Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 157

DAMIEN’S POV

For a second I honestly thought l’d misheard her.

School.

The word echoed in my head, sharp and wreng, like a crack in glass.

“Don’t get me wrong, baby,” I said slowly, forcing my voice to stay calm even as my chest tightened. I could feel how fragile the air between us was. One wrong word and it would shatter. “I understand how you feel. I really do. But Ydon’t… I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Her brows knit together instantly.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confusion flashing across her face.

I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. reached for her hand, wrapping my fingers around hers like I could anchor her here. Like if I held on tight enough, she wouldn’t drift somewhere I couldn’t protect her.

“Baby, listen to me. You’ll always be worthy to me. You don’t have to prove anything. Not to me. Not to anyone.”

She stared at our joined hands like they were burning her.

Then she pulled away.”No,” she said sharply.

My jaw tightened.

“Rose-”

“No,” she repeated, louder now. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

Frustration flared, hot and sudden. “Then what are you saying?”

She crossed her arms over her chest like she needed to hold herself together. “You keep talking about how you see me. About how you feel. But you’re not listening to what I need.”

“I am listening,” I snapped back.

She laughed once, bitter and broken. “No, you’re hearing-but you’re not listening.”

That hit a nerve.

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing once across the room. “Rose, do you have any idea what going back to school would mean for you?”

She lifted her chin. “It means I get to be something.”

“You already are something,” I shot back.

Her eyes flashed. “To you.”

I turned toward her, my temper finally slipping. “Thatshould be enough!”

Her breath caught.

The room went dead silent.

I immediately regretted the words-but it was too late. I saw it on her face. The hurt. The way her shoulders stiffened like she’d been slapped.

She shook her head slowly. “That’s easy for you to say.”

Something ugly twisted in my chest.

I can give you everything,” I said, my voice rising despite myself. “Everything you could ever want. A life of comfort.

Safety. Respect. You don’t need to lift a fucking finger for the rest of your life, Rose. I take care of you. I always will.

What else do you want?”

The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I’d fucked up.

Her face went white.

Then red.

1 reached for her again-but she turned away sharply.

Her shoulders started to shake.

“Rose,” I said, panic creeping in now. “Come here. Please.”

She broke.

A sob tore out of her chest, raw and uncontrollable, and before I could reach her, she turned and ran.

“Rose!” called, following her toward the door.

She didn’t stop.

“Rose!” I shouted again as she yanked the door open.

She disappeared into the hallway, her sobs echoing back at me like a wound ripping wider.

I stood there, frozen.

My hands clenched at my sides.

My wolf howled in fury and confusion, slamming against my ribs, but I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think.

What the fuck have I done?

The office felt empty. Too quiet. Like something precious. had just been torn out of it.

I stared at the door she’d run through, my chest aching, my mind spiraling.

All I’d wanted was to protect her.

And somehow… I’d just pushed her away.