Feud [noun] - a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute.

author's note: who do you think wouldn't want kane and rina to be together?

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My eyes widened slightly, and I instantly noticed how he looked so much better than the last time I had seen him. His face was back to normal, and his soft smile was the sight I was used to—the sight I preferred to see instead of a bruised and bleeding face.

"Levi." The smile blossomed on my face and I stepped back from Tiana. The thought of hugging him crossed my mind for the briefest moment until I reconsidered. "It's so good to see you. I've missed you both too."

Kane was watching us from the car. Mere moments passed until he stepped out of it and calmly took our two bags from the back seat.

Levi glanced over my head at him and the smile dropped from his face. Tiana bowed her head in respect and he slowly copied her as Kane came to stand beside me.

Tiana broke the awkward silence. "Alpha let us set up and stock the cabin for you."

"Thank you," Kane replied, flashing a charming smile. "We're just here to drop these off." He held up our bags.

They both stepped out of the doorway. I glanced at Kane. "Why don't you go ahead and put them inside?"

"Okay," he murmured, turning to face me. And then, in front of them, he leaned down and pressed his lips gently against mine.

He barely spared a glance at Levi as he walked past him and into the cabin, but Levi kept his expression impassive. My reaction to Kane was natural, and whenever he kissed me, I couldn't help but smile.

Tiana caught it and gave me a knowing look. She lowered her voice, but it was no use because of our enhanced hearing. "Someone has a crush," she joked.

I laughed. "He's my mate." It felt good to say it to other people. "I think it comes with the territory."

"How come you're back?" Levi steered the conversation. "Not that we're complaining, but you didn't tell us."

Admittedly, I had become so occupied with Kane that I hadn't spoken much to either of them since I had left. Everything that had happened kept me more than busy. "It was sort of a surprise. I just wanted to be back here for a few days, see my parents, see you two."

Tiana slowly smiled, and so did Levi. "The gang is back together."

Levi was the first to hold his hand out sideways, and it drew a laugh from me. Tiana and I copied his movements, touching our fingertips together. We had a special handshake that we had since we were little. We curled our fingers inwards to hold each other's hands, shaking three times before we tapped the side of our fists together, then each elbow, and finally, I crossed my hands over so I was holding one of Tiana's and one of Levi's before jumping up and doing a chest bump.

"We haven't done that in a long time," Levi chuckled, wrapping an arm around both of us.

We quickly fell into old habits, and I couldn't help but smile up at him. His voice sounded in my mind moments later.

'We missed you, Ri.'

Kane joined us again, and his domineering presence cut short whatever Levi was going to say next. My eyes focused again as I cut the mind-link and took a step back. Kane looked tense. His jaw muscles tightened and I could see the pulsing of his temple as he gritted his teeth. I wasn't sure if he was going to hit Levi again, but I didn't want to leave anything to chance.

"We're going to get going," I spoke to them both. "See you two later?"

Tiana hooked her arm around Levi's and pulled him closer to her with a nervous smile. "Yeah." Her eyes softened when she turned to look at me. "I'll mind-link you, let you know where we are."

Levi glanced at Kane before looking at me with his signature easy smile. There was no missing the hostility in his eyes towards Kane. They hated each other. "See you later, Ri."

I watched them walk away, and then turned back to Kane. He looked pissed.

His amber eyes had darkened. "I restrained myself for you this time, Rina. If he touches you again, I'm breaking both of his hands."

The anger simmered within him, and if it were possible, I would be able to see the steam emanating from him. I raised my hand and flattened it against his cheek. My fingertips pressed against his tense jaw. "I'm sorry. We've been friends our whole life—our dynamic is just second nature. There's nothing romantic behind it."

He stared at me, scanning my features slowly and lingering on my lips. "For you. You can have friends, Rina, but he doesn't want to be just friends with you."

I sighed, knowing there was truth to his words. "I know."

"I'm going to give you the courtesy to get it through his head because you won't like what I do if he doesn't remember his place." His words had a biting edge to them. I rarely saw anger from Kane in human form. It was odd and slightly unsettling. This was the Alpha Kane people spoke about, the one who had put an end to a feud that had lasted over a decade with a six-month war.

"Okay," I agreed, stepping closer to him. I had only touched the surface of his anger.

"He has a nickname for you, and he's in here." Kane's index finger touched my forehead and the jealousy was clear on his face. "You're mine. I want to be in here." He then pressed his hand against my chest, right where my heart was. "And here."

