Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

183 Chapter 183

Damien’s POV

“Really?” Riley's voice cthrough the phone, surprised. “That's great! Who are you bringing?”

“Ill let you know,” | said, already regretting the words. “See you Saturday.”

Thung up before she could ask more questions.

Lily was staring atwith those ocean and forest eyes. Her whole face was lit up with hope.

“Daddy?” Her voice was small. Careful. “Are you going to bring Mama?”

My chest tightened. “Lily-"

“Because | know where she is!” The words tumbled out in a rush. “I can show you! We can go get her and bring

her to the party and then

everything will be perfect!”

“Baby, listen to me.” | knelt down so we were eye level. “The woman you saw today wasn’t Mama.”

“But she looked just like her! She had forest eyes and-"

“I know.” | caught her small hands in mine. “I know she looked similar. But it wasn’t her.”

“How do you know?” Her bottom lip trembled. “You didn’t even see her!”

“I just know,” | said quietly.

“Then who are you bringing?” Lily pulled her hands free, her expression shifting from hope to something harder.

“Who's coming with us

if it's not Mama?”

“A friend. Someone nice who can—"

“I don’t want a friend!” Her voice got louder. Angry. “I want my mama! Why can’t | have my mama like all the

other kids?”

“Lily-"

“It’s not fair!” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Grace has a mama. All the kids at daycare have mamas. Why

don’t | get one?”

“You have a mama,” | said, my throat tight. “She’s just not here right now.”

“Then where is she?” Lily's small fists clenched at her sides. “Why did she leave? Doesn't she love me?”

My heart shattered. “Of course she loves you. She loves you so much—"

“Then why isn’t she HERE?” The words cout as a wail. “If she loved me, she'd be here!”

| pulled her into my arms even though she tried to push away. Held her tight while she sobbed against my

chest.

| whispered into her hair. “She had reasons. Important reasons.”

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183 Chapter 183

“I hate her reasons!” Lily's voice was muffled against my shirt. “I hate them! | just want my mama!”

“I know, baby. | know.”

We stayed like that for a long time.holding her. Her crying. Both of us breaking over someone who wasn’t

here.

Finally, her sobs quieted to hiccups. Her small body went limp with exhaustion.

“Con,” | said softly. “Let's get you to bed.”

“But the party-"

“We're still going to the party. | promise.” | lifted her, carrying her toward the stairs. “With a nice friend who will

make sure you have fun.”

Lily was quiet as | carried her up the stairs. Her room was exactly as she'd left it-toys scattered everywhere,

books piled on the

nightstand, that stuffed wolf she insisted on sleeping with every night.

| set her down on the bed and helped her change into pajamas. The whole time, she didn’t say a word. Just

stared at the ceiling with

those sad eyes.

“Lily?” | pulled the covers up to her chin. “Talk to me.”

“I really thought | found her,” she whispered. “When | saw that lady today. | really, really thought...”

“I know you did.”

“But you don’t believe me.”

“It’s not that | don’t believe you-"

“Yes it is.” She turned to face the wall, clutching that stuffed wolf. “Nobody believes me. Not you, not Adrian, not

anybody.”

“Sweetie-"

“I'm tired, Daddy. Can | just sleep now?”

The dismissal hurt more than any tantrum could have.

“Okay,” | said quietly. “Sleep well, baby girl.”

| kissed her forehead and stood up to leave.

“Daddy?”

I turned back. “Yeah?”

“The lady | saw today...” Lily's voice was barely audible. “She said she had her own kids. A boy and a girl. She

said she had children far

away.” Lily hugged the stuffed wolf tighter. “Do you think... do you think Mama has new kids now? Kids she likes

better than us?”

The question made bile rise in my throat.

“No,” | said firmly. “No, Lily. That's not-that would never happen.”

“How do you know?”

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183 Chapter 183

“Because | know your mama. And she could never love anyone more than she loves you and Adrian.”

“Get ssleep,” | said, my voice rough. “We'll talk more tomorrow.”

| left before she could ask more questions | couldn't answer.

Adrian's door was closed when |

passed it. No light Ygne om

pe Bitker € was asleep or

prétending to be. Either way, | didn't

knock.

Downstairs, the house felt too quiet. Too empty.

| poured myself a drink | didn’t want and sank onto the couch.

The anger cback. Hot and bitter.

| pulled out my phone and stared at it for a long moment.

Emma’s contact was right there. Professional. Efficient. Available.

She'd made it clear more than once

that she was intere eg Thetshed

pentose side. That

shé understood pack politics The

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and alpha responsibilities in a way Sera never had.

My finger hovered over her name.

This was insane. | didn’t want Emma. I'd never wanted Emma.

But Lily's face flashed through my mind. That hope when she thought | might bring her mama to the party. That

devastation when she

realized | couldn't.

Maybe it was tto give my children what they needed.

| pressed call before | could change my mind.

One ring. Two rings.

“Alpha Damien?” Emma’s voice was surprised but pleased. “Is everything alright?”

“I'm fine.” | took a drink. Winced at the burn. “I need to ask you something.”

“Of course. Anything.”

“There's a birthday party this

Saturday. For wD SONY I's a

ew Le) da! s and kids." |

paused, hating what | was about to

say. “I need a date.”

Silence on the other end. Then: “Are you askingto accompany you?”

“Yes.”

“As your date?”

| corrected. “Nothing serious. Just someone to help keep an eye on the kids. Make things less awkward.”

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