4

With seven days left before the mating ceremony, I went to the new house Kane had set up for us.

It was where we were going to build our life together.

But when I got to the door and punched in the code, an alarm went off.

On my third try, the door opened from the inside.

Thea stood there wrapped in a bath towel, her wet hair hanging over her shoulders.

The moment she saw me, the hand towel she was holding dropped to the floor.

"Chloe? What are you doing here?"

I gave her a blank look, then looked past her into the house.

The entryway was full of Thea's shoes. A bouquet of her favorite white roses sat in the living room, and her clothes were hanging out to dry on the balcony.

It didn't look like my future home. It looked like Thea's.

I walked in, and Thea stepped aside without thinking.

"Why are you here?"

"My old place is too far from work. Kane said there was a spare room here and I could stay a few days."

Footsteps came from the kitchen.

Kane walked out carrying a plate of steak.

"Yeah. I said it was fine."

He saw the look on my face and hurried to explain.

"It's only temporary. I'll have her move out as soon as I can."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd say no."

He set the steak on the table as if nothing were wrong.

"You haven't seemed happy lately. I didn't want another argument before the ceremony."

I stared at him.

"This is our home. Both of ours. You don't think I even have the right to know who's living here?"

Kane pressed his lips into a thin line.

Thea jumped in.

"If you don't want me here, I'll move out right now. Really. I don't want to come between you two."

Kane stopped her right away.

"No one's asking you to leave."

In that moment, I didn't even feel angry.

I just felt tired.

I walked into the room that was supposed to be my study.

The curtains had been replaced with pale pink ones, Thea's favorite. The desk was buried under messy piles of books and papers, with a photo tucked underneath.

I went over and pulled it out. It was a picture of Thea and Kane standing by the bonfire at a pack celebration.

Kane was smiling, his hand on Thea's shoulder. He looked completely at ease.

There was a line written on the back in Thea's handwriting.

"Our new home. A new beginning."

I walked out holding the photo.

"Whose new home?"

Thea went pale and reached for the photo.

"Chloe, I-I only scribbled that. Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't mean anything by it."

I held on to it and looked at Kane.

"Did you know what was written on the back of this?"

Kane glanced at it and frowned.

"Thea said she just scribbled it. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

"A big deal?"

I almost laughed.

I set the photo on the table.

"Kane, do you remember? You and I designed this house together. I picked out every piece of furniture and every decoration myself. We put all our hopes for the future into this place.

"And now, without asking me, you've moved Thea in. You've even changed the decor I chose and the door code."

Kane's frown deepened.

"She's only staying for a while. Do you have to blow everything out of proportion?"

"If I moved a guy friend in today and let him wear your clothes and sleep in our bed, would you think that was no big deal too?"

He didn't answer.

Thea started crying.

"Fine. I'll go. Chloe, I thought we were best friends. I never knew you hated me this much."

She ran off in tears to pack her things.

Kane shot me a look full of disappointment and blame.

"Happy now?"

I suddenly laughed.

"Yes. Very."

Kane froze.

I didn't wait for an answer. I went into the main bedroom and started packing my own things.

There was a notebook on the nightstand. Kane had told me he was writing down everything he wanted to say to me at the mating ceremony.

I'd imagined so many times what Kane would say to me with the Moon Goddess as our witness.

But when I opened it, this was on the first page.

"Thank you, Thea, for always being there for me when things were hardest."

I turned the page. Thea's name was there too.

My name didn't appear until the page after that.

I closed the notebook and put it back where I'd found it.

Six years together, and even his vows made it clear where I stood.

Kane followed me in.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

I took off my moonstone necklace and set it on the table.

Kane had given it to me as a token of his love.

His expression changed instantly.

"Chloe?"

"I'm not going through with the ceremony."

He stared at me as if he hadn't heard right.

"What did you say?"

"I said the mating ceremony is off."