If there was one thing Brooke knew about making kids feel better, it was that there was almost nothing a stuffed animal couldn't fix. After helping Steven's parents track down the sobbing seven-year-old, a quick detour to the gift shop had been all she'd needed to brighten his day.

Steven snored in his father's arms, hugging his new seal pup plush close to his chest. His hiccupping sobs had long since faded, leaving no sign he'd ever been upset save the damp trails on his cheeks

"Looks like someone's had more than enough excitement for today." Dr. Hoffman kissed Steven's forehead, careful not to wake him up. "I think it would be best if I take him to our room so he can rest. There will be plenty of time for him to meet all the other pups tomorrow."

"I'm sure everyone will be excited to play with him." Brooke fidgeted with her sealskin. "I'm sorry Jasper was so rude to you guys earlier. I had no idea he'd get so upset."

"I should have told him we were coming, or at least his father." Mrs. Hoffman sighed, her fingers caressing the faded marking scar on her neck. "He was absolutely devastated when Simon and I got divorced."

"Hopefully you'll be able to patch things up once he's had time to calm down." Brooke offered her a shaky smile. "It's not exactly easy to stay upset at the Cowrie Cabana."

After she wished the Hoffmans a pleasant evening, Brooke finally allowed her smile to fall. Tears stung her eyes like saltwater. Despite what she'd told Mrs. Hoffman, she'd been on the verge of crying for ages. As much as she loved the Cowrie Cabana, there was only one place she knew could cheer her up.

###

The scents of caramel and fresh fudge welcomed Brooke to Caramel Cove. Normally just breathing in all the sweet smells the candy and ice cream shop had to offer would be enough to bring the brightest smile to her face, but today it could barely make her stomach growl.

She collapsed into one of the blindingly yellow chairs with a groan. With the midday rush over, she was the only customer in the entire shop, giving her plenty of privacy to mope and gorge herself on ice cream. "Man, today's a triple scoop kind of day."

"That bad, huh?" Hudson glanced up from wiping stray sprinkles off the countertop. "You seemed really happy the other day. Did Mr. Macho get his tail in a twist about something?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Much less think about it, yet memories of how Jasper had acted flooded her mind. The way he'd snapped at her for sympathizing with his mom. The long white canines lengthening from his jaws. The look on Steven's face when his big brother made it painfully clear he didn't want anything to do with him.

"Suit yourself," Hudson said with a shrug. "What are you craving today?"

"Three scoops of chocolate in a cup with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce, please." That was what her grandma always used to get her whenever they visited Caramel Cove. It wasn't quite the same as a warm hug from her grandma, but it would have to do.

"Triple threat, coming right up." Hudson chuckled and shook his head. "Man, I swear you must have chocolate sauce running in your veins. You haven't changed at all since we were pups, have you?"

"I guess not." Brooke sighed. When she was little, the worst things she had to worry about were seagulls snatching her snacks and her hands getting blisters from spending too much time digging in the sand. She might not have changed much, but the stuff she had to deal with sure had. "Do you ever wish things weren't so complicated?"

"If this is about that Alpha you came here with, it's really not that complicated." Hudson plopped three generous scoops of chocolate ice cream in a cup and buried them under the toppings Brooke had requested. "Even a hagfish could see he likes you! There's no use trying to hide it considering, well..." He waved at the Wall of Winners behind him, which proudly displayed the picture of Brooke and Jasper completing the Super Sundae Challenge.

They'd been so happy that day. Now, Brooke felt like a pup who'd lost their hard-earned ice cream to the unforgiving sidewalk.

"It's not about that. Well, actually, it kind of is, but..." Brooke cast her gaze around the shop. Satisfied that no one was so much as glancing inside, she lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "He kissed me this morning."

"He did what?!?" Hudson finished prepping her ice cream so quickly his prosthetic arm groaned in protest. He practically threw himself into the chair across from her before passing her the loaded cup with a massive grin on his face. "You have to tell me everything!"

