Owain lifted Kanah into his arms the moment her knees buckled.
Her fingers clutched his shirt weakly, as if anchoring herself to the only solid thing in a world falling apart.
"Owain…"
Her voice trembled—soft, breathless, overwhelmed.
He cupped the back of her head and pulled her close.
"I've got you," he murmured.
"Stay with me, Kana."
She rested her head against his throat, body still shaking from the throne's fire and the last of her transformation. The scent of smoke lingered around her, but not burning—
alive.
Awakened.
Owain felt it.
A new pulse beneath her skin.
A new heat in her chest.
A new strength radiating through their bond.
But also fear.
And exhaustion.
She whispered faintly:
"Owain… did I really… crown you?"
He swallowed hard.
"You did."
She lifted her head slowly, eyes hazy and glassy with power and emotion.
"Do you regret it?"
Owain's eyes softened instantly—so completely it was almost painful to look at.
"No," he breathed.
She blinked.
"No?"
"Kana," he said, brushing his thumb along her cheek,
"I would follow you anywhere. Title or no title."
She clung to him harder, tears slipping silently down her face.
"Owain…"
But before she could say more—
The throne chamber trembled.
A deep rumble rolled through the blackstone floors.
Golden cracks raced along the walls.
Columns trembled.
The air vibrated with tension.
Kanah gasped and gripped Owain's arms.
"What—what's happening—?"
Owain tightened his hold on her and looked around sharply.
"I don't know. But brace yourself—"
A booming voice echoed overhead.
"THE QUEEN HAS CHOSEN HER KING."
Kanah stiffened.
Owain narrowed his eyes, instincts rising.
The throne's voice continued:
"TWO CROWNS NOW SHARE ONE DESTINY."
Kanah's breath hitched.
Owain growled:
"What destiny?"
"IF ONE FALLS—
THE OTHER FALLS."
Kanah gasped.
Owain's fists clenched around her.
"NO—HELL NO—!"
He snarled up at the chamber, voice echoing like a beast's challenge.
"TAKE IT BACK—TAKE IT—BACK—!!"
The throne ignored him.
"THE BOND OF CROWN AND MATE IS WHOLE.
THE WOLF KING RISES."
Owain's heartbeat thundered in his ears.
King.
He didn't want it.
Didn't ask for it.
Didn't need it.
But Kanah chose him.
And that made it real.
He pressed his forehead to hers, voice low and unsteady.
"Kana… listen to me… I'll survive anything. Anything. You hear me?"
Kanah's voice cracked:
"I don't want you tied to me like this—if I fall—if something happens to me—"
Owain growled softly.
"Nothing will happen to you."
"But—!"
"NOTHING."
She fell silent.
He softened his tone.
"I won't let anything near you. Not the throne. Not the King. Not the world."
"Owain…"
"And if I fall?"
He exhaled shakily.
"Then you'll pull me back again."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I will," she whispered.
"I swear I will."
He kissed her forehead—just once, soft and steady.
"Good."
The chamber's shaking slowed, then stilled.
A faint crack spread across the throne's backplate.
Kanah stared.
"Is it… breaking?"
Owain followed her gaze.
"No," he murmured.
"It's changing."
Golden fire seeped from the crack and spiraled toward Kanah's chest and Owain's arm—mark to mark—connecting them in a ring of shimmering light.
Kanah pressed her hand to her chest, breath trembling.
"O-Owain… I can feel everything…"
She swallowed.
"You. Your thoughts. Your heartbeat."
Owain's expression softened even deeper.
"Yeah," he whispered.
"I feel you too."
And he did.
He felt her fear.
Her desire.
Her exhaustion.
Her soul.
The bond wasn't just reforged.
It was crowned.
Kanah tightened her hold on him.
"Is this… normal for the throne?"
Owain laughed quietly, bitterly.
"I have no idea."
She rested her head against his chest again.
He held her close, protective arms encircling her, shielding her from the fading flames.
"I don't want to be apart from you anymore," she whispered.
Owain's voice softened.
"You won't be."
The Team Arrives
A crack split the throne chamber wall.
Owain turned sharply.
"Back," he warned Kanah.
But she kept her arms around him.
Yllas burst through the fissure with a flurry of black feathers, panting and bleeding from one wing.
"Owain—Kanah—!! Are you—"
He froze mid-sentence.
His eyes widened at the sight:
Owain glowing with golden sigils.
Kanah wrapped in flame-gold threads.
Their bond shimmering visibly around them.
Yllas whispered:
"…Stars above."
Helion crashed through next—cursing, snarling, and covered in blackstone dust.
"What the hell—OWAIN—you're glowing like a damn SUN—!!"
Owain growled half-heartedly.
"Not helping."
Gerrin arrived last, stumbling as he crossed the threshold, staff crackling with tension.
