“That’s true,” James said. “We share dreams with our mate for several years before we meet them in person. That way, they feel as if they already know us by the time we meet. All the dreams are good ones. Over time, they become increasingly intimate.” James backtracked quickly. “Um, not in the way you’re probably thinking.”

I felt my cheeks go warm and bent to open the paper bag, hoping he hadn’t noticed my embarrassment. Three sandwiches left. I passed one to James. He took it.

“We get closer together as the years pass. Most of us grow to love our mate before we travel to your world.”

“Most?” I asked.

“A few of the families encourage their sons to come right back. They think it’s a waste of time for their sons to get to know their mate first since all the girls are processed at The House.”

“That would explain some of the jerks I had to dance with last night.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” James said. “Since the Promise Ball can’t be held until everyone’s mate arrives, the girls who are brought right away spend up to a year in The House. That’s a long time for them to be coached and their memories reworked. Even the most frightened arrival walks out believing she’s in love with her mate.”

“Calla said she was the first one to arrive at The House. Why did Haden bring her so quickly? Didn’t he want to spend time with her in our world?”

James laughed. “Yeah, I was surprised when Haden came back so fast. He said when they met it was a love-at-first-sight thing on both parts. Maybe it was, or maybe their dreams were particularly intense.” Seeing my troubled expression, he added. “One thing I do know is Haden would die for that girl. There’s no way he’ll ever see her mistreated, or even unhappy. So, you don’t need to worry about your friend.”

“I believe you,” I said. That was one of my problems; I always believed James, sometimes to a fault. “But what if she misses her family? What if she wants to go back home?”

“She won’t,” James said. He crumpled the waxed paper from his sandwich, then dropped it to the ground. “The girls don’t miss anyone, because they don’t remember anything about their former lives. I know it must sound cruel, but it really is the best way. If for some reason a mate was able to leave Judaculla and go back to their home, things would be different there.