Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 197

LUCIEN’S POV

“You don’t… you don’t remember?”

Naomi’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through the thick silence like a blade. Her eyes searched mine, wide and glassy, waiting for something recognition, maybe, or forgiveness. I had none to give.

“Remember what?” I snapped, the words tasting like ash.

Anger flared hot in my chest, chasing away the cold shock that had settled there moments ago. “What the hell am I supposed to remember, Naomi?”

She flinched, but didn’t back down. Andrea pressed closer to her side, his small hand fisted in her dress. She took a shaky breath, then another, like she was steeling herself for a blow.

“One night… you got drunk.”

I laughed-short, bitter, disbelieving. “Drunk?” I took a step toward her, my shadow falling over them both.

“I don’t get drunk, Naomi. Not like that. Not blackout, stumbling, can’t-remember-my-own-name drunk. So whatever memory you’re trying to sell me, it’s bullshit.”

Her chin lifted, just a fraction. “You did that night.”

The king shifted behind his desk; I heard the creak of leather but didn’t look at him. Every ounce of myattention was pinned on the woman in front of me and the impossible story spilling from her lips.

“I helped you to your room,” she went on, voice trembling but steady enough to keep going. “You wouldn’t let me leave. You… you started talking about your father.”

Just the mention of him froze me solid. My blood turned to ice in my veins. Memories I kept locked in the darkest corner of my mind rattled their cage…his voice, sharp and cruel; the weight of his hatred. I felt my jaw clench so hard it ached.

“You sounded so hurt,” Naomi whispered. “So broken. I couldn’t just walk away and leave you like that.”

stared at her, waiting for the rest. Dreading it.

“Then we…we had sex.”

The words landed between us like a bomb. The room went deadly quiet. Even the air seemed to stop moving. My wolf snarled inside me, confused and furious, clawing at the walls of my chest.

I shook my head slowly, trying to dislodge the insanity of it. “No,” I said, voice low and dangerous. “That didn’t happen. I would remember that.”

“You were drunk,” she said again, softer this time. “You passed out right after. The next morning you acted like nothing had happened-like you didn’t remember a thing.

I was terrified you’d be angry if I brought it up. Terrified ofwhat it would mean. So when I found out I was pregnant …” Her voice cracked. “I lied. I told everyone I’d found my mate in another pack. I left before anyone could question it.”

My mind reeled. I searched every corner of my memory for that night-any flicker, any fragment. Nothing. Just a blank wall where something should have been. It made me feel sick.

I’m going crazy right now,” I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. My skin felt too tight, like it might split.” How do I know you’re not lying? How do I know any of this is real?”

Naomi reached into the small bag slung over her shoulder with trembling fingers. She pulled out a folded sheet of paper and held it out to me. “I brought a DNA test. If you think it’s fake, you can have the hospital here run another one.”

My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I could feel it in my throat. I didn’t want to take the paper. I didn’t want to touch it. But my hand moved anyway, closing the distance, fingers brushing hers as I snatched it from her grasp. They were ice cold.

I unfolded it with hands that wouldn’t stop shaking.

A scent, a touch, a drunken confession. Something. But there was nothing. Just emptiness where a night of my Life should have been.

Behind me, a small, broken voice spoke up.

“Does Daddy not want me?”

I stopped dead.

Andrea was staring at the floor, his lower lip trembling.

Naomi dropped to her knees beside him, wrapping her arms around his tiny shoulders.

“Of course not, baby,” she murmured, stroking his hair.” Daddy loves you. He’s just…surprised.”

I turned slowly. The boy lifted his head, and those eyes-my eyes-met mine. There was so much uncertainty in them it felt like a punch to the chest.

Then he took a hesitant step forward. Just one. Then another. His little shoes scuffed softly against the floor.

He stopped a couple feet away, craning his neck to look up at me.

“Daddy,” he said, voice small and shaking,”

“Please let us stay.”