Chosen By The Cursed Alpha King Chapter 97

EMILIA'S POV

"Damien, no—please, listen to me—"

He didn't.

His chest was rising and falling too fast, his eyes blazing gold. His whole body trembled with fury, his hands clenched so tight I could see the veins bulging beneath his skin.

"How dare he," he hissed, his voice low and shaking. Then it exploded, raw and savage. "HOW DARE HE TOUCH YOU!"

"Damien—please—"

"Don't!" he roared, slamming his hand against the wall so hard the wood cracked beneath it. His breath came in ragged bursts, the air around him vibrating with power. "You reek of him, Emilia! HIS scent is all over you! You expect me to calm down?!"

Tears stung my eyes. "It isn't what you think—he—"

"I'm going to kill him," he growled, his voice deep and guttural, not human anymore. His pupils narrowed, gold taking over completely.

"Damien, please—" I tried to grab his arm, but he shoved past me, storming toward the door.

"Damien, stop!" I cried, but he didn't even look back. The moment he stepped outside, I felt the air shift—the calm before the storm.

I ran after him, my feet hitting the cold ground, my coat flying open behind me. "Damien!" I yelled again, but he was already halfway down the path, moving fast, his body trembling with the edge of a shift.

Then I saw him.

Maximus.

He stood at the edge of the woods, his eyes locked on us, his face pale and tense. He must've followed me.

"Perfect," Damien spat, his voice shaking with fury. "You came to finish it, didn't you?"

Maximus's eyes darkened. "I came to talk to her."

Damien didn't wait. He lunged.

His fist slammed into Maximus's jaw with a sickening crack. Maximus staggered back but didn't fall. Blood trickled down his lip, his expression calm—too calm.

"How dare you touch my mate!" Damien shouted, his voice echoing through the night.

"She's not yours," Maximus growled, his voice low but sharp like a blade.

My breath caught.

Maximus turned to me, his eyes pleading. "Emilia, please. We need to talk."

"Don't you say her name!" Damien roared. He charged again, swinging another punch, but this time Maximus caught his wrist midair and twisted. Damien grunted, fury blazing in his eyes, and struck back with his free hand.

The next second, both of them were locked in a brutal dance—fists, claws, rage.

"Stop!" I screamed, but neither of them heard me. The sound of their bodies colliding echoed like thunder.

Damien's claws slashed across Maximus's arm. Maximus's eyes flickered black for a split second before he struck back, his fist landing hard against Damien's ribs. The impact sent Damien staggering, but he only growled, his breath turning into steam in the freezing air.

"ENOUGH!" I shouted again, but they were both gone to the wild now—lost to fury and instinct.

Damien's bones began to snap and twist, his body bending forward as fur burst through his skin. His growl deepened into a monstrous sound.

"Damien, no!"

It was too late.

He shifted into his wolf—massive, dark, his eyes glowing gold like molten fire.

Maximus's expression hardened. "Don't do this," he said softly. But when Damien charged, he moved.

He grabbed Damien by the throat and threw him across the clearing. Damien hit the ground hard but was up in a second, snarling.

Maximus's own body trembled, and then he shifted too.

Not into the beast I'd seen before—but his wolf.

For a heartbeat, I forgot to breathe. His fur was silver-black, gleaming under the moonlight. His eyes—gold, bright—met mine for just a second.

Then he turned, baring his fangs.

They collided.

The sound was deafening. Growls, snarls, claws tearing into earth and flesh. The ground shook beneath their weight. I could smell the blood, hear the snap of jaws and the crash of bodies.

"STOP!" I screamed, my voice breaking. "Please stop! You're going to kill each other!"

Neither of them listened. Damien lunged again, his teeth sinking into Maximus's shoulder. Maximus howled, fury flashing through his golden eyes, and he slammed Damien to the ground with terrifying strength.

"Stop!" I cried again, running toward them, but they were a blur of fur and blood and fury.

Then Maximus pinned Damien down, his jaws closing around his throat. Damien whimpered, struggling beneath him. I froze, horror twisting in my chest.

"MAXIMUS, STOP!"

I didn't think—I just ran. I threw myself between them, pressing my hands against Maximus's chest, shielding Damien's body with mine.

"Please," I gasped, tears streaming down my face. "Please don't."

For a long, trembling moment, everything went still.

Maximus's wolf stood over me, breathing hard, his golden eyes locked on mine. Then, slowly, he stepped back.

Behind me, Damien shifted back to his human form, naked and bloodied, his chest heaving.

I turned to him, kneeling beside him. "Damien... it's okay, you're okay," I whispered, even though my own voice was shaking.

Then I felt Maximus's gaze on me again. I looked up, and he was shifting back too, his chest rising and falling, his skin slick with sweat and blood.

"Emilia," he said, his voice rough. "Please... let me explain."

I shook my head. I couldn't even look at him. "Please go. You've done enough damage for one night."

"Emilia—"

"Just go!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "Go, Maximus! Leave us alone!"

Silence.

For a moment, he just stood there, his face unreadable, his chest still heaving. Then, finally, I heard his footsteps retreating—slow, heavy, fading into the dark.

And as soon as they were gone, the weight hit me.

The mark on my neck burned. My heart ached so bad I thought it might shatter.

I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to breathe, but the only thing I could feel was the echo of his presence.

And I knew, deep down, this was far from over.