Kanah woke to warmth.
Not heat.
Not flames.
Not the choking aura of the Devourer King.
Warmth.
Real, soft, safe warmth.
A large body curved around her back, breath steady against her neck, an arm heavy over her waist.
Owain.
Her fingers twitched, brushing his forearm.
Immediately—instantly—he stirred.
"Kana…?"
His voice was rough with exhaustion and relief.
She felt him shift closer, pressing his forehead between her shoulder blades, inhaling her scent like he needed it to breathe.
"You're awake," he whispered.
Kanah swallowed, her throat tight and dry.
"How long…?"
"Half a day," Owain murmured.
"You collapsed after… everything."
Kanah closed her eyes.
Her father's last breath.
The battlefield falling silent.
Owain catching her as her strength finally gave out.
It all crashed back into her chest.
Owain sensed it.
He slid his arm under her body and pulled her gently onto her back, caging her beneath him without weight, just presence.
His golden eyes searched her face.
"You're safe," he whispered.
"You're here. I've got you."
Kanah's breath shook.
"You didn't sleep."
Owain huffed a humorless laugh.
"Sleep? When you were unconscious? Kana, I didn't even blink."
She lifted a hand, touching his jaw.
His face was bruised.
His lip split.
Dried blood streaked his cheek and neck.
His ribs were wrapped in makeshift bandages.
"Owain," she whispered, guilt twisting inside her, "you're hurt."
Owain pressed her hand to his cheek.
"And you're breathing," he murmured.
"That's all I care about."
Her eyes stung.
He leaned down, kissing her forehead gently.
Not hungry.
Not dominating.
Just soft.
Warm.
Grounded.
She felt her heart steady under the touch.
When she opened her eyes—
Owain wasn't looking at her wounds.
Not at her eye.
Not at her seed.
Not at anything Devourer.
Just her.
Kanah.
THE CAMP OF SURVIVORS
Owain helped her sit up.
They were in a temporary clearing encircled by woven branches and dragon-scale shields, forming a protective ring.
Dragons lay curled in the sun, tendrils of smoke rising from wounds.
Elves moved silently between them, using mana to close gashes and fractures.
Wolves slept in tight circles, bodies touching.
Leopards watched from the branches, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.
Every tribe was here.
Alive.
Breathing.
Recovering.
Gerrin looked up from tending a wounded wolf.
His eyes widened.
"Kanah.
You're awake."
Before she could respond, he limped over and pressed his forehead gently to hers.
Not a kiss.
An elven gesture of relief and reverence.
"I'm so glad," he whispered.
Kanah's chest warmed.
Yllas approached next, arms crossed, trying to look unimpressed despite the deep tear across his shoulder.
"You scared half the world awake," he said.
"But… good to see you standing."
His voice softened almost imperceptibly.
Helion dropped from a branch and landed beside her, sitting cross-legged with his tail flicking.
"Well," he said dryly, "at least you didn't die. I had a whole dramatic speech ready."
Kanah's lips twitched.
Even the guardian beast lay nearby, head resting on its paws, one enormous eye opening to regard her with gentle recognition.
Kanah whispered:
"You all… stayed."
Gerrin smiled.
"Of course."
Helion snorted.
"We're not stupid. If you died, Owain would kill us."
Owain growled.
Gerrin coughed.
Yllas lifted an eyebrow.
Kanah covered her mouth, laughing weakly.
It felt good.
Painful, but good.
Owain curled beside her, one broad shoulder against her back, his presence grounding her even as the tribes gathered nearby.
Kanah looked around slowly.
The air was filled with low voices, splinting bones, healing magic, bandaging injuries.
But the atmosphere wasn't desperate anymore.
It was—
hopeful.
GRIEF AND MERCY
Kanah's smile faded.
Her Devourer-born pack approached her quietly—
kneeling
pressing their heads to the ground
body language trembling with instinctual fear and confusion.
The smallest one whispered:
"Mother…
what happens to us now?"
Kanah's breath caught.
Owain's arm tightened protectively around her.
Yllas crossed his arms but didn't interrupt.
Gerrin lowered his head.
Helion's ears flattened.
Kanah stepped toward them.
"No one will harm you," she said softly.
They lifted their trembling faces.
"You… kept us alive," one whispered.
"You freed us."
Kanah knelt, placing her palms against their hands.
"You freed yourselves."
The oldest Devourer-born rasped:
"Without the King… we are leaderless.
Purposeless."
Owain's gut twisted, but he remained silent, waiting for Kanah.
Kanah took a deep breath.
"You don't need a king."
Their eyes widened.
"You don't need a master.
Or a forge.
Or a bloodline telling you who you are."
Her voice cracked.
"You deserve a life."
One leaned forward, whispering:
"Can we… stay with you?"
Owain tensed—protectively, instinctively—but Kanah placed her hand on his knee, calming him.
"Yes," she whispered.
"You can stay as long as you want."
The smallest Devourer-born burst into quiet sobs, clutching her hand.
Owain swallowed hard, emotion tightening his chest.
Had Kanah been born a Devourer, this—
her softness, her strength, her defiance—
would have made her a queen.
But she wasn't Devourer.
She was something far rarer.
Human.
And she was healing the world simply by being who she was.
NIGHTFALL
As the sun set, the tribes settled.
Dragons curled up.
Wolves formed protective rings.
Elves meditated.
Leopards climbed to high branches.
Owain stayed glued to Kanah's side, refusing to lie down until she leaned against him.
"You should rest," she whispered, tracing the bandage on his ribs.
"I'll rest when you sleep," he murmured, brushing his thumb across her cheek.
Kanah smiled tiredly.
"That's backwards."
"I'm a wolf," he said with a low growl.
"Everything is backwards when it comes to you."
Kanah's heart squeezed.
She reached up, touching his jaw gently.
"Owain."
He leaned into her palm, eyes softening.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you… for protecting me."
He exhaled sharply, something breaking behind his eyes.
He pressed his forehead against hers, voice trembling.
"I would die for you," he whispered.
"But more than that…
I want to live with you."
Her breath hitched.
"Owain…"
He kissed her temple gently.
No hunger.
No heat.
Just devotion.
LOOKING FORWARD
As Kanah drifted toward sleep, she felt Owain curl around her, protective and warm.
Gerrin's soft chanting in the background.
Yllas's steady breathing.
Helion muttering sarcastically at the stars.
Dragons rumbling.
Wolves howling quietly.
And her Devourer-born pack asleep near her feet.
For the first time since she arrived in Beastworld—
she felt peace.
Not complete.
Not healed.
But possible.
Owain whispered into her hair, voice soft as a promise:
"Tomorrow…
we start building something better."
Kanah's hand found his.
She squeezed it.
"I'll be there."
And for the first night in a long time—
Kanah slept without fear.