The Lycan King's Outcast Omega (by Cara Anderson) novel Chapter 272

**TITLE: Never Love 272**
**Chapter 272**

**Lyra**

“What existed between us was undeniably real,” I admit softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “There was friendship, respect, and a potential for something deeper. I’ve never tried to deny that.”

“And now?” His inquiry is devoid of judgment, filled instead with a genuine wish to grasp the current state of our relationship.

“Now, everything has become so much more complicated,” I respond, my heart heavy with the weight of truth that years of trust have forged between us. “What I share with Alexander doesn’t erase our past, but it irrevocably alters the context of what we had.”

He extends his hand slowly, almost hesitantly, as if offering me a choice to retreat. His fingers gently brush a stray lock of hair from my face, a gesture rich with intimacy, one I’ve known countless times before. Yet, in this moment, it feels charged with a new significance, like the electric tension that fills the air just before a storm breaks.

“If fate hadn’t intervened,” he murmurs, his voice low and contemplative, “if you had never crossed paths with him…”

I gently interject, “We can’t know that path because we’re not walking it, Kieran.” I don’t pull away from his touch, even as my heart wrestles with confusion. “Speculating about what might have been only complicates accepting what is.”

His hand remains for a heartbeat longer, a lingering connection that speaks volumes before it finally drops away, leaving behind a mix of acceptance and uncertainty etched on his face. “You should rest,” he suggests once more, rising to his feet with a weary grace. “I’ll check on Elder Tomas’s breathing before I turn in for the night.”

As he walks away, a tempest of emotions churns within me—gratitude for his respect of the boundaries that now define us, sorrow for the paths fate has twisted away from us, and an unsettling awareness that a part of me still responds to him. It’s not the same, nor does it hold the same intensity, but it’s enough to weave a web of confusion that simple answers cannot untangle.

That night, my sleep is restless, filled with dreams that flit between the opulent corridors of the palace and the serene paths of the forest. I find myself caught between Alexander’s striking violet eyes and Kieran’s gentle, reassuring hands. The bond stretches taut across these worlds, a reminder that our temporary separation cannot become permanent, no matter how comforting it may feel to return to familiar surroundings.

With the dawn comes a renewed sense of purpose. I join the other healers, working diligently to address the ailments that have worsened due to the stress and upheaval of our recent displacement. My training proves particularly beneficial for the children, who are plagued by nightmares and anxiety following the community’s hurried evacuation. By midday, I have attended to a dozen patients, the exhaustion mingling with a profound sense of satisfaction as I finally allow myself a moment to pause for a brief meal.

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