Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King (Emilia) novel Chapter 81

Maximus’s POV

I should have been resting, but I couldn’t. My mind wouldn’t stop.

Something inside me kept putling, whispering, telling me to go somewhere.

That was how I ended up here-inside the royal study.

The room was huge, with tall shelves reaching the ceiling, packed full cf books. The air smelled old, heavy with dust and secrets. The fire in the corner had almost burned out, and the only light came from a small lamp on the desk.

I didn’t even know what I was searching for. I only knew I had to find something. Anything.

Those shadows Soraya spoke about… if they were truly real, they must have existed long before now. Maybe there was something written about them. Something that could tell me how to stop them.

There had to be another way-a way that didn’t involve losing Emilia.

Because I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t.

I sat down at the desk, the wood creaking under my weight. Dozens of books were already piled around me. Old records. Laws. Family histories. Useless things. I opened another one and began to flip through the pages.

Nothing.

Another book. More lists. Dates. Wars. Names of kings who’d died long before I was born.

Still nothing.

I rubbed a hand across my face and let out a low growl of frustration.

“Damn it.”

The sound echoed across the room.

I pushed the books away and stood. My chest felt tight, my thoughts racing. If those things were already spreading into the packs, I was running out of time. Soon the entire kingdom would panic. They’d think I’d failed them-that I was weak.

I couldn’t allow that.

started pacing, my boots tapping softly against the floor. The light rom the lamp threw my shadow across the wall, long and sharp. I could feel anger boiling inside me, mixing with fear.

All wanted was to protect my people. To protect her.

My steps slowed as I stopped near the far side of the room. I looked up at the shelves. Row after row of books stared back at me-silent, old, and useless.

reached out and began pulling them down one by one, flipping through them fast. Dust rose into the air, making me cough.

Nothing about the shadows. Nothing about Milandra. Nothing at all.

Just endless words about trade, laws, treaties, and royal births.

I slammed another book shut.

“This is pointless,” I muttered under my breath.

My temper snapped.

I turned and kicked the lower part of one of the shelves. Hard.

The sound echoed like thunder through the empty study.

And then-something moved

A soft thud broke the silence.

I looked up just in time to see a book fall from the very top shelf. It hit my shoulder before dropping to the floor.

barely felt the pain.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Perfect,” I muttered. “Just what I needed.”

I almost ignored it. But something about that book caught my eye.

I froze.

The drop of blood slid down the metal slowly, and then-

The lock shuddered.

jerked back, eyes wide, as a faint red light glowed beneath the surface. It was soft at first, almost hidden-but then it spread, pulsing Like a heartbeat.

A strange sound followed, like the click of a door unlocking from the inside.

The padlock snapped open.

Just like that.

I stared at it, my chest rising and falling fast. My thumb still stung, but I barely felt it.

Slowly, carefully, I touched the book again. The lock hung loose, its glow fading back into darkness.

What in the Goddess’s name…

I swallowed hard. My mind raced. Why would my blood unlock it?

What kind of book was this?

1 had a feeling I already knew the answer-and I didn’t like it.

I sat back in my chair, staring down at the red cover, my heartbeat echoing in my ears.

Every instinct in me screamed that whatever was inside this book wasn’t meant to be found.

But it was too late to turn back now.

The lock had opened. And I was about to find out what was inside.