Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King Chapter 77

EMILIA'S POV

Silence.

Thick, choking silence.

The air in the hallway was so heavy I could barely breathe. It felt like the walls themselves were listening, waiting for someone to explode. My heart pounded in my chest, loud enough that I was sure both of them could hear it.

Pregnant.

He said I was pregnant.

My mind scrambled to make sense of it, but the words just spun and crashed against each other like broken glass. Pregnant? That wasn't possible. We'd only had sex last night. How could he think—

Maximus stood at one end of the corridor, still and terrifying, his eyes locked on me. Damien was beside me, his hand still gripping my waist like I might vanish if he let go. The air between them crackled with power, with rage, with something dangerous that made my knees weak.

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

Until Damien laughed.

It wasn't a happy sound. It was sharp and cruel, like glass shattering in the dark. He stepped forward slightly, pulling me with him, still keeping me behind the shield of his body.

"You think telling me she's pregnant with your child will stop me from claiming her?" His voice was steady, almost calm, but his eyes burned with fury. "I don't care whose child she's carrying. She's my mate. She's fucking mine."

I stiffened. His words cut through me—possessive and raw. He turned his head just enough to look at Maximus, his jaw tight.

"And just so you know," he continued, voice rising, "you're not winning this time. I gave you the throne. But I will not give you my mate. The only way you can have her is if you kill me."

The echo of his words bounced off the stone walls, sinking deep into my skin.

Maximus didn't blink. Didn't breathe.

"So be it," he said quietly.

The calm in his tone was worse than any shout. He took a slow, deliberate step forward, and something primal inside me reacted before my brain could catch up.

I moved.

Without thinking, I stepped in front of Damien, my arms outstretched, blocking him from Maximus. My heart hammered against my ribs so hard it hurt.

"Stop!" I shouted. "Nobody is killing anybody! Nobody is dying!"

My voice cracked, but I didn't care. My hands trembled as I looked between them—the two brothers, both burning with anger and rage.

Damien's breath hit my ear, his voice low and dangerous. "I love that you're protecting me," he whispered, his lips almost brushing my skin.

"Damien, be quiet," I hissed.

He chuckled softly, his breath warm against my neck. "Damn," he murmured, "I never knew my name could sound so good."

I wanted to hit him. I wanted to scream. But before I could even react, another voice sliced through the air.

"Reject him."

The words hit me like a physical blow.

I froze.

"What?" I whispered, turning toward him.

His expression was unreadable—anger, pain, desperation—all tangled into something I couldn't name. His eyes flickered, the blue bleeding into black, his beast pushing close to the surface.

"I said reject him," he repeated, louder this time. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and I could see the effort it took for him to stay still.

Damien growled behind me. "How can you say something like that, Maximus? You're cruel. Are you that desperate to steal my happiness from me?"

Maximus didn't even look at him. His gaze stayed locked on me.

I couldn't look away either. There was something in his eyes that rooted me to the ground. Something raw, something wounded.

"Reject him, Emilia," he said again.

My throat went dry. "Why?" I managed to whisper.

His jaw tightened. His hands flexed at his sides. "Because he doesn't deserve you," he said, each word trembling with control. "Because I won't let him have you."

"This isn't about me," I said softly. "This is about you and your brother."

His eyes flared. "No," he growled. "It's about you. It's about what's mine."

My stomach twisted. The air felt electric, alive with danger.

Damien stepped closer behind me, his hand brushing my shoulder in a silent claim. Maximus's eyes followed the movement like a predator tracking prey. I could almost see the restraint slipping from his body, the beast inside him clawing to break free.

"Stop," I whispered again, but it came out weak.

Maximus took another step forward. The ground seemed to tremble with the weight of his power. "Reject him," he said again, lower this time, almost like a plea.

"I said stop!" I shouted, but it didn't break the tension—it only cracked it wider.

Maximus's eyes burned into mine. "You don't understand what he's done," he said, voice shaking now, not with fear, but with rage barely contained.

"I don't care!" I shouted back, tears burning behind my eyes. "You'll destroy each other!"

Damien let out a bitter laugh. "He's already destroyed everything else, Emilia. What's one more thing?"

Maximus's head snapped toward him, and in that moment, I could feel his fury like a physical force pressing against my skin. His claws glinted, half-formed, trembling.

"Enough!" I yelled. "Both of you, stop it!"

But they weren't listening anymore.

Damien's arm circled around my waist again, pulling me back slightly. I could feel the tremor in his hand, the adrenaline rushing through him. "You see, Emilia?" he whispered, his tone soft now, almost sad. "He wants to take everything from me. He always has."

"Damien—"

"No." His grip tightened. "I lost my crown. I lost my home. I won't lose you too."

I swallowed hard, my eyes darting back to Maximus. His expression was carved from stone, but his eyes—his eyes were breaking.

He looked at me like a man standing on the edge of a cliff, about to jump and praying I'd tell him not to.

"Reject him," he said one more time, barely above a whisper.

I felt the words in my bones. I felt the command in my blood, in the strange, invisible bond that tied me to him. My body wanted to obey, but my heart rebelled.

I shook my head slowly. "You don't mean that," I whispered.

His eyes darkened. "I do."

"Then tell me something," I said, my voice trembling but steady enough to cut through the air. "If you find your mate... if she stands before you...will you reject her too?"