บททั้งหมดของ The Cursed Alpha’s Only Mate: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

Third POVBeta Emrich walked beside Hecate through the torchlit corridors, his boots echoing against the stone floor. The castle was settling into the quiet rhythm of evening, servants hurrying to finish their tasks before nightfall, guards shifting at their posts. The healer moved with an easy grace, her black velvet cloak whispering against the flags."I confess I expected the king to be more frightening," Hecate said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "The stories they tell about him, the monster who tears men apart with his bare hands. One expects horns and smoke."Emrich laughed, a low respectful sound. "His reputation precedes him, but King Maddox is not the beast the bards sing about. Not entirely, at least." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "He has learned to control the curse better over the years. It still haunts him, but he no longer loses himself as he once did."Hecate nodded thoughtfully, her dark eyes scanning the walls, the tapestries, the faces of the guards t

Third POVLady Hecate entered the king's dining room like a vision carved from moonlight and shadow. Her fitted dress hugged every curve, the elegant fabric shifting with each step she took. The train dragged softly against the stone floor, a whisper of silk that seemed to echo in the otherwise silent hall. King Maddox had summoned her to join him for dinner, a private affair away from the prying eyes of the court.In secret, he had been counting the minutes until her arrival.Maddox could not remember the last time he had felt this stirred by the mere presence of a woman. Years, perhaps. Not since Samantha. But there was something about Hecate that cut through the numbness he had wrapped around himself like armor. Maybe it was her stunning beauty, the kind that came with age and experience, not the fragile bloom of youth. Maybe it was her irreverent attitude, the way she spoke to him without the usual fawning deference. Whatever it was, he found himself intrigued in a way that both

Third POVThe morning light filtered through the tall windows of Hecate's studio, casting pale golden rectangles across the stone floor. Shelves of dried herbs lined the walls, their fragrant scent filling the air with something wild and ancient. A large wooden table dominated the center of the room, covered in mortars, pestles, glass vials, and bundles of roots tied with twine.Ysabella stood near the window, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression a careful mask of reluctance. She had been assigned to assist the new healer, and she had made it abundantly clear that she was not pleased about it.Every time Hecate asked for something, Ysabella complied with an exaggerated sigh. A pinch of lavender. Crush these seeds. Heat this water. Each task was met with a roll of her dark eyes and a sharp exhale through her nose.Hecate worked in silence for a while, grinding dried leaves into a fine powder, her movements precise and unhurried. Then she set down her mortar and turned to fa

Third POVSleep would not come.Maddox had lain in his bed for hours, staring at the canopy above, counting the cracks in the stone ceiling, listening to the wind howl outside his window. His mind would not quiet. The guilt would not settle. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Odette's pale face or Samantha's tear streaked cheeks or the blood on his own hands.He rose before midnight and dressed in silence. The castle was dark, the corridors empty, the guards nodding at their posts. He walked without purpose, his footsteps echoing off the stone, his breath misting in the cold air.Somehow, without meaning to, he found himself outside Hecate's studio.The door was slightly ajar, golden light spilling through the gap. He could hear the soft clink of glass vials, the gentle rustle of dried herbs, the murmur of a voice speaking words he could not understand.He pushed the door open without knocking.Hecate stood at her worktable with her back to him. Her heavy black hair was piled into

Third POVThe kiss with Hecate had reignited something inside Maddox that he did not want to feel. This inexplicable attraction to her was killing him. Having to see her always near, always within reach, and not being able to have her was tearing him apart from the inside out.He did not like feeling this way. It was one thing to be attracted to a beautiful woman. That was natural, harmless. But this attraction ran so deep, burned so hot, that it threatened to rival what he had felt for Samantha. And that was unacceptable. He would never love another woman the way he had loved Samantha. No matter how tempting Hecate might be.The snow had let up slightly, and Maddox stood in the training yard behind the castle, his chest bare despite the biting cold. His breath fogged in the air, but his skin steamed with exertion. He pounded his fists into a heavy punching bag, each strike landing with a dull thud that echoed off the stone walls.His men trained around him, but he barely saw them.