Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King Chapter 73

EMILIA'S POV

The moment I closed the door behind me, my body betrayed me.

My knees buckled, slamming against the polished floor, and a sharp hiss tore from my lips. I clutched at my stomach, the pain twisting through me like a knife, like something alive gnawing at me from the inside.

Cold. Hot. Cold again.

I couldn't make sense of it. My skin burned as though fire licked across it, yet my bones rattled with a chill that made me shiver so violently my teeth clacked.

What was happening to me?

My breaths came short and ragged. The air in the room thickened, pressing down on me, suffocating, heavy. I dragged myself forward, palms scraping against the floor until I reached the bed. My arms trembled as I pulled myself up, clawing at the sheets until I managed to crawl on top.

The moment I sank into the mattress, I yanked the covers over me, desperate for warmth. But it wasn't enough.

It was too much.

Heat slammed into me, suffocating, searing my skin. My chest heaved as I kicked the blankets off with a strangled cry, sweat dripping down my temples. My hands trembled, my body refusing to obey me.

I pressed my palm against my stomach, as though I could hold whatever this was inside me, contain it. But the twisting grew sharper, angrier, until I curled into myself, gasping.

"Goddess," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "What is happening to me?"

A flash of memory stabbed through me.

The forest. The night air thick with energy. The barrier that had burst out of me, unbidden, wild and strange. The copper tang on my tongue. The way Maximus had stared at me like I was something other, something impossible.

Was this the price of surviving him? Of surviving... myself?

My skin burned. My veins felt alive, crawling under my flesh like serpents. My nails dug into my arms as I rocked back and forth, whispering to myself, begging for it to stop.

It didn't.

It only grew worse.

The walls seemed to close in around me. The massive room—too large, too luxurious—suddenly felt like a prison. The air was too thick, too hot, pressing against my chest until I couldn't breathe.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "I can't—"

I stumbled off the bed, my legs weak, nearly sending me crashing to the floor. Somehow, I forced them to move, step by step, until I reached the window. My fingers fumbled with the latch before I shoved it open.

Cool air rushed in from the gardens, sweeping across my sweat-slick skin. I leaned against the frame, dragging in greedy gulps of air, my chest rising and falling rapidly. For a moment, just a moment, I thought it would be enough.

It wasn't.

The breeze wasn't strong enough. The air wasn't clean enough.

My hands shook as I shoved myself away from the window, stumbling toward the door. I couldn't stay in here. I couldn't stay trapped inside these walls that felt like they were closing around me.

When I tore the door open, the guards stationed outside straightened instantly, their eyes sharp and alert. But when they saw me, their gazes softened with something I hated—concern.

"Are you alright?" one of them asked, stepping forward as though to steady me.

I shook my head violently, raising a trembling hand. "Don't. Don't touch me. I just—" My voice cracked, breaking into a whisper. "I just need air."

They didn't move to stop me. They couldn't. No one could.

I walked as fast as my weak legs would allow, ignoring the tremor in my body, ignoring the way the guards' eyes followed me down the hall. My bare feet slapped against the cold stone, my lungs burning as though I'd been running.

The moment I stepped outside, the morning breeze wrapped around me, cool and sharp, carrying with it the scents of earth, dew, and roses. I closed my eyes and tilted my face to the wind, pulling it into me like salvation.

For the first time since the pain started, my heartbeat slowed. My trembling lessened, just slightly, enough for me to breathe without choking.

I wrapped my arms around myself, holding on, grounding myself in the chill. The garden stretched before me, beautiful and endless, but I could barely see it. My vision blurred, spots dancing before my eyes.

What was happening to me?

The question hammered in my skull again and again. Was this some curse left behind by Maximus' touch? Or was it something else—something far more terrifying?

The thought of the forest rose again, unbidden. That strange power. That barrier of energy that had exploded out of me like it had been waiting for centuries. Could this... be connected?

The breeze kissed my skin, soothing me just enough that I began to think—maybe I'd survive this. Maybe it would pass. Maybe it was nothing more than my body rebelling after everything it had endured.

But then—

A sound split the quiet.

A growl.

Low. Dangerous.

My eyes flew open.

Every nerve in my body went rigid, my breath catching in my throat. I spun, searching the shadows of the garden, my heart hammering so violently I thought it might burst free.

The growl came again, closer this time.

Before I could move—before I could even scream—a hand seized me.

Strong. Unyielding.

The world tilted as I was spun around, my body colliding against a chest so hard, so warm, I gasped. Arms wrapped around me, caging me in, holding me flush against him.

I froze.

I didn't dare breathe.

And then—he buried his face in the curve of my neck.

My entire body went still.

His breath was hot against my skin, his grip desperate, as though he'd been searching for me his entire life. My heart thundered, a wild drum in my chest.

And then, in a voice that was both rough and broken, he whispered a single word.

"Mate."