He nodded, satisfied, and disappeared down the hall.
Levi dropped his forehead to my shoulder. “Mating rituals.”
“You’re never living that down,” I said.
He groaned.
I nudged him gently. “Come on. Pancakes.”
“You’re lucky I like him.”
“You love him.”
“…Yeah.”
We got up reluctantly, the easy warmth between us lingering as we dressed. The cabin smelled faintly of coffee from the automatic timer Levi had set the night before.
Kai was already at the table when we came out, pretending not to watch us too closely.
I flipped pancakes while Levi poured juice. It was domestic in a way that still felt surreal. The kind of routine I’d never had growing up, and definitely not during the chaos of the past year.
Kai took a bite, then nodded. “Okay. These are acceptable.”
“High praise,” Levi murmured.
We ate in comfortable quiet. When Kai finished, he grabbed his plate and carried it to the sink without being asked.
He’d settled into the cabin faster than I had, claiming the smaller bedroom and filling it with books, drawings, and a ridiculous number of video games Nico had given him.
After he disappeared back down the hall, I leaned against the counter beside Levi.
“He’s happy,” I said quietly.
“Yeah.” Levi bumped his shoulder against mine. “You did good.”
The words landed heavier than he probably intended. I stared at the coffee mug in my hands.
“I’m still working on the rest,” I admitted.
He didn’t ask what I meant. He already knew.
The packless community had taken longer. Some of them had heard the rumors that I’d worked with the anti-shifter group, that I’d helped Daniel.
It didn’t matter that I’d been trying to protect Kai, or that I’d turned against them in the end. Trust didn’t come back overnight.
But I showed up. Ran supply drops. Answered calls when no one had.
And slowly, things shifted.
Especially after Rowan vouched for me.
The deer shifter had been wary at first, eyes always tracking my movements, ready to bolt. I couldn’t blame him. When we’d pulled him from that cage, he’d looked half-starved and terrified.
Later, when Daniel demanded updates, I’d told him Rowan hadn’t survived the extraction, hoping it would stop him from coming after Rowan.
And now, he’d become one of the quiet bridges between me and the others. He didn’t say much, but his presence beside me during volunteer shifts spoke louder than words.
Levi nudged me again. “You’re thinking too hard.”
