Owain charged.
White eyes.
Blood-soaked fur.
Massive, primal body barreling toward Kanah with lethal power.
This wasn't the gentle wolf who carried her on his back.
This wasn't the fierce protector who bared teeth for her.
This was the Aetherwolf buried deep in his bloodline—
a creature meant to challenge gods, to tear mountains apart.
And Kanah stood directly in his path.
"OWAIN—STOP!"
Her voice shattered.
Her hands shook violently.
Her knees nearly collapsed.
But she didn't move.
She didn't run.
She didn't hide.
She didn't defend herself.
She stepped forward.
"Owain… please…"
Owain sprinted faster.
Gerrin screamed, "KANAH, MOVE—HE'LL KILL YOU—MOVE—NOW—!"
Yllas tried to stand, bleeding heavily.
"Kanah—stop—STOP—he's not himself—"
Helion forced himself onto his elbows.
"No—NO—get back—get AWAY from him!"
But Kanah's voice cut through everything.
"Owain."
The snow twisted around her ankles as she took another step.
"Owain… I know you're still in there."
Owain didn't slow.
If anything, he accelerated—
white static crackling around his paws
snow exploding behind him
teeth bared
claws extended
a predator committing to the kill.
Kanah's heart pounded.
Her chest tightened so hard she thought her ribs might snap.
But she lifted her arms—
Not to shield herself.
To reach for him.
"Owain," she whispered, voice trembling,
"come back to me."
The Impact
He hit her.
Full force.
The collision knocked the air from her lungs.
Her body flew backward—
but Owain slammed his paws down on either side of her before she hit the snow.
She landed beneath him, pinned between his claws.
His fangs hovered inches from her throat.
His breath steamed against her skin.
His eyes—
white
empty
lost.
She could smell blood on him.
She could feel the tremor in his massive frame.
She could sense the instinct urging him to finish the kill.
Kanah's voice cracked.
"…Owain…"
He snarled—
a wild, broken sound that vibrated through the earth.
His claws dug into the snow beside her head.
Gerrin screamed from the distance.
"Owain—STOP—STOP—DON'T—DON'T DO THIS—!"
Yllas coughed blood into the snow, trying to crawl forward.
Helion struggled onto his knees, curse marks burning.
But no one could reach her in time.
Kanah's breath shook.
Her voice came out small.
"I'm not… afraid of you."
Owain's head snapped closer, nose brushing her neck.
Kanah stiffened instinctively—
but she didn't flinch.
She placed both hands against his fur-covered cheeks.
Warm.
Wet.
Shaking.
"Owain," she whispered, voice breaking,
"You promised you'd never leave me."
Owain growled.
Low.
Dangerous.
Kanah forced herself to breathe.
"You promised you'd come back."
For a second—
so brief it might have been her imagination—
his claws eased by a fraction.
Gerrin shouted desperately:
"KANAH—THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK AN AETHERWOLF—
IS EMOTION—
NOT LOGIC—
YOU HAVE TO REACH HIM—WITH THE BOND—
WITH SOMETHING ONLY YOU CAN DO—!"
She swallowed hard.
Emotion.
Not reason.
Not fear.
Kanah leaned her forehead to his—
pressing her skin against his fur,
ignoring the blood
ignoring the heat
ignoring the danger.
"Owain," she whispered,
"please look at me."
He didn't.
He snarled louder, breath hitching.
His fangs grazed her throat.
Her heart pounded so violently it hurt.
But she pushed through it.
"Look at me."
She placed one hand over his heart.
Not claws.
Not fur.
Not instinct.
Him.
"The first night I was here," she whispered softly,
"You laid beside me so I wasn't scared."
Owain's growl faltered.
"The first time I cried… you held me."
The snow trembled.
"When I was freezing, you gave me your warmth."
Owain's breath stuttered.
"And when I felt alone…
you found me."
Owain's massive chest rose in a shaky inhale.
Kanah felt tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I found you too."
She pressed her forehead harder against his.
"That's why you can hear me.
Even now.
