Kanah hit the stone floor hard.
The impact jarred her shoulder, rattling through her spine, but the pain barely registered over the shock flooding her chest.
Owain was still crumpled against the shattered pillar.
Ilai wasn't moving.
And her father's shadow—
tall, effortless, inevitable—
towered over her.
He extended one hand, calm as moonlight.
"Come."
The word struck her like a pulse directly into her veins.
Her body jerked involuntarily—
knees twitching forward, muscles trembling like they wanted to obey.
"No—" Kanah rasped, digging her nails into the stone floor. "No— I'm not— going— with you—"
Her father tilted his head, studying her with quiet amusement.
"You have already bitten the wolf."
Kanah froze.
Her father stepped closer, voice dropping like a blade sliding into flesh.
"That bite triggered the first stage of bond-creation. But Devourer bonds are not like wolf bonds. They do not protect. They consume."
Kanah's stomach flipped painfully.
Owain's voice rasped from across the chamber, breathless and strained:
"Kana— don't listen—"
But she felt it now.
The bite.
Still pulsing faintly in her jaw.
Still echoing in her chest.
Still binding her to him in a way she didn't yet understand.
Ilai groaned softly somewhere behind her.
Her father crouched in front of Kanah, his shadow spilling across her knees like cold water.
"Your bite bound him to your hunger," he murmured. "Which means…"
He touched her chin.
Kanah recoiled violently, but she couldn't escape the grip.
"…his pain becomes your hunger."
Kanah gasped.
"What— what do you mean—"
"Stand."
She didn't.
She couldn't.
Her body and mind warred violently.
Owain tried to rise, claws scraping stone.
"Don't touch her!"
Her father didn't even look at him.
He pressed two fingers to Kanah's jaw.
The world snapped.
A jolt of hunger—raw, vicious, accelerating like wildfire—tore up her throat so abruptly she gagged.
"Owain—" she choked. "Owain, I— I don't— I can't—"
Owain stumbled toward her, panic in his eyes.
"Let her GO!"
Her father spoke softly.
"When he is hurt… you starve."
Kanah's pulse exploded.
"What— what are you talking about?"
Her father grasped her wrist and lifted it, inspecting the faint marks of the bite.
"Owain's blood within you unlocked a Devourer instinct that has been dormant until now: the shared hunger bond."
Kanah shook her head violently, nausea churning.
"No— no, I didn't— I didn't mean to—"
"Your body chose. Your instincts chose."
He let go of her wrist.
Kanah dropped to her hands, chest heaving.
Every breath burned.
Her father sighed softly, as if explaining to a stubborn child:
"If he suffers, you hunger.
If he bleeds, your instincts rise.
If he is threatened—"
He flicked a glance at Owain.
Owain staggered forward, still clutching his ribs.
"—you will react."
Kanah's heart lurched painfully.
"That's not— that can't be—"
Her father gestured toward Owain with an elegant sweep of his hand.
"Observe, then."
Before Kanah could react—
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
He was behind Owain in a blink.
Owain spun—far too slow—claws raised—
And her father slammed his palm into Owain's back, driving him knee-first into the ground.
Owain choked on the impact.
Kanah screamed—
But not in fear.
In hunger.
A wave of sharp, violent craving tore through her stomach, curling her spine.
She doubled over.
"Owain—!"
Her voice cracked.
"Owain, I— I can't— I—"
Her father's voice floated toward her as if he were discussing weather patterns.
"Do you see? His pain ignites your hunger. This is a Devourer bond's first stage. You cannot sever it. You cannot outrun it."
Owain struggled back to his hands.
"DON'T— touch— her—"
Kanah tried to fight the hunger rising inside her, but it clawed and dragged and thrashed—
Feed.
Feed.
Feed.
Her father watched calmly.
"And if he dies…"
Kanah's chest squeezed in terror.
"No… stop… STOP—"
"…your bond collapses. And the resulting hunger frenzy will tear your mind apart."
Kanah's scream tore her throat raw.
Ilai forced herself upright, grabbing Kanah by both shoulders, shaking her.
"Kanah—!!! Kana, look at me—look at ME—!!"
Kanah's vision blurred.
Her father continued coldly:
"There is only one way to stop this bond from spiraling into madness."
Kanah gasped.
"Wh… what way?"
He smiled.
"You must bite him again."
Owain froze.
Ilai's breath stopped.
Kanah's heart nearly split.
"No."
"No—"
"No—NO—!!"
Her father rose.
"But this time, Kanah… you bite him with intention. Not hunger."
Owain shook his head violently.
"No— she's not doing that—"
Her father looked at him as though he were an ant interrupting a lecture.
"It will stabilize the bond and stop her from losing her mind. Or…"
He shrugged faintly.
"She will spiral and I will pick up the pieces after she devours the both of you."
Kanah staggered forward on trembling limbs.
"You want me to— to bite him— again—?"
"Correct."
Owain snarled, stepping in front of her.
"Kana. No."
She grabbed his arm, nails digging in.
"I— I don't know what's happening—"
Owain cupped the back of her head, breath ragged.
"Look at me. Look at me, Kana."
She did.
And she saw everything:
His fear for her.
His determination.
His pain.
His love.
It broke her.
She whispered, trembling,
"I hurt you by biting you… and now I hurt you by not biting you."
Owain shook his head, voice weak but fierce.
"You don't hurt me. You save me."
Her father sighed dramatically.
"Enough. Make your choice."
Kanah's breath stuttered.
Choice.
Her choice.
Her humanity.
Her instinct.
Her need.
And Owain.
Owain's chest rose and fell rapidly, eyes locked on hers.
"Kana. Whatever happens… don't do it because he told you to. Do it because you choose me."
Her stomach clenched painfully as her hunger tore through her again.
Ilai whispered, voice broken:
"Sweetheart… if you don't stabilize the bond… your mind won't survive the backlash."
Kanah's pulse pounded.
Her father's eyes gleamed.
Owain's hand trembled against her cheek.
And Kanah—
Kanah stepped closer to him.
Owain sucked in a breath.
Her lips trembled.
Her hunger roared.
Her humanity anchored her in place.
And she whispered:
"Owain… if I do this… there's no turning back."
He leaned into her touch.
"There never was."
Kanah closed her eyes.
Opened them.
Made her choice.
She reached for his neck.
Ilai covered her mouth.
Owain braced.
Kanah's father smiled.
And Kanah whispered one last thing, voice shaking:
"Owain… hold me."
He did.
And Kanah's teeth grazed his skin—
Just before—
the entire fortress erupted in an explosion of sound.
A howl.
Not human.
Not wolf.
Not Devourer.
Something else.
Something coming.
Something answering the bond before Kanah could complete it.
Kanah jerked back in shock.
Owain froze.
Ilai's eyes widened.
Her father stiffened.
Because that howl—
was not from any of them.
It came from outside the fortress.
And whatever made it was coming for Kanah.