was only a fifteen-minute drive from his own and the pack members socialised often. He was sure that word would have gotten around if the pack was having problems. "What's going on with your pack?"

Kai sighed. "We are in trouble. The pack is costing more to run than what we have. Rouges are constantly getting past our walls, stealing things, attacking our people."

"I had no idea," Kane replied. He lent forward in his chair, towards Kai. "Why didn't I know this was going on?"

"It's a well-kept secret," Kai admitted, "but it won't be for long. We are asking for another loan from the werewolf government, not that they will approve us."

"Our packs have strong alliances, many of our people are mated with your pack, why can't we help?"

Kai looked at him in confusion. "You really don't know, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Kane asked. He didn't know what Kai was implying.

"Your pack is just as broke as we are," Kai confessed.

Kane felt his heart beating faster in his chest. "We are?"

Kai nodded. "You haven't noticed a lack of funds?"

Kane thought about the broken wall that hadn't been fixed. "I just assumed..." Kane trailed off, he really wasn't sure what he had assumed. Had he thought the Alpha was just being lazy in fixing the wall? He definitely hadn't considered that there wasn't enough money to fix it.

"Now you understand why I am interested in meeting my mate," Kai said.

Kane took a big sip of his drink. "You're hoping that he's from a rich pack."

"I'm praying that he is," Kai admitted. "I'm in the same position you are, I'm being preened to be the second-hand man of the next Alpha. My mate's family will have an alliance to my pack, and if they have the money, they will spend it on ensuring that my pack is well looked after."

"Your logic is solid," Kane admitted, "but you're relying quite heavily on the fact your mate will be from a powerful pack. You can't guarantee that."

Kai took a deep breath. "A man can hope."

"Well, we best be thankful that we didn't end up as mates," Kane said, "we would have screwed both our packs."

Kai winked at him. "But damn, would we have screwed each other well."

Kane laughed. "We did have fun, back in the day."

Kai lent closer to Kane. "We can still have fun," Kai whispered in his ear. He nodded towards the bathrooms.

Kane laughed and pushed him away gently. "We are at a state ball. Our mates could be in this room."

"Then why are you sitting here with me and not out there, looking for him?"

Kane shrugged. "You have a point, but unfortunately, for you, I'm going to follow your advice." Kane skulled his drink and placed the cup on the table. He stood up and pushed his hair back with his fingers. "Who knows," he winked, "maybe I'll see you after the ball."

Kai smiled up at him, amusement in his eyes. "Maybe you will, or maybe you'll go home with your mate tonight."

Kane walked away from the table, and towards the dance floor. Just as he got onto the dance floor, a slow song started to play. He felt a hand in his own.

"Dance with me," Amelia said.

Kane turned around so that they were standing face to face, and then he used his hand to pull her hips closer to him. "How's the mate search going?" he asked as they danced.

Amelia span around before pulling her body closer to Kane's. "No luck, as of yet."

"You look beautiful tonight," Kane told her. He watched the skirt of her dress flow around her knees as they moved.

"You look," Amelia looked him up and down, "like you don't want to be here."

Kane shrugged. "Maybe I don't."

"What's so bad about finding your mate?" Amelia whispered in his ear.

Kane couldn't put into words why he felt apprehension towards the premise of finding his one, true love. It seemed so seamless and unquestionable, the hope to find one's mate. However, it never seemed that way with Kane. When his mind conjured up images of his future, he only saw blurriness, an unclear vision of what was to come. Whereas Amelia had told him of the names she would call her children, Tyler had detailed the places he would take his mate and Adam had spoken of the great love he would feel for his mate way before he had even met Violet, he had none of that. When Kane thought of the future ahead, he felt uncertainty. He didn't see a grand adventure waiting to be had, like his friends did, instead he saw a delicate image blurred by ambiguity.

He had a sudden, intrusive thought that asked if this is what those twenty something's felt. He wondered if he even had a mate, or if an illness or tragedy had taken away his chance at happiness, and from the sounds of it, his pack's future too. He decided he was going to speak with those people back at that table. If they did feel the same way, then Kane could prepare himself.

"Oh my gosh," Amelia exclaimed. "Kane, look!"

Kane lifted his head and followed Amelia's eye line. There, in the middle of the crowd, were two boys kissing. They had their arms wrapped around each other in an embrace. The crowd around them started to clap and cheer.

Amelia stepped away from Kane to clap her hands together. She put two fingers in her mouth and wolf whistled at them. "Congratulations!" she screamed.

Kane felt like the air had been knocked from his lungs. He watched as they boys broke apart long enough to look in their direction. He didn't recognise one boy, he was tall with long limbs and long, shoulder length white hair. The other boy was Wyatt.

The moment he saw Wyatt's eyes, wide and happy, he knew that the boy would never feel anything for him again. He smiled at Wyatt, a wide pretend smile, that said how happy he was for him. Kane was happy for Wyatt, he really was, but the pain overwhelmed him and he ran from the room the second Wyatt's eyes were diverted.

He stood with his back against the wall of the building as a single tear fell down his cheek. He wasn't crying for Wyatt, he realised, he was crying for himself. He didn't know if he would ever be as happy as the look he saw in Wyatt's face. He didn't know if he would ever feel the emotions that Adam did the day before. He felt a sharp pang of worry about the future. It was an unfamiliar feeling. It scared him.  

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