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Ch. 23
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2025-01-07 13:53:36
Cara AndersonThank you for reading!
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The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 24
Sage Dawn paints the training field in shades of gold as we gather for morning practice. I'm still sore from yesterday, but a different kind of tension thrums through me as I watch Alaric demonstrate today's defensive moves. His powerful frame moves with fluid grace, and I force myself to focus on the technique rather than the way his training shirt clings to his shoulders."You're staring," Iris whispers, appearing at my elbow."I'm studying his form," I protest, heat climbing into my cheeks."Oh, I bet you are." She grins wickedly. "Want to hear about the time he fell into the creek trying to show off for a pretty wolf?""Irisโ""Partner up!" Alaric's command cuts through the morning air. Before I can move, Iris grabs my arm."You're with me today." Her smile promises trouble. "Time for some bestie bonding."We square off on the training mats. Iris moves into the first defensive stance, and I mirror her, remembering yesterday's lessons."Did you know," she says conversationally as w
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-07The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 25
Alaric From my office window, their laughter carries on the morning breeze. Sage and Iris sit in the garden, heads bent together over breakfast, sunlight turning Sage's silver-blonde hair to starfire. My lycan rumbles with contentment at seeing our mate happy, even if we can't claim her yet.Then the wind shifts, bringing a scent that turns my blood to ice. My parents are here. Three weeks early.By the time the guards announce their arrival, I'm already in the courtyard. Phantom paces beneath my skin, agitated by the approaching threat to our fragile peace.Father's power hits like a physical wave as their carriage arrives โ cold, implacable Alpha energy that used to send me to my knees as a pup. Now I stand firm, though something deep inside still wants to flinch."Alaric." His voice carries the weight of decades of judgment. Even before he steps down, his eyes scan the courtyard, cataloging weaknesses. "Your eastern guard post is exposed. A child could breach it.""Father." I bow e
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-08The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 26
Sage The scent of healing herbs usually calms me, but today even the familiar routine of sorting leaves and roots can't quiet my nerves. The servants' whispers echo through the healing wing like falling leaves:"โalliance meetingโ" "โKing Perseus himself suggestedโ" "โperfect match, reallyโ"I focus harder on the yarrow leaves in my hands, trying to make myself smaller, invisible. But invisibility is impossible when Eris sweeps through the door with King Perseus himself, her voice carrying with practiced precision."The Northern borders have always been our primary concern," she's saying. "My father's pack has defended that territory for generations.""Indeed." Perseus's cold approval makes me want to shrink into the shadows. "Your knowledge of pack politics is... refreshing."His gaze slides over me like I'm less than nothing. Eris's smile shows just a hint of fang."Oh, Sage dear," she trills. "Those leaves are for fever reduction. The healing wing really should have someone more...
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-08The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 27
Sage It's the fragments that catch my attention first โ hushed voices drifting from Alaric's study as I pass."โbecoming a liabilityโ" "โcan't protect the pack if we're constantlyโ" "โhave to make a decision about the omegaโ"I freeze, pressing against the wall beside the partially open door. Alaric's voice cuts through the others, tight with tension."She stays. That's not up for discussion.""But my King, after what happened at the gatheringโ""I said no."The finality in his tone should be reassuring. Instead, it reminds me of all the times Cassius defended keeping me around at Blackthorn โ right up until I became inconvenient.I slip away before they can discover me eavesdropping. The word "liability" echoes in my head as I make my way to the dining hall, hoping food might settle my churning stomach.The moment I enter, I know it's a mistake. Eris sits at a table with three other high-ranking she-wolves, their voices carrying just enough to seem unintentional."โalways had a soft
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-09The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 28
SageThe moon is my only witness as I slip from the packhouse. Three hours until dawn โ I've learned to measure time by shadows and silence. Blackthorn taught me that, along with how to move unseen, how to become nothing more than a whisper in the dark.My small bag weighs heavy against my back, filled with only essentials. No luxuries from the closet that was never mine. No delusions about belonging.The first guard patrol passes below my window โ right on schedule. They're clockwork in their movements, just like at Blackthorn. Different pack, same predictable patterns. I count their steps until they round the corner, then ease into the shadows of the garden.The irony isn't lost on me as I use the defensive moves from training to avoid detection. Keep low, stay aware, use your surroundings. Alaric's voice echoes in my head, and I shove away the ache in my chest at the thought of him.A twig snaps nearby. I freeze, pressing against rough bark, barely breathing. Two guards pass so clos
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-09The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 29
