The corridor glowed blue-white.
Dragonfire.
Warm.
Blinding.
Alive.
Kanah squeezed Owain's hand as Yllas stepped through the fractured archway—
wings half-unfurled, breath steaming with cold flame.
His eyes—normally composed, regal, patient—
were blazing with barely leashed fury the moment they found her.
"Kanah."
Her name left him like a vow and a warning.
Gerrin emerged next, silver mana swirling around his hands like ribbons of moonlight. His gentle face—usually serene—was tight with fear.
Helion dropped from the ceiling beam above them with effortless feline grace, gold eyes glowing like he was one second away from tearing the world open with his bare claws.
The three of them moved instantly—
Surrounding her.
Drawing close.
Instinctive.
Protective.
Possessive.
Owain stiffened as they closed in.
Not hostile—just alert, his wolf instincts rising in response to theirs.
The guardian beast shifted behind Kanah, rumbling softly.
Her father watched all of it with the detached curiosity of a scholar observing predators thrown into a cage together.
Yllas took another step, voice steady but shaking with emotion:
"You are hurt."
Kanah swallowed.
"I—I'm okay—"
"You are not," Yllas said sharply.
He lifted a claw-tipped hand and gently touched her cheek.
"Your resonance is unstable. Your pulse is wild. And your scent—"
He inhaled—
And froze.
Owain stiffened.
Helion's eyes widened.
Gerrin blinked slowly, expression unreadable.
Yllas whispered dangerously:
"You bit him."
Kanah's heart jerked.
"Owain— I— it wasn't—"
Owain stepped in front of her a little, voice low and even.
"She didn't bite me to bond. She bit because her father forced hunger into her. She fought it. She grounded it."
Helion's lips curled into a slow, sharp grin.
"Ah. So the wolf gave her his throat. Again. I knew you had it in you, mutt."
Owain shot him a look sharp enough to cut stone.
"Not the time, leopard."
Helion just winked.
Gerrin stepped forward, voice quiet.
"It stabilized her for the moment, then?"
Owain nodded.
"Barely."
Yllas's jaw clenched.
"She bit you without choosing to. That matters."
Kanah flinched.
"Yllas— I didn't mean to—"
He softened instantly, lifting her chin with a careful claw.
"I know."
His voice deepened.
"But next time… you look at me first."
Helion snorted.
"Or me."
Gerrin sighed, shaking his head.
"Not helping."
Owain growled low under his breath.
Kanah's pulse stuttered.
They weren't fighting.
Not truly.
They were reacting—
their instincts colliding, not in aggression, but in alignment.
They all came for her.
All of them felt the resonance.
All of them responded.
Her chest ached.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't want any of you to get hurt—"
Yllas cupped her face with both hands.
"You are alive. That is enough."
Gerrin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"We feared we were too late."
Helion circled her once, checking for wounds with brisk, focused efficiency.
"Anyone touches her again," he snarled, "I'll gut them."
Owain's eyes softened, watching Kanah absorb their presence.
For the first time since her awakening—
She didn't feel alone.
Ilai finally stood fully, brushing dust from her hair.
"Good," she muttered. "Yes. Wonderful. All her feral men are here. Perfect time to LEAVE before Veylor snaps the fortress spine and kills us all."
Yllas turned to her sharply.
"You are Ilai?"
She swallowed. "Yes."
"You protected her."
Ilai blinked.
"I… tried."
Yllas nodded once—formal, respectful.
"Then the dragon owes you a debt."
Helion gave her a smirk.
"And the leopard owes you a drink."
Gerrin bowed slightly.
"And the elf owes you healing magic."
Owain added bluntly:
"And I owe you Kanah's life."
Ilai's face flushed—overwhelmed.
Kanah grabbed her hand and squeezed.
"We're getting out together."
Ilai nodded quickly, voice tight.
"Yes. Yes, please. Let's."
But the guardian beast rose to its full height behind them, casting its shadow over all five mates.
Its molten eyes fixed on Yllas.
Then Helion.
Then Gerrin.
And its resonance growl deepened.
Owain stepped forward instantly.
"HEY— eyes off them— she's MINE."
The guardian blinked.
Then rumbled again.
Gerrin murmured, "I do not think it is challenging us. It is… measuring."
Yllas's nostrils flared with a quiet growl.
"Measuring what?"
Her father answered, stepping forward, undisturbed by the show of force.
"The viability of her mating circle."
Silence.
Then—
Helion snorted.
"Well. That's forward."
Gerrin choked.
Owain snarled.
Yllas's eyes narrowed.
Kanah froze.
"M-mating— what?! No— that's not— we haven't— we didn't—"
The guardian stepped closer to her father and growled.
Her father smirked.
"Ah. So you approve of the wolf. But the others… yet to be decided."
Helion's tail flicked.
"Oh, I'd like to see it try to disapprove of me."
Gerrin whispered,
"Please stop antagonizing the giant death-beast."
Yllas stepped between Kanah and the guardian, wings flaring slightly.
"She will choose us. Not instinct. Not fate. Her."
Kanah's breath shook.
"I… do choose you."
Three sets of eyes snapped to her.
Owain looked down at her like she had just given him air.
Yllas exhaled sharply.
Helion's grin dropped into something softer. Warmer.
Gerrin pressed a hand to his chest, relief visible in his eyes.
Her father rolled his eyes.
"So sentimental. Unnecessary."
Owain's snarl filled the room.
"SHUT. UP."
Kanah tugged Owain's hand gently.
"Let him talk. He doesn't get to choose anything for me anymore."
Her father arched a brow.
"Bold words for someone whose mind can still shatter."
Kanah straightened her spine.
"I bit Owain, not you. He's my anchor. Not you. Not your legacy."
Owain's grip on her hand tightened.
Yllas exhaled, flame curling between his teeth.
Gerrin smiled—quiet, proud.
Helion's tail swept the floor.
Ilai whispered, "There she is… my little star."
Her father's expression cooled.
"Very well. Then let us test the strength of your anchor."
And with one hand, he slammed his palm into the ground.
The fortress cracked open—
walls splitting—
floors rupturing—
chaos exploding outward.
Kanah screamed as the chamber tilted.
Owain grabbed her waist.
Yllas unfurled his wings.
Helion held Ilai tight.
Gerrin shielded them with mana.
The guardian roared—
And Veylor Fortress began to collapse.