The final crest of the ritual descended like a storm of liquid fire. Seren's body locked rigid on the altar. The triplets' faces turned pale. "Healer, do something!" They all echoed at once.
Healer Elora's ancient voice cut through the chaos with calm authority. "Now, princes. The merging crest. Guide her wolf fully into her soul. Speak the binding words as one. Do not let the bond break, no matter the cost."
Kael's massive hands trembled where they gripped Seren's ankles. The shared agony had become a living beast inside his chest, clawing at his ribs and burning behind his eyes. He felt her spine realigning in excruciating detail, the sickening grind of vertebrae shifting to accommodate a wolf's supple power. Her ribs expanded with sharp, audible cracks that echoed through the bond and made his own chest ache in sympathy. Theron's breath came in short, pained bursts. Aeron's jaw was clenched so tightly a muscle jumped visibly.
