Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 224

DAMIEN’S POV

We didn’t waste another second.

“Move. Move. Hurry,” I barked as I stormed out of the room.

The house exploded into motion around me-boots pounding marble, doors slamming, engines already roaring to life outside. Matteo was right on my heels, phone pressed to his ear, barking orders into it as we moved.

I didn’t trust myself to drive.

1 knew it the moment my hand brushed the car door and my fingers trembled. My head was too loud. My heart was too wild. If I got behind the wheel like this, I’d end up wrapping the car around a tree before we ever got close to Rose.

One of my men slid into the driver’s seat. I dropped into the back, legs bouncing, fists clenched so tight my knuckles burned.

The convoy peeled out of the mansion grounds-three cars behind us, two ahead. Headlights cut through the night like blades. The gates opened before we even reached them.

My heart was beating so fast it felt like it wanted to tear its way out of my chest.Rose was out there.

Somewhere.

And I had no idea what was happening to her.

That was the worst part. Worse than fear. Worse than rage. The not knowing.

“How far?” I snapped.

Matteo twisted in the front seat to look at me. “We’re still far, boss. Signal’s steady, but it’s not close.”

“Damn it.” I dragged my hands through my hair, fingers digging into my scalp. I couldn’t sit still. My knee bounced nonstop, a useless outlet for the storm ripping through me.

The images wouldn’t stop. Her face-pale, tears streaking her cheeks. Hands bound. Mouth taped. Some bastard’s fingers on her skin. Bruising her. Threatening her.

I slammed my fist into the seat in front of me. Viktor didn’t flinch.

“Faster,” I growled.

“We’re pushing it, boss,” he said, voice steady. “Cops’ll be on us if we go any harder.”

“Fuck the cops.”

But he was right. We couldn’t afford a chase. Not now. Not when every second counted.

The drive felt endless. Streets stretched like black ribbons, traffic lights mocking me—red, red, red.I bounced my leg impatiently, foot tapping a frantic rhythm on the floor. My skin itched. My wolf clawed at the inside of my chest, desperate to break free, to run, to hunt.

Calm down, I told myself. Breathe. Think.

But I couldn’t.

Because my mate wasn’t with me. The woman who’d become my whole world-the one who made me laugh, who challenged me, who let me tie her up and beg for more because she trusted me completely.

What if they hurt her? What if they-

No. Stop.

She was strong. Tougher than anyone gave her credit for.

She’d fight. She’d hold on untill got there.

But the fear-the bone-deep terror-wouldn’t let go. It wrapped around my throat, squeezing tighter with every passing mile.

“Are we getting any closer?” I growled in frustration.

Matteo glanced at his screen. “Boss, we’re still twenty minutes out. Traffic’s building.”

I bounced my leg even harder, the motion doing nothingto ease the storm inside. My mind raced-Salvatore?

Nothing. No blood. No signs of struggle. But her scent-faint, fading-hit me like a punch. Lavender and warmth and fear.

Her phone lay on the passenger seat. Screen cracked. Off.

I grabbed it, fingers numb.

“Boss?” Matteo approached cautiously.

I turned to him.

“The car’s parked on the side of the road. They must have switched vehicles. Somewhere along the way.”

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“Fuck!” I roared, punching the car door. Metal dented under my fist. Pain shot through my knuckles- good pain.Real. It cut through the haze:

I punched again. And again. Breathing hard, ragged, like an animat.-

My hair fell into my eyes as 1 ran my fingers through it, tugging hard. I’d never felt this-helpless, frustrated, like the world was slipping through my fingers.

She was gone. Really gone.

“We’ll find her,” I said out loud—to Matteo, to myself, to the empty night.

“Yes, sir,” Matteo said, voice steady. “All night. We’ll spend all night searching until we find her.”

The words hung there, a promise in the dark.

But as the team fanned out-checking for tracks, scents, anything-the fear whispered louder.

What if we were too late?