Protection [noun] - a person or thing that protects someone or something.

author's note: back to work hence the late chapter, but i hope what happens in this one makes up for it haha. happy new year to you all! thank you for being here <3.

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"Like hell it does." The rage prickled on his skin. "She's not dying."

I wasn't sure where my heart was anymore, but it didn't feel like it was beating in my chest. "Neither are you, Kane," I choked out, squeezing his arm.

His gaze was firmly on Santiago. "The woman that I saw—it must be her. She must be the witch who cast the curse. All I have to do is pay a visit to the surrounding covens and make someone talk."

Santiago's face paled. "You risk war with the covens by doing that."

"Exactly," Kane snarled, standing up. "I refuse to sit around and wait for my death or Rina's. If blood needs to be spilt, I'll be the one to spill it."

"Alpha..."

His hesitant reply was cut off by Finn's firm tone. "This curse is an act of war. Are we supposed to sit back and not hunt the ones who have declared it?"

Santiago, sensing he was outnumbered, stood up too and shook his hands in a gesture of consolation. "I just wish to suggest a more diplomatic approach."

"Because I've been afforded such courtesy?" Kane growled, squaring his shoulders. "I didn't get to the position I am today by taking the diplomatic approach, Santiago. The witch who cast this curse will die, and if Leander put her up to it, the covens are not the only ones who will have a war on their hands. Rina's protection is all that matters to me."

Three years ago, the thought of the Alpha Kane uttering words of war would've filled me with fear and dread. I had seen first-hand what kind of destruction he was capable of bringing, but now, all it filled me with was comfort.

I wanted those responsible to face the consequences.

"Go through the Council," Santiago implored, pulling at his suit collar. "Then those responsible will answer according to our laws. No one will question it."

Kane laughed acrimoniously. "You think a judge's gavel can solve this? I almost killed my mate and you just told me by the next full moon, I just might follow through with it."

"Y-yes, I know—" he was fighting a losing battle.

"No, you don't," Kane spat. "And as far as anyone is concerned, I'm the judge, jury and executioner."

Carmen stopped Finn from getting up too with a gentle hand on his leg. "It's late, and emotions are high. Why don't we reconvene in the morning?"

I stood up and placed a hand on Kane's arm. There was a knot in my throat and when he looked at me, I couldn't do anything but nod in agreement. His shoulders lowered and he sighed even though the anger was still clear on his face.

He took my hand in his and lowered them between us. "That's a good idea, Carmen."

Santiago relaxed slightly and mustered up a weary smile. I tried to return it, but it seemed like more of a wince. Kane and I turned, and Finn and Carmen walked us to the door. I glanced down at my feet and remembered that I had come without shoes. It was the only thing Kane didn't pack in the bag.

An amused smile tugged at Kane's lips and he pulled me behind him. Silently, I used my hands on his shoulders to hoist myself up onto his back. His skin felt hot, like the anger was simmering underneath the surface.

I didn't say anything until the silence between us felt unbearable. The snow crunched underneath his shoes and each step rang loudly in the silence. It was late, which meant the pathways were empty, so I could speak freely. I pressed my cheek against his and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He squeezed my thighs and tenderly leaned his head against mine. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who's sorry."

I shut my eyes tightly and held him tighter. His voice was soft, but his words held an unimaginable weight. His shoulders were heavy with responsibility for things that had been unfairly thrust upon him. Even with my touch, he was tense and I wasn't sure what to do.

We reached our house in silence and Kane put me down when we were inside. He turned to face me and the crease between his forehead and his frown had deepened. I stepped forward and slid my hand against his cheek.

My lips parted but I couldn't find the words to express what was in my heart. My chest tightened at the reminder that our relationship officially had a countdown, and more painfully, one of our lives.

He felt my pain and pulled me closer, placing his hand gently over my heart. "I won't rest until I break this curse, Rina. I'm not going to lose you no matter what this prophecy says."

I inhaled sharply, feeling my heart twist. "This curse has caused far more harm to you than it has to me, Kane. I'm scared I'm going to lose you." I sank my teeth into my bottom lip to stop it shaking.

He pulled me into his arms and rested his cheek on my head. "We're not going to lose each other. If I have to wage war to save us, I will."

I craned my head back to look at him. His eyes had a darker quality to them now. A bloodlust had been awakened in him and I could tell that he meant every word he said. "I can't—I can't lose you. We've only just found each other." My voice cracked and I tried to blink the tears away.

Kane huffed out a breath and caged my face in his firm hands. His eyebrows raised and his gaze darted between my eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Y-Yes," I breathed.

"Then trust that I will never let that happen to us. We are going to have the life we've both dreamed of. I promise." His eyes dropped to my mouth before he closed the distance between us and caught my sigh with a firm kiss.

I fisted his shirt in my hands to pull him closer and focused on the feel of his mouth on mine. He wedged his hand into my hair and deepened the kiss. I could taste his passion and it was as if he wanted to drill it into my head that nothing could separate us.

My hands slid underneath his shirt, feeling the hard ridges of his muscles. His abdomen tightened and he sighed into my mouth. His skin warmed under my fingers and he let me inch my hands higher until we pulled his shirt off.

He kissed me again, smiling. "Are you trying to distract me?"

My hands followed the curve of his broad shoulders and I wrapped his arms around my waist tightly. "I just want to be close to you."

He pulled the hem of my hoodie up slightly. I shivered when the cold metal of his belt buckle touched my bare skin. His fingers brushed over my hips and his words quietly fanned my lips. "I'm not going anywhere."

