Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 171

ROSE’S POV

My heart slammed against my ribs the second I saw her.

Scarlett.

She was leaning against the opposite wall like she owned the hallway, arms crossed under her chest, pushing up the neckline of her tight black dress. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves, red lips curved into that sharp, knowing smirk that made my skin crawl. Those green eyes locked onto mine, cold and amused, like a cat watching a mouse it already knows it’s going to play with.

I stopped dead, my heels clicking once on the marble floor before everything went silent.

I folded my arms tight across my chest, trying to hide the way my hands were already shaking. I forced my voice to stay steady, even though it wanted to crack.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, glaring hard. “Don’t tell me you’re following us.”

Scarlett laughed-soft, musical, and completely fake. The sound bounced off the marble walls and grated against my nerves.

“Of course not, darling,” she said, pushing off the wall and taking a slow step closer. “I saw you two walk in. Couldn’tresist coming over to say hello.”

Her perfume hit me next-something expensive and heavy, like smoke and spice. It made my stomach twist.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I could feel my nails digging into my palms, sharp enough that I had to focus hard to keep my claws from sliding out. She was human. She couldn’t know what I was. I couldn’t tet her see.

Scarlett’s smirk widened, like she could sense how much she was getting under my skin.

“You’re really not the type of woman Damien needs,” she said, voice silky but cruel. “You’re too… innocent for him.

‘ You’re holding him back. Stopping him from being himself.”

That word again.

Innocent.

It hit me like a slap, same as it had at the table. Something hot and angry boiled up in my chest, burning away the fear for a second.

“What do you mean?” I demanded, stepping forward without thinking. My voice came out sharper than I expected.

Her eyes lit up, like she’d been waiting for me to ask.

She took another step closer, close enough that I could see the perfect wing of her eyeliner, the gloss on her lips.

She tilted her head, studying me like I was something small and breakable.

“Let’s just say,” she murmured, voice dropping low, ” Damien is the type of man who has dark desires. Very dark desires. And he needs a real woman—one who can handle them. One who can help him fulfill them.”

The way she said it-slow, intimate, like she was sharing a dirty little secret-made my blood run cold and hot at the same time.

Jealousy slammed into me so hard I almost staggered.

She was talking about my Damien.

My mate.

Like she knew him better than I did.

Like she’d been there.

My throat tightened. “What do you know about my fiance’s desires?” I asked, hating how small my voice sounded now.

Scarlett’s smile turned sharp, almost pitying.

My claws were pricking at my fingertips now. I could feel them trying to push through skin. I shoved my hands deeper into fists, nails cutting half-moons into my palms.

I would not shift.

Not here.

Not in front of her.

Scarlett leaned down slightly, her face inches from mine, and whispered the final blow.

“Ever heard of BDSM, little Rose?” Her voice was pure poison wrapped in silk. “Maybe you should ask him about it. Though I doubt he’ll tell you everything… since you’re too innocent for things like that.”She straightened, gave me one last slow, satisfied smile-like she’d just won something-and turned on her heel.

Her heels clicked away down the hall, sharp and final, until she disappeared around the corner.

And I stood there.

Alone.

Heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

Chest heaving like I’d been running.

Mind spinning with a thousand questions each one louder than the other.

Just what kind of relationship did she and Damien have?

And what parts of himself was he hiding from me?