I shivered at his touch, feeling my heart race against his hand. He was all-consuming. We both knew what it would take for us to be able to mind-link each other. "He's not you," I replied, breathless. "You're—"

My hand fell against his shoulder as he cut me short and gave me a firm kiss on the mouth. "I'm yours." His gaze darted between my eyes. "I remember the way you looked at me when I hit him, what you said to me afterwards—that I was nobody to you. I'm trying to be better for you, Rina. I'm trying to be somebody to you."

My heart shattered in my chest at the sight of his frown. I had forgotten that I had said that, but it had so clearly wounded him. "You are someone to me, Kane." I curved my hand around the back of his neck and squeezed so I had his full attention. "I'm sorry I said that. That was before...Before I realised that you are everything I have ever wanted."

A smile developed on his face, slowly until the expression brightened his face. His chest touched mine as he pulled me up against him. "That makes me happy." The anger had dissipated from him now. "You have a way of calming me down like no one else."

I chuckled and threaded my fingers through his dark hair. "I think I have an unfair advantage seeing as I can kiss you, and my touch has healing properties for you."

Kane narrowed his eyes playfully and slowly leaned down again. "I don't think it's unfair." He spoke softly, inching towards my lips. "I like the advantage you have very much."

Before he could kiss me again, I leaned back teasingly and grinned. "I think Eryx and Melia have waited long enough."

He huffed and threw his head back. "Only because they've caught us once already." He slid his hand down my arm and linked our fingers. We walked back to their house, and once they heard us coming, they came out with coats on.

Eryx smiled. "I thought it'd be nice to give you an extended version of the tour this time, Kane. Rina can show you some of her favourite places too."

Kane glanced at me and nodded. "I'd like that."

We all fell into step with each other, and Eryx led the way along the path that led towards the main town centre. The Christmas decorations had been put up as it was just over a week away. They looked magical, and I knew it would look more captivating once the sun set and the lights would come on.

The pack houses were closer towards the forest on private land, but the town centre was inhabited by werewolves and humans alike.

We passed a cafe and I pointed excitedly at it. "This cafe has the world's best cinnamon rolls. Kane, you have to try one!"

He was caught by surprise by my sudden burst of energy and chuckled deeply. "Okay."

Eryx smiled and steered us in the store's direction. "I could use a coffee."

When Kane held the door open for us, I walked in with Melia. I felt the familiar pressure in my mind and let her in. Even though I was no longer part of the pack, I would always have a connection with them.

'He's enamoured with you. I'm glad.'

My heart warmed. 'He's good to me. More than I could have asked for.'

She reached for my hand and squeezed it. 'I thought he'd never find a mate, I'm happy that he has and overjoyed that it's you.'

I looked into her eyes. She seemed sincere. It didn't seem likely that she knew about the spell that had been cast to keep us apart. Granted, the spell would've been cast with Kane's downfall in mind, but even with the knowledge that I was now his mate, neither of them seemed alarmed.

I sat down first, and Melia sat opposite me with both our mates taking a seat beside us.

'I guess nothing could keep us apart.' I replied.

She nodded with a warm smile. 'True love conquers all.'

Kane and I weren't there yet, but I knew that was where we would end up. A connection so deep only had one destination that was inevitable.

The waiter, Harry, caught my attention and I focused again. I was sitting on Kane's right now, which meant his broken arm was closest to me. I slid my hand up and down the hardened plaster to help with any pain he might've been having.

"Hey, Harry," Eryx greeted his pack member and one of my friends. "Can we get three cinnamon rolls and one—two Americanos?" he ordered for us, amending the coffee order when Kane held up his hand too.

Harry nodded with a smile and glanced at me. "It's good to see you again, Rina."

"Good to see you too, Harry." I returned the smile. I instantly noticed he didn't look at Kane, and knew why.

During the war, because the pack was allies with Leander's, a third of our wolves were sent as reinforcements. Harry was one of them and narrowly returned with his life. We had lost a lot of wolves, half of the third at twenty-five, which meant that even if we were all allies now, things were not easily forgotten.

My old pack did not like my new one at all, and arguably, almost hated them as much as Leander's pack did. The treaty, and Eryx's command were the only reasons people acted cordially when Kane, Myles and Owain were here.

