The Lycan King's Outcast Omega (by Cara Anderson) novel Chapter 253

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**TITLE: Never Love 253**
**Chapter 253**

**Alexander**

As we forge ahead on this treacherous path, my thoughts spiral into chaos, haunted by the grim possibility of losing Lyra just as I have finally come to embrace the depth of our bond. The separation we endured was agonizing, a torment that felt like a piece of my very soul had been ripped away. Yet, our reunion has fortified me in ways I never anticipated.

Why, then, does the mate bond elude the same stability we found in each other? Instead, it flickers and fades like the last remnants of a fire, leaving behind nothing but cold ashes within me. Each ebb and flow of our connection slices through my heart, a relentless ache that I can feel mirrored in Lyra’s fleeting grimaces. Kieran’s temporary remedy has provided a momentary reprieve, but I can sense its waning strength as we continue our journey.

We take a brief respite to tend to our horses, and as I adjust the saddle on my mount, I notice Lyra approaching me, her brow furrowed with concern. “There’s something I need to tell you,” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. “Something I should have shared when we first stumbled upon you in the palace gardens.”

The gravity in her tone sends a shiver down my spine. “What is it?” I ask, my heart racing with apprehension.

She hesitates, her gaze dropping to the ground before she continues, “When Selene orchestrated the attack on our settlement, she… she helped me escape. After cornering me, she intentionally misled her guards and pointed me in the direction I should run.”

The revelation hits me like a thunderclap. “Selene helped you? Why on earth didn’t you tell me this sooner?” I demand, unable to mask my shock.

“At first, I didn’t think it was intentional—it all happened so fast, and my only focus was on fleeing,” she explains, her voice trembling slightly. “Later, when it dawned on me that she must have done it on purpose, we were already consumed with the urgency of finding you. It felt… less significant compared to your dire situation.”

A new discomfort churns within my chest—not the familiar turmoil of our bond, but something deeper, more unsettling. “What else have you kept from me, Lyra?” I ask, my voice sharper than I intended, the Alpha within me surging forth, demanding answers.

Her eyes widen at my tone, a flicker of hurt crossing her features. “Nothing of consequence,” she replies cautiously. “I’ve shared everything that mattered in our quest to find and save you.”

“But not everything,” I counter, frustration bubbling to the surface. The pain from the unstable bond sharpens my words, and I can’t hold back my irritation.

Lyra straightens, her own frustration evident in the way she squares her shoulders. “Alexander, we’ve known each other for mere days—most of which you spent either rejecting our bond or being literally torn apart. There hasn’t been much opportunity to delve into every detail of our lives.”

She’s right, and I know it. The rational part of me understands her perspective. Yet, my newly invigorated Alpha instincts scream for complete honesty, unwavering loyalty, and an unbreakable connection.

Before I can respond, another violent jolt in the bond brings me to my knees, a gasp escaping my lips before I can stifle it. Lyra is at my side in an instant, her healer’s instincts kicking in, overriding any irritation she might have felt moments ago.

“This is worsening,” she declares, pressing her hand to my chest where the pain has coalesced. Her touch offers a fleeting comfort, a momentary reprieve that strengthens our connection before it falters once more.

“I’m sorry,” I manage to say when the worst of the pain subsides. “That was unjust of me. You risked everything to save me—your community, your safety, your very life. I have no right to demand an account of every unspoken thought.”

She helps me to my feet, her expression softening. “We’re both on edge. This bond is… it’s like having a piece of my soul continuously sliced and then crudely sewn back together.”

“An apt description indeed,” I reply grimly, the weight of our reality pressing down on me.

Dominic approaches, concern etched on his face. “We need to keep moving if we want to reach the Cave before dawn breaks,” he urges, his tone brooking no argument.

I nod, forcing strength into limbs that feel heavier with each passing moment, the exhaustion compounded by Vega’s relentless spell. The fatigue coupled with the deterioration of our bond drains my energy, and I can feel it in every fiber of my being.