Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 236

DAMIEN’S POV

The second the car screeched to a stop in front of the palace, I was already moving.

I kicked the door open, Rose cradled tight against my chest, her body still limp, still freezing. My boots hit the gravel hard. “Guards!” I roared, voice cracking through the night like thunder. “Get the Queen! NOW!”

Two guards snapped to attention, sprinting ahead of me toward the main entrance. Lights flicked on everywhere-hallway chandeliers. The whole palace woke up in seconds.

I didn’t wait for them to open doors. I shouldered through, carrying her like she was made of glass. Her head rested against my shoulder, hair tangled and sticky with dried blood. Every breath she took was so shallow I could barely feel it against my neck.

“Move!” I barked at a servant who froze in the hallway. He jumped aside.

The private medical wing was on the east side-sterile white corridors, the smell of antiseptic hitting me like a wall. I burst through the double doors, shouting again.

“Doctor! Where the hell is he?”

Nurses appeared out of nowhere, wheeling a gurney toward me. I laid her down as gently as I could, eventhough every muscle in my body was screaming to hold her tighter. The second her back touched the mattress, I stepped back just enough for them to work, but | didn’t let go of her hand.

Her fingers were ice-cold. Lifeless.

One of the nurses hooked up monitors. Beeps filled the room-slow, irregular, terrifying. The heart rate tine looked like it was barely trying.

I ran my fingers through her hair, pushing the bloody strands away from her face. “Come on, baby,” I whispered, voice shaking so bad I barely recognized it. “Don’t give up on me. Please. You’re stronger than this. You have to be.”

The head doctor rushed in—Dr Harlan. He took one look at her and his face tightened.

“Pulse is weak,” he said, pressing two fingers to her throat. “Very weak. Blood pressures crashing. She’s been injected with multiple substances-paralytics, sedatives.

Her body’s in shock. It’s fighting, but it’s…it’s struggling.”

I felt the floor tilt under me.

“What did they give her?” My voice came out hoarse.

“Hard to say without bloodwork. Sedatives, paralytics, maybe experimental compounds. Her regenerative abilities are kicking in, but it’s slow. She’s barely hanging on.”

Barely hanging on.The words stabbed straight through my chest.

I leaned over her, forehead touching hers. “You hear that, Rose? You’re fighting. Keep fighting. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

The monitors kept beeping-too slow, too quiet.

I couldn’t breathe right. My lungs felt crushed.

Then the door burst open behind me.

Emilia flew in first, nightgown fluttering, hair wild, Maximus right behind her, shirt half-buttoned like they’d both jumped out of bed.

She didn’t hesitate. She shoved past the nurses and dropped to her knees beside the bed.

“Rose,” she breathed, voice trembling. She reached out and ran her fingers gently through Rose’s hair, the same way I had been doing. Then she looked up at me.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, but steady. “She’ll be fine,” she said softly. “She has to be.”

I wanted to believe her. God, I wanted to. But I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes, hot and dangerous. I hadn’t cried since I was a kid. Not once. But right now?! was seconds away.

Emilia didn’t wait for permission. She took a small silver knife and sliced across her palm without flinching. Blood welled up, dark and rich.She pressed her hand to Rose’s lips, tilting her head back gently so the blood could drip inside.

“You’re fine now,” she whispered, over and over, like a lullaby. “You’re fine, Rose. You’re safe. Drink. Come back to us.”

I couldn’t look away. My heart was slamming so hard against my ribs I thought it might crack them. Every drop felt like a lifeline. Every second stretched forever.

She’s… she’s going to be okay now. You need rest.”

Emilia shook her head. “We’re not leaving.”

Maximus gave me a look that said the same thing without words.

So we stayed.

The room grew quiet except for the steady beep of themonitors, stronger now, more even. Rose’s chest rose and fell in a rhythm that actually looked like breathing. Color kept returning-pink to her lips, faint flush to her cheeks.

The bruises tooked less angry. Her hand in mine felt almost human again.

I sat on the edge of the bed, thumb stroking the back of her hand, over and over. I didn’t dare tet go.

Minutes passed. Maybe ten. Maybe twenty. Time didn’t matter.

Then-slowly-her eyelids fluttered.

Once.

Twice.

Her fingers curled weakly around mine.

My heart stopped.

Her lips moved, barely a breath.

“Damien…”