I raised my arms and he tugged my hoodie off me. I was wearing a thin tank top underneath, but his eyes still raked over me slowly. I shivered under his gaze and felt the goosebumps rise on my skin. He took my hand and walked us to the fireplace. He unfolded the blanket on the sofa and laid it on the floor with a few pillows.

There was already wood in the fireplace, so he lit it up with a match and placed the box back on the mantle. The flames provided a heat I didn't think I'd need. Just being in Kane's presence warmed me up enough.

The fire cast a glow on his face as he sat down against the sofa and held a hand out to me. I lowered myself onto his lap and softly slanted my lips across his. I gripped his hair and tilted his head back slightly to kiss him more comfortably.

His heartbeat quickened and I could just about hear it over the blood rushing in my ears. Every atom in my body was buzzing with longing for him. I wanted to be in his mind, heart and soul.

I broke away from the kiss and dragged my mouth across his jaw and down the column of his neck. I felt his pulse against my lips.

"Rina, I want you to do it. Please." His words came out in light pants.

My hand curled around the back of his neck and my canines slowly lowered. I scratched his skin gently, tasting his anticipation. The brand on my wrist hummed as I sank my canines into his neck. His hands gripped my hips and he pulled me tightly against him. The growl rumbled in his chest as my essence poured into his mark. A piece of my soul was reaching for his and it was euphoric.

I closed my eyes as he let me in, unlocking the secrets of his heart and soul to me. The bond between us tightened and I saw a flash of something.

I saw myself as he had painted me. I was in that white dress and in the water. Kane was submerged and unconscious until I pulled him up and kissed him. His eyes opened and flashed gold.

His breath caught in his throat and I forced myself to withdraw from his mind. I took my canines out of his neck and licked the mark to seal it. His skin tasted sweet like nectar, and I knew I would never taste anything better. His fingers tangled in my hair as I gave him a love bite.

He tugged my head back and covered his mark on my neck with his mouth. It was my turn to shiver in his arms as I felt our connection pulse through me. Despite how he marked me, I would always feel good when he touched his mark.

"Wait," I managed to say. I flattened my hands around his shoulders. "Did you see—"

He silenced my question with another kiss, and for a long moment, I melted against him. I pulled away and had no choice but to put my hand over his mouth.

He was blinded by desire and, in his tunnel vision, only saw me. His emotions hit me like a truck and I could feel how his heart only beat for me.

Kane is a fierce alpha and a man who loves fiercely. Melia's words distracted me for a moment until Kane gripped my wrist.

"I had a vision when I marked you," I blurted out, planting my hands on his chest to keep him against the foot of the sofa.

He stared at me, still not quite focused on what I was saying.

"Kane," I said more firmly, gripping his chin. "I saw you in the water. You weren't breathing until I kissed you."

"That's one way to describe the effect you have on me." His voice had lowered an octave and if I wasn't so freaked out, it would've entranced me.

The panic crawled up my throat and its presence shocked him out of his lustful daze. "Wait, you're serious?"

"Of course I'm serious!" I exclaimed. "We have to tell Santiago right now!"

When I made a move to get off his lap, he kept me rooted in my place with firm hands on my waist. "Rina, start from the beginning."

"I saw myself the way you painted me! Same place, same dress. You were in the water and I pulled you up and kissed you. How can I see something similar to what you dreamed about?"

The shock flashed across his face and he blew out a breath, stupefied. "I don't know." When I tried to move again, he tightened his hold. "We can't go back tonight, just—let us enjoy what just happened. Let us have something to ourselves."

The desperation in his eyes made me relax in his arms. I leaned forward and rested my forehead on his. "Okay."

His arms wrapped around me and he dug his face into the crook of my neck. We held each other for a while in silence, just listening to each other's heartbeats and breaths.

I leaned back and met his gaze. He looked at me like I was the only person who existed. His emotions were like a wave that was slowly pulling me under. Something indescribable hummed in his chest, deep and all-consuming.

I looked at my mark on his neck. Two puncture marks that gleamed on his skin. "It's beautiful," I said, softly.

"You're beautiful," he replied instantly, his voice just above a whisper. "I would've waited a lifetime for you to mark me."

He said it so earnestly that my gaze shot up to his. The smile on his face was like one I had never seen before. We had had a difficult night, but my marking him filled him with enough hope to let him forget about it all for now.

"You're right. This is something just between us. Our choices with nothing dictating them."

His smile widened and the sight almost knocked the air out of me. "This is just the start. From now on, we take back control of our relationship."

I lifted my hand to touch the mark. He leaned into my touch and sat up properly to peck my lips. His were flushed and I smiled, knowing mine were too. His eyes slowly fluttered closed for a moment before he forced them open.

Now that he was relaxed, it was clear that his fatigue was catching up to him, I saw just how much energy the whole night had taken from him. "Did I tire you out?"

He shook his head and smirked slightly. "Do you want to?"

I lightly slapped his chest and felt it rumble with his laugh. "I'm serious. You're more tired than you realise."

It was slightly odd how quickly the energy drained from him. I had a weird feeling in my gut.

He closed his eyes again. "That serum Santiago gave me—it just took a lot out of me that's all. Now the adrenaline is gone, I'm feeling it."

I threaded my fingers through his hair. "Then we should go to sleep."

He was about to protest, no doubt wanting to go back to kissing the life out of me when he realised I was right. "Fine, but I owe you a proper kiss."

"Deal," I replied against his lips before pecking them softly. I stood up with him and put out the fire, figuratively and literally, before we made our way upstairs.

His arm was slung around my shoulders and I leaned into him. The need we felt to always be close to each other would only intensify now that I had marked him too.

If anything good came from tonight, it would be that. I had marked him and I could only hope that the vision I saw meant doing so had given us both a lifeline.