Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

22 Chapter 22

Damien’s POV 1

The past few days had been absolute torture. Every morning, I’d called Lucas before my coffee had finished brewing. Every lunch break,

I’d summoned him to my office with increasingly desperate demands for updates. Every evening, I’d texted him the same question: *Any

news?*

The answer was always the same infuriating response: *Still searching. These things take time.*

Meanwhile, Sera worked at her desk just outside my office, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside me. She’d settled into her

role with impressive efficiency, anticipating my needs before I voiced them, managing my impossible schedule with grace that would

have impressed even Claire. But every time she leaned over to place documents on my desk, every time her vanilla and jasmine scent

wafted toward me, Alex would snarl with barely contained hunger.

*Claim her,* my wolf demanded for the hundredth time that day. *She’s ours. Stop this foolish waiting.*

But I couldn’t. Not until I knew for certain. Not until I had proof that she was the woman who’d haunted my dreams for five years.

Today had been particularly brutal. Sera had worn a fitted black dress that hugged every curve, and when she’d bent to retrieve a

dropped file, the sight of her perfect ass had nearly made me lose all control. I’d spent the afternoon with my hands clenched into fists,

fighting the urge to pull her into my office and finish what we should do.

By five o’clock, I was wound tighter than a spring ready to snap.

crackled through the intercom for what had

you have something,” I growled, not looking up from the quarterly reports I’d been staring at without actually

past hour.

pawn shops still to check, forty-seven jewelry stores, and a list of online auction sites

voice carried the particular tone of someone whose patience was

I find anything. Asking me every hour isn’t going

slammed my palm against the desk hard enough to

I saw Sera’s head turn toward my door through the glass partition. Her emerald eyes met

features, before she quickly looked

love-struck teenager instead of a powerful Alpha who commanded respect

was eating me alive. Every night, I lay awake imagining what it would mean if Sera

I convinced myself

crazy,* Alex observed with uncharacteristic gentleness. *And you’re making everyone

over a minor scheduling conflict, and growled at the building’s security guard for having the audacity to greet

717

suit jacket from the back of my chair.

me through

making eye contact, afraid that if I looked into those emerald eyes

pin

passed, her voice carrying that particular

tighten.

finger hovering over the call button, every instinct screaming at me to turn around and go

elevator and let the doors close between us.

seated at the bar of *Moonlight & Shadows*, the

drink expensive whiskey and pretend their

fixtures, with enough ambient

thoughts.