exploded, her eyes blazing with so many emotions. In an act of sudden rage, she slammed her fist into the wall next to her. A sharp crack sprouted from where she'd struck, creeping up the wall like ivy. "We shouldn't have to deal with this! We're part of a pack, dammit, and they treat us like garbage while they live like kings! I'm so sick of it!"

Cole started mumbling soothing words into his wife's ear, trying desperately to calm her down. He slowly led her from the room as his wife broke down.

He gave Claire an apologetic look as he passed, desperately asking her to understand. Claire nodded in comprehension.

She stared hard at the crack in the wall as Marie's sobs echoed down the hall.

Claire clenched her fists, wanting to make her own break in the wall. Why couldn't the pack see? Didn't they know how bad their situation was? Why wouldn't the pack do anything to help their situation? They always helped their own. Always. Most of the elders and adults weren't sickeningly sweet to them, but at least they were civil. Was there not enough civility there to make them help her family? What had her family done to make them hate them so much? Most packs treasured their Omegas.

Was it because of her? Was she such an outsider they decided to take it out on her family?

Claire glared at the crack. Was her family the break in her pack? Was the pack embarrassed by them?

With a hopeless sigh, she trudged out to the garage and got the plaster.

She didn't fall asleep until four in the morning.