Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Sebastian’s POV

I drove that same stretch of highway three times.

Three fucking times.

My eyes scanned every inch of the roadside. Not a trace of her.

Ryder was restless in my mind. "Our mate is missing. Find her. NOW."

"Shut up," I muttered. "She probably hitched a ride with some idiot who couldn’t resist a pretty face."

But even as I said it, a cold dread settled in my gut.

What if something happened to her? What if—

I refused to finish that thought.

But it clawed at me anyway, dark and insidious.

The curse. What if the curse is real? What if she’s already—

"Goddammit!" I slammed my palm against the steering wheel.

This was insane. I didn’t believe in curses. I didn’t believe in fate or destiny or any of that mystical bullshit the elders loved to preach about. Six wives. Six tragedies. Pure coincidence. Bad luck. Nothing more.

But if Emilia disappeared too...

I shook my head violently, trying to dislodge the thought. Then something white caught my eye in the corner of the passenger seat—a business card, half-tucked beneath the floor mat.

Henry Taylor’s card. That spineless bastard had shoved it through my window this afternoon when they left, practically groveling as he did.

I snatched it up and dialed before I could second-guess myself.

He picked up immediately. "Alpha Sebastian! What an honor—"

"Is Emilia home?" I cut him off.

A pause. "N-no. What’s wrong? Did something happen?"

"There was a small... disagreement. Does she have any friends she might go to? Any place she’d run off to?"

Another pause, longer this time. I could practically hear his brain struggling to function.

"Well... I don’t really know," he finally admitted, his tone embarrassed. "She doesn’t usually communicate with us much, and we don’t ask about her personal life, so..."

I hung up without another word.

My lip curled in disgust. This woman was a complete outcast in her own family. No wonder she’d been so desperate to play along with this charade of a marriage.

The night air was cold when I rolled down the window, letting it blast against my face. The chill helped clear my head.

What the hell was I doing?

Why was I driving in circles looking for a woman who clearly didn’t want to be found? A woman who’d rather walk alone on a deserted highway than spend another minute in a car with me?

I started the engine and headed home.

When I walked through the front door, the atmosphere was... cheerful?

I frowned. "Is that woman home?"

"Yes, Emilia is back!" Tiffany practically sang.

White-hot anger flared in my chest. "And nobody thought to inform me? I’ve been out there for hours looking for her!"

I looked like a complete fool.

Mom crossed her arms, unimpressed by my outburst. "You’re the one who lost her, Sebastian. If I don’t teach you a lesson now, you’ll never learn."

"So your solution is to let me think she vanished into thin air?" I demanded.

"Maybe next time you won’t leave your wife stranded on the side of the road," Mila said.

"At least now you’ll think twice before pulling another stunt like that!" Tiffany added, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

I clenched my jaw. My own family was ganging up on me.

If they knew she was my fated mate, they’d never listen to me again. They’d take her side in everything. The thought made my wolf smug and me irritated beyond measure.

"Wonderful," I said coldly. "Then we’ll see about that."

I headed for the stairs.

No woman had ever made me feel this out of control. No woman had ever dared to push my buttons like this.

Emilia Taylor, you are so fucking dead.

I found her in that tiny room.

I didn’t bother knocking.

I shoved the door open and crossed the room, grabbing her arm and hauling her to her feet.

"Why did you come back?" I roared.

"I never said I wasn’t coming back. I just didn’t want to come back with you."

The casual way she said it made my blood boil. "Do you think I still want a wife who disappears without a trace?"

"Then divorce me." She met my eyes.

I snarled. "I’ve done this six times. What makes you think I won’t do it again?"

"Because you can’t." Her lips curved into a small smile. "I won’t let you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Instead of answering, her gaze dropped from my eyes to my mouth. She stared at my lips.

Then her eyes traveled lower.

Straight to my crotch.

My face burned when I understood her implication.

She was referencing the kiss. Me getting hard just from pressing my mouth against hers.

This little witch was actually threatening to expose that?

I leaned in close, speaking viciously. "If you dare spread that rumor, I will make you regret every second of this marriage. Do you understand me?"

She tilted her head. "As long as I’m your wife, I won’t say anything I shouldn’t. But for your own sake, Sebastian, you might want to reconsider divorce."

"Are you that desperate to stay married to me?" I let out a harsh laugh. "Fine. I won’t divorce you. I’ll just make your life so miserable that you’ll be begging to leave within a month."

I stormed out, slamming the door hard.

Being around her was torture. Every instinct screamed at me to claim her, to mark her, to drag her to my bed and make her mine in every possible way.

But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Controlling Ryder’s urges was already exhausting enough without her deliberately provoking me.

Dinner had been delayed three hours because of this entire disaster.

I yanked out a chair and dropped into it.

Mom shot me a disapproving look. "Go ask Emilia to come down for dinner."

One of the staff stepped forward. "I’ll get her, Ma’am."

She returned moments later, looking apologetic. "Luna Emilia says she’s not feeling well and would like to rest. She said to have dinner without her."

Tiffany immediately rounded on me. "What did you say to her, Sebastian? She was fine when she got home!"

"Stay out of it. Are you really going to defend that woman?" I snapped.

"Are you seriously still calling her ’that woman’ instead of your wife?" Father scolded me.

"Why does it matter? There’s no need to call her my wife," I replied with a dismissive tone.

"Stop being ridiculous and bring her down for dinner."

"I won’t." I knew it was childish, but I didn’t care.

Mila stood up and said, "Are you sure? Fine, then I’m not eating either."

"Me neither," Tiffany declared, crossing her arms.

Dad didn’t say a word. He simply stood and walked toward his study.

I stared at the three empty seats, my jaw tight.

Since when did the Simons family operate like this? Since when did they all unite against me?

I shoved back from the table. "I can’t stay in this house anymore."