Marked by the Cursed CEO Alpha-Chapter 40: Too Powerful

[A Few Hours Later]

Kaelen woke to silence.

Not the restless, clawing quiet that usually followed a loss of control but something deeper and steadier.

His chest rose slowly and for a moment he lay still, afraid that if he moved, whatever fragile balance he was feeling would shatter.

Then he realized his arms were full.

Lyra was curled against him, her head tucked beneath his chin, one hand fisted weakly into the fabric of his shirt. Her breathing was soft and even, warm against his skin.

Kaelen’s entire body locked.

She was alive, unharmed and the curse—the curse was quiet.

That realization hit him harder than any surge of pain ever had.

His wolf wasn’t raging, it wasn’t straining against invisible chains or screaming for blood and control. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

It was still.

For the first time in his life, he felt a surge of peace enveloping his body. There was no madness clawing at the edges of his mind.

Only her.

Kaelen swallowed, his throat tight as his gaze traced her face.

She looked exhausted, her lashes dark against pale skin, lips parted slightly in sleep. There was no fear in her features, no tension.

It felt like she trusted him and the weight of that nearly broke him.

"What are you doing to me?" he murmured hoarsely, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Lyra shifted faintly at the sound of his voice, her brow knitting as if she had heard him through a dream.

Her fingers tightened briefly in his shirt, seeking something solid, seeking for him.

Kaelen didn’t breathe, he didn’t move nor did he dare pull away.

If he let go now, he wasn’t sure he would survive the loss of it.

Her body was warm against his, grounding him in a way nothing else ever had. Every instinct in him screamed to hold her closer, to shield her, to claim her.

He clenched his jaw hard, forcing the thought back.

No, not yet. Not ever, if it meant her life.

Lyra stirred again, a soft sound leaving her throat as her head shifted slightly against his chest. Her lashes fluttered but exhaustion dragged her back under before she could wake.

She didn’t see the way his eyes darkened, she didn’t see the war raging silently behind them.

Kaelen rested his forehead lightly against her hair, his eyes closed as he breathed her in, slow and careful.

The curse remained dormant and obedient as if waiting.

And for the first time since he was a child, Kaelen Blackthorn was terrified not of losing control but of what would happen when he inevitably had to let her go.

.....

Rogan knew something was wrong the moment Lyra didn’t answer her phone.

Once was fine and twice was concerning. But by the fourth unanswered call, unease had turned sharp enough to taste.

She never ignored him like this.

He did not waste time, grabbed his coat and left.

...

By the time Rogan reached Blackthorn Enterprises, dusk had already bled into night. The building loomed above him, glass and steel reflecting the city lights like a fortress pretending to be corporate.

He didn’t slow and headed straight for the main entrance.

Two guards stepped into his path immediately.

"Sir, this area is restricted."

"I am here for Lyra Hale," Rogan said evenly. "She works here, she isn’t home yet and is not answering my calls."

The guards exchanged a look.

"Employees have already left for the day," one of them said.

Rogan’s eyes darkened. "She hasn’t."

The guard stiffened. "Sir, you will need to step back—"

Rogan moved.

It wasn’t reckless, it wasn’t wild but it was fast.

One moment the guard was reaching for his comm and the next Rogan’s hand had locked around his wrist, twisting just enough to drop him to one knee without breaking skin.

The second guard lunged but Rogan didn’t even look at him.

He pivoted, caught the man by the shoulder and sent him skidding across the polished floor with controlled force, hard enough to make a point, not enough to kill.

Silence snapped tight around them.

Several guards raised weapons.

Rogan straightened slowly, chest rising, eyes burning.

"I am not here to hurt anyone," he said quietly. "But I will not be stopped."

Before anyone could escalate—

"That’s enough."

Riven’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

He stood near the elevators, his posture relaxed but eyes sharp, taking in the scene in one glance—the guards, the controlled damage, the man standing at the center of it all and then at Rogan.

Riven felt it then.

The strength hadn’t been sloppy, it hadn’t been desperate.

It looked trained and measured. It looked too measured for someone who supposedly belonged to a small, insignificant pack.

"Stand down," Riven ordered. "That’s an order."

The guards didn’t hesitate and quickly stepped back.

Rogan turned slowly, meeting Riven’s gaze without flinching.

"Where is Lyra?" Rogan asked.

Riven studied him more closely now. The scent was masked, carefully but beneath it was something old and disciplined.

’Interesting,’ he thought to himself. Both Lyra and her uncle were not what they claimed to be.

"She is safe," Riven said calmly. "No one has harmed her."

Rogan didn’t relax. "Then why isn’t she home?"

"Because she needed rest," Riven replied. "And she is receiving it."

Rogan’s jaw tightened. "Where?"

Riven held his gaze a moment longer, then nodded toward the elevators.

"Come with me."

The guards stiffened again.

Riven didn’t look back. "I will take responsibility, don’t worry about the alpha getting mad.

Rogan followed without hesitation.

As the elevator doors slid shut, silence settled between them.

"You are stronger than you look," Riven said casually.

Rogan didn’t respond but Riven smiled faintly because his silence told him everything.

When the elevator began its ascent, Riven spoke again,

"She is resting on the executive floor," he said. "You will see her soon."

Rogan exhaled slowly, some of the tension easing but only slightly.

"I hope you are not lying because if she is not—" he said quietly, "this building won’t be enough to stop me."

....