Kane noticed Harry's lack of acknowledgement but didn't say anything. Instead, he slung his arm around my shoulder and silently laid a kiss on my temple.

Eryx broke the silence again. "So, Rina, how are you finding the Highlands?"

I leaned into Kane's embrace. "I'm enjoying it. The landscape is beautiful. It still doesn't feel real that I'm a luna now, though."

Melia folded her hands over each other on the table with an understanding smile. "I think it didn't hit me until the officiating ceremony. It's different when you form a connection with everyone."

Eryx and Melia met before I was born, just before my parents had met each other. I hadn't known a time when she wasn't my luna.

"Pack hunts help," Eryx offered. "Run together as wolves and make those emotional bonds before the ceremony."

A stiff smile formed on my face. I wasn't ready to run in wolf form with Kane yet. I knew I didn't have to fear him, but it was a reaction I couldn't help.

Kane naturally filled the silence before they could notice my reaction. He raised the arm that was on my shoulder momentarily. "I won't be shifting any time soon. Doctor's orders."

Eryx's eyes widened as if he remembered that he wanted to comment on Kane's broken arm. "What happened?"

I was sure Kane was starting to feel like a broken record too.

"There was a storm last week. Rina was taking pictures up in a tree, so I went to find her. She fell, and I tried to break her fall."

"He did break my fall," I clarified, pressing a hand to his abdomen. "I made it out with just a few bruises."

"You're a tree-climbing pro." Eryx's eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you fall?"

"I thought I was alone. I was already climbing down when I saw him. I didn't hear him coming."

Eryx and Melia shared a glance. Melia's head tilted in confusion. "You didn't feel him coming?"

"No." I frowned.

"Hmm," Eryx looked between us. "Maybe it's because it's early days, but you should've felt when he was coming near you."

Kane replied instead. "Why do you think she didn't?"

Maybe it was because I knew Kane suspected Eryx that I heard the slight accusatory tone in his voice.

Eryx stared at Kane for a moment before chuckling. "I'm not sure I can comment on your mating at all. I've never seen anything like the connection you two have."

Melia had a way of diffusing tension that I wished I had. "I think it's because things weren't exactly warm between you two when you first met. The closer you get, the more you notice things about each other. Are you able to sense when he's near you now?"

I always had been. I had fallen because I had been scared of his wolf, something I couldn't share with them. I nodded. "Yes."

Melia grinned. "There you have it, then." She clapped her hands together. "Mystery solved."

Harry put an end to this conversation when he came back with our order. But, something else was on Kane's mind, and I quickly learned that he wasn't one to shy away from difficult conversations.

"I'm sure Leander isn't thrilled that I'm no longer mateless."

"I wouldn't know," Eryx responded. He sighed. "Look, Kane, I'm not naive enough to think the treaty would instantly create trust between our packs, but the conflict at the heart of the war was between you and Leander. I sent reinforcements to honour the alliance."

"But you didn't have anything to say when he attacked us at our weakest and stole my territory?" Kane was beginning to stiffen, so I brought my chair up against his.

Melia was tearing a piece of her cinnamon roll and her movements slowed as Kane spoke.

Eryx shook his head. "That land had always been disputed. We understood it as the tides of ownership changing."

"That land," Kane's annoyed tone broke through his words now, "has been in my family for centuries. Leander lied that so no one would bat an eyelid if he tried to assume control of my pack."

"Which he didn't," Eryx countered.

Kane huffed out a humourless laugh. "Which he couldn't. The last thing he expected was for me to return and take back what was stolen."

"Kane—" Eryx wanted to change the conversation.

"You said you didn't expect the treaty to instantly create trust between our packs. How sure are you that you can trust Leander?"

I knew what he was trying to do. He wanted to see how close they were.

He caught Eryx's full attention with that question. "Are you accusing him or me of something, Kane?"

"It's just a question, Eryx."

"Don't make the mistake of seeing enemies where there are friends." His eyes sharpened and he gestured at me. "Your luna is my betas' child. There is more than the treaty between us now."

Kane leaned back in his seat and smiled. I could cut the tension in the air with a knife. "You're right. Forgive me."

Eryx nodded graciously. "Water under the bridge. Your ire is understandable."

Ire.

I looked down at my cinnamon roll so they wouldn't see my expression change. The words that had appeared in the ceremonial basin were ire burns.

Maybe it was a coincidence but I was no longer sure if the place I had called home for my entire life was safe anymore.