Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 174

DAMIEN’S POV

The question hung in the air between us like smoke-thick, choking, impossible to ignore.

What is BDSM, Damien?’

My mouth opened. Closed. No words came.

My mind raced, trying to grab onto something-anything that would make this right. But all I could see was the hurt in her eyes, the way her bottom lip trembled even though she was trying so hard to hold it together.

Finally, I forced the words out. “Who told you that?”

Rose’s eyes flashed, dark and stormy. She took a step closer, voice shaking with anger. “Isn’t that the type of things you like? But you’ve never done any of it with me.”

Her hands clenched at her sides.

“What-you think I’m too

innocent? You think I can’t fulfill those desires?”

“What the fuck, Rose-no.” I stepped forward, reaching for her, but she jerked back like my hands were fire.

She shook her head hard, curls bouncing. “Scarlett told me everything.” She made air quotes with her fingers, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Dark desires. She said you need a real woman for them. But apparently I can’t handle it.”

Her words sliced into me. Scarlett. That poisonous bitch.”Why don’t you just go be with her?” Rose’s voice cracked on the last word. “You let her touch you. Goddess, Damien thinking about you and her together makes me so mad I want to kill her. I want to scratch that stupid face off!”

Her chest rose and fell fast, eyes blazing. Jealousy poured off her in waves, raw and fierce.

If this were any other moment, I would’ve smiled. Hell, I would’ve pulled her close and kissed her senseless because my mate being this possessive? It was hot as hell. Knowing she wanted me that much, that she’d fight for me—it lit something primal inside my chest.

But right now, she wasn’t just jealous. She was hurt.

Bleeding. And it was killing me.

She whispered the next part, voice small and broken. ” Have you been pretending with me? Holding back who you really are… what you really want?”

I closed the distance between us in two strides, hands finally catching her arms gently but firmly. She tried to pull away, but I didn’t let her. Not this time.

“Rose, baby…it’s not like that. It’s just that-”

“I’m too innocent.” She looked up at me, eyes glassy.

The way she finished my sentence…like she already knew the worst-gutted me.

I shook my head fast. “No, baby. No.” My thumbs brushed over her bare arms, trying to soothe even though I knew nothing would fix this until i explained. “I just… I wanted to be different with you. I wanted to be soft. Just for you.”

Her brows pulled together, confusion mixing with the anger. “I want the real you, Damien.” Her voice rose again, sharp and desperate. “If you can do those things with some human girl, why do you think I can’t handle them?”

My jaw clenched. Heat and frustration and fear alt tangled together in my gut.

“Rose, you don’t understand the kind of things I’m into.”

“Then make me understand!” she shot back, eyes fierce.

I dragged a hand through my hair, pacing one step away before turning back to her. My wolf was snarling, pacing, wanting to claim her, comfort her, protect her from even this conversation.

But she deserved the truth.

“I don’t want to scare you,” I admitted, voice low and rough.

That was the wrong thing to say.

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. She lunged forward and hit my chest-hard-with both palms. Not enough to hurt, but enough to shock me.

“You fucking did it with that stupid human girl, and you think I’ll be scared?!”The second hit came, and the third. Tears were streaming down her face now, but she didn’t stop.

I caught her wrists gently, pulling her against me even as she fought. “Rose–stop.”

She struggled for a second longer, then went still, breathing hard against my chest.

“She didn’t mean anything to me,” I said fiercely, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of her head. “Nothing. I wasn’t scared of losing her. I didn’t care if I broke her.”

Rose went very still in my arms.

Challenge.

Trust.

My control frayed at the edges.

“Rose…” I warned, voice gravel-rough. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“Then show me,” she said, lifting her chin again. “I’m not made of glass, Damien. I’m your mate. I can take it.”

– Fuck.

Every word hit me like gasoline on a fire. My hands flexed against her skin, itching to grip harder, to claim, to show her exactly how deep the darkness went.

But the fear was still there-sharp and cold under the heat.

If I let go… if I showed her everything…

Would she still look at me the same way tomorrow?

Would she still want me?

Or would she run?

swallowed hard, throat tight.

“You really want to know?” | asked, voice low and dangerous even to my own ears.

She didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

One word.

And it changed everything.