I Gave Up the Fifth Chair, But the Alpha Regretted Everything

Caleb watched me pack the roasts into containers, one after another. He frowned, and I felt his Alpha authority rise with his irritation and press down on me.

"Are you done, Aria?" His broad frame filled the kitchen doorway. "We're just letting someone who's having a hard time stay for a bit. Chloe's friend has nowhere to go. We can't leave her out there alone. You should be more gracious."

I sealed the last container of venison steak in black pepper sauce without slowing down.

"Take your food and get out of my apartment."

All three of them froze.

In 20 years, I had never once thrown them out.

Ethan's face darkened. He started to step forward, but Caleb put out an arm and stopped him.

Caleb took the bag of food. He swallowed, his expression tight. "Aria, we'll talk when you've calmed down."

The three werewolves escorted Chloe out of my apartment, hovering protectively around her.

Just before the door closed, Chloe looked back at me with red eyes, as if she were the rogue being driven out of the territory.

Half an hour later, Chloe posted an update on the pack's social feed.

In the photo, the four of them were gathered around Caleb's big leather couch, eating the meat I'd roasted.

The caption read, "Thank goodness someone was willing to give me a place to belong on a cold Full Moon Festival night."

Caleb had replied with a wolf-head emoji. The kind mates send each other.

I gripped my phone so hard I nearly cracked the screen.

A place to belong? That's supposed to be my place.

When I got hurt on hunts, Caleb never left my side. He cleaned and bandaged my wounds himself. Ethan once faced a challenge from another pack alone just to protect me. Liam used to slip me rare little things he'd gone to great lengths to find, just to see me smile.

Now they sat together eating food I'd cooked with my own hands and listening to Chloe talk about how hard her life was. Then they handed her everything that used to be mine, as if she had every right to it.

They didn't even try to hide it from me.

Rage surged through me, and my wolf let out a low growl.

They were the ones who had pushed me out.

It wasn't until one in the morning that Caleb finally reached me through the mind-link. Babe, I'm keeping the platters and the grill at my place for now. Come by tomorrow and wash them. And make Chloe some herbal tea for her hangover while you're at it. She drank way too much of that cheap beer.

I didn't answer.

Early the next morning, someone pounded on my door.

Through the peephole, I saw Ethan. Two plastic bins full of greasy dishes sat at his feet.

Every dish they'd taken the night before was back. Not one was missing.

I opened the door, but I didn't step aside.

Ethan yawned and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Good, you're up. Caleb says you're off border patrol today, so he wants you to wash these. We're grilling in the woods behind the hill tonight, and we'll need them."

I glanced at the grease-caked plates. "Whoever used them can wash them," I said flatly.

"Okay, that's enough, Aria." Ethan's voice sharpened. "We spent half the night calming Chloe down. She cried until her eyes were swollen. And you? You shut your door and slept like a baby."

"Why was she crying?"

"Because you scared her, acting all cold like that."

I was so angry I almost laughed.

They'd sat in my apartment eating the food I'd cooked, then tried to kick me out.

And somehow, Chloe was the one who'd been wronged.

Ethan shoved the bins toward my door. "There. Delivered. I've got things to do. I'm taking Chloe into town to buy fresh meat. She can't tell good meat from bad, so she'll get ripped off if she goes alone."

A werewolf who can't tell good meat from bad? Ridiculous. And he believes her.

I kicked the bins back toward him. "Perfect. Take these with you. She can learn to wash dishes while she's at it."

Ethan hadn't expected me to refuse. His face soured.

"Aria, throwing a fit won't get you anywhere. We've known you forever. We know you talk tough, then cave two days later."

I looked up at him, my eyes cold. All the anger I'd swallowed for so long was finally rising to the surface.

"So that's why you all think you can trample my boundaries and get away with it?"

He opened his mouth to argue, but I had already shut and locked the door.

Before long, Caleb called.

"Do you really have to make things this ugly?" He sounded irritated. "Ethan brings your dishes back first thing in the morning, and you won't even let him in. You're going to be Luna. Can't you be a little more gracious?"

"Why are you dumping your dirty dishes on me?"

Caleb paused, then softened his tone. "It's only a few plates. How long would it take you to wash them? By the way, where are your tent and grill? Liam's coming by to pick them up later."

I walked into the storage room. A full set of expensive camping gear sat inside.

Last month, I'd suggested camping deep in the woods for the Full Moon Festival. All three of them said they were too busy.

They hadn't been busy. I was just the wrong person asking. Now that Chloe wanted to go, they suddenly had all the time in the world.

"No," I said coldly.

"It's just sitting there collecting dust. Chloe wants to see the fireflies in the woods. We only need it for one night," Caleb said.

"If she wants camping gear, buy it for her yourself. You don't get to use my things to impress someone else."

That was the end of Caleb's patience.

"Aria, will you ever stop? You missed one meal yesterday, and you've been sulking ever since. Anyone would think we kicked you out of the pack. Chloe's parents died in the last border war. What's wrong with us looking out for her?"

I'd heard that excuse too many times. Every time they shut me out, they brought up her parents. I didn't buy it anymore.