Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Emilia’s POV

The moment Mila finished speaking and left the room, Sebastian appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed.

"What were you two whispering about?" he asked, his green eyes narrowing.

I shoved the box of pills into my pocket so fast I almost dropped it. "Nothing. Just girl talk."

"Girl talk?" He pushed off the doorframe and walked toward me slowly. "My mother doesn’t do ’girl talk.’ She does scheming and planning."

"Well, this time it was just talk," I said, backing up until I hit the wardrobe. "Very boring, very unsexy talk about... knitting."

"Knitting," he repeated flatly.

"Yes. Knitting. She’s making a... scarf. A very long scarf."

Sebastian stopped right in front of me, close enough that I could smell his cedar and mint scent. His eyes dropped to my clothes hanging in his closet, mixed with his expensive suits and shirts.

"You’ve made yourself quite at home," he said, his voice dropping. "Moving into my space without asking permission. How bold of you, Mrs. Simons."

I lifted my chin. "What, you want me to move back to my old room? Fine. I’ll pack right now."

I reached for one of my dresses, but he caught my wrist and pinned it against the wardrobe door above my head.

"I never said that," he murmured, leaning in until his lips brushed my ear. "I like having your things here. I like knowing you sleep in my bed every night. I like..."

"Being a pervert?" I interrupted, pushing against his chest. "Because that’s what you turn into the second I’m anywhere near a bed."

He pulled back just enough to look at me, and gave me a dangerous smile. "Pervert? That’s not what you were calling me last night. Or this morning. Or..."

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Heat flooded my face.

"No," he said, his voice turning low and playful. "I think you were calling me something else. What was it? ’Sebastian, please, I can’t...’"

I slapped my hand over his mouth. "Don’t you dare finish that sentence."

He kissed my palm, his eyes bright with amusement, and I quickly pulled my hand away.

"You’re impossible," I muttered.

"And you’re adorable when you’re embarrassed." He slid his hand under my shirt, his fingers warm against my skin. "Now, where were we before my mother interrupted?"

His lips found my neck, and my body started to respond despite my embarrassment. He lifted me easily, carrying me toward the bed, and I wrapped my legs around his waist without thinking.

Just when things were about to go further, the door creaked open. Then I heard Tiffany’s loud voice: "Sebastian, Emilia, let’s go out and..."

Tiffany hadn’t expected to walk in on something like this the second she opened the door.

She turned around, covered her eyes, and ran out crying, "Oh my God, what did I just see? What did I see? I saw nothing, I saw nothing..."

I rolled off Sebastian and sat up. I was even more embarrassed than Tiffany. I glared at Sebastian, then fixed my messed-up clothes.

"Why didn’t you lock the door?"

Sebastian said innocently, "How was I supposed to know someone would come in?"

"You didn’t know someone would come in, so now your image is completely ruined."

"Did I ever have an image?"

"Yes."

"What image?"

"Woman-hater."

"But I’m not one anymore. That’s definitely your fault."

He started reaching for me again, but I was so not in the mood. I needed to change the subject before he got any ideas.

"Wait," I said, putting my hand on his chest. "Sebastian, wait."

He stopped immediately, his expression turning from desire to concern. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing’s wrong, I just..." I took a breath. "I want to talk about something. Something important."

He looked at me for a moment, then sat back, pulling me up with him. "Alright. What is it?"

Instead of letting me sit beside him, he pulled me onto his lap, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Now talk."

I twisted to look at him properly. "I need your help with something."

"Anything."

"I have Eve now," I said quietly. "But I still don’t know how to shift. And I... I want you to help me. With my first shift."

His whole attitude changed right away. The playful, teasing Sebastian disappeared, replaced by the serious Alpha I’d seen handle pack business.

"Your first shift," he repeated, his hands tightening on my waist. "Emilia, that’s... of course I’ll help you. You’re my mate. There’s no one else I’d trust to guide you through it."

Relief washed through me, and I leaned forward to kiss him softly. "Thank you."

When I pulled back, he was looking at me.

"How well do you know Eve?" he asked.

"Pretty well, I think. We’ve been talking since she woke up."

"Good." He tilted his head slightly, his eyes going somewhere far away the way they did when he was using the mind-link. "Then we’ll do it tonight."

"Tonight?" I blinked. "That’s so soon."

His focus came back to me. "My mother’s already planning a celebration for tonight anyway. We might as well make it a proper ceremony. Your first shift, your formal introduction as Luna, your acceptance into the pack bond... all of it."

My heart started racing. "All at once?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes."

"And Eve?"

Her presence stirred inside me, warm and reassuring. "Yes."

"Then let me take care of everything." He cupped my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. "I won’t let anything happen to you, Emilia. I promise."

I kissed him again, deeper this time, pouring all my gratitude and trust into it. When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, he rested his forehead against mine.

"Tonight," he murmured. "Everything changes tonight."