Kane threw a handful of shirts into the duffle bag that sat open on his bed. He wished that he had packed the night before, like Nora had, but he had been too tired. Now he was rushing, not really caring about the clothes that ended up in the bag. His mind was too caught up on other things to care about that stuff anyway. He couldn't stop the nervous feeling in the bottom of his stomach that reminded him that he was so close to having his real bond restored, and yet so far away. In two days they would be with the witch doctor. In two days he would know his fate.
He pushed the nervousness away as much as he could. Kane knew that he had to keep positive. He turned back to his wardrobe and grabbed a pair of jeans just as a knock sounded against his door. He called out for them to come in.
It was Heath who stood in the doorway. His eyes scanned the room before he spoke. "Hey, uh, Dad told me last night," he murmured, "about everything."
"Oh," Kane replied. He hadn't even thought of telling his brother.
Heath came to sit on the edge of his bed. He crossed his legs and rested his elbows on his knees. "I wasn't going to say that I told you so," Heath told him with a hint of sadness to his words, "if that was why you didn't tell me."
Kane placed the pants in the bag and sat down next to his brother. "No," he admitted, "it just slipped my mind. I've been more than overwhelmed the last few days and I've been staying out of the house to avoid Nora, actually."
Heath nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see."
"Yeah, wasn't on purpose. Sorry."
Heath gestured towards the bag. "So, you're leaving today?"
"Yeah, we are leaving soon."
A smile overcame Heath's face. He looked genuinely happy. "I'm happy for you, man."
Kane smiled over at his brother. "You really were right," he admitted.
"Well," Heath said with a laugh, "now that you've said it, yes. I was so right!"
Kane thought back to everything his brother had said. "I should have listened to you from the beginning. I'm sorry that I was rude to you."
"It's no problem," Heath admitted. "To be honest, I'm just more than happy that you realise it too."
"How did you see something that I didn't?" Kane wondered. Heath was the only one who stood up to him and could admit that things weren't right. When everyone else just followed along, Heath showed more insight than most people his age. Kane wanted to hug his brother, in that moment, knowing that even though he couldn't trust hardly anyone anymore, he could trust him.
"I'm just a perceptive guy," Heath said with a shrug. "But in all seriousness, it can't be easy to accept that your mate isn't really right for you."
Kane thought about all those sleepless nights he spent wondering why he wasn't in love with Nora. He never thought of himself as a quitter nor as someone who would ever abandon their mate. It just wasn't in his blood, and that was just one of the many reasons he had persevered with Nora, even in the face of a future filled with fake love.
He thought of Mason and the kiss they shared. That one kiss was enough to make him question every decision he had made with Nora. If they hadn't shared that kiss then maybe he would still be trying to make it work. Maybe his parents would still be hiding their secret. Adam would probably still be his best friend.
Kane sighed. "It's not easy. Not in the slightest."
"Tell me about you and Mason," Heath requested, that joyful look still on his face. "Dad said that you think Mason's your real mate. Is that true?"
Kane couldn't help the smile that played on his features at the mere mention of Mason's name. "Yeah. He and I we," he smiled wider, "just connect on another level. I know that we are meant to be mates."
"I so knew it!" Heath told him. "Peyton said that there was no way, but I was sure. I've seen the way you look at him, and at the party, when I saw you two together I just knew there was more to it."
"You were right," he said. Kane wondered how many other people wondered about he and Mason. Kane stood and kept packing. "Can you make sure that the parents are okay while I'm gone?"
Heath nodded, his face turning sombre. "Yeah. I'll do my best. Dad said you haven't really talked to them since you found out. Is that true?"
"I'm upset," Kane admitted. He tried to keep the hurt off of his face, but he was sure some of it leaked into his features. Every time he thought about the people he loved betraying him the feeling in his chest got harder to bare. "Can you blame me?"
"No," Heath answered in honesty. "I don't blame you, but you know that you can't be angry forever. They are our parents."
He knew that one day he would need to forgive them, but he couldn't now. Not yet anyway. "I'll be angry until the spell is reversed."
Heath didn't say anything for a few seconds. He played with the edge of the bedspread. "And if you can't get it reversed?" he asked eventually.
"Don't say that," Kane asked of him quickly. He couldn't hear that.
"It's possible, isn't it?"
Kane shook his head. "I'm not thinking like that, okay?"
"Okay."
Kane went to zip up his bag when he remembered that he was forgetting something. He walked over to his closet and reached up to the top shelf. He wrapped his fingers around the box he knew was up there.
"Why are you getting that?" Heath asked.
"It's for Mason," Kane admitted. He turned to his brother. "Do you think it would be okay if I gave it to him?"
Heath nodded slowly. "I think that's a wonderful idea. You really are a romantic, aren't you?"
