Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Emilia’s POV

I slowly turned around, blinking through the rain and tears that blurred my vision. A figure stood on the shore, waving at me.

I froze for a moment, then kept moving forward into the water. But the voice called out again, sharper this time.

"Girl! If you’re planning to end it all, mind taking me with you?"

I stopped. What?

When I saw the figure jump down from the rocks and start wading toward me, I hurried back to shore, wiping at my eyes. Finally, I could make out who had called me. An old woman in tattered, layered clothes that looked ancient. She had to be in her sixties, maybe older, but hunger had worn her down to bones and sharp angles.

"What are you doing?" My voice came out hoarse and cracked.

"Same as you, I’d guess. Ending things." She tilted her head, rain dripping off the edge of a worn shawl. "You’re about to walk into the sea, aren’t you? I figured I’d borrow a little of your courage. I’ve thought about dying plenty of times, but I never had the guts to go through with it. Then I saw you and thought, ’Well, here’s my chance.’"

I stared at her, somewhere between disbelief and annoyance. "Why would you want to die?"

She gestured at herself with a bony hand. "Look at me. I’m a rogue. Have been for longer than I can remember. Never did learn how to live among humans, all their rules and noise. My family’s long gone, every last one of them. It’s just me now, drifting from place to place." She let out a tired breath. "This weather makes it damn near impossible to find food. I’d rather drown than starve another day."

Guilt twisted in my chest. I reached for my pocket out of habit, but I had nothing. No wallet. No cash. Then I remembered. My earrings. The ones my mother left me.

I pulled them off and held them out. "Here. Sell these. You’ll get enough to eat. Just... don’t follow me anymore."

The old woman took them, weighing them in her palm. Then she shook her head. "No good. These’ll get me ten days, maybe. What happens after that? I’ll be right back here, thinking about drowning myself again."

Irritation flared in me. "Do you actually want to die? Was your life ever that good to begin with?"

"It was worse before," she said calmly. "But I didn’t think about dying then. Funny how that works, isn’t it?"

"Then why now?" I snapped. "If you survived worse, why give up? Life’s hard, sure, but there’s always a way forward. You could sell the earrings, buy a lottery ticket. Maybe you’ll win millions and live like a queen till you’re a hundred. Don’t let it end at sixty."

The old woman smiled. A strange, soft smile. "You’re good at this. Talking people off the edge. So why are you here? I’ve fought to stay alive for sixty years. How old are you? Twenty-something? What could possibly be bad enough to make you walk into the ocean?"

I had no answer. The words died in my throat.

After a long silence, I let out a shaky breath. The urge to disappear into the waves had faded. "Thank you," I whispered. "You’re a good person."

She laughed. A dry, crackling sound. "I don’t want to be good. Good people starve these days. It’s the wicked ones who live free."

"If you’re ever that hungry again," I said, "come to the Silver Moon pack house. Ask for me. Emilia Taylor. A rogue’s welcome there if I say so. I’ll help you."

The old woman’s smile widened. "You’re a good person too, girl."

My nose stung. I wasn’t so sure about that anymore. Good people could do terrible things.

"I should go," I said, turning to leave. "Take care of yourself."

"You too."

I took a few steps, then stopped. Slowly, I turned back. "Actually... could I have the earrings back?"

"What? I’ll starve."

"I know. I’m sorry. But they’re the only thing I have left of my mother. I wasn’t thinking straight before, but now..."

"Ah." She handed them back without hesitating. "I understand."

I held the earrings tight, guilt gnawing at me again as I looked at her frail frame. "Come back with me. I’ll give you money instead."

"No need. You’re not in a good place right now. I’ll find you another day."

"Alright."

I gave her one last look before walking away. When I glanced back over my shoulder a moment later, she was heading the opposite way, her figure swallowed up by the rain and the dark.

Something about it felt... off. But I was too drained to think about it.

When I got back to the pack house, Titus and Mila were waiting in the foyer. Titus looked confused. Mila looked heartbroken.

I dripped rainwater onto the floor, shivering.

Mila followed me upstairs without a word. Once we were in my room, she reached out and touched my cheek gently. "He found out, didn’t he?"

"Yeah."

I broke. The tears came all over again, and I couldn’t stop them.

"What are you going to do?" she asked softly.

"I don’t know." My voice cracked. "Mom, I don’t know what to do."

"Promise me you’ll be strong," she said, gripping my shoulders. "If you give up now, you’re giving up for good. Don’t do that."

"I can hold on," I whispered. "But he won’t forgive me. He hates me now."

"Then love him twice as hard. No matter what, love is the best way to break through hate."

Love. The cure for hate. I’d believed that once. But who would love me enough to break through mine?

Just as I expected, Sebastian didn’t come home that night.

I sat awake in the dark, thinking. By morning, I’d made my decision. I’d do what Mila said. I’d love him until the hate broke down.

I called him. The phone was off.

So I went to the Simons Imperial Group headquarters. But the receptionist stopped me at the door.

"I’m sorry, Luna. Without the Alpha’s permission, you can’t go up."

The message was clear. Sebastian had shut me out.

"It’s fine. I’ll just wait for him outside the company." I said.

Two hours passed. No sign of him. It dragged all the way to the end of the workday.

Then I saw Beta Fynn.

"Luna?" He looked surprised. "Are you waiting for Alpha Sebastian?"

"Yeah. Has he left yet?"

Fynn hesitated. "You don’t need to wait. He left a long while ago."

"Where did he go?"

"I’m not sure. But..." Fynn gave me a meaningful look. "Maybe you should give him some time. This is probably the hardest part for him."

I nodded, numb. Then I turned and walked away, worn out and broken.

I’d waited outside a whole day. He would’ve known I was there. He just didn’t want to see me.