Even like this."
Owain trembled—
violently.
"Because you're mine," her voice cracked painfully,
"And I'm yours."
Owain's body jerked as if struck.
Kanah cupped his face, lifting his head.
Then she whispered the one thing only she could say:
"Come back to me, Owain."
The Snap
The world held its breath.
Owain froze—
every muscle locked
breathing stopped
instinct shattering like cracked glass.
The white faded from his eyes—
slowly
slowly
until amber bled through again.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
His pupils widened.
Recognition returned.
"...Kanah…?"
Gerrin gasped.
Yllas collapsed forward in relief.
Helion sank face-first into the snow, whispering, "Thank the moons…"
Kanah broke into sobs, grabbing his fur, pulling his massive head against her chest.
"Owain—O-Owain—please—don't do that again—don't leave me like that—please—"
Owain whined softly.
Softly.
Gently.
He lowered his entire weight until he was curled around her, pressing his face into her chest, as if ashamed, terrified, and clinging all at once.
Kanah wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his fur.
"You came back…
you really came back…"
Owain nosed weakly at her hair, trembling violently, as if sick with guilt.
Gerrin wiped his face with shaking hands.
"I—I can't believe she pulled him out. That's—
Kanah, only a bonded mate could do that—"
Yllas's voice was hoarse.
"She's not bonded to him."
"No," Gerrin whispered.
"She isn't.
But he is bonded to her."
Kanah froze.
Owain lifted his head—
and shifted.
The transformation was slow.
Painful.
His body shaking with the exertion.
He collapsed to his elbows, panting, fur shrinking, skin emerging, form reshaping.
When he lifted his head—
he was Owain again.
Bruised.
Bloody.
On the verge of collapse.
But Owain.
He cupped Kanah's cheek with a shaking hand.
"I told you…"
he whispered, voice raw and breaking,
"…I'd come back."
Her breath hitched on a sob.
She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against him.
"You idiot—
stupid—
beautiful—
reckless—
brave—
wolf—"
she cried into his shoulder.
His arms crushed her tightly against him.
"I'm sorry," Owain whispered.
"I'm so sorry—"
"You scared me."
Her voice broke.
"You scared me so badly—don't ever—ever do that again—"
He trembled.
"I won't.
I swear it.
I swear on my life.
I'll never lose myself again."
He held her so tightly she could feel every heartbeat.
Slow.
Steady.
Alive.
She buried her face into his neck, inhaling him.
Warm.
Safe.
Home.
Gerrin looked away to give them privacy.
Yllas smiled faintly through the pain.
Helion tilted his head back and groaned,
"Gods above… they're ridiculous…"
But before anyone could rest—
The ground shook.
The snow split.
And the First King's voice returned.
Trial Two Begins
The sentinel's broken shell twitched.
Glowed.
Reformed.
Reassembled into a smaller, faster form.
Kanah clung to Owain.
Owain pulled her behind him instantly.
The First King's voice rolled through the mountains like thunder.
"The wolf passes Trial One."
Owain snarled.
"Then stop—"
"Begin Trial Two."
Gerrin stiffened.
"No—NO—she can't—she just—she's too weak—"
The voice ignored him.
"Trial Two:
The Heart's Choosing."
Kanah's breath caught.
Owain went rigid.
Yllas's face tightened.
Helion muttered, "…oh, FUCK no."
The snow spiraled around Kanah's feet—
lifting
twisting
glowing.
Kanah clutched Owain's arm.
"Owain—what does that mean—?"
The First King's voice was cold.
"To claim the throne, the heir must choose
which bond to anchor first."
Gerrin's eyes widened in horror.
"She has to choose the first mate—NOW?!"
Owain's heart stopped.
Kanah's face drained of color.
The First King finished:
"Fail to choose within one hour
and your heart will break."
Kanah whispered, voice small and terrified:
"Owain…
I'm not ready…"
Owain grabbed her hand tightly.
His voice was fierce.
"Then we'll make him wait."
But the First King answered:
"Time has already begun."