He stared at the two of them.
"The throne recognized… both of you?"
Owain didn't answer.
Kanah swallowed hard.
"Owain is… king."
The three froze completely.
Yllas dropped his sword.
Helion's mouth fell open.
Gerrin whispered:
"Oh… that changes everything."
Owain sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Don't start."
Helion pointed sharply.
"I'm starting. I'm absolutely starting—there is NO reality where YOU—YOU—are allowed political power—!"
Owain bared his teeth.
"I don't WANT political power."
"GOOD," Helion snapped back, "because you're a menace—"
Yllas interrupted, stunned:
"The Wolf King… hasn't appeared in over 900 years…"
Gerrin swallowed.
"And he was always chosen at the same moment a Beast Queen rose."
All eyes slowly turned to Kanah.
She flushed.
And Owain growled:
"Don't look at her like that."
Helion scowled.
"She's the Queen. You're the King. That means—"
Owain snarled louder.
"DON'T."
His voice was a dangerous warning.
"She's not your symbol. She's not your prophecy. She's mine."
Kanah's breath stilled.
Yllas exhaled deeply, stepping forward with calm, steady authority.
"Owain."
Owain glared.
Yllas continued:
"No one here is claiming her.
We're acknowledging what the throne already did."
Owain's jaw flexed.
Kanah took his hand gently.
He stopped shaking instantly.
"See?" she whispered softly.
"You don't have to fight them."
Owain exhaled through his nose.
"Fine. But I'm not bowing to some—some cosmic job title."
Kanah smiled faintly.
"That's because you're stubborn."
Yllas smirked.
"Deeply."
Helion nodded.
"Pathologically."
Gerrin added:
"Legendarily."
Owain glared at them.
Kanah giggled into his shoulder.
He softened immediately.
The Consequence Revealed
Gerrin's expression changed abruptly.
His eyes widened.
He took a step forward.
"Owain… Kanah…
your bond sigils…"
Owain looked down.
Kanah followed his gaze.
Her chest mark glowed bright gold.
His forearm sigil pulsed amber-gold in answer.
The air around them vibrated.
Owain frowned.
"What now?"
Gerrin lifted his staff, eyes widening.
"The throne isn't finished."
The ground trembled.
Kanah grabbed Owain's arm.
"Owain—!!"
Owain pulled her close again.
"Stay with me—"
But the throne spoke once more:
"THE CROWNS ARE CLAIMED."
A ripple of molten gold shot across the chamber.
Yllas jumped back.
Helion swore.
Gerrin almost dropped his staff.
"THE THRONE MUST NOW NAME ITS ENEMY."
Owain went cold.
Kanah's eyes widened.
"No—NO—please—NO MORE TRIALS—!!"
"THE QUEEN'S FIRST DECREE
WILL SPARK THE WAR."
Kanah froze in horror.
Owain snarled.
"NOT A CHANCE—!! SHE ISN'T—"
The throne roared louder:
"SPEAK, QUEEN."
Kanah trembled violently.
"I—I don't want a war—!!"
"SPEAK."
Owain shielded her.
"STOP PRESSURING HER—!!"
"THE THRONE OBEYS ONLY THE QUEEN."
Kanah's heart slammed.
"Owain…
what do I say…?"
Owain swallowed.
Hard.
He lifted her chin.
And whispered:
"Say what's true."
Kanah blinked.
"What… is true?"
Owain pressed his forehead to hers.
His voice broke open.
"I want you.
You want me.
And we're not fighting anybody for that."
Kanah drew a shaky breath.
Then—
She turned to the throne.
Her voice trembled, but it carried:
"I choose—
peace."
The chamber fell silent.
Dead silent.
Owain stared at her.
The throne did not respond at first.
Then—
The ground pulsed.
The flames dimmed.
And the throne whispered:
"UNPRECEDENTED."
Helion blinked.
"What?"
Yllas frowned.
"That's… not how this usually goes."
Gerrin stepped forward cautiously.
"Kanah, you just—changed the rules."
Owain smiled faintly, proud and soft.
"That's my girl."
She flushed.
Then the throne spoke again:
"THE QUEEN HAS SPOKEN.
THE THRONE… ACCEPTS."
Kanah gasped.
Owain wrapped his arms around her.
Yllas exhaled in shock.
Gerrin swallowed.
Helion cursed under his breath.
The throne faded.
The flames dimmed.
The chamber cracked—
And the realm collapsed.
Owain held her close.
"I've got you."
Her voice trembled.
"Owain… did I do it? Did I—"
He pressed his forehead to hers.
"You didn't start a war."
She smiled weakly.
Owain finished softly:
"You started something else."
Kanah blinked.
"What?"
Owain kissed her knuckles.
"You started a revolution."