The valley glowed.
Not with ordinary fire—
but with blue-white dragon flame, mana threads, and wolf resonance swirling together around the ceremonial space.
Three fire rings burned in perfect alignment:
The Ring of Past
pale, flickering, fragile
The Ring of Present
steady, warm, gold
The Ring of Future
hot blue flame, alive with potential
Owain held Kanah's hand as they stepped before them.
"Kana," he murmured, voice low and rough with emotion, "once we walk these rings, there's no turning back."
Kanah squeezed his fingers.
"I don't want to turn back."
Owain's breath shuddered.
He lifted her hand and pressed one slow kiss to her wrist—
the pulse point.
Her knees almost buckled.
"Then stay beside me," he whispered.
"Always."
She nodded.
And together—
hand in hand—
they stepped into the Ring of Past.
THE RING OF PAST
As soon as Kanah crossed the threshold, memories brushed against her skin like ghostly echoes.
Her father's voice.
The First Tongue.
The Devourer chambers.
The hunger.
The fear.
Kanah inhaled sharply.
Owain pulled her against his chest.
"Look at me," he murmured.
She did.
Owain cupped the back of her neck with one hand and held her right against the warmth of him.
"Your past does not own you," he whispered, fingers sliding across her jaw.
"You do not belong to pain anymore."
Kanah's breath trembled.
Owain lowered his forehead to hers.
"You belong to us," he said.
"You belong to me."
Something inside her chest snapped free—
a tether releasing.
She exhaled.
The flames dimmed behind them.
Owain kissed her temple, slow and reverent.
"Let it burn away, Kanah. All of it."
And as she stepped out of the ring—
everything hurtful stayed behind.
THE RING OF PRESENT
Gold fire shimmered upward as they entered.
This flame felt different—warm, full, steady.
Owain pulled her in front of him, hands sliding around her waist, holding her close.
"You are here," he whispered into her neck.
"With me. Now."
His breath fanned against her skin.
She shivered.
His thumb stroked her hip slowly.
Possessively.
"You chose me," he growled softly.
"And I will honor that. Every night. Every dawn. Every moment."
Kanah's pulse jumped.
He leaned in until his lips brushed her ear.
"And I will cherish you," he whispered, voice dropping, "with everything I am."
She trembled.
"Owain…"
He kissed the base of her throat—
just once—
but the heat spread to every corner of her body.
"Let this ring mark our beginning," he said.
"You and I. Two heartbeats. One bond."
Kanah turned in his arms, lifted her hands to his face—
And kissed him.
Slow.
Deep.
Growing.
Owain's fingers dug into her waist, breath shuddering as he pulled her impossibly closer.
The fire around them burned brighter.
THE RING OF FUTURE
The final fire ring roared with blue flame—
alive
wild
intense.
Owain's voice deepened, instincts rising.
"Are you ready for what waits?" he asked.
Kanah met his eyes.
"I'm ready for you."
His pupils constricted sharply.
A soft, guttural sound escaped him—
half growl, half reverence.
He took her hand and guided it to his chest.
His heart thundered beneath her palm.
"This flame," Owain whispered, "asks you what future you want."
Kanah stepped closer.
"I want—"
Owain's hands slid up her arms, up her shoulders, framing her face with trembling gentleness.
"What do you want, Kana?" he breathed.
Her lips parted.
"You."
Owain inhaled sharply—
a sound of pure instinct and devotion.
He kissed her again.
Not slow.
Not gentle.
Not careful.
Full.
Hungry.
Honest.
Her fingers tangled in his hair.
His hands slid down to her hips, pulling her flush to him.
Heat surged between them, alive like the flame surrounding them.
Owain broke the kiss, breath ragged.
"If we stay in this ring," he whispered, voice rough with desire, "I won't stop."
Kanah swallowed.
"I don't want you to."
His jaw clenched. Hard.
"Kana," he rasped, "if I take you inside this fire… you become mine in every sense."
He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing her in desperately.
"Husband," she whispered.
"I already chose you."
THE MATE CHASE PATH
A whistle cut through the clearing—
Helion's signal.
The fire died down.
The air thickened with instinct.
Owain pulled back slowly.
His eyes had changed.
Gold, strong, focused.
The Wolf King—
in full mate-instinct.
"Kana," he murmured, voice low, "run."
Her breath caught.
"What?"
Owain's lips curved in a slow, devastating smile.
"The Mate Chase Path begins.
If I catch you, I claim you."
Her pulse spiked.
"And if you don't?"
Owain growled softly.
"I will always catch you."
The trees behind her rustled with the wind.
The path glowed faintly with moonlight and mana threads.
Kanah took a breath—
and ran.
Owain exhaled—
long, deep—
the sound of a predator holding back instinct by a thread.
"Good girl," he growled, his voice molten.
"Run for me."
Kanah sprinted through the moonlit path—
heart pounding,
lungs burning,
the night alive around her.
Behind her—
Owain's footsteps began.
Slow at first.
Measured.
Then faster.
A chase.
A promise.
A ritual older than any tribe.
Kanah gasped as she ran, the thrill crawling up her spine.
Branches brushed her arms.
Her feet skimmed the earth.
Owain's voice echoed behind her—
"Kana."
She stumbled at the sound of it.
"Kana… I'm coming."
Her breath hitched.
The desire in his voice—
She felt it in her bones.
"Owain!" she cried, laughing breathlessly as she ran faster.
He laughed, low and feral.
"You think I won't catch you?"
Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears.
"Try me!"
Owain roared.
And the chase truly began.
CAPTURE
She barely made it halfway down the glowing path before a warm, strong arm wrapped around her waist.
Kanah gasped as Owain spun her into his chest—
her back against him,
his breath hot against her neck.
"I told you," he whispered, voice shaking with hunger and adoration,
"I always catch you."
She trembled in his arms.
He nuzzled her neck slowly, his lips brushing her skin.
"Owain—"
His hands slid up her sides, pulling her deeper against him.
"You ran for me," he murmured.
"You wanted me to catch you."
Kanah nodded, breathless.
"Yes."
Owain kissed the hollow of her neck.
"Then let me claim my bride."
Kanah turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his shoulders—
And kissed him.
Hard.
Deep.
Hungry.
Owain groaned, lifting her off her feet.
Her legs wrapped around his waist.
His hands held her firmly—
possessively—
his body pressed to hers.
He walked her backward until her back met a tree, lips never leaving hers.
Her breath hitched as his mouth trailed down her throat, slow and burning.
"Owain," she breathed, clutching his hair, "please—"
Owain froze.
Not because he didn't want it.
Because he wanted it too much.
He pressed his forehead to her collarbone, shaking with restraint.
"Kana… if we continue, I won't stop."
She cupped his face softly.
"Then don't."
Owain inhaled sharply, a broken, reverent sound.
He kissed her again—
slow this time, deep and aching—
the kind of kiss that promises forever.
The forest shimmered around them.
Their hearts pounded.
Bodies pressed close.
Owain's voice was barely a whisper:
"Kana…
my mate.
My queen.
My everything."
His lips trailed down her neck, her shoulder, her chest—
Heat coiled low in her belly.
Her breath trembled.
His hands slid over her waist—
The world fell away.
Kanah's fingers tightened in his hair, pulling him closer—
"Owain—"
He growled softly, kissing her harder, deeper—
And the world blurred—
As the scene faded into darkness, heat, and instinct.
Fade to black.