Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 146

LUCIEN’S POV

I stood there like a damn fool, staring at the door as if willing it to open would make it happen. My forehead pressed against the cool wood, the grain biting into my skin, but I barely felt it. All I could feel was the ache in my chest, sharp and unrelenting, like someone had carved out a piece of me and left it bleeding. Adele was on the other side—my mate, the woman who was supposed to be my everything-and she wouldn’t let me in. And hell, I couldn’t blame her.

“I’m sorry,” I’d said through the door, my voice cracking like some pathetic kid.

Sorry. What a useless word. It didn’t fix the nights l’d left her waiting, the times I’d pulled away when all she wanted was for me to pull her closer. I was supposed to protect her, that’s what I kept telling myself. Protect her from the mess inside me, from the chaos of being mated to someone like me-a beta with too much baggage, too many shadows from the past that made me question if I could ever be what she needed. But standing here now, with the scent of her tears lingering in the air like a ghost, I knew the truth. I wasn’t protecting her. I was hurting her.

Breaking her piece by piece, and for what? My own damn fears?

My wolf growled low in my chest, pacing restlessly, tornbetween rage at myself and this burning need to break down the door and hold her. But I couldn’t. She’d made it clear-she didn’t want me touching her. Not after everything. And that thought twisted something deep inside me, ugly and raw.

Then there was Derek. Alpha fucking Derek. The image flashed in my mind again: his jacket draped over her shoulders, covering that thin nightgown she’d worn. For me. She’d worn it for me, hoping I’d show up, hoping Id finally see her the way she deserved. And what did I do?

Nothing. I stayed away, like the asshole I was, letting my doubts win.

Had he seen her like that? The nightgown clinging to her curves, her skin flushed from whatever storm was raging inside her? The thought made my blood boil, territorial instinct surging so hard I had to clench my fists to keep from punching the door. She was mine. Mine to protect, mine to cherish, mine to mark. But I hadn’t done any of that, had I? And now another alpha had stepped in, wrapping her in his scent, touching her when I couldn’t.

Jealousy clawed at me, hot and vicious. It wasn’t rational-İ knew Derek hadn’t done anything wrong, not really. But rationality didn’t matter when it came to mates. My wolf didn’t care about logic; it cared about possession, about claiming what was ours. And right now, all it could see was another male’s mark on her, even if it was just a damn jacket.

I lifted my head slightly, listening for any sound frominside. A shuffle, a sob, anything. But there was nothing Just silence, thick and accusing. “Adele,” I whispered against the wood, my breath fogging it faintly. “Please.” The word tasted like desperation, but I didn’t care. I’d beg if I had to. I’d grovel. Anything to make this right.

Minutes dragged on, each one heavier than the last. My mind raced, replaying every moment that had led here.

The first time l’d seen her, felt that pull, that unbreakabte bond snap into place. She’d looked at me with such hope, such light in her eyes. And I’d dimmed it, over and over.

Avoiding her gaze in the halls, making excuses to stay away at night. Telling myself it was for her own good, that she deserved better than a beta haunted. But who was kidding? It was cowardice, plain and simple. Fear of letting her in, of losing her like l’d lost others. And now, l was losing her anyway.

I pushed my forehead harder against the door, as if I could somehow feel her through it. My hands flattened on either side, nails digging into the wood. “Open the door,” I murmured, knowing she couldn’t hear me, or maybe she could and just didn’t care. “Let me fix this.” But deep down, I knew I didn’t deserve it. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Finally, pulled back, staring at the door one last time.

Hope flickered weakly in my chest—maybe she’d sense my pain through the bond, maybe she’d crack it open just a sliver. But nothing happened. The knob didn’t turn. No footsteps approached. Just more silence, slamming into me like a rejection all over again.I shoved off the door, my body moving before my mind caught up. Anger surged through me now, hot and directionless. At myself, at the situation, at everything.

But it needed an outlet, and before I could stop it, my feet were carrying me down the corridor, away from her room.

Away from the one place I should be fighting to stay.

Derek didn’t back down. He crossed his arms, studying me with those sharp black eyes. “I’m surprised you have a woman like Adele as your mate and she’s not marked.”

The words landed like a slap. My head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing to slits. “What business of yours is that?”

He didn’t flinch. Instead, he turned to face me fully, his stance widening slightly, like he was preparing for a fight.

The air between us thickened, charged with tension that crackled like lightning about to strike. Below us, the training grounds seemed distant, the sounds of sparring fading into a dull roar as my focus zeroed in on him.”I’ve liked Adele for the longest time,” Derek said, his voise steady but laced with an edge that set my teeth on edge. ” Tonly stepped away because she found her mate-and out of respect for you as the beta of this kingdom. But I promise you, Beta Lucien, if you don’t step up your game and do what you’re supposed to do as her mate, maybe someone else will do it for you.”

The world narrowed to a pinpoint. My blood roared in my ears, drowning out everything else. What the hell did he just say? Liked her. Stepped away. Someone else.

The implications hit me like a freight train- him, marking her, claiming her, touching her in ways I hadn’t. My hands fisted at my sides, knuckles white. My wolf surged forward, barely contained, fur bristling under my skin. The balcony felt too small, the air too thin, every muscle in my body coiled like a spring ready to snap.

I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a cold, lethal whisper. “What did you just say?”

Derek straightened, not retreating an inch. His eyes met mine, unflinching, the challenge clear.

“You heard me.”