The Lycan King's Outcast Omega (by Cara Anderson) novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41

+25 BONUS

Chapter 41

Sage

My fingers tremble slightly as I sort herbs, too aware of the noble wolves watching my every move. Their whispers follow me like shadows through the healing wing, where more warriors arrived this morning with wounds that won’t heal.

“Such a shame,” Victoria’s voice carries clearly. “These injuries are getting worse instead of better. Almost like someone’s interfering with the healing process.”

I focus on grinding silver–leaf, trying to ignore how the other healers draw away from me. They’ve been using my remedies – they work better than traditional methods on these strange wounds – but no one will acknowledge it.

“Sage!” A young wolf bursts in, breathing hard. “Please, it’s my sister. She’s hurt – fell down the old cellar stairs. She’s asking for you.”

Victoria’s perfectly shaped eyebrows rise. “Surely one of our trained healers would be better suited—

11

“No,” the young wolf interrupts. “She wants Sage. Please.”

Something feels wrong, but I can’t ignore an injured pup. I gather supplies with shaking hands, aware of the noble wolves‘ eyes following me.

The young wolf leads me to an abandoned wing of the packhouse. The air feels wrong here – stale, heavy with dust and darkness.

“Where exactly—”

He’s gone. The corridor stretches empty before me, shadows gathering in corners despite the early

hour.

“Hello?” My voice sounds small in the darkness. “Where’s the injured pup?”

“So eager to help.” Victoria’s voice makes me spin around. She stands with three other noble wolves, blocking the way I came. “Such a caring heart. That’s what made you such perfect prey for Cassius, wasn’t it?”

Ice slides down my spine. “What are you-

“Into the cellar,” she commands, “Or we’ll make you.

I run. Their laughter follows as I search frantically for another exit. But I’ve played right into their trap – there’s only one way out of this wing.

1/4

Chapter 41

+25 BONUS

They catch me easily, shoving me toward old wooden doors set into the floor. The cellar yawns below, dark and cold as a grave.

“No,” I whisper, memories of Blackthorn’s dungeon rising like bile. “Please-” 1

“Listen to her beg,” one of them laughs. “Just like she begged Cassius before he rejected her.”

How do they know that? No one was there except-

The thought cuts off as they force me down the stairs. The cellar doors slam shut with horrible finality.

Darkness. Complete, suffocating darkness.

“Let me tell you a story,” Victoria calls through the doors. “About an omega who thought she could rise above her station. Who got exactly what she deserved.”

My hands shake as I feel along rough stone walls. The space is tiny, airless. Just like—

No. Don’t think about the dungeon. Don’t think about Cassius. Don’t-

“Did he start with the whip or his claws?” Victoria’s voice drips false concern. “I can never remember the order. Poor thing, you screamed so prettily either way.

Terror claws up my throat. They shouldn’t know these details. Unless-

“Your old pack has been very informative,” another voice adds. “Especially that lovely beta’s daughter. What was her name? Daphne?”

The name hits like a physical blow. I sink to my knees, chest too tight to breathe.

Hours pass. Or maybe minutes. Time loses meaning in the dark. They take turns taunting me with details of my torture at Blackthorn, things only someone who was there would know.

The air grows thin. Cold seeps through stone walls, but I can’t shift to stay warm like a real wolf. My fingers go numb as I scratch uselessly at unyielding doors.

“No one’s coming,” Victoria sing–songs. “The Lycan King’s at the border. Again. Funny how these attacks keep pulling him away when you need him.”

Don’t listen. Don’t break. Don’t-

But memories crash over me in waves: Cassius’s gentle smile turning cruel, Daphne’s laughter as they stripped me of dignity, the pack’s jeers as my mate bond was rejected.

“Poor broken little thing,” Victoria coos. “Did you really think you could belong here? That anyone would choose you over proper pack alliances?”

2/4

Chapter 41

“Please,” I whisper, though I’m not sure who I’m begging anymore. “Please…”

The cellar doors suddenly burst open. Light floods in, blinding after so long in darkness.

“Sage!” Iris’s voice breaks through my panic. “Moon goddess, what have they done?”

+25 BONUS

She helps me up the stairs on trembling legs. Victoria and the others are gone, but their victory lingers in the stale air.

“Just a little game,” Victoria’s voice drifts from somewhere nearby. “Teaching pack hierarchy. No harm done.”

But harm was done. They proved how easily they could break me. Proved I’ll never be more than prey

here.

Proved they have connections to Blackthorn that run deeper than they should.

Iris wraps me in blankets in her room, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by cold fury. “I’m going to kill them,” she says for the third time, pressing hot tea into my still–trembling hands. “Slowly.”

“Don’t.” My voice sounds hoarse from screaming. Had I screamed? I can’t remember. “It will only make things worse.”

“Worse?” She kneels before me, taking my ice–cold hands in hers. “Sage, they locked you in a cellar. They triggered your trauma on purpose. How could it get worse?”

I think of Victoria’s carefully calculated torments, of the information they shouldn’t have about Blackthorn. “Trust me. It can always get worse.

Power suddenly floods the hallway – familiar pine and winter wind scent charged with rage. Alaric fills the doorway, his eyes bleeding between steel–gray and amber as he takes in my huddled form.

“Who?” The word comes out more growl than speech.

“Victoria and her circle,” Iris answers when I stay silent. “They lured her with a fake story about an injured pup.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify