The moment the Devourer King vanished, the forest exhaled—
a shuddering release of breath from hundreds of beasts who hadn't realized they'd been holding it.
Wolves shook out their fur.
Dragons lowered their wings.
Leopards crept from the branches.
Elves unclenched shaking fingers.
But the trembling wasn't from fatigue.
It was instinct.
The predator of predators had stepped into their home…
and walked away untouched.
Kanah's knees nearly gave out again.
Owain held her tightly against him, his chin pressed to the top of her head, breath fast, shaking with adrenaline.
"Kana… talk to me," he murmured.
She swallowed.
"I'm okay. Just… overwhelmed."
"Understandable," Helion muttered, limping over.
"I nearly peed myself and I don't even HAVE fear instincts most days."
Gerrin knelt beside Kanah, glowing runes forming on his palms.
"Let me check your resonance."
Kanah nodded shakily.
Yllas stood in front of her, arms folded, flame coiling protectively.
"At least you didn't buckle completely," Yllas said gently. "That alone is…"
He exhaled.
"Remarkable."
Owain growled.
"She shouldn't have to be remarkable. She should be SAFE."
Kanah touched his arm.
"Owain… I'm okay."
Owain looked at her—
golden eyes full of pain, fury, devotion.
"You shouldn't HAVE to fight him."
She pressed her forehead to his.
"But I will."
Owain's throat tightened.
"Then I'm with you."
THE CALL TO COUNCIL
Vaeryn stepped forward, wings folding behind him.
"Wolf King," he said, voice low and grim.
"We need to gather. Now."
Rhaegor added:
"Your territory is the staging ground. You call the council."
Owain straightened.
The Wolf King replaced the man.
"Gather the tribe leaders.
War council.
Ten minutes."
Howls spread into the forest.
Leaves shook.
Branches rustled.
Elves, dragons, wolves, leopards began forming a large ring around the center clearing.
Gerrin stepped back.
"Kanah, breathe slowly. Your resonance spiked but it's stabilizing."
Kanah nodded.
Her Devourer-born pack crept close again—eyes wide, bodies rigid with instinctive fear after sensing the King.
Kanah knelt in front of them.
"I'm here," she whispered, stroking trembling shoulders.
"You're safe."
The eldest of the group—still gaunt, still marked by black veins—looked up at her.
"Not safe…
Not while he lives."
Owain froze.
Kanah's voice softened.
"You're afraid of him."
"No."
The Devourer-born swallowed.
"We are afraid… for you."
Kanah's breath caught.
Helion muttered, "Well. Looks like you've got your own little fan club."
Owain nearly elbowed him.
Kanah smiled weakly and brushed the creature's hair back.
"Thank you."
The Devourer-born pressed its forehead to her knee.
"Our Queen."
Owain choked.
"Q— SHE'S NOT— Don't call her—"
Yllas smacked Owain softly with his tail.
"She stabilized them. That's enough to make her their instinct-alpha."
Owain's jaw clenched.
"She's MY mate. Not their queen."
Gerrin chuckled under his breath.
"There's overlap, Wolf King."
Owain glared at him.
THE WAR COUNCIL BEGINS
The Beast Tribes formed a massive circle—wolves snarling softly, dragons simmering heat, elves glowing faintly with mana, leopards perched silently above.
Owain stepped into the center, Kanah at his side.
The guardian beast curled behind them like a living fortress.
Vaeryn spoke first.
"The Devourer King was not simply scouting."
Rhaegor nodded.
"That was not a warning.
That was a declaration."
The Eldress crossed her arms.
"He looked at the girl like a starving beast looks at prey."
Owain snarled instantly.
"Watch your wording."
Kanah squeezed his hand gently.
"I'm okay. She didn't mean—"
"I meant exactly what I said," the Eldress replied.
"But not to insult you, girl.
To show the danger."
Her golden eyes narrowed.
"He will come again.
With more than malformed creatures.
With purpose."
Gerrin stepped forward.
"And with resonance targeted directly at Kanah."
Kanah's heart thudded painfully.
"He was scanning for me."
"Yes."
Lythar's voice was grim.
"And if you hadn't stabilized your seed yesterday, you would've collapsed instantly."
Owain's grip tightened so much it hurt.
"No collapsing," he said against her hair.
