The Lycan King's Outcast Omega (by Cara Anderson) novel Chapter 222

**TITLE: Never Love 222**

Alexander stood there, the weight of Lyra’s predicament heavy on his mind. “They need you specifically for the binding ritual to work,” I murmured under my breath, the words barely escaping my lips. But Lyra, ever perceptive, picked up on my unspoken thoughts.

“Which is precisely why Selene led the attack herself,” she replied, her voice tinged with a grim resolve. “She spotted me trying to escape. I used every trick I knew about the forest to throw her off my trail, but she pursued me relentlessly for miles.” She gestured to her injuries, the signs of her struggle evident. “I didn’t escape unscathed.”

Dominic, his voice laced with suspicion, interjected, “How did you find your way here?” The tension in his tone made my muscles tense, and I couldn’t help but growl softly under my breath. “The palace is heavily guarded, especially during the Gala.”

Lyra’s gaze shifted back to me, her determination unwavering. “I followed the bond,” she explained, her voice steady yet filled with an undercurrent of urgency. “It led me here—like a silver thread pulling me toward safety. I knew it was dangerous to come to the palace, but deep down, I also understood it was the only place I would be safe from her.”

The simple truth of her words resonated through our connection, echoing in the silence between us. She had come to me—her true mate—instinctively seeking protection, even at the risk of her own life. The realization sent a surge of protective instinct coursing through me.

“We need to get you somewhere safer than this garden,” I said, my concern for her injuries growing more intense by the second. “Somewhere no one would think to look.”

“The Old Tower passage,” Dominic suggested, his voice steady with certainty. “Only the royal family knows of it.”

I nodded, the plan forming in my mind. The secret chamber hidden within the oldest tower of the palace had served as a refuge for generations—a secure location stocked with supplies, accessible only through passages known to just a select few in the court.

“Can you walk?” I asked Lyra, my eyes scanning her battered form.

“I think so,” she replied, though the grimace that crossed her face as she attempted to stand told a different story.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I scooped her into my arms, cradling her against my chest. The warmth of our contact intensified our bond, a soothing current flowing between us that seemed to ease some of her pain. She relaxed against me, her head resting on my shoulder, as if she had found her rightful place in my embrace.

Dominic took the lead, guiding us through the labyrinthine servant corridors and hidden passages, ensuring our path remained clear of any prying eyes. Miraculously, we encountered no one—a small blessing considering the throngs of visitors currently filling the palace. At last, we arrived at the concealed entrance to the Old Tower. A section of the wall swung inward when I pressed the correct stone, revealing the sanctuary beyond.

The warmth from her touch sent a rush of energy through me, the mate bond humming contentedly at our connection. I had never felt anything like this—the way my dual nature seemed to settle into perfect harmony in her presence, neither my Alpha strength nor my healing ability vying for dominance.

“Tell me everything,” I urged gently, my voice a low whisper.

Lyra took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto mine with a mixture of determination and fear. She began to recount the events that transpired after we parted in the forest—her return to the secondary settlement, the revelations from Elder Thalia regarding her birthmark and bloodline, and the dire warning about the Northern delegation’s plans for a binding ritual.

“She gave me this,” Lyra continued, pulling a silver amulet from beneath her torn tunic. It glinted in the dim light, bearing the same intricate spiral pattern as her birthmark. “She said it belongs to my bloodline, passed down through generations. It protects true mates and strengthens their bond against outside interference.”

I studied the amulet closely, feeling a faint resonance with my own energy, as if it recognized me. “And what about the Cave of Whispers? You mentioned that Thalia spoke of it.”

“She says it contains the original prophecy, carved in stone by the first seers before written language could be manipulated,” Lyra explained, her eyes earnest and urgent, pleading for me to understand. “Alexander, she believes the prophecy has been twisted—by the Northern delegation, perhaps by others before them. The true words can only be found in the Cave.”