Evelyn smiles. “You can trust me, honey.”
“Brandon says he thinks we are mates, but he isn’t sure.”
She stares at me, clearly needing some time to process what I just said. “And what do you feel?” she finally asks.
Her question confuses me. “Why should I feel anything? I am a human.”
“I don’t know much about human mates,” she says. “But I am sure you would at least have to feel something. Besides, you arenothuman, Gwen. Shifter genetics don’t work that way. You are half wolf, half human – there is no dominant side. With or without a wolf spirit, you are part shifter, and as part shifter, you should feel something, shouldn’t you?”
I stare at her for more than a moment. Rationally, she is right. I’ve just never seen it that way. “But I am sure every rule has exceptions.”
“Maybe,” she says. “But even if you aren’t able to feel the mate bond, then at least Brandon should clearly feel it. His wolf would notice you as his mate. Therearecases in which the mate bond can be suppressed, but isn’t it too much of a coincidence that neither of you feels the bond clearly?”
“I guess it is,” I admit quietly.
“Gwen”-she takes my hands-“I don’t know Brandon. I just know he is a friend of Maddox, but other than that, I don’t know anything about him.”
“Daniel doesn’t like him,” I admit. “But he doesn’t know much about him either.”
“Daniel thinks you can do much better,” she says.
“And what do you think?”
“I think you should date whoever makes you happy,” she says. “If that’s Brandon, I’ll accept it. But…“
“But?”
“I don’t want him to lead you on,” she admits. “Gwen, are you sure he isn’t leading you on?”
Something in my chest churns slightly. “I don’t know,” I say quietly.
“Do you want to hear an old woman’s advice?”
I sigh. “I’m not sure I want to hear it, but I guess I have to.”
“Don’t jump into anything with Brandon, and don’t believe everything he tells you. Be skeptical. You are a beautiful, smart woman, and whoever makes you feel less than you are, isn’t worth it. I don’t believe Brandon is your mate, and I don’t know why he says he is. I don’t want to judge him without knowing him, but Gwen, you need to have a talk with him.”
Another sigh escapes my lips. “Okay,” I mutter. “I will talk to him properly.”
“Now I ruined your evening, didn’t I?”
“No, you didn’t. I started it myself by talking about Brandon,” I say. “I wanted advice.”
“We’ll still make sure that you look dashing,” she promises. “Then you can walk in there and have all eyes on you.”
Her words make me chuckle. “I am not sure if I want all eyes on me.”
“You would realize that you have other options,” Evelyn says simply.
I am curious as to what she is getting at, but decide not to push. Instead, I search for a tutorial on how to do fancy makeup. I was never able to learn these things from my mom, and I don’t have a sister or a female friend of my age, minus Marina, who isn’t in the right state to help me. I don’t know if Mom is still alive, but Dad told me she was overwhelmed by having a child who was only half human, and left.
“What do you think?” I ask Evelyn once I am ready. She has Faye on her lap by now, and both of them beam at me.
“You look fantastic!” Evelyn proclaims. “Is Brandon going to pick you up?”
“No, I am meeting him there.”
I don’t wait for a reply and instead kiss Faye on the top of her head and hug Evelyn before hurrying outside. As usual, I takemy bike. Ever since Jacob upgraded it, I have great light even at night, and sturdier wheels. It’s still early in the evening, so the air is still warm. A beautiful late spring night.
