Jasper dragged himself out of bed with something halfway between a whine and a whimper. His head ached as if an elk had kicked him in his sleep, and exhaustion weighed on his limbs so heavily that even taking off his nightclothes was a struggle.

Goddess, what happened last night? While he was no stranger to hangovers, none had ever left him so worn down, nor had he ever drank enough to leave many of his memories of the day before a void.

He'd eaten way too much. That much his stomach reminded him as he squeezed himself into his pants. He vaguely remembered Mr. Evergreen saying something that had left his jaws aching from suppressing his fangs.

And Brooke. If there was one thing he remembered well, it was how she'd done her best despite being as out of place as a fish on land. Few of the other selkies had tried the most werewolf-centric dishes, yet she'd enjoyed the hunter's stew so much she hadn't left a single drop in her bowl.

No wonder she'd needed to call it a night early. He'd longed to do the same, to carry her to her bed and lay beside her until whatever ailed them vanished. But that wouldn't have been proper, not when Brooke hadn't invited him inside.

Someone knocked on the door. Jasper swore under his breath as he yanked on an undershirt. "Come in!"

Both of his parents entered. With their formalwear as prim and proper as ever, they looked as if they were the ones going to visit the Luna.

Goddess, was he late?!? "I'll be ready in a minute." Jasper jammed his feet into his shoes, grimacing as his half-healed blisters pressed against the tailored leather. The things he'd do to keep those sores from re-opening...

"No need to rush," his father said. "You still have at least another hour before you have to be ready. We just wanted to have a word with you before things get too hectic."

Jasper's stomach dropped to his toes. Had he done something that had embarrassed the pack? Was Mr. Evergreen so offended by how he'd acted at the banquet that he was severing ties with them all together? What had he done wrong this time?

"You're not in trouble," his mother said. She nudged her former mate. "That's something your father should have mentioned sooner, but I imagine he's had a lot on his mind thanks to Kudzu Pack's Alpha."

"Ah, yes. You're not in trouble." His father rubbed his side. "Although I certainly am, at least with your mother."

That did little to ease his nerves. "Did something happen?"

"I've been meaning to have a word with you about last night," his father said.

Oh Goddess, what had he done? The banquet was a blur to Jasper, with only a scant few details remaining in his memory like chunks of meat floating in a cloudy broth. "I'm afraid I may have drank too much, Father. I apologize if I said anything improper."

"No need to worry about that," his father said dismissively. "You escorting that selkie home did stir up some gossip, but you returned quickly enough for it not to be a concern."

He would have gone with her regardless of what anyone thought, gossip be damned. One of the few things Jasper remembered about the night before was how abruptly Brooke had gotten emotional. What kind of Alpha would he be if he hadn't made sure she got home alright?

"I wanted to wish you luck with your visit to the Luna," his father continued. "It's unfortunate you need to see one at all, but I'm sure you'll do what's best for the pack regardless of what the results may be."

That was all his father said about his upcoming visit to the Luna. No reassurance that he was sure the Goddess would lead him to a happy life, only a calm certainty Jasper would do right by his pack.

"I will, Father. I just..." Jasper reached for his moonstone pendant, only to remember he was still only half-dressed. Without the sacred stone tied around his neck, he felt naked and vulnerable. "I just don't know if what the Goddess has in mind for me is the same as what I want."

"It could very well be," his mother said softly. She'd hardly spoken since she'd come into the suite alongside his father, but her gaze held a steady warmth that eased the tension from Jasper's body, if only a little.

"I'm sure everything will work out one way or another." His father pulled out his phone, scrolling through a sea of emails. "We'll soon have this mess behind us, at any rate. Then we can finally turn our full attention back to Uncommon Scents. Whether or not we merge with Roses Galore, you and I will be booked solid for the next few months."

Jasper grimaced. Returning to endless hours of perfecting perfume formulas and negotiating with suppliers appealed to him about as much as swallowing a colony of fire ants.

If his father noticed his lack of enthusiasm, he gave no sign of it. Instead, he slipped his phone back into his pocket with a groan. "I'd love to stay and talk, but I need to go discuss a few things with Mr. Evergreen. You can imagine how demanding he's been these last few days."

With his father off to attend to Alpha business, Jasper finished getting dressed. Had his suit always been this tight? What had once felt as comfortable as his own skin now left his arms feeling trapped, and his tie wrapped around his throat like a snake. Goddess, he'd trade his tail for a more comfortable outfit.

"You've grown into such a handsome young man," his mother said with a sad smile. "No matter what happens today, I'm sure you'll make your future mate very happy."

He wished he could be so sure. "I swear if this tie gets any tighter, I'm going to throw up. I haven't felt this nervous since Father and I had to tell the pack we needed to shut down our second factory."

"Leopold and I were just as nervous when we had to go see a Luna."

A fresh wave of nausea rolled through Jasper's stomach. Had his mother been so desperate to get away from him and his father that she'd left the pack before she was even sure if she belonged with Dr. Hoffman? "I thought you knew Dr. Hoffman was your soulmate right away." 

"I did." His mother ran a finger over her wedding ring with a sad smile. "Your father and I wanted to be absolutely sure though, so he served as our witness when Leopold and I went. We had you spend the day with Carlos so you wouldn't get upset."

With how much time Jasper had spent with his best friend's family when he was a pup, that could have been any one of hundreds of days. He could have been doing anything from chasing rabbits to playing video games while any last hope of his parents staying together evaporated, and he'd been none the wiser.

"No wonder you and Father acted so strangely back then. Did you ever...?" Jasper's throat tightened around the question. That horrible, excruciating question that had loomed over him ever since he'd vowed to visit the Luna. "Did you ever worry how Dr. Hoffman might feel about being someone's soulmate?"

"Sometimes, but you're not really asking about him are you?" His mother gave him a knowing smile. "I can't tell you how Brooke feels about any of this, but I can tell you the fact you're thinking about what this could mean for her and not just you and the rest of Cedar Pack is a good sign. No matter what the Luna says, I will do everything I can to support you."

Jasper released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank you."

"Let me take care of that tie for you." His mother's nimble fingers made quick work of the knot, retying it so the fabric fit snugly around his neck instead of pressing against his skin like a too-tight collar. "Much better. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"There is one thing." Jasper opened his arms. "Could I have a hug?"

Her arms wrapped around him with the same gentle softness as when he was a pup. So much had changed, yet she still enveloped him in her lilac scent. Still rubbed soothing circles on his back. Still loved him despite how long they'd been apart.

"There will always be more where that came from," his mother said, giving him a gentle squeeze. "All you have to do is ask."

"Thank you," he said hoarsely. There wasn't a doubt in his mind he'd take her up on it later, regardless of how everything went with the Luna. For now, he'd hold onto his mother until he had no choice but to let go.