Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

123 Chapter 123

123 Chapter 123

Seraphina’s POV 1

We stood there for a long moment, holding each other and Lily, being a family. The weight of Emma’s words still

stung, but Damien’s reassurance helped ease sof the ache in my chest.

“You know what?” Damien said suddenly, pulling back to look at me. “Tomorrow's our anniversary!”

| blinked. “Our anniversary?” God, I'd completely forgotten.

“A year since you agreed to mate with me.” His thumb brushed across my cheek. “I thought we could go out.

Celebrate a little. Maybe help you remember who you really are.”

The flutter in my chest was immediate and stupid. Like my heart still believed in fairy tales.

“That sounds nice,” | managed.

“Cto the office tomorrow evening. Around six. We'll go from there.”

The office. Where | used to work. Where Emma Rodriguez now sat at what used to be my desk, being

everything | couldn’t be anymore.

“Are

you sure that’s a good idea?” The words slipped out before | could stop them.

Damien's expression softened. “Why wouldn't it be?”

Because | didn’t belong there anymore. Because seeing Emma in my old role would hurt. Because the thought

of walking through those halls where everyone knew what | used to be made my stomach clench with

anxiety.

“No reason,” | lied. “Six is perfect.”

But as the day wore on, anxiety gnawed atlike a physical thing. | changed clothes three times, trying to

find something that didn’t makelook like exactly what Emma had called me. A nanny.

By the t| kissed Lily goodbye and handed her to Ophelia, my hands were shaking.

“You look beautiful,” Ophelia said gently. “Try to have fun tonight.”

0013

1/4

Beautiful. Right. | caught my reflection in the hallway mirror on my way out. Tired eyes. Pale skin. Hair that

refused to cooperate no matter what | did to it.

The drive to Nightshadow Enterprises felt longer than it used to. Every red light gavemore tto think,

more tto remember walking through those doors with purpose. With confidence. With a wolf's enhanced

senses that madeaware of everything around me.

The parking garage was the same. The elevator played the ssoft jazz. But when the doors opened on the

executive floor, everything felt different.

“Sera!”

| turned to see Michelle from accounting hurrying toward me, her face bright with surprise.

“Oh my God, we haven't seen you in forever!” She pulledinto a hug that | wasn’t ready for. “How are you

feeling? Everyone's been so worried.”

“I'm... I'm doing better.” The lie cautomatically. “Much better.”

“That's so good to hear. When are you coming back to work? Emma’s nice and all, but she’s not you, you

know?”.

My chest tightened. “I don’t... I'm still recovering.”

“Of course, of course. Take all the tyou need.” But her eyes were curious, searching. “Are you sick? You look

different somehow. Thinner maybe?”

*Because I'm human now. Because I'm weak.*

“Just tired,” | managed.

“Sera?” Another voice. David from legal, approaching with that smix of concern and curiosity. “Good to

see you out and about. Feeling better?”

“Yes, much better.”

“Excellent. So when should we expect you back? Things have been crazy without you. Emma’s doing her best,

but she doesn’t know the systems like you do.”

Each question felt like a small cut. A reminder of what I'd lost. What I'd never get back.

08:12

2/4

“I'm not sure yet,” | said. “Still taking it one day at a time.”

More faces appeared. Jfrom HR. Tom from operations. All asking the squestions. All expecting

answers | didn’t have.

*When are you coming back?*

*Are you feeling better?*

*We miss you so much.*

By the t| escaped to the elevator that led to Damien’s office, my chest felt tight and my hands were

trembling. | pressed the button for the top floor and leaned against the wall, trying to breathe.

You can do this. It’s just an office. Just people who used to know you.

But when the elevator doors opened, the first thing | saw was Emma Rodriguez.

She was sitting at the reception desk outside Damien's office. My old desk. The one where | used to organize

Damien's schedule and handle pack business and feel like | belonged somewhere.

Emma looked up as | approached, her expression shifting from professional politeness to recognition.

“Oh!” she said, standing quickly. “You're... ah, you're Damien's human nanny, right? | remember you from last

night.”

The words hitlike a physical blow. Even after our encounter yesterday, even after I'd answered his door in

his house, that’s still all she saw when she looked at me.

Not Luna. Not former assistant. Not his mate.

Human nanny.

“I'm Seraphina,” | said quietly, my voice barely steady. “I'm here to see Damien.”

“Right, Seraphina.” She nodded, but there was no real recognition in her eyes. No understanding of who |

used to be. “He’s finishing up a conference call. Shouldn't be much longer.”

She gestured vaguely toward the seating area, but then seemed to reconsider.

“Actually, you know what? Why don’t | set you up in the supply room? It'll be quieter there. More private.”

OR 12

3/4

“I could just wait here,” | suggested weakly.

“Oh no, that wouldn't work. | have calls to make and reports to finish. The supply room will be much better.”

She was already moving, leadingdown the hall like | was srandom visitor who needed to be shuffled

out of the way. Not the woman who used to run this entire floor.

The supply room was exactly what it sounded like. Shelves lined with office supplies. Boxes of copy paper

stacked to the ceiling. A small, uncomfortable chair shoved in the corner next to a broken printer that no one

had bothered to remove.

“Just make yourself comfortable,” Emma said brightly. “I'll let Mr. Nightshadow know you're here as soon as

he’s free.”

And then she was gone, leavingalone in a room that smelled like toner and disappointment.

| sat in the chair and stared at the shelves around me. Staplers. Pens. Post-it notes. All the mundane things

that kept an office running. Things | used to order and organize and never think twice about.

Now | was sitting among them like discarded inventory.

word

word

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLHI0RAO&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

word

word

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLHI0RAO&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1

mmMwWLIiI0fiflO&1