"I really shouldn't." Brooke took a spoonful of ice cream, closing her eyes as the rich creaminess melted across her tongue. Absolutely perfect, as always. "With the Blue Moon Ball coming up, I don't want to risk anyone finding out about it."

"Say no more." Hudson ran to the front of the store, flipped the sign to CLOSED, and returned to his seat faster than a seagull swooping down on a sandwich. "That should give us some privacy, and I swear to the Goddess I won't say a peep to anyone else. Now, spill!"

Brooke chuckled. Even though she and Hudson had stopped dating ages ago, she could still count on him to drop everything and listen to every last detail of whatever craziness she was dealing with.

Between spoonfuls of ice cream, she told Hudson how Jasper had requested for her to meet him in the ballroom. How he'd been nervous about whether he'd dance well enough with his injured leg despite gliding across the floor as elegantly as an angelfish the entire time they practiced. How a simple dip had turned into a passionate kiss.

How she'd fled the ballroom, diving into the travel tunnels so he couldn't track her scent.

Hudson let out a long, low whistle. "Sweet sardines, Brooke, where the fuck did you find the balls to say no to an Alpha?"

"He's supposed to be looking for his soulmate," she said as she chased the last chocolate chip with her spoon. "If he doesn't find whoever that is by the Blue Moon Ball, he's going to get married to another Alpha."

"So him making a move on you was a huge freaking no-no. Unless..." Hudson drummed his fingers against the table. "I wonder if he thinks you're his soulmate. Did you feel anything weird when you first met him?"

"Well, he sure knows how to make a strong impression. He strutted into the lobby like he owned it, and his eyes were so beautiful I wished I could dive inside them. I wouldn't have minded him diving inside me." Realizing what she'd just said, Brooke sputtered, sending melted ice cream flying from her lips. "Not like that, but, I mean..."

"But you definitely think he's hot," Hudson said with a smirk. "And do you think he felt the same way about you?"

Brooke snorted. "Honestly, I'm pretty sure he wanted to bury himself in the sand after I started talking to him. I kind of sort of put my flippers in my mouth a few times." She absently ran her spoon along the bottom of her cup in search of any last dregs of her dessert. "He got nicer after he got settled in, though. Like, a lot nicer."

"I'm sensing a but."

"But we had a fight today."

Hudson planted his hands on the table and stood so quickly his chair wobbled. "If that Alpha hurt you—"

"It's nothing like that!" Brooke blurted out. Even when fangs had emerged from Jasper's mouth, she'd known with absolute certainty that he'd never hurt her.

"It better not be." Hudson cracked his knuckles.

"I swear it's not. He just..." Brooke sighed. She couldn't tell him everything that had happened with Mrs. Hoffman and her family. That was Jasper's business. "Some stuff got him really worked up, and he said something nasty at a pup."

Hudson winced. "Oof, poor kid."

"I got him a little something from the gift shop to cheer him up, but Jasper really upset him." Brooke sighed, swirling the last dregs of ice cream in her cup. Not even her usual comfort treat could soothe her aching heart. "Even if I'm supposed to be Jasper's soulmate, I could never be with someone who treats pups like that."

"Me neither." Hudson cocked his head to the side. "Maybe he was just having a bad day? He didn't seem like the type to snap at pups when he came here. I mean, he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine, but he was alright once he let himself loosen up."

"Goddess, I hope that's all it was." And even then, what he'd said to Steven was horrible.

"Well, if he is actually as nasty as a polar bear, at least you'll only have to deal with him until that ball of his is over." Hudson scooped up her empty cup and dumped it in the trash. "Let me know if you need another scoop, alright? If nothing else, at least that guy got you free ice cream for life."

As she stared at the picture of her and Jasper hanging behind the counter, the ice cream in Brooke's stomach turned sour. How could she be sure whether Jasper's sweet side or the awful Alpha who'd snapped at a pup was the real him?