Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King Chapter 104

MAXIMUS'S POV

The cold night wind brushed against my face as I stood on the balcony, watching the crowd below. The royal hall glowed like fire—hundreds of lanterns swinging above, banners fluttering in the night. From here, the people looked small, their laughter distant, their excitement a cruel reminder of how unaware they were.

They had no idea what was coming.

Lucien stood beside me, silent. He'd been quiet since we arrived, his body stiff, his eyes darting toward me every few seconds like he was afraid of what I might say next. His worry hung heavy in the air, pressing down on both of us.

I could feel his tension almost as much as my own.

He finally let out a slow breath, his hands resting on the balcony rail. "They look happy," he said, voice low, uncertain.

"They won't be for long," I muttered.

He turned his head sharply, eyes narrowing. "Your Majesty..."

I didn't look at him. My gaze stayed fixed on the people below. Packs from every corner of the kingdom—wolves who'd sworn loyalty to me, wolves who feared me, wolves who despised me but came because they had no choice.

All of them walking into the hall I'd filled with mirrors.

It looked beautiful, almost ethereal. Every wall glittered, every reflection catching the flicker of light like shards of stars. But beneath the beauty was something dark, something meant to expose.

Lucien shifted beside me. I could feel the question burning in his throat before he said it.

"Why did you suddenly cover the hall with mirrors?"

I turned my head slowly, meeting his stare. His face was lined with concern. I could see the way his jaw twitched, the way his fingers drummed against the railing.

"You'll see," I said quietly.

His brow furrowed. "You keep saying that, and it's not helping."

"It's not supposed to help," I replied. My tone came out sharper than I intended.

He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "You're doing something reckless again, aren't you?"

I didn't answer.

Because maybe I was.

The truth was, I wasn't sure anymore where reason ended and the curse began.

Emilia. Every breath I took without her near felt wrong, heavy, incomplete. The beast inside me twisted, restless, demanding her scent, her touch, her presence.

And she wasn't here.

My jaw tightened as I scanned the crowd again. I kept expecting to see her. But she wasn't there. Neither was Damien.

A muscle in my neck twitched.

Lucien's voice broke through my thoughts again. "Your Majesty, whatever you're planning, you need to think—"

"I have thought," I cut in. "More than you know."

He hesitated, his lips parting like he wanted to argue, but he stopped himself. I could tell he didn't trust his words. Didn't trust me, maybe.

He stared down at the hall again, then back at me. "We should go inside," he said quietly. "They're waiting."

I didn't move at first. My fingers dug into the balcony rail until the marble cracked beneath my grip.

I could feel my heartbeat pulsing in my throat. Too fast. Too loud.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

I had called this gathering to make a statement—to remind every pack that I was still their King, still the Alpha above all Alphas. But beneath that... beneath the order and the ceremony... this was about her. About the mark I'd placed on Emilia and the storm it had unleashed.

My chest tightened painfully. The thought of her hiding from me, hating me, tore through the thin layer of control I had left.

Lucien turned toward the door. "Your Majesty."

I finally tore my gaze from the crowd and looked at him. The worry in his eyes was almost unbearable.

"It'll be fine," I said, though the words tasted like a lie.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.

He didn't look convinced.

"Will it?" he asked.

I didn't answer. Instead, I forced myself to walk toward the doors leading into the royal hall. The guards bowed as I passed, their eyes flicking nervously between me and Lucien. They could probably feel it—the unease crawling through the air, thick as smoke.

As soon as the doors opened, silence fell.

Hundreds of eyes turned toward me. Every wolf in the room bowed, heads lowered in respect—or fear. Probably both.

The hall shimmered with reflections. My reflection. A thousand versions of me stared back from the mirrored walls, every one colder than the last. The chandeliers cast light across their faces, making me look like something more beast than man.

Lucien stepped in behind me, his presence a small comfort. But even he couldn't drown out the heavy silence pressing against my chest.

Then I saw her.

Raina.

She stood near the center of the hall, dressed in white silk that caught the light like frost. Her hair spilled over her shoulders, her green eyes sharp, curious—and when they met mine, my heart skipped a beat.

She smiled faintly, but there was tension in it, something brittle beneath the surface.

For a moment, I couldn't breathe.

I clenched my hand into a fist to stop it from trembling.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to walk forward, each step echoing loudly through the silence.

Lucien trailed close behind, and I could feel his anxiety growing by the second. His voice whispered at my side, barely audible. "Your Majesty, if you're wrong about this, if this goes bad—"

"I know," I cut him off softly.

I could hear the doubt in his breath. The quiet, hopeless kind.

The crowd stayed bowed until I reached the center of the hall. I could feel their fear. Smell it. It mixed with the scent of perfume, wine, and candle smoke until it was almost suffocating.

I turned slightly, catching sight of my reflection again. My eyes glowed faintly. My jaw clenched.

Lucien shifted beside me, clearly uncomfortable. "Your Majesty," he murmured, "you look like you're about to explode."

"Maybe I am," I whispered.

My gaze drifted to the door again, scanning the crowd one last time. Hoping. Searching.

Still no Emilia.

The ache in my chest deepened, twisting into something darker.

Every second without her near me made everything worse.

I drew a slow breath, forcing the storm back down. Not here. Not now.

I had to stay in control.

I had to make them believe I was still their King.

My eyes met Raina's again, and this time, she tilted her head slightly, studying me. There was confusion there, maybe suspicion. She could sense something had changed.

I clenched my jaw.

I hope I'm making the right decision, I thought.

Because if I'm not—everyone is going to suffer.