Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King Chapter 105

MAXIMUS'S POV

"Rise," I commanded.

Hundreds of heads lifted. The rustle of movement filled the royal hall as my people straightened, their faces turned toward me, waiting. Expectant. Curious.

I let the silence stretch, my gaze sweeping over the sea of faces—Alphas, Betas, warriors, nobles. Some looked proud. Others afraid. All of them unaware of what was really happening tonight.

"Thank you," I began, my voice deep, steady. "For honoring my invitation."

Murmurs rippled faintly through the crowd. I caught their glances—people leaning close, whispering, wondering why I'd called such a gathering so suddenly.

"I brought you all here," I continued, "to remind you that we are one."

The hall fell silent again. The only sound was the faint hum of the chandeliers above, the glint of their light dancing across the mirrored walls.

"It doesn't matter what pack you come from," I said slowly. "It doesn't matter what rank you hold, or whose territory you claim. At the end of the day, we are one kingdom. One people."

I paused, letting the words settle. My voice dropped slightly, a quiet edge beneath the calm.

"And I am still your King."

The silence grew heavier. Some lowered their heads again in respect. Others looked uneasy. I could feel their uncertainty, their confusion at my tone.

Then I forced a faint smile and raised my hand. "So tonight," I said, "I want you all to have fun."

The tension in the room loosened just a little. A few nervous laughs echoed. The music started again in the corner, soft and hesitant. The crowd began to move, talking quietly among themselves, trying to pretend everything was normal.

Lucien leaned close to me, his brow furrowed. "That's it?" he whispered.

I didn't look at him. "Make sure all the doors and windows in this hall are closed."

He blinked. "What?"

I turned my head slowly, meeting his confused stare. "You heard me."

For a moment, he didn't move. Then, seeing the look in my eyes, he swallowed and nodded, stepping away to give the order.

I watched him go, my hand slipping into the pocket of my jacket. My fingers brushed against the small, cold device hidden there.

The remote.

The mirrors gleamed back at me from every wall—hundreds of them, polished until they looked like water. The light from the chandeliers reflected endlessly, like a thousand watching eyes.

Perfect.

I climbed the steps to the raised platform at the end of the hall. From here, I could see everyone. The laughter, the music, the clinking glasses—it all looked almost peaceful. Almost.

But I could feel it.

The wrongness in the air. The faint, electric pulse beneath my skin.

They were here.

I exhaled slowly and pressed the button.

The chandeliers flickered. Then, one by one, the lights went out.

Gasps echoed through the hall. Only a single beam of light remained, glowing faintly from the center of the ceiling. It wasn't enough to see clearly—just enough to cast long, thin shadows across the floor.

People murmured in confusion.

"What's happening?"

"Why did the lights—?

"Stay calm!"

I didn't move. My gaze locked on the mirrors.

And then I saw it.

The first shadow.

It moved inside the glass like smoke, twisting, writhing. For a second, it took shape—the faint outline of a woman. Then it convulsed, its form warping, melting into blackness again.

My chest tightened. The mirror was forcing the thing to reveal itself.

Good.

I turned off a few more lights, leaving the hall dimmer still. My people wouldn't notice the creature. I needed them distracted. I couldn't risk panic.

The shadow inside the mirror clawed at the glass as if trying to escape. Its form flickered between woman and void, before finally collapsing into smoke and vanishing completely.

One gone.

I gritted my teeth, scanning the other mirrors.

How many more?

The crowd below kept talking, laughing nervously, pretending to enjoy the feast laid out for them. They had no idea they were standing in the middle of a battlefield.

My eyes caught movement near the back of the hall. A guard.

He was walking strangely—too stiff, too quiet, like every step was an effort. He moved toward the wall, toward one of the exits Lucien had just ordered sealed.

My instincts roared.

I turned my head slightly, pretending not to look, and glanced at the mirror behind him.

There.

His reflection wasn't his.

It was darkness. Shifting. Writhing.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears.

He wasn't a guard.

He was one of them.

Slowly, the thing in the mirror turned its head. Its eyes—black, empty pits—met mine.

It sneered, the corner of its mouth curling into something not human.

Then the guardlooked up too, locking eyes with me from across the room.

For a moment, no one else noticed. The music still played. Laughter still filled the air.

But I could feel it—the silent challenge between us.

You see me.

I see you.

The shadow's form began to flicker again, the mirror forcing it to unravel. Its face twisted, its mouth opening in a soundless scream.

And then—

It burst.

A violent ripple of darkness exploded from its body, dissolving into thin air before it could reach anyone.

The crowd gasped as a gust of cold wind swept through the room. Some looked around, startled, but the illusion of normalcy held.

For now.

I stayed perfectly still, my eyes darting from one mirror to the next. I searched for any trace of movement, any reflection that didn't match.

Nothing.

The silence stretched again.

Then something flickered beside me.

Instinct took over.

My hand shot up just in time to catch it—an arrow, inches from my head.

The wood splintered in my grip, the metal tip glinting faintly in the dim light. My eyes snapped toward where it came from, but before I could move—

The doors to the royal hall burst open.

The sound slammed through the hall like thunder.

Gasps erupted. The crowd turned toward the entrance, panic finally breaking through the illusion.

My body tensed, every muscle ready.

Because whatever came through that door... wasn't coming to bow.

And deep down, I knew—

The real battle had just begun.