Alaric I feel it first as a sharp spike of terror that isn't mine. The mate bond pulses with Sage's fear, yanking me from a meeting about border security."โand the northern patrolsโ" Garrett's voice fades as another wave hits me. Despair. Betrayal. Pain.I'm on my feet before I realize I'm moving. "Find her. Now.""Alpha?""Sage." Her name comes out as a growl. "Something's wrong."My beast claws beneath my skin as I stride through the packhouse, following traces of her scent. She was in the library recently โ honeysuckle and rain lingering near her favorite window seat. But the trail goes cold at the entrance.More guards join the search. No one has seen her for hours. Each minute that passes sends my wolf into greater frenzy. The bond pulses with her distress, but I can't pinpoint her location."The grounds are clear," Iris reports, face tight with worry. "No sign of her in the gardens or training fields."A servant mentions seeing her run from my study earlier. When I burst in, he
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-10The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 30
Sage Cold stone seeps through my thin dress, but I can't stop shivering. The chains Eris insisted upon are too familiar โ the same way Cassius bound me before... beforeโฆI squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block the memories. Different dungeon. Different pack. Same lesson: I'll never be more than something to be caged.Footsteps echo on stone. The click of expensive heels, unhurried. Confident."Comfortable?" Eris's voice drips false concern. "I do apologize for the accommodations, but thieves can't be choosers.""We both know I didn't steal anything." My voice sounds smaller than I want it to.She examines her perfect manicured nails in the dim light. "Do we? The evidence seems quite clear. A silver candlestick from the royal vault, found in your possession. Really, what would your parents think?" Her smile curves like a blade. "Oh wait, you don't know who they were, do you? Perhaps they were thieves too."I curl tighter into myself, the chains clinking. "Why are you doing this?""Bec
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-10The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 31
Alaric She feels impossibly small in my arms, her silver-blonde hair spilling over my jacket wrapped around her shoulders. My wolf paces beneath my skin, torn between rage at those who hurt her and the desperate need to protect.I carry her to my private quarters โ the most secure rooms in the packhouse. No one enters here without my explicit permission, and right now, I don't trust anyone else to keep her safe."Brother?" Iris appears in the doorway as I lay Sage on my bed. Her eyes widen at the sight of the chains' marks on Sage's wrists. "I'll kill her.""Not if I get to her first." The words come out more growl than speech. "Stay with her?"Iris nods, already moving to check Sage's injuries. "What are you going to do?""What I should have done weeks ago."I find Eris in her quarters, guards posted outside. She's clearly been expecting me, perched elegantly on a settee like this is a social call."My King," she smiles. "I trust you've secured the thief?""Interesting choice," I say
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-11
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 54
KieranMira and I sit in silence for a while, watching stars appear one by one in the darkening sky. The distant sounds of palace lifeโguards changing shifts, servants carrying out evening dutiesโremind me how far we are from the simplicity of our forest home."I slept with someone else," I admit suddenly. "After Lyra left with Alexander that first time. One of the refugees from the northern settlement."Mira raises an eyebrow but doesn't interrupt."I thought it would help," I continue. "Thought maybe if I could just be with someone else, these feelings would fade or change or..." I shake my head. "It didn't work. Just made me feel worse, actually.""Because you were using them to try to forget Lyra," Mira points out. "That never works.""I know that now." I run a hand through my hair in frustration. "Gods, I'm a mess.""Yes, you are," she agrees with characteristic bluntness. "But that doesn't mean you can't figure your shit out."A sudden flush of anger rises in me. "Easy for you t
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 53
KieranThe palace gardens are annoyingly perfectโevery shrub precisely trimmed, every flower arranged in meticulous patterns, like nature couldn't be trusted to look good without human interference. I find a secluded bench beneath a weeping willow, as far from the manicured beds as possible, and drop onto it with a heavy sigh.It's been two hours since I quietly slipped out of my chambers, unable to stay there any longer. The thin walls did little to muffle the sounds from Lyra's room, each soft gasp and whispered endearment like a knife twisting in my chest. I knew this was comingโhell, I practically pushed her toward the princeโbut knowing something will hurt doesn't actually make it hurt less when it happens.I lean back, staring up through willow branches at the darkening sky. At least the stars look the same here as they do back home. Small comfort, but I'll take what I can get."Thought I might find you out here sulking."I don't need to look to recognize Mira's voice. She's bee
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 52
Alexander Iโve spent the entire day in bed with Lyra in my arms and Iโve never been more at peace. As twilight deepens outside the windows, we lie tangled together in comfortable silence. My fingers trace idle patterns on her bare shoulder while her head rests on my chest, directly over my heart. The bond between us hums with contented warmth, stronger and more stable than it's been since the temporary healing at the Cave of Whispers."The power surges have stopped," I observe quietly, realizing I haven't experienced a single manifestation since we came together.She props herself up on one elbow to look at me, her hair falling in a curtain around her face. "The intimate connection strengthened the bond's stability," she explains, unable to completely suppress her healer's analytical tendencies even now. "It's not permanent healing, but it's significantly reinforced the temporary measures."I can't help but laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Only you would provide a tec
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 51
Lyra The morning light is a soft intrusion, warm on my eyelids and tangled limbs. I wake in the circle of his arms, the night before replaying in vivid, lingering bursts. My body is a symphony of aches and satisfaction, reminders of just how thoroughly bonded we have become.I shift slightly, feeling the press of his skin against mine, and my breath catches at the heady intimacy of it. He murmurs something in his sleep and pulls me closer, as if even unconscious he can't bear for there to be any distance between us. The memory of our first night together blooms in my mind, a kaleidoscope of sensation and emotion.I remember the way he groaned my name as I collapsed against him, spent and breathless, the echo of our shared release reverberating through the bond."Does it hurt?" he asked.It had, but not in the way he meant. The stretch of him inside me was so overwhelming, so intense, but exquisitely good, and the moment I adjusted, it was as if my body couldn't get enough."More," I
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 50
Alexander I close the distance between us in one stride, my mouth finding hers with newfound urgency. Her response is immediate and enthusiastic, her body arching into mine as her arms wind around my neck. I tug gently at her loosened tunic, breaking the kiss only long enough to ask, "May I?"She nods, and I slip the garment from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. My breath catches at the sight of herโstrong and lithe from years of healing work, skin pale gold in the afternoon light, the curve of her waist flaring into hips still covered by her leggings. The binding around her chest is utilitarian rather than decorative, but somehow all the more appealing for its practicality."You're beautiful," I tell her, because it's true and because the flush that spreads across her cheeks at the compliment is worth any momentary awkwardness."You're still wearing too many clothes," she points out, fingers already working at the fastenings of my shirt.I laugh, the sound rusty with dis
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 49
Alexander I stand in the doorway of Lyra's chambers, all my carefully prepared words evaporating at the sight of her. She looks exhausted but resolute, chin lifted slightly in that way I've come to recognize means she's bracing for an argument. The bond between us pulses with conflicting emotionsโrelief at our proximity battling with the lingering tension from our courtyard confrontation."Can I come in?" I ask, my voice softer than I intended.She nods, stepping back to allow me entry. I close the door behind me, grateful for the privacy after our too-public disagreement earlier."I owe you an apology," I begin, pride giving way to more important priorities. "My reaction to your return was..." I search for the right word."Possessive? Accusatory? Completely unfair?" she supplies, though the slight curve of her lips takes some sting from the words."All of the above," I admit with a rueful smile. "I was worried sick, Lyra. The bond separation, the power surges, the reports of Vega's a
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 48
Lyra The palace looks different this timeโless intimidating, more like a potential sanctuary than a gilded prison. Maybe it's because I'm not arriving as a captive or a curiosity, but as someone making a conscious choice to return. Or maybe I'm just too exhausted to be intimidated anymore."You okay?" Kieran asks, pulling his horse alongside mine as we approach the eastern gate."Just tired," I assure him, though that's only part of the truth. The bond with Alexander strengthens with every hoofbeat closer to the palace, the familiar silver warmth spreading through my chest after days of uncomfortable stretching.The guards at the gate snap to attention when they recognize me, their expressions a mixture of relief and curiosity. They wave us through with minimal questions, though I notice how their eyes linger on Kieran and the other healers with suspicion.Some things haven't changed, then.The eastern courtyard bustles with activityโservants carrying supplies, guards changing shifts,
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 47
Alexander "Your Highness, the eastern patrol has returned."I look up from the maps spread across my desk to see Captain Merrick standing at attention in the doorway. The grim set of his mouth tells me he's not bringing good news."Report," I command, straightening to my full height."We've confirmed the presence of at least eight individuals matching Northern territory descriptions moving through the eastern forests." He points to the area on my map where Lyra's healing community had relocated. "They're using search patterns consistent with tracking specific targets, not random patrols."My stomach knots. "How close to the healer settlement?""Too close," he admits. "Less than five miles from their last known location."A surge of powerโpart Alpha, part healingโruns through me at the news, making the maps glow faintly beneath my hands. I've been fighting these manifestations all day, each one stronger than the last as the bond between Lyra and me stretches with our separation."Shit,
The Lycan King's Outcast Omegaย ย ย Ch. 46
Lyra "What existed between us was real," I acknowledge quietly. "Friendship, respect, potential for more. I never denied that.""And now?" His question carries no accusation, only sincere desire to understand where my boundaries are now."Now complexity exists where once things seemed so simple between us, so easy." I reply, honesty demanded by years of trust between us. "The bond with Alexander doesn't erase what came before, but it changes the context irrevocably."He reaches out slowly, giving me time to withdraw if I choose, and gently brushes a strand of hair from my face. The casual intimacy of the gestureโone he's performed countless times beforeโsuddenly carries a different weight, awareness crackling between us like the static before a storm."If fate hadn't intervened," he murmurs, "if you'd never met him...""We can't know that path because we're not walking it," I interrupt gently, though I don't pull away from his touch. "Speculating about what might have been only makes
