Chapter 2

On my way home, my phone filled with social media notifications.

Mutual friends had seen posts from the show and tagged me.

"So jealous! Your friends remembered what you like and even sent you the livestream!"

"What an amazing friendship. Della, you're so lucky!"

But they didn't know I could have been there in person.

I went to my profile and set my account to private.

Then I opened the group chat for the five of us and typed out a message.

"You don't need to include me anymore. I won't be watching stand-up with you again."

As soon as the message went through, I left the group chat.

When I got home, my parents were sitting in the living room chatting.

They heard me and looked up.

"Why are you back so early?"

I went over and sat down.

"Mom, Dad, I've decided to become Kyle's mate."

My father was surprised. "A few days ago, you only had eyes for Victor. What changed?"

I answered quietly. "I don't want to be his mate anymore.

"I don't want anything more to do with Victor, Marian, Noah, or Lisa. Any of them."

My mother froze for a moment, then quickly understood.

She looked relieved.

"Good. You should have done this ages ago! They walked all over you. Sooner or later, they'll regret it.

"Kyle happens to be coming to our pack the day after tomorrow on council business. You can go back with him. That would put my mind at ease."

I nodded and agreed.

I felt none of the sadness I'd expected, and I wasn't sorry to let them go.

My parents got up to arrange the trip, and I went back to my room.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw the Omega housekeeper by the bookshelf. She turned and bowed. "Miss Della, should I pack these books for storage or move them to the side room?"

My eyes landed on my wish book, and I stopped.

Noah and I were born the same year. He was only three days older than me.

Because I was born weak, the other kids often cornered and bullied me.

Once, when I was trapped in a corner and shoved to the ground, I wished someone would drop out of the sky and protect me.

Then Noah really did appear.

He planted himself in front of me and shielded me.

After that, he never left my side and always looked out for me.

The elders said the Moon Goddess had sent him on purpose to make my wish come true.

Noah probably believed it himself.

So he made me a wish book by hand and promised to grant any wish I wrote in it.

On the newest page of the wish book, I'd written that I wanted to spend my 21st birthday watching stand-up with them.

But that wish didn't come true.

I walked over, took the thick wish book from her, and dropped it into an old storage box in the corner.

"You don't need to keep any of it."

By bedtime, I'd cleared out every gift and keepsake the four of them had given me. I left it all in the hallway for someone to deal with.

I'd thought breaking ties with them would keep me awake all night.

But it didn't. I drifted off quickly and slept without a single dream.

In the middle of the night, I heard a few soft sounds beyond the courtyard wall, followed by a wolf's howl.

I put on a jacket, went to the window, and opened the curtains.

Victor, Noah, and Lisa were standing below.

None of them looked happy.

I went downstairs and opened the door.

Victor came in first. "Della, what's that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "Why did you leave the group?"

Noah stood beside him with his arms crossed and asked accusingly, "So you don't want to be friends with us anymore?

"Don't forget, when you were being shut out, we were the ones who stood by you."

Lisa sighed too. "It was one ticket. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?

"Marian was fighting back tears through the entire second half of the show. Even the jokes couldn't cheer her up.

"Della, you really hurt her this time.

"Go apologize to her tomorrow, and we'll all keep watching stand-up together."

As soon as she finished speaking, Marian stepped out from behind them, holding a beautifully wrapped box. It was the chestnut cake from the shop.

She walked up to me, her voice tearful. "Della, why didn't you pick up the cake? Are you still mad at me?

"Next time I'll give you my ticket, okay? Please don't be mad."

Victor's face darkened. He stepped in front of Marian and looked at me with disappointment.

"Della, when did you get so unreasonable?

"It's such a small thing. Do you really have to make everyone miserable?"