Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

127 Chapter 127

Seraphina’s POV 1

The crowd aroundis getting thicker, more voices joining in with questions and welcomes that make my chest

feel tight. Just when I'm starting to panic about being trapped in the center of all this attention, a

familiar voice cuts through the noise like a blade.

“Alright, alright, everybody back up!”

Riley appears at the edge of the crowd, pushing her way through with the determination of a woman on a

mission. Her dark hair bounces as she elbows past Marcus and waves off the others.

“Give the girl sbreathing room!” she commands, planting herself betweenand the crowd.

“We're just saying hi,” Jake protests, but he takes a step back.

“Well, you've said hi. Now shoo.” Riley makes shooing motions with both hands like she’s scattering chickens.

“Sera chere to see me!”

“But we haven't seen her in months-" Tyler starts to say.

“And she'll still be here in an hour,” Riley interrupts firmly. “But right now, we girls need squality time

together. Don’t we, Sera?”

Before | can answer, she wraps her arm around my shoulders in a protective gesture that makes my throat

tight with gratitude.

“Go train or lift weights or whatever it is you do to feel manly,” Riley continues, waving the others away. “We

have serious girl talk to catch up on.”

“Since when do you do girl talk?” Marcus asks with a grin.

“Since | got engaged and becdisgustingly sentimental.” Riley's cheeks flush pink, but her voice stays firm.

“Now scoot. All of you. We'll catch up later.”

She guidestoward a quiet bench by the windows, settling beside me, turning to facewith a grin that

could power half the territory, “I've been dying to talk to you about my engagement...”

11:47

1/4

She stops mid-sentence, her brow furrowing as she really looks at me. | can see the exact moment she

realizes something's different. Her hands tighten on my shoulders.

“You look tired,” she says softly. “Really tired. Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” | lie automatically. “Just adjusting to life with a newborn.”

“Right! The baby!” Riley's face lights up again like someone flipped a switch. “I want to hear everything!”

“She's perfect. Beautiful and healthy and strong.” My voice catches slightly on the last word. “Damien’s

completely smitten. And Adrian is the best big brother you've ever seen.”

“I bet he is. That kid has such a good heart.” Riley smiles. “Just like his mama. Now, | am literally bursting with

good news and if | don’t tell someone soon, I'm going to explode.”

| find myself smiling. “Letguess. This has something to do with Lucas?”

“Everything has to do with Lucas!” Riley throws her hands up tically. “God, Sera, I'm so disgustingly happy

| don’t even recognize myself anymore.”

| laugh-actually laugh-for the first tin weeks. “That is pretty shocking. What's next, you're going to start

liking romantic comedies?”

“Don’t even joke about that.” Riley shudders. “But honestly? | kind of understand them now. Like, when the

guy does sgrand romantic gesture and the girl gets all weepy? | used to think that was ridiculous, but

now...” She sighs dreamily. “Now | think | might cry if Lucas broughtgas station flowers.”

“Oh no,” | tease. “You're completely gone, aren't you?”

“Completely and totally gone.” Riley grins. “And | don’t even care. He takes care of me, Sera. Nobody's ever

taken care ofbefore.”

“That's incredibly sweet.”

“He's incredibly sweet. Like, stupidly, impossibly sweet, Do you know what he did last week? | mentioned that

| missed the cookies my mom used to make when | was little, just a random comment. And the next day he

showed up with a whole batch that he’d spent all night learning to make from srecipe he found online.”

| feel a pang of longing so sharp it takes my

breath away.

“He made

you cookies.”

11.47

The Tale

0.

anu lavy mic mic.

But he was so proud of them, and he'd worked so hard...” Riley dabs at her eyes again. “I ate every single one

and told him they were perfect.”

“You're so gone it’s not even funny.”

“I know!” Riley laughs through her tears. “And the best part is, he’s just as bad. Yesterday he called me

beautiful while | was covered in mud from training exercises.”

“When did he propose?” | ask.

“Last weekend.” Riley holds out her left hand, showing off a simple silver band with a small, perfect diamond.

“We were on our morning run, and he just stopped in the middle of the trail and dropped to one knee right

there in the dirt.”

“Did you see it coming?”

“Not at all! | thought he was having a heart attack or something. | actually started to call for a medic before |

realized what was happening.” Riley giggles. “He said he'd been carrying the ring around for weeks, waiting

for the perfect moment, but then he realized there was no such thing as perfect. He just wanted to marry me

as soon as possible.”

The ring catches the light as she moves her hand, simple and beautiful and exactly right for Riley.

“It’s gorgeous,” | tell her. “Perfect for you.”

“I love it so much. And | love him so much it’s actually scary sometimes.” Riley’s expression grows serious for

a moment. “Is that normal?”

“That's completely normal,” | assure her. “That's how you know it’s real.”

“Good, because | was starting to worry | was losing my mind.” Riley brightens again. “But enough about me

being disgustingly happy. | need to talk to you about something important.”

My stomach drops. “What kind of important?”

Riley bounces on the bench, practically vibrating with excitement. “We're having an engagement party next

week. Big party, everyone we know, dancing, drinking, the whole thing.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

11 47

3/4

“And | need you there!” Riley grabs both of my hands, her eyes wide and pleading. “I mean, | really, really need

you there, Sera. This whole thing won't feel real without my best friend celebrating with me.”

My chest tightens with anxiety, but the hope in Riley’s voice makes it impossible to say no.

“Of course I'll be there,” | hear myself say. “Wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“Really?” Riley's face lights up like the sun. “Really, truly? Because | was so scared you'd say you weren't ready

for parties yet, or that you were too busy with the baby, or-"

“Riley.” | squeeze her hands. “I'll be there. | promise.”

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