Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

156 Chapter 156

Seraphina’s POV 1

My heart hammered against my ribs as the footsteps behind me quickened. The sound echoed off the narrow buildings lining the street,

creating an eerie chorus that made my skin crawl.

*Move. Just keep moving.*

I clutched my grocery bag tighter, the plastic handles cutting into my palm. The bread was getting squished, but I didn’t care. All I cared

about was getting home. Getting somewhere safe. Getting away from whoever was following me.

The streetlights cast long shadows between the buildings, creating perfect hiding spots for anyone who wanted to stay unseen. But I

could still hear him back there. Still feel his presence like a weight pressing against my spine.

I turned right at the next corner, hoping to circle back toward the main street where there would be more people. More witnesses. More

safety.

But the footsteps turned too.

*Shit.*

My hands were shaking now, making it hard to keep hold of the grocery bag. The peanut butter jar rattled against the loaf of bread with

each step. Such normal, everyday sounds. Nothing like the terror pounding through my veins.

The footsteps sped up.

*Run.*

The thought hit me like lightning. I dropped all pretense of casual walking and broke into a sprint, my sneakers slapping against the wet

pavement. Behind me, I heard a grunt of surprise, then the sound of heavier footsteps giving chase.

*He’s following. He’s actually following me.*

I turned left into what I thought was another street, only to realize too late that it was an alley. A dead-end alley with brick walls on

and nowhere to go but back

Where he was waiting.

pressing my back against the cold brick wall, my grocery bag falling to the

silhouetted

thought. Broader. The kind of size that meant trouble for someone like

slurred and rough. “No

and something else. Something sour and unwashed that made my

I was just heading home,” I managed, my voice coming out higher than I wanted. “I don’t

08:31

143

could see his face in the dim light.

he said, but there was something in his tone that suggested the opposite. “Just thought maybe

each other.”

pressed harder against the wall,

need to get home,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

came automatically, desperately.

huh?” He looked around the empty alley. “Don’t

supernatural strength or speed. But I

sound calm. Reasonable. “I understand you’ve been drinking. Maybe you’re just looking for someone to talk to. But I’m not the right person. There are bars a

tilted his head, studying me like

he said, ignoring everything I’d just said. “Really pretty. Bet you don’t get told that

you,

could see the broken blood vessels in his eyes. “Night’s still

got time.”

the wall, trying to put some distance between us without making it obvious. “My husband

husband,” he repeated, and there was something mocking in his

sank. “I… I don’t wear it when I go out alone,” I lied. “Safety

His smile got

“What do you say

tone that sent ice through my veins. “I know a place. Real

The word came out sharper than I intended. “No, I can’t. I

across his face.

false friendliness. “Don’t be like

behind me, feeling for any crack or gap that might give

cold stone and the growing certainty