Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 251

106 Rage and Terror

106. Rage and Terror

LUCIEN’S POV

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I stood beside King Maximus, arms crossed tight over my chest, trying to focus on what the patrol warrior was saying.

The man-Rylan, one of our best border scouts-stood rigid, voice steady but urgent.

“Three humans, Your Majesty. Survey equipment. They were spotted just inside the western ridge of Crescent Moon territory this morning. Drones too-one small, one larger. They didn’t cross the

ward line, but they were mapping. Taking photos. Talking about ‘prime real estate’ and ‘clearing for

access roads.”

Maximus’s jaw ticked. “How long were they there?”

“Twenty-three minutes. Left in a black car. License plate obscured. We’ve got partial tracks.”

The king nodded slowly. “Double the patrols tonight. No engagement unless they cross the ward. We scare, we don’t show.”

Rylan dipped his head. “Understood, sire.”

I tried to listen. Tried to care about the humans creeping closer to our sacred land. But every word felt distant, like it was coming through water. My mind kept drifting back to last night-Andrea’s

bruises, the man I’d seen Naomi with. The man that looked like him.

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to shake off the unease.

And then it happened.

A sharp tug-right behind my eyes.

Like someone had hooked a line straight into my brain and yanked.

Then her voice-clear, terrified, slicing through the mind link like a scream in the dark.

‘Lucien! Your father! Your father is alive!’

Everything stopped.

My heart slammed once-hard-then seemed to freeze mid-beat.

The world tilted.

I could still hear Rylan talking, Maximus responding, but it was muffled, far away. All I could hear was her. Adele. My mate. Screaming my name through the bond.

I reached back instantly, pouring everything into the link.

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106 Rage and Terror

‘Adele? Adele!’

Nothing.

Just silence.

Dead, hollow silence where her warmth should have been.

My stomach dropped through the floor.

“Are you okay, Lucien?” Maximus’s voice cut through the fog, sharp with concern.

I shook my head-slow at first, then harder, like I could shake the truth away.

“No,” I rasped. “I can’t feel Adele. I can’t… she just told me my father is alive.”

Clam

The king’s brows snapped together. “What do you mean by that? I thought your father was dead.”

Maximus’s expression darkened. “Then how-”

“I don’t know!” The words ripped out of me. “Excuse me, Your Majesty. I have to go check on her.”

I didn’t wait for permission.

I turned and ran.

Boots pounding stone, heart slamming against my ribs so hard it hurt. The corridors blurred- servants jumping out of my way, doors flying open as I shoved through them. Every second stretched into eternity. Every heartbeat screamed her name.

‘Adele! Answer me!’

Still nothing.

The bond was there-faint, thready-but her presence was gone. Like someone had cut the line.

I reached our bedroom door and shoved it open so hard it banged against the wall.

“Adele! Adele, are you in here?”

Empty.

The bed was still made. The room smelled faintly of her-lavender and warmth-but she wasn’t

there.

Panic clawed up my throat.

I spun on my heel and sprinted toward Andrea’s room.

She’d said she was going to check on him. That was the last thing she’d told me before I left for

patrol.

I skidded around the corner. Jax was still posted outside the door, back straight, eyes alert.

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“Did my mate come here?” I demanded, voice rough.

He shook his head. “No, Beta. I haven’t seen her this morning.”

My chest squeezed tighter.

I pushed past him, shoving the door open.

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Andrea was sitting up in bed, small legs dangling over the side, spoon halfway to his mouth. A bowl of oatmeal sat on the tray in front of him. Maria was perched on the edge of the mattress, smiling gently as she wiped a smudge from his cheek.

“Good morning, Daddy!” Andrea beamed, face lighting up like the sun had just come out.

I forced a smile-tight, painful. Ruffled his hair even though my hand was shaking.

“Morning, buddy.”

I turned to Maria, voice low. “Did my mate come here? Did you see her this morning?”

Maria’s smile faded. She shook her head slowly. “No, Beta. No one’s been in except me and Andrea

since last night.”

The room spun.

I looked at Andrea again-his bright eyes, his trusting smile-and something inside me cracked.

“Take care of him,” I told Maria, voice hoarse. “Don’t leave his side. Not for anything.”

She nodded, worry etching lines around her eyes. “I won’t, Beta.”

I crouched in front of Andrea, trying to keep my voice steady. “Daddy has to take care of something, okay? I’ll see you later. Be good for Maria.”

He nodded, spoon still in his hand. “Okay, Daddy.”

I kissed the top of his head-quick, desperate-then stood.

Jax was still in the doorway.

“Watch over him,” I said. “No one in or out.”

“Yes, Beta.”

I walked out.

The door clicked shut behind me.

And then the panic hit full force.

If I’d heard her right-and goddess, I knew I had-Adele had seen my father. My dead father. And

now she was gone.

III

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The man I’d seen slapping Naomi last night… it hadn’t been a trick of the light. It hadn’t been my mind breaking. It had been him.

Alive.

Somehow.

And he’d taken her.

My mate.

The woman who’d pulled me out of the darkness my father had drowned me in.

Rage and terror crashed together, hot and violent.

I broke into a run again-toward the servants’ wing, toward the only person who might know where the hell my father had come from.

Naomi.

Where the f**k was Naomi?

I needed to find Naomi.

Right f*****g now.

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