The forest shifted at dawn.
Not with birdsong—
but with the low hum of multiple beast tribes gathering around a single narrow clearing.
A soft fog rolled along the ground.
Trees bent inward, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Kanah stood barefoot in the center.
The earth felt warm.
Alive.
Waiting.
Owain paced behind her, restless energy radiating off his skin like heat.
His golden eyes never left her.
Yllas stood to her right, frost-flame swirling around his hands.
Gerrin to her left, silver mana forming gentle spirals.
Helion crouched behind, ready to spring at the slightest danger.
The guardian beast formed a massive barrier behind them all.
The Beast Tribe Leaders stood along the edge of the clearing—
watchful, tense.
High Mage Lythar raised his hand.
"The girl is ready?"
Owain snapped, "Her name is Kanah."
Lythar bowed his head.
"Kanah.
Are you prepared?"
Kanah exhaled shakily.
"No."
Owain froze.
"But I'm willing."
His eyes softened—pained, proud, terrified.
Her voice trembled.
"I want to choose myself before my father forces anything."
Silence rippled across the clearing.
The Eldress chuckled darkly.
"A woman of instinct.
Let's begin."
THE RITUAL CIRCLE
Gerrin drew symbols in the dirt—nothing divine, only elven resonance shapes.
"Soothing. Stabilizing. Containment," he murmured.
Yllas set small firestones around the perimeter, each glowing with steady flame.
"To keep Devourer cold at bay," he explained.
Helion sprinkled powdered moon-scent herbs along the outer ring.
"For grounding. And because it smells nicer than wolf sweat."
"OI—" Owain snarled.
Kanah giggled.
Owain's expression cracked into the smallest smile.
Gerrin looked up at Kanah.
"This circle won't stop an awakening.
But it will ease it."
Kanah nodded.
"Then that's enough."
The High Mage lifted his staff.
"When ready…
step into the center."
Kanah inhaled.
Her mates stepped forward instantly.
Owain touched her cheek.
"You stay with me.
With us.
Not the hunger."
Yllas lowered his forehead to hers.
"You hold fire, little one. Let it warm you."
Gerrin pressed his palm between her shoulder blades.
"I will feed resonance into you gently. Only what you need."
Helion wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"I'll keep the fear away.
And maybe steal a kiss later."
Kanah elbowed him lightly.
The guardian lowered its massive head behind them, rumbling softly.
Everything inside Kanah loosened—
like warmth expanding in her ribs.
"I'm ready."
Owain swallowed.
"Then go slow.
Go soft.
And come back to me."
Kanah stepped into the center.
The world hushed.
THE FIRST PULSE
Her breath hitched.
A spark lit beneath her ribcage—
warm
gold
pulsing behind her sternum.
Kanah grabbed her chest.
"It's… it's starting."
Gerrin's voice was steady calm.
"Let it rise. Don't push it down."
Kanah shut her eyes.
A second pulse.
Deeper.
Stronger.
Her veins tingled like warm water rushing through them.
Yllas stepped closer.
"Steady your legs."
Kanah nodded, breath stuttering as the warmth climbed her throat.
Then—
The warmth shifted.
Turned sharp.
Dark.
Metallic.
Hunger.
A flash of black-gold shimmered in her vision.
Kanah gasped, falling to one knee.
Owain snarled, lunging toward her—
Lythar lifted a hand.
"Let her—"
Owain roared, "MOVE—"
Kanah coughed.
"I'm okay—
I'm okay—
just—"
Another pulse.
This one hurt.
Sharp enough to make her back arch.
Owain grabbed her shoulders.
"BREATHE—look at me—Kana—look at me—"
Kanah latched onto the sound of his voice
like a rope in darkness.
It steadied her.
She inhaled.
And the hunger receded by a fraction.
Gerrin's mana flowed into her spine—warm, soothing.
Yllas's flame created a barrier between her and the cold Devourer pulses.
Helion's fingers slipped into hers, grounding her with a squeeze.
"Come on, honey. Stay with us."
Kanah's voice cracked.
"I can feel the seed…
it's pushing."
Gerrin knelt in front of her.
"Then push back."
Kanah stared at him.
"I thought resisting makes it stronger."
"It does," he whispered.
"But denying it is not the same as fighting it."
Kanah blinked, confused.
"Then what do I do?"
Owain cupped her face, forcing her to look at him.
"You tell it WHO YOU ARE."
Kanah's breath hitched.
Owain pressed his forehead to hers.
"You are HUMAN.
You are MINE.
You are YOUR OWN.
Say it."
Kanah trembled.
"I'm human."
The seed pulsed angrily.
Yllas stepped closer, voice low and controlled.
"Again."
"I'm human," she said louder.
The hunger writhed.
Her veins flickered black.
Gerrin whispered urgently:
"And what else?"
Kanah clenched her jaw.
"I'm… Kanah."
The ground trembled softly.
Helion kissed her cheek, quick and warm.
"And whose are you?"
Kanah's pulse surged.
Owain leaned in.
"Mine."
Kanah exhaled—
Her voice nothing but instinct and truth.
"I'm Owain's."
A blast of gold-light shot from her chest—
knocking back the hunger spike
stabilizing her pulse
filling the clearing with heat.
Kanah gasped as the pain vanished—
Replaced by warmth.
Steady.
Anchored.
Hers.
The Devourer seed recoiled.
Not shattered.
But no longer dominating.
Owain caught her as she sagged into him.
"That's it—
that's my girl—
you did it—"
Her voice trembled.
"I feel… warm…"
Gerrin's hands glowed as he steadied her shoulders.
"That's your resonance.
Your very first controlled awakening."
Yllas breathed:
"…incredible."
Helion lifted her face gently.
"Feel that? That's YOU. Not the seed."
Kanah blinked slowly.
"My body feels… different."
Owain tensed.
"Different how?"
"Not hungry," she whispered.
"Just… strong."
Owain's head dropped against her shoulder.
His voice cracked.
"Thank every star in this damned sky—"
"Owain," she whispered, smiling.
"Nothing divine involved."
"Don't ruin the moment," he muttered.
The tribes watched in stunned silence.
Rhaegor murmured, "She stabilized herself."
Vaeryn crossed his arms.
"And suppressed a Devourer seed without collapsing."
The Eldress laughed with pride.
"Your queen rises, wolves."
Owain froze.
Kanah looked up.
"Queen…?"
Gerrin smiled softly.
"You anchored your identity.
Your emotions.
Your instincts."
Yllas bowed his head.
"And not even Devourer blood could steal it."
Kanah exhaled, the fog lifting from her mind.
She stood.
Barefoot.
Warm.
Glowing softly.
The first-ever controlled human resonance awakening.
The dragon lord bowed his head.
The wolf alpha lowered his gaze.
The elves and leopards followed.
Owain stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Kanah whispered:
"I did it…"
Owain kissed her jaw.
"Yes, Kana.
You did."
But deep in the forest—
A scream echoed.
Her brother.
Pain.
Shock.
Rage.
Kanah jolted.
Owain snarled.
"He felt it."
Yllas's flames flared.
"He felt her reject the Devourer seed."
Gerrin's face went pale.
"He knows she's stabilizing.
He knows she's slipping out of their control."
Helion hissed.
"He's coming."
Kanah pressed her hand to her chest—
Steady heartbeat.
Warm resonance.
Her voice shook, but not with fear.
With resolve.
"Then we'll be ready."