"Not now. Not ever."
Kanah leaned into him.
"I'll try."
Vaeryn looked at her.
"What exactly did you feel from him?"
Kanah hesitated.
Every pair of eyes fixed on her.
Owain's arms wrapped protectively around her waist.
She inhaled.
"It wasn't words.
It wasn't magic.
It wasn't… command."
Yllas tilted his head.
"Then what?"
"It was like… instinct pressure."
Kanah swallowed.
"A parent trying to force obedience.
A natural dominance… from someone who never learned to restrain it."
The Eldress clicked her tongue.
"Ah. Biological control."
Rhaegor nodded.
"That is dangerous. Most young beasts crumble under such pressure."
Gerrin raised a finger.
"But Kanah didn't crumble."
Owain kissed her temple.
"She fought him."
Kanah whispered:
"I fought because I wasn't alone."
Owain stiffened—softened—and leaned his forehead to hers.
Vaeryn cleared his throat and pointed at the Devourer-born.
"And these?"
The twenty rescued Devourer-born lifted their heads in unison—
every one of them turning to Kanah instinctively.
She felt their fear.
Their confusion.
Their fragile loyalty.
Kanah stepped toward them.
"I can't leave them unprotected," she said quietly.
"He'll come for them too."
The eldest Devourer-born rasped:
"He will reclaim or destroy us."
"And we won't allow that," Owain growled.
Vaeryn crossed his arms.
"He will bring more soldiers.
More perfected hybrids.
More death-breeds."
Gerrin shuddered.
"Father isn't just coming for you, Kanah.
He's coming for everyone around you."
Kanah looked around the circle—
Wolves.
Dragons.
Elves.
Leopards.
Beasts who barely tolerated each other a year ago…
now united because of her.
She felt small.
She felt overwhelmed.
But she also felt…
Responsible.
Kanah lifted her chin.
Her voice was soft, but it carried.
"Then we protect each other."
Owain swallowed hard—like she'd just struck something deep in his chest.
Kanah continued:
"My father is strong.
I know that.
But he's not unbeatable.
And he's not invincible.
And he doesn't understand love or unity or choice."
She looked at each tribe.
"He can't win against all of you unless you let him."
The Eldress smirked approvingly.
"Spoken like a queen."
Owain inhaled sharply and turned to her—
"Kana—"
She held up a hand.
"I'm not calling myself queen.
But I am saying I won't be a victim."
Owain's expression softened—then broke, then reformed into something fierce and proud.
He grabbed her hand.
"You're not a victim," he growled.
"You're the reason we're all standing."
The Eldress nodded.
"Then let us stand together."
Rhaegor lifted his spear.
"For the Wolf King."
Vaeryn raised his burning claw.
"For the flame of the skies."
Lythar's staff glowed.
"For the ancient groves."
The Eldress bared her fangs.
"For the hunt."
And then—
the wolves howled
the dragons roared
the elves sang
the leopards hissed—
all directed at the same two figures in the center:
Kanah and Owain.
Kanah felt heat rush up her throat.
"Owain…" she whispered.
Owain squeezed her hand.
His voice was low—rough—full of devotion.
"They're ready to fight for you."
He leaned his forehead to hers.
"And I'll fight for you until my last breath."
Kanah's eyes stung.
"I'll fight too."
Owain's breath hitched.
"Kana…"
She rose on her toes and kissed him—
a brief, fierce kiss, a promise sealed in the chaos of a gathering storm.
The council watched.
No one objected.
Because this wasn't a romantic moment.
It was a declaration.
When she pulled away, Kanah turned toward the tribes.
"Then let's prepare," she said.
"For the war my father started."
Owain's voice rose in command.
"WOLVES—TO POSITIONS!"
"DRAGONS—TAKE THE SKY!"
"ELVES—FORTIFY THE SOUTHERN LINE!"
"LEOPARDS—PATROL THE Treetops!"
Kanah stepped into the center of the preparations.
For the first time—
she didn't feel like a prisoner or a runaway or a mistake.
She felt like a leader.
Like someone who mattered.
Like someone who was going to fight for her own future.
Her resonance warmed beneath her skin.
Her Devourer-born pack gathered around her.
Owain wrapped an arm around her waist.
And Beastworld began to prepare for war.