Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 143

Adele’s Pov

I jerked awake with a gasp, my whole body snapping upright like I’d been yanked out of deep water.

My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. My chest rose and. fell too fast, breath burning my throat as if I’d been running. Heat clung to me, slick and uncomfortable, my skin damp, my limbs heavy.

For one wild, stupid second, I looked around, expecting him.

Lucien.

Kneeling between my legs. His hands. His mouth. His voice in my ear calling me mate.

But the room was still.

Silent.

Empty.

No sign of Lucien.

Just morning light creeping in through the windows and the echo of a dream that refused to let go of me.

A dream.

I let out a shaky, broken laugh and dragged my hands down my face.Of course it was a dream.

Of course my mind would betray me like that-give me everything wanted only to rip it away the second I woke up. My fingers curled into the sheets, nails digging in as frustration flooded me so hard it made my eyes sting.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to rip the memory out of my head, because my body was still reacting like it had really happened, like he had really been there. The humiliation of it settled deep in my gut, thick and sour.

Pathetic.

I shoved myself upright, breath still uneven, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. The room looked different in the daylight-too bright, too normal. The shadows had fled. There was no trace of the storm my mind had created.

Just silence.

I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes and swallowed hard.

Get it together.

That’s when the door opened.

I froze.

The sound was soft, careful, like whoever it was didn’t want to startle me. My heart jumped anyway, hope flaring stupidly before I could kill it.

Lucien stepped inside.

He looked… wrecked.

His dark hair was mussed like he’d dragged his hands through it too many times. Shadows sat heavy under his eyes. His shoulders were tense, posture tight, like sleep had avoided him entirely. He wore dark clothes, simple and unadorned, and in his hands was a tray.

A tray.

Istared as he closed the door behind him and crossed the room. On the tray was a glass of water and a small container-medicine.

Concern flickered across his face when his eyes found mine, sharp and immediate.

I hated it.

I hated the way my chest tightened at the sight of him.

Hated the way my body reacted even after everything.

Hated that my stupid dream had softened me just enough to make his presence hurt worse.

He stopped beside the bed and set the tray down on the bedside table.

“You scared me this morning,” he said quietly.His voice was rough. Like mine had been when I woke up I said nothing.

He picked up the container, opened it, and shook two pills into his palm before lifting the glass of water with the other hand.

“You were burning up,” he continued, eyes searching my face. “You barely woke when I came in.”

When I came in.

The words sliced clean through me.

So he had been here. Just not the way I’d wanted. Not when I needed him.

He held the pills out to me, then the water. “Take this.” Something in me snapped.

I didn’t even think-I just reacted.

My hand flew out and knocked his wrist aside. The glass tipped, water sloshing violently before spilling over the edge and crashing to the floor. The pills scattered, skittering uselessly across the stone.

“Stop pretending like you care!” I shouted.

The sound of glass shattering echoed through the room, sharp and final.

Lucien stiffened. “Adele-don’t be like this.””Like what?” I shot back, fury rushing up so fast it made me dizzy. “Like someone who’s tired of being ignored?

Lied to? Pushed aside like I don’t matter?”

“Adele…” His voice was wrecked now.

“I hate you,” I repeated, tears blurring my vision. “And I don’t want to talk to you ever again.”

I turned away before he could see my face break completely.

I didn’t look back.

I limped toward the door, each step sending pain shooting up my leg, but I welcomed it. It grounded me. Gave me something real to focus on instead of the mess inside my chest.

Behind me, I heard him move.

“Adele, wait.”

I yanked the door open and stepped into the hallway, slamming it shut behind me before he could follow.

The corridor stretched long and quiet, sunlight pouring in through tall windows. My bare foot left faint bloody prints on the stone as I moved, pride the only thing keeping me upright.

I would not cry.

I would not fall apart.I would not go back.

1 made it only a few steps before the pain finally stole my balance. My foot slipped slightly, my body tipping forward.

1 braced for the fal—

And didn’t hit the ground.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, steady and unyielding. Another hand caught my shoulder, firm and sure.

I gasped, startled, breath punching out of me as I was pulled back against a solid chest.

I looked up.

Familiar eyes met mine.

Black. Sharp. Assessing.

“Adele?” the voice said.

My heart stuttered.

“Alpha Derek?” I breathed.

“What are you doing here?”