Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

they stood there critiquing my “technique.” The countless mornings I'd arrived at school to find my locker filled

with rotting meat and

notes calling“worthless breeding stock.”

Anna’s specialty had been psychological warfare. She'd befriendfor just long enough to learn my

insecurities, then weaponize them

with surgical precision. She'd discovered | had a crush on a boy in our chemistry class and had convinced him to

askto the spring

formal-only to reveal it was all an elaborate prank when | showed up to find them laughing atin front of the

entire school.

“Did you really think someone like him would want damaged goods?” Anna had whispered as | stood there in my

carefully saved-for

dress, humiliation burning through my veins like acid. “You're just a charity case, Sera. Always have been, always

will be.”

For three endless years, they'd made sure | knew exactly where | stood in the pack hierarchy. Every day brought

fresh reminders that |

was nothing, nobody, a mistake that everyone tolerated only because the Moon Goddess apparently had a

twisted sense of humor.

After graduation, she’d vanished completely. Valerie had mentioned once that Anna was “sleeping her way to the

top” with various

wealthy men, but I'd assumed that was just typical Valerie venom. Now here she was, draped all over my mate

like a cheap accessory,

acting as if we were long-lost best friends.

“Know each other?” Anna's voice pitched higher, that stheatrical quality | remembered from our school days

when she’d perform for

whatever audience was available. “We were best friends! Isn't that right, Sera darling?”

The casual lie made my wolf snarl with indignation. Ayla was pacing furiously in my mind, her mental voice sharp

with protective anger.

*That bitch tormented us for years. How dare she rewrite history?*

But what made my chest tighten with real pain wasn’t Anna’s presence-it was the golden pendant she kept

waving around like a trophy.

The craftsmanship was exquisite, clearly expensive.

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“Report to the office Monday morning,” Damien said, his voice carrying that sprofessional tone he'd used

during my interview.

“You'll be working as a senior assistant. With Sera.”

With me.

The words felt like ice water being poured down my spine. This woman-this creature who had spent three years

of my life makingfeel worthless-was being handed a position identical to mine. No interview, no

qualifications check, no demonstration of ability. Just

Damien’s word, apparently based on whatever sob story she'd fed him about their supposed romantic history.

“Excuse me,” | managed to say, my voice steady despite the fury building in my chest. “But did this... candidate

go through the same

interview process | did? Because | seem to recall multiple rounds of screening, reference checks, and a rather

intense evaluation period

before | was deemed qualified for this position.”

Anna's perfectly manicured hand tightened on Damien's arm, her artificially plumped lips curving into a smirk |

knew all too well. “Oh,

Sera,” she laughed, that smusical tinkle that had preceded so many of my teenage humiliations. “Always so

concerned with rules and

fairness. Sof us don’t need to jump through hoops when we have... special qualifications.”

She pressed herself closer to Damien, making sure her enhanced curves were pressed against his side in a way

that would be impossible

to ignore. The possessive gesture made my wolf howl with rage, and | had to dig my nails into my palms to keep

from lunging at her

throat.

“Special qualifications?” | repeated, my voice taking on an edge that made several passing security guards look

in our direction.

“You don’t understand!” Anna’s voice rose to that familiar pitch of manufactured excitement, designed to draw

attention and make

everyone focus on her performance. “I'm Damien's first love! His true mate from years ago!” She waved the

pendant frantically, the gold

catching the overhead lights. “He promisedall of this-the job, the position, everything! | might even become

his Luna!”

The bottom dropped out of my world.

Damien's face had gone carefully blank. But his silence spoke volumes. He wasn’t denying her claims. Wasn't

correcting her assumption

about their relationship status. Wasn't even stepping away from her touch.

My mate-the man who'd rescuedfrom Michael's assault, who'd made love towith desperate passion in

the back seat of his car,

who'd looked atlike | was everything he'd been searching for-was standing there letting another woman

claim his future.

And not just any woman. The woman who'd spent three years of my adolescence convincing| was worthless.

“Well then,” | said quietly, my voice carrying a calm that | definitely didn’t feel. “I suppose congratulations are in

order.”

| looked directly at Damien, meeting those blue eyes that had haunted my dreams for the past week. Eyes that

now seemed cold and

distant, like he was looking at a stranger rather than the woman he’d claimed as his mate.

“I hope you'll both be very happy together,” | continued, each word carefully measured and precisely delivered.

“And I'll go hright

now.”

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