Chapter 3

Before I left, I sorted everything in the apartment into three piles.

I packed everything I owned. Caleb's things went into boxes, along with everything the other three had left here over the years. I stacked it all in the hallway outside my door.

Ethan's forgotten tactical gloves. Liam's steel dagger. The black shirts and combat boots Caleb had crammed into half my closet.

I went through it piece by piece. I didn't miss anything, not even what they'd tossed into drawers.

I used to think all this stuff meant we were close.

I'd thought that leaving their things at my place meant they trusted me. That they saw it as a second home.

I'd even secretly hoped that once Caleb and I were officially bonded, this would become a real home for us.

Looking back now, it was laughable.

They were just used to me taking care of them. They dropped by whenever they wanted to eat, sleep, or get work done. It had never occurred to them that I might get tired of it.

The building manager called to ask whether all that stuff was supposed to go out with the trash.

I looked at the overstuffed boxes, my fingers slowly curling into a fist. None of it meant anything to me anymore.

But I wasn't going to clean up after them one last time, either.

"Could you leave it all at the front desk, please? They can come pick it up themselves."

Soon Caleb's furious voice slammed into my head through the mind-link. You left my clothes with the building manager?

His accusation made my temper flare. He didn't even ask why I'd done it. He just accused me, as if I were something he owned.

I didn't throw anything away. It's all packed neatly. Every last piece is there.

Aria, are you that bored? We're coming over tonight. What's the point of putting stuff by the door?

I turned and looked at the empty closet.

His clothes used to fill it. I'd iron his shirts and polish his combat boots ahead of time, then line everything up just the way he liked.

Whenever he came over, anything he needed was within reach. To him, that was just how things were supposed to be.

Now the closet was empty, and every trace of him was gone. I let out a long breath. The weight I'd carried for so long was finally off my chest.

I won't be here tonight.

But Caleb only went quiet for two seconds before he answered, sounding impatient.

Border patrol again? Then marinate the meat before you go. We'll light the grill ourselves.

Ethan wrote in the pack group chat, "Honey-glazed grilled fish, venison steak with black pepper, garlic rabbit. Chloe's stomach has been upset lately, so go easy on the spices."

Right after that, Liam sent me a little money on Venmo. The amount was pathetic.

Liam added, "There'll be six of us tonight. Here's money for the meat. We'll settle up afterward."

Caleb replied with a laughing emoji and wrote, "Why are you sending her money? Aria doesn't need your pocket change."

I stared at the message. After all these years, what am I to them? A friend? Or an on-call cook and maid?

The group chat kept buzzing with talk of what drinks to bring. Nobody asked why I wouldn't be there.

Somewhere along the way, I'd become the one person in the group nobody would miss.

From now on, I don't need them either.

I didn't reply. I just left the group chat.

Seconds later, Caleb messaged me privately, "Seriously? All we asked was for you to make dinner. So you leave the chat and wait for someone to beg you back in?"

Everything I'd held in for so long finally boiled over. I don't need any of you to add me back. I'm choosing to leave your little clique.

I cut off the mind-link between us and blocked his number.

At two in the afternoon, Frank brought some people by to see the apartment.

The new tenants were a young werewolf couple who had only recently bonded.

When the girl saw the big kitchen, her face lit up. "This kitchen is huge. I can finally cook for my mate."

Her mate shook his head, his eyes soft. "Nope. You cook, I clean. I'm not letting you do it all yourself."

The girl laughed and gave him a little shove. "You'd better not slack off, then."

It was such an ordinary thing to say. Standing off to the side, I felt my throat suddenly tighten.

So some people understood that a big meal didn't just appear on the table.

And some people cared how hard their mate worked. They didn't treat everything their mate did as part of the job.

But after all I'd given Caleb and the others, all I got back was one menu after another, as if feeding them were my job.

I was done trying to earn anyone's approval by giving and giving.

Once I'd signed the move-out paperwork, I turned back for one last look at the door.

Caleb had once said that after our marking ceremony before the Moon Goddess, he'd use this place as a second base for pack business.

Ethan had said that if he ever got hurt in a fight, he could come here to recover.

Liam had said that when we all had pups someday, we'd stay in this neighborhood.

Even Chloe had laughed once while we were chatting and said this was where we'd make memories as friends for the rest of our lives.

They'd painted those futures as full of fun and laughter. But in every one of them, I did all the giving, and nobody asked what I wanted.