Owain hit the ground in full form with a thunderous impact.
Golden fur bristled along his spine.
His claws gouged trenches into the earth.
His eyes—normally warm—blazed with a feral, molten gold.
Kanah felt the bond flare in her chest.
Not painful.
Not frightening.
Anchoring.
Owain was hers.
And she was his.
But the elites did not pause to admire the transformation.
They moved.
Fast.
Silent.
Perfectly synchronized.
Three of them swarmed Owain at once.
THE WOLF KING UNLEASHED
The first elite leapt for Owain's throat.
He whipped his head sideways—
teeth clamping down on its arm—
and threw it into a tree so hard the trunk split.
The second elite darted beneath him, claws carving up toward his belly—
Owain twisted mid-air, avoiding the strike by inches, and slammed his hind legs into the elite's head.
The crack echoed.
The third elite landed on his back—
Owain roared.
The sound tore through the clearing, shaking leaves from branches.
The elite's ears bled.
Its grip faltered.
Owain rolled, crushing it under his massive weight.
Kanah gasped.
"Owain—!"
But she didn't need to warn him.
He had already sensed the next attacker.
He struck with unnatural speed for a creature so large—
a blur of gold—
swiping a claw so powerful the air itself split.
Blood sprayed across the dirt.
Yllas landed beside him in human-dragon form, frost-fire swirling around his fists.
"Owain—on your left!"
Owain snarled.
I see it.
Helion flipped over a fallen log, sliding under two elites and cutting at their tendons with a clean, surgical swipe.
"Save some for me, mutt!"
Owain growled, not with anger—
but satisfaction.
Try to keep up.
Gerrin sent a spiral of silver mana around the wolf's hind legs, reinforcing his balance.
"His center of gravity is shifting between attacks—adjusting form—remarkable—"
Ilai shouted, "GERRIN! FOCUS OR YOU'LL DIE!"
He smiled gently.
"Right. Yes. Thank you."
KANAH — BREAKING THE FEAR
Kanah pressed her back against the guardian beast as it shielded her from two elites.
But something inside her had changed.
The fear was still there—
but muted under the weight of something stronger.
Resolve.
She looked at Owain—
every movement of his wolf body synced with her heartbeat—
every strike meant to protect her.
Her brother had said she wasn't strong enough.
He was wrong.
She stood.
The guardian growled softly—warning, ready to hold her back.
Kanah touched its arm.
"I'm not going far."
It rumbled uncertainly.
Kanah's hunger twisted in her veins—
but instead of spiraling, it followed Owain's rhythm.
The bite anchor held.
She stepped forward.
Owain's ears flicked back, catching her movement.
His golden eyes snapped to her instantly.
Stay behind me.
She swallowed.
"Owain… I won't interfere. I promise. But I can't hide."
His growl softened—
not approval, not rejection.
Recognition.
She wasn't the same girl trembling in Veylor's halls.
She was anchored.
Awake.
Choosing.
Kanah placed her hand over her throbbing bite mark.
"You're my strength. Let me be yours."
Owain's chest vibrated with a low, deep rumble.
Not a warning.
A bond response.
THE BROTHER ENTERS THE FRAY
Her brother stepped lightly through the clearing, Devourer elites parting for him.
He didn't rush.
Didn't posture.
Didn't roar.
He simply walked toward the guardian.
"Owain," Kanah whispered, "he's targeting—"
Owain leapt—
But three elites intercepted him, slamming into his flank.
Owain roared—
but was forced to pivot, shredding one attacker while blocking another.
The brother approached the guardian calmly.
"Step aside."
The guardian trembled, resisting—
Gerrin gasped, "Kanah! Speak to it! It listens to you, not the brother—hurry—!"
Kanah stepped forward despite her shaking legs.
"Owain—cover me!"
Owain lunged, keeping elites away from her with brutal swipes.
Kanah stepped in front of the guardian and raised her voice:
"Guardian!"
Its glowing eyes snapped to her.
"Do NOT yield.
Not to him.
Not EVER."
The guardian stood fully.
A tower of black iron muscle rising behind her.
Her brother tilted his head.
"So you are learning."
Kanah's hands curled into fists.
"I'm not yours."
"No," he agreed softly.
"You are ours."
Owain roared so violently the ground shook.
SHE. IS. MINE.
Her brother smirked.
"And the wolf barks."
Owain lunged—
This time he connected.
He slammed into the brother, jaws clamping around his forearm.
Blood sprayed.
The brother didn't scream.
He didn't even flinch.
He simply twisted his wrist—
And Owain's body was hurled sideways into a fallen tree.
"Owain!" Kanah cried, running toward him.
The brother's voice followed her like a shadow:
"You chose the wolf.
So I will break the wolf."
Kanah froze mid-stride.
Something snapped in her chest.
Something sharp and instinctive.
Not hunger.
Not fear.
A Devourer's fury.
"Owain," she whispered, heart twisting.
"He's hurt—Owain—"
Owain rose.
Slowly.
Shakily.
Unbroken.
His wolf eyes locked onto her brother with a predator's promise.
Her brother smiled.
"Good.
Fight."
Kanah felt the bond flare.
Owain's pain.
His rage.
His unwavering devotion.
It fed her strength.
Fed her resolve.
Fed something awakening inside her.
She stepped forward, voice trembling but steel-edged.
"You can't break him."
Her brother looked amused.
"Why not?"
Kanah raised her chin.
"Because he's mine—
and I'm his."
The air stilled.
Her brother's expression finally changed.
Something sharp.
Something cold.
"You claim him."
Kanah swallowed.
"Yes."
Her brother exhaled.
"Then let us see if your claim survives."
He flicked his fingers—
And the elites descended on Owain.
All six.
At once.
Kanah screamed.
"Owain—!!"
Owain planted his paws.
Bared his teeth.
Roared with all the fury of a king.
But six elites were not a skirmish.
This was an execution.
Kanah's breath shattered.
She grabbed her chest, feeling the bond tremble.
"Owain—Owain—OWAIN—!!"
Owain staggered under the weight of claws and blows.
The elites tore at his fur.
Sank fangs into his flank.
Drove him toward the ground.
"STOP—!!" Kanah screamed, voice breaking.
Her brother watched her.
Testing her.
Measuring her.
Waiting.
Owain roared again—
defiant—
but he was being forced down.
Kanah felt her heart splitting open.
"No—
NO—
STOP—!!"
She stumbled forward—
Gerrin shouted her name—
Helion lunged to cover her flank—
Yllas roared fire—
But Kanah didn't hear any of it.
She heard Owain.
Through the bond.
Don't break, Kana.
I'm here.
Stay with me.
Don't—
break—
Her knees hit the ground.
Tears ran hot down her face.
"I won't break," she whispered.
"I won't—
I WON'T—!!"
Her Devourer eye exploded with gold-black light.
Her brother straightened.
"Ah," he murmured.
"There it is."
Kanah rose slowly.
Not uncontrolled.
Not lost.
Awakened.
And her voice—low, fierce, trembling with new power—cut through the clearing:
"GET. OFF. MY. MATE."
The light surged from her chest.
Every elite froze.
Owain's breath hitched—
bond flaring—
and the forest held its breath.