Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 14

I felt like a creep, because I was acting like one. But after what happened last night, I just couldn’t stop.

I looked at the white silk gown in my hand before bringing it to my nose once again. The same one she had worn last night.

There was just something about her scent that was sweet and alluring. Not the fake perfume most women wore. No-this was her. Raw. Honest. Hers.

I hated that I was doing this, yet my grip only tightened on the delicate fabric. She smelled so good, like secrets on fire, like temptation itself.

She was different. I could feel it. But she wasn’t my mate.

I couldn’t sense her that way. The bond wasn’t there. Yet there was something about her-something that made the beast in me restless. Unsettled. Awake.

I wasn’t supposed to feel this drawn to someone who wasn’t mine by the Moon Goddess’s decree. And yet…

A sharp knock broke through my thoughts.

I blinked, scowling as I shoved the gown into the drawer of my desk, slamming it shut just as the door creaked open. “Enter,” I said gruffly.

Lucien stepped in with his usual elegance, bowing his head. “Your Majesty,” he greeted, straightening to meet my eyes. “I’ve asked the mistress to bring her to you,” he continued. “What’s your plan?”

I didn’t answer right away.

What was my plan?

I almost killed her last night.

I saw her eyes flash with fear just before I regained control. The way her breath caught. The way her body trembled beneath mine. The way she looked up at me-not just in fear, but in confusion.

“I’ll make her an offer she can’t refuse,” I said, my voice colder than I intended.

Lucien’s brow rose. “What exactly is your offer going to be?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’ll make her my-“

Before I could finish, a deafening alarm cut through the castle. The blare was sharp, vibrating through the walls.

Lucien turned, already baring his teeth. “Rogues,” he spat.

I didn’t need more than that. My beast surged forward, raging to be let loose.

We burst out of my office, moving fast down the long corridor toward the front gates. Warriors rushed past us, and the halls were thick with chaos-warriors herding the vulnerable into the secure chambers while the guards barked orders.

“Lucien!” I shouted. “Take her to my chamber. Protect her.”

Lucien didn’t hesitate. He turned without a word and vanished into the crowd.

As I moved toward the double doors that led to the outside, my gamma came barreling toward me and dropped to one knee in front of me.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty!” he panted. “They breached the west border. We tried to stop them, but—”

“But you failed,” I growled, fangs pushing through my gums. “How many?”

“Three dozen.”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t have to.

I turned and broke into a run. 1

The air changed the moment I crossed into open terrain. I could smell blood-fresh, metallic, thick. My wolves were already engaged in battle, the grass soaked with the coppery scent of violence and death.

I reached the west border within minutes.

And what I saw made the beast in me howl.

Bodies slammed into each other. Snarls ripped through the air. My warriors, all in wolf form, were doing their best-but they were outnumbered, and the rogues had come with only one intention: to kill.

They had dared to enter my territory.

They had dared to set foot on my land.

Big fucking mistake.

The moment my feet hit the blood-soaked field, every one of my warriors froze.

I didn’t say a word. I didn’t have to.

They all dropped their muzzles in submission. Their tails lowered. Whimpers filled the air as they stepped back, parting like waves for their king.

The rogues faltered.

Some backed up, growling uncertainly.

Some tried to run.

Cowards.

But they had already crossed the line.

You enter my land, you don’t leave it.

My vision blurred.

My claws tore through my fingertips, extending into deadly curved weapons. My eyes turned pitch black, the beast breaking through my skin without the need to shift into wolf form. 1

I didn’t need my wolf.

I was already the monster.

I launched myself forward.

The first rogue didn’t even have time to blink. I rammed into him, my claws slashing through his throat, ripping through muscle and bone. His body fell before he even registered I was there.

Blood sprayed across my face.

Another rogue charged. I caught him mid-leap, dragging my claws across his chest, cracking ribs and puncturing lungs. I shoved his body aside like it was nothing.

They came at me.

One. Two. Three. Six.

I tore through all of them.

My hands were weapons, my rage a furnace. I snapped spines, gutted chests, shattered skulls. Their howls turned to screams and their screams turned to silence.

More kept coming.

And I kept killing.

I didn’t feel pain. I didn’t feel exhaustion. I felt alive.

Drenched in blood from head to toe, my bare chest slick with crimson, I looked every inch the demon they feared I was.

A rogue tried to run past me.

I grabbed his hind leg and yanked him back with such force his bones cracked on impact. I stepped on his neck and crushed it beneath my heel.

Another shifted midair, trying to catch me off guard in human form.

I twisted mid-step, claws sinking into his stomach, then dragging up through his chest until I ripped his heart out with one hand.

He fell.

And I stood there, heart still beating in my palm.

Blood dripped down my jaw. My mouth curled into a snarl.

I wanted more.

And then I saw the last one.

The lone survivor.

He stood, panting, trembling, naked and bleeding in human form, his eyes wide as they landed on me.

He took a step back. “P-please,” he stammered, lifting his hands. “Don’t-don’t kill me.”

I stalked toward him slowly, each footstep deliberate, crushing the broken bones beneath me like gravel. “Who sent you?” I asked, voice low and guttural.

He shook his head, crying now. “I-I don’t know. We were just told to attack. I swear, I don’t know!”

Liar.

I reached him and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground with one hand.

“Then you’re useless.”

“No! Please! I-“

I let go of his throat and caught his head with my other hand instead.

Then I drove my clawed fingers into the side of his face.

He screamed.

Goddess, he screamed.

I yanked.

His right eye tore free, blood spurting like a broken faucet.

The scream echoed across the field.

It was a beautiful sound. A perfect sound.

I held the bloody eye up, watching him cry and shake, and then dropped it at his feet.

My voice dropped to a whisper as I leaned in beside his ear, lips brushing his trembling skin.

“Go tell whoever sent you…” I murmured, voice like silk dragged across a blade, “…that nobody-nobody-messes with King Maximus and lives.”

I let go of him.

He scrambled away, sobbing, holding his face, blood pouring from the ruined side of his head as he ran screaming into the

trees.

I stood there, chest heaving, body dripping red. My claws were soaked, my jaw stained with death.

Around me were the remains of the ones foolish enough to challenge me.

Torn limbs. Open guts. Severed heads.

It was a masterpiece.

But even as I looked at the carnage I had created, felt the beast purring inside me with satisfaction, my mind… wandered.

Back to her.

To the girl I had nearly killed last night.

To the girl I shouldn’t want.

To the girl whose scent was still clinging to my skin beneath the blood.

Her body.

Fuck.

That body.

That perfect, dangerous, infuriating body.

Soft and sinful.

Curves that called to me like a prayer I was never meant to answer. Skin that looked like it would taste sweeter than honey and sin combined.

She wasn’t mine.

But I wanted her like she was.

I wanted to mark every inch of her. To spread her open and ruin her for anyone else. To hear her scream, not in fear—but in need.

I wanted to sink my teeth into her shoulder and make her mine, bond or not.

I wanted to bury myself so deep inside her she forgot her own name.

I wanted to own her.

Claim her.

Devour her.

I stood amidst the blood and death, every breath laced with violence and hunger-but it wasn’t just the kill I was hungry for anymore.

It was her.

Goddess help me.

I wanted her.

I wanted to claim her so fucking bad.