The Lycan King's Outcast Omega (by Cara Anderson) novel Chapter 188

One year later

Morning sunlight streams through our bedroom windows, painting golden patterns across Alaric's sleeping form. I study him in this rare moment of complete relaxation – the powerful lines of his body softened in slumber, the weight of crown and kingdom temporarily set aside. My fingers trace the silver mark at his neck, my claim now as permanent as his upon me.

So much has changed in the year since Alexander's birth. The kingdom that once viewed me as an unwelcome intruder now bows respectfully to their healing queen. The council that resisted my position now seeks my counsel on matters extending beyond traditional healing responsibilities. And the mate who once fought our connection now reaches for me even in sleep, his hand finding mine with an unconscious certainty that makes my heart swell.

"Watching me again?" he murmurs without opening his eyes, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Absolutely. Every chance I get," I admit, leaning down to brush my lips against his. "My king. My mate. My partner in all things."

His arms wrap around me, pulling me against the warm strength of his chest with practiced ease. The bond between us pulses with contentment and lingering desire from the night before. After everything we've survived together, these quiet moments of connection still feel like a victory more profound than any political achievement or battle won.

"Alexander?" Alaric asks, his first thought as always for our son.

"Still sleeping," I assure him, settling more comfortably against his side. "Iris checked ten minutes ago. Apparently yesterday's adventures tired him out."

A chuckle rumbles through Alaric's chest at the memory of our son's latest display of abilities. At eighteen months, Alexander should barely be forming simple sentences. Instead, he'd spent yesterday afternoon holding court with visiting Alpha wolves, communicating with clarity that unnerved even those who've grown accustomed to his extraordinary development.

Alaric's arms tighten slightly around me, his protective instincts flaring at the mention of territories once aligned with those who threatened everything we hold dear. Though Cassius and his immediate conspirators no longer pose a danger, questions remain about the reach of his connections even after all this time, about others who might share his beliefs or even now, be attempting to carry on his work.

"Lord Harrison's reports indicate the new leadership seems genuinely committed to integration," he says, his strategic mind never completely at rest despite the intimate setting. "But additional security measures remain in place, particularly around Alexander's chambers."

The reminder of potential threats sends a familiar chill through me despite the morning’s warmth. The nightmares come less frequently now, but certain memories remain closer to the surface than I might wish – the medical chamber, Cassius's clinical voice, the bond-cutting tool severing our connection.

Alaric senses the shift in my emotions immediately, the bond between us carrying comfort before I can even voice my distress. "He's safe," he reminds me, fingers tilting my face up to meet his gaze. "We're all safe. The kingdom has never been more secure."