Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

131 Chapter 131

Seraphina’s POV 1

The house felt too quiet when we finally made it home.

Damien carriedstraight upstairs, settingdown gently in our bedroom like | was made of spun glass. My

champagne-soaked dress clung uncomfortably to my skin, and | could still feel tiny shards of crystal

embedded in my hair.

“Lethelp you out of that,” he said softly, his fingers already reaching for the zipper at my back.

| caught his hands, stopping him. “I can manage.”

“Sera-"

“I'm fine, Damien. Really.” | forced what | hoped was a convincing smile. “It was just an accident. People spill

things at parties all the time.”

His silver-blue eyes searched my face, and | could see he didn’t believefor a second. But after a moment,

he nodded.

“I'll check on the kids,” he said. “Make sure they got settled okay.”

“That sounds good.”

He lingered in the doorway for a moment, like he wanted to say something else. Then he was gone, his

footsteps echoing down the hallway.

| peeled off the ruined dress and dropped it in the hamper, then stood under the shower until the water ran

cold. But no amount of soap could wash away the memory of those whispers, those stares, the look of pity on

Emma's face.

*Their children must be filthy half-breeds.*

*What kind of mate loses their wolf?*

*The bloodline will be tainted forever.*

By the t| emerged from the bathroom in my pajamas, Damien was back. He'd changed into sweatpants

and a t-shirt, his hair still damp from his own shower.

“Adrian’s fast asleep,” he reported, settling on the edge of the bed. “Lily went down without a fuss. Nanny said

they were perfect angels all evening.”

“Good.” | sat at my vanity, running a brush through my wet hair with mechanical precision. “I'm glad they had

fun.”

“Sera.” His voice was gentle but firm. “We need to talk about what happened tonight.”

My hand stilled on the brush. “What's there to talk about?”

“Everything.” He stood up, moving behindso | could see his reflection in the vanity mirror. His hands

settled on my shoulders, warm and reassuring.

Damien's voice turned bitter. “Apparently, the pack expectsto find someone with better breeding.”

The brush clattered to the vanity top as my hands started shaking. “Maybe they're right.”

“What?”

| turned to face him, wrapping my arms around myself like armor. “Maybe they're right, Damien. Maybe you

do need someone better.”

“Don’t.” The word cout sharp as a blade. “Don’t you dare start doubting yourself because of what those

people said.”

“Why not?” The words tumbled out faster than | could stop them. “They weren't wrong, were they? I'm not a

wolf anymore. | can’t protect our children. | can’t even attend a party without humiliating myself.”

“What you are is my mate. The mother of my children. The woman | love more than my own life.””

“I'm a human, Damien.” The words tasted bitter. “A weak, ordinary human who can’t give you what you need.”

“You giveeverything | need. Sera-"

| wanted to believe him. God, how | wanted to believe him. But the voices from tonight wouldn't stop echoing in

my head.

“I should go to bed,” | said quietly, pulling away from his touch. “It’s been a long day.”

11:23

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Damien studied my face for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. We'll talk more tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

We settled into bed with careful distance between us, like we were both afraid of what might happen if we

touched. Damien’s breathing evened out after about twenty minutes, but | lay there staring at the ceiling, my

mind racing.

When | was sure he was deeply asleep, | turned onto my side to watch him.

Even in sleep, he looked powerful. The line of his shoulders under the thin t-shirt. The strong column of his

throat. His face, relaxed and peaceful in the moonlight streaming through our windows.

He was beautiful. Perfect. Everything an alpha should be.

And | was just... me.

*He deserves better, * the little voice in my head whispered. *He deserves someone who can stand beside

him as an equal. Someone who can give him strong children and help lead the pack.*

| slipped out of bed as quietly as | could, padding barefoot down the hallway to Adrian’s room. The door was

slightly ajar, and I pushed it open just enough to peek inside.

My little boy was sprawled across his twin bed, one arm flung over his stuffed wolf, dark hair falling across

his forehead. He looked so peaceful, so innocent.

*His silver-blue eyes,* | thought. *Just like his father’s. He's going to be a strong alpha someday.*

But what kind of mother would he have? A human woman who couldn't protect him? Who would only hold

him back?

| moved down the hall to the nursery, where Lily slept in her crib.

“You're going to be amazing, little one,” | whispered, reaching down to stroke her soft cheek. “You're going to

be everything your father is and more.”

My throat tightened with unshed tears. “But you need a mother who can guide you in that world.”

Lily stirred slightly at the sound of my voice, her tiny fist curling around my finger with surprising strength.

“I love you,” | breathed. “I love you both so much.”

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Damien deserved a real mate. A luna who could help him lead the pack, who could give him children without

genetic complications, who could stand beside him at events like tonight without embarrassing him.

Adrian and Lily deserved a mother who could protect them properly. Who could teach them about their wolf

heritage. Who wouldn't be a liability when they needed her most.

And I...

| deserved to stop pretending | belonged in a world that no longer had room for me.

| made my way back to our bedroom, slipping under the covers as quietly as I'd left. Damien didn’t stir, lost in

whatever dreams alphas had.

*| could do it,* | thought, staring at his sleeping face. *I could leave. Find somewhere quiet to start over. He'd

be sad for a while, but eventually he’d realize it was for the best. He'd find someone worthy of him. Someone

who could give him everything | can’t.*

The idea should have horrified me. Should have sentscrambling to wake him up and beg for reassurance.

Instead, it felt almost... peaceful.

Like setting down a burden I'd been carrying for too long.

*Tomorrow,* | decided.

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