Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

121 Chapter 121

Seraphina’s POV 1

“That little bitch!” Ophelia snarled, her hands clenched into fists as we stood outside the baby store. “I'm

going back in there. Nobody talks to you like that!”

“No.” | grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the car. “Just leave it, Ophie. It's not worth it.”

“Not worth it?” She spun around, her eyes blazing with fury. “Did you hear what she said about Lily? About

you? I'm going to rip her throat out!”

“And then what?” | asked, adjusting Lily's carrier with trembling hands. “You get arrested for assault? Make a

scene that gets back to Damien? Give everyone more reason to talk about how his human mate can’t even

handle shopping without causing ?”

The fight went out of Ophelia’s posture, but her jaw remained tight with anger. “Sera, you can’t let people talk

to you like that.”

“Why not?” The words cout more bitter than | intended. “She wasn’t exactly wrong, was she?”

“Don’t you dare.” Ophelia’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Don’t you dare let signorant little girl

make you think less of yourself.”

But as we drove hin heavy silence, | couldn't stop replaying Brittany's words. *Human groupie who thinks

sleeping with a wolf makes you special.* *Pathetic human who got knocked up.* *Dirty little mixed-

blood freak.*

The worst part? Deep down, | was starting to wonder if she was right.

| stared out the passenger window, watching the familiar landscape blur past. Six months ago, | would have put

that girl in her place without breaking a sweat. Six months ago, | had Ayla’s strength backingup, pack

authority in my voice, the confidence that cwith knowing exactly who | was and where | belonged.

Now? Now | was just shuman

really mine to begin with.

man with a baby, trying to pretend I still fit into a wedge Yo

“Talk to me,” Ophelia said quietly. “I can practically hear you beating yourself up over there.”

12.01

“I'm fine,” | lied.

“Bullshit.” She glanced over at me, concern clear in her expression. “That girl was a piece of trash. Her opinion

doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn't it, though?” | shifted in my seat to face her. “Ophie, Adrian can sense that something's wrong with

A five-year-old knows I'm not what | used to be. So why wouldn’t everyone else?”

“Because you're still you, Sera. Still the sperson who-"

“Who what?” | interrupted. | laughed, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. “That person is gone, Ophie.

I'm just what's left.”

The rest of the drive passed in uncomfortable silence. By the twe pulled into the estate’s long driveway, |

felt like | was drowning in my own thoughts.

Hlooked the sas always-grand and beautiful and completely intimidating. The afternoon sun

painted the stone walls golden, and | could see Adrian's toys scattered across the front lawn where he'd been

playing earlier.

“Mama!” Adrian's voice carried across the yard as he spotted our car. He crunning toward us, his face

bright with excitement. “Did you get stuff for Lily? Can | see?”

“We got sclothes,” | managed, forcing a smile as he threw his arms around my legs. “Want to help me

carry the bags?”

“Yes!” He grabbed one of the smaller bags .

“How did shopping go?” Damien’s voice cfrom the living room. He appeared in the doorway, taking in my

expression with those perceptive silver-blue eyes. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing,” | said automatically. “Just tired. Being out was more exhausting than | expected.”

But Damien knewtoo well. His gaze sharpened, and | saw him look fromto Ophelia, who was still

radiating angry tension.

“What happened?” His voice carried that alpha authority that could command an entire pack.

“Signorant clerk at the baby store,” Ophelia said when | remained silent. “Said struly vile things about

Sera and Lily.”

19.01

Damien's entire demeanor changed. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees, and | felt that

familiar thrill of fear and attraction that cwith being near an angry alpha-even though I could no longer

sense his power the way | used to.

“What kind of things?” His voice was deadly quiet.

“It doesn’t matter,” | said quickly. “She was just sstupid girl. It's over.”

“It matters to me.” Damien stepped closer, his hands gentle as they touched my face. “What did she say?”

| looked into his eyes and saw genuine concern, protective fury, and something else that made my chest

ache.

“She calleda human groupie,” | admitted quietly. “Said | was pathetic for thinking | belonged in the pack

world. Called Lily a... a freak.”

The growl that rumbled through Damien’s chest was purely wolf, dangerous enough to make every instinct |

no longer possessed scream warnings. “Givea name. An address.”

“Damien, no.” | pressed my hand against his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. “Please. Fighting my

battles forwill just prove her point.”

But before either of us could say anything else, Adrian tugged on my sleeve.

“Mama, why are you sad?” His little face was scrunched up with worry. “Did someone say mean things to

you?”

| knelt down to his level, smoothing his dark hair. “Sometimes people say things they don’t mean when

they're having a bad day. But it’s okay. I'm okay.”

“Wantto beat them up?” Adrian asked with such serious determination that | couldn't help but smile.

“That's very sweet, sweetheart, but violence isn’t the answer.”

“Daddy would beat them up,” Adrian said confidently. “Daddy beats up all the bad guys.”

“Daddy protects people,” | corrected gently.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Damien kept shooting concerned glances my way, while Adrian chattered about his

day and all the things he wanted to teach Lily when she got bigger. | tried to participate, but my heart wasn’t

714

in it.

| was still lost in my own thoughts when the doorbell rang around seven o'clock.

“I'll get it,” | said, glad for an excuse to escape the dinner table tension.

| adjusted Lily in my arms and walked to the front door, expecting maybe a delivery.

Instead, | found myself face to face with a woman I'd never seen before. She was attractive in a polished,

professional way-dark hair pulled back in a neat bun, expensive business attire, confident posture. She carried a

leather briefcase and wore the kind of smile that was perfectly pleasant but didn’t quite reach her

eyes.

“Hi,” the woman said, lookingup and down with barely concealed assessment. “You must be Damien's...

human nanny?”

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