Chapter 3

Emma said she'd stay one night.

Yet by the next day, her pajamas were hanging behind the guest room door, and her skincare products had taken over the bathroom shelf.

The fridge was full of her favorite cranberry juice, too.

Nobody had bought my favorite chilled apple juice in ages.

Blake made dinner.

Emma said she'd lost her appetite while studying for her healer certification. So Blake made a few of her favorite dishes.

Eli poured her some cranberry juice, and Zane asked if she was still having trouble sleeping.

The three of them fussed over her like she was the one who lived there with Blake.

After dinner, I cleared the table and went to the kitchen alone.

Blake used to help me clean up. But once Emma started coming over all the time, he was always too busy talking to her to notice me doing the dishes.

Eventually, it became my job.

I turned on the tap while laughter drifted in from the living room.

By the time I washed the last plate, the lights out there were off.

They'd put on a horror movie.

Emma patted the spot beside Blake.

“Paige, come on! We've been waiting for you.”

When I walked over, I noticed a fruit basket on the coffee table. It had strawberries and a few mangoes in it.

Emma was eating the strawberries Blake had washed for her.

Blake pointed at the basket when he saw me standing there.

“Saved you some mangoes. Go grab a knife and cut one up.”

“I'm allergic to mangoes.”

He paused, then shrugged.

“Then don't eat them.”

Emma put down her strawberry.

“Oh, Paige, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Do you want some of mine?”

Blake pushed the plate back toward her.

“Those are your favorite. Paige is fine.”

I said nothing and sat at the far end of the couch.

A scream rang out from the TV.

Emma grabbed Blake's arm and leaned into him. He caught her hand at once.

“Relax. It's just a movie.”

Eli told her the scary part was almost over. Zane laughed and handed her a pillow. Blake stayed close, holding her hand. None of them paid any attention to me.

Watching them, I thought back to our days at Werewolf Academy.

There used to be just four of us.

Blake, Eli, Zane, and I had grown up together. Later, we all went to the same Werewolf Academy and spent almost every day together.

Then I became friends with Emma and introduced her to the guys.

She'd hooked her arm through mine and said with a big smile, “Now there are five of us!”

I'd been happy. I thought I'd found another friend I could tell anything to.

I couldn't remember when things started changing.

Whenever we went somewhere together, Emma got the front seat. They said she got carsick, so I had to sit in the back.

Once, at a market, I spent a little too long looking at a stall. The four of them left me behind and went to a restaurant without me.

Another year, Emma's favorite singer came to town.

She suggested we all go to the concert together, and everyone agreed.

But the day before the show, Blake told me he'd only managed to get four tickets.

“Emma's been looking forward to this forever. We can't let her miss it.”

“And you don't even like that singer. I'll take you to another concert sometime.”

So I spent that night alone in my dorm, looking at the concert pictures the four of them posted.

Another scream came from the TV.

Emma grabbed Blake's arm again. He leaned over and said something to calm her down.

Eli and Zane laughed and asked if she was brave enough to keep watching.

I looked away and went to my room.

I opened my suitcase and packed my clothes, documents, and the things I needed to take with me.

Then I messaged Celia.

[I've booked my flight. I'll take care of the last few things tomorrow, then I'm coming.]

She replied almost immediately.

[Great. I'll pick you up at the airport.]

[Thank you.]

I set my phone down.

I could still hear them laughing in the living room.

I didn't go back out. I just shut my bedroom door and zipped up my suitcase.