All Chapters of The Cursed Alpha’s Only Mate: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Elsie POVThe room was dark, lit only by the dying embers of the fire and the pale glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. Elsie sat on the edge of the bed, her back straight, her hands folded in her lap. She had not moved in hours. She had not spoken. She had simply stared at the wall, at the patterns in the stone, at the shadows that danced across the surface.Zuri sat on the opposite side of the bed, her knees drawn to her chest, her dark eyes fixed on the floor. The silence between them was heavy, thick with words that neither of them knew how to say.The festival was over. The ritual had ended. And everything had changed."So this is it," Zuri said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is the end for us."Elsie's heart clenched. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to reach across the bed and pull Zuri into her arms and tell her that nothing had changed, that they would find a way, that love was stronger than fate.But she could not. Because something had changed. Everyt

Maddox POVThe morning light caught the edges of Hecate's face, softening the sharp lines of her jaw, the cold set of her lips. She was smiling at the boy, a real smile, wide and warm and utterly unguarded. It transformed her. Made her look younger. Made her look almost like someone else entirely.Maddox stood a few paces away, watching, his heart doing something complicated in his chest.He had never seen her like this. The woman who had torn the pendant from his neck, who had commanded the beast to its knees, who had declared herself queen before the Seven Packs. That woman was iron and shadow and mystery. But this woman, the one holding the dark haired boy, was something else entirely.This woman was vulnerable. This woman loved. This woman had a weakness.Maddox found himself smiling.The boy was small, maybe three years old, with dark curls and pale skin and golden eyes that blinked sleepily against the morning light. He was beautiful, in the way that all children were beautiful,

Maddox POVThe door closed behind Odette, and the room felt suddenly larger. Emptier. Maddox stood at the window, watching the courtyard below, his hands clasped behind his back. The morning light had grown brighter, burning away the last traces of night, and servants were already crossing the stone paths, carrying linens and trays and armloads of firewood.Life went on. The castle did not stop for broken bonds or shattered thrones.Emrich remained seated, his elbows on his knees, his expression thoughtful. He had been quiet throughout the proceedings, watching, listening, saying nothing while Odette burned her bracelet and Maddox signed the annulment papers. But now the queen was gone, and the Beta had questions."What now?" Emrich asked.Maddox turned from the window. "Now we move forward. The kingdom needs stability. The alphas need reassurance. And I need to prepare for the mating ritual.""You want me to begin the arrangements?""As soon as possible. The sooner Hecate is official

Tori POVThe cottage was quiet, the kind of quiet that pressed against the ears and made every small sound seem loud. The fire crackled in the hearth, sending shadows dancing across the wooden walls. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of snow and distant woodsmoke.Tori sat at the small table near the window, a cup of cold tea forgotten before her. She had been sitting there for hours, staring at nothing, her mind churning through the events of the past days.The festival. The ritual. Hecate tearing the pendant from the king's neck. The beast rising. Hecate commanding it to its knees. The declaration that she would take the throne.It felt like a dream. A nightmare. A story that had happened to someone else.But it was real. And Tori was caught in the middle of it.Nessa sat across from her, mending a torn shirt with quick, practiced stitches. Her grey eyes kept drifting to her sister's face, watching, waiting."You have been quiet all day," Nessa said.

Maddox POV The morning light filtered through the curtains, pale and golden, casting soft shadows across the bed where Maddox lay. He was awake before he opened his eyes, aware of the warmth beside him, the soft rhythm of breathing, the weight of a body pressed against his side. Hecate was still asleep. He turned his head slowly, careful not to wake her, and looked at her face. Her dark hair was spread across the pillow, her lips slightly parted, her expression peaceful. She looked younger in sleep, the sharp edges of her usual demeanor softened, the walls she kept so carefully in place lowered. She had stayed. Every other time they had spent the night together, she had woken before dawn and slipped away before he could wake. He had grown accustomed to waking alone, to the cold spot on the mattress where she had been, to the faint lingering scent of her perfume. But today, she was here. Maddox smiled and pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist, burying his face in h