Kane ignored that. He placed the box carefully in the duffle bag and zipped it up. "I should go."
Heath walked over to him and wrapped him in a long, hard hug. "I'm proud of you," he said as he stepped back.
"Don't burn the house down while I'm gone," Kane instructed.
"I can't make any promises."
Kane made his way down the stairs with his duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He was greeted at the bottom of the stairs with Nora who sat on the edge of the couch, two bags at her feet. Grace sat on the couch, her eyes set on the television.
Kane tussled Grace's hair. "See you in a week," he told her.
"Bye," she told him. "Bring me a present."
Kane laughed. "I will only bring you a present if you're super annoying to Heath while I'm gone."
Grace smiled up at him. "Deal."
Nora laughed. Kane liked hearing the sound. It had been a long time since he saw a smile on her face.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked her.
Nora motioned towards the bags on the floor. "Yep."
That one word was more than he had heard her speak in almost a day. "Okay. Mason should be here any moment."
Nora said nothing.
Kane looked out the window just as Alison's car pulled up. He made his way out to the yard. Alison stepped out of the car as he approached. "Hi, Kane," she greeted him with a smile. In a moment she was next to him and wrapping him in a warm hug. "This is quite the situation," she said as she pulled back. "Mason's filled me in on everything, but I am still a bit nervous about letting him go." She glanced over at Mason who was standing next to them.
"We will be fine," Mason assured her. "I'll be back before you know it."
Kane spoke, "My Father's organised for us to stay in a hotel on the way there and back, and then we will be staying with the local pack. Their alpha knows we are coming. Plus, I can guarantee you that Mason or I will call you every day."
Alison looked relieved, but there was still a nervousness to her eyes. She reminded Kane of a mother dropping her kid at their first day of kindergarten. "Okay. Thank you father for me, will you?"
"Yes of course."
Alison hugged Mason, with her arms wrapped hard around him. "Please be safe," she whispered into his hair. "If you need me, just call, okay?"
"I will."
"Stick to main roads," she told him. "Don't go anywhere alone." Alison pulled back and cupped his cheek. Her eyes were extremely serious and held onto Mason's gaze. "Be safe, Mason."
Kane knew how much Mason meant to Alison, but it was only then that Kane really thought about it. Mason was all that she had left. She was put in charge of protecting him and Kane could see that she hadn't taken that lightly.
"I'll be home before you know it," Mason reassured her, "and yes, I will be safe."
Kane wasn't surprised to see that Alison had tears in her eyes when she turned back to him. "You two have fun. I'll see you in a week."
Mason linked their hands as Alison drove off. Mason leant his head against Kane's shoulder. "I missed you," Kane told him.
"I missed you too. I drew this for you last night." Mason reached down and unzipped his bag. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Kane.
Kane looked down at the painting. It was of the two of them standing face to face, golden sparks flying around their heads and a single golden line that connected their chests to each other. Their faces were so clear and Kane was still in awe of Mason's skill. Their eyes were happy.
"It's of us when the bond gets fixed," Mason explained. He pointed towards the line that connected their chests. "I wanted you to see that I don't see a question mark either. I was just scared. I know you're the one."
Kane felt a tear run down his cheek. He looked up at Mason through glassy eyes. "If I could kiss you right now I would."
Mason laughed. "I would kiss you right back."
"There will be lots of time for kissing when we get back."
Mason smirked. "You bet there will be."
"I have something for you too, I was going to give it to you later, but I think now is better."
Kane carried Mason's bag up to the porch and told him to wait there. He ran inside and grabbed the box out of his duffle. When he got back outside Mason was impatiently waiting for him, his eyes glued to the box. Kane handed it to him.
Mason rolled it around in his hand. "What is it?" he asked.
"Open it," Kane told him.
Mason lifted the lid. He pulled the watch out and looked at it under the sunlight. The watch had a thin leather strap with a golden face that shined under the light. "It's incredible!" he murmured as he examined it. "Where did you find it?"
Kane help him put it on his wrist. "My grandfather made it," Kane told him. "He left me a couple of them when he died and I think it's fitting that I give it to you, my mate. He would have loved you."
Mason smiled down at the watch. "This means so much to you, Kane. Are you sure you want to give it to me?"
"No question mark, right?"
Mason's eyes lit up. "No question mark."
Looking into Mason's eyes, Kane felt his heart warm. He wrapped his arm around Mason's shoulders and pulled him in close. With Mason in his arms he felt like he could truly see that glimmer of the future his friends all saw. His mind was filled with glimpses of their future together, of kisses and laughs, of family dinners and mate ceremony's and tiny little werewolves. It was enough to make his eyes tear up again. He never thought he'd understand what they had been talking about all these years, but he did now, all because of Mason.