Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

179 Chapter 179

Seraphina’s POV T

“Mama!”

The world tilted sideways.

One second I was standing there, frozen in place, processing the impossible sight of this tiny girl running toward me. The next, she

crashed into my legs with enough force to make me stumble backward.

Small arms wrapped around my knees like iron bands. A face pressed against my thighs. “I-” My voice came out strangled. Wrong. “I

think you’ve got the wrong person, sweetheart.”

But she didn’t let go. Just held on tighter, her small body trembling with what might have been excitement or relief or something I

couldn’t name.

“Sera?” Caleb’s voice cut through my shock. “Do you know this kid?”

“No.” The word came out too fast. “No, I don’t know her.”

My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat. In my fingertips. In every cell of my body screaming that something was

very, very wrong with this situation.

All I could do was stare down at the top of this little girl’s head–dark hair in slightly messy pigtails, one ribbon starting to come loose.

*Just like I used to do Lily’s hair. Always one ribbon looser than the other because she’d fidget.*

“Hey,” I said softly, my voice shaking despite my best efforts. “Hey, sweetie. I think there’s been a mistake.”

The little girl pulled back just enough to look up at me, and-

Oh.

Her eyes.

They were like looking into the ocean at dawn–blue and green swirled together in a way that didn’t quite match mine but felt achingly

familiar. Lighter than my emerald green, but with that same depth. That same intensity.

“You have pretty eyes,” she said seriously, studying my face with the kind of concentration only small children possessed. “Like the forest.

Daddy says. ‘Mama has

throat closed up completely.

reached out with one small hand, fingers barely brushing my hair where it

was a knife between my ribs.

not-” I had to stop and swallow

18 19

179 Chapter 179

bottom lip pushed out in the most devastating pout I’d ever seen. “But you look

managed something that might have been a smile. My face felt frozen. “Your mama sounds beautiful. But honey, are you lost? Can’t you

passing across her small face. Sadness, maybe. Or confusion. Or something else I couldn’t quite

my mama,” she said, so matter–of–fact it made

now. I clasped them together in my lap, trying to hold myself

tells me about her all the time!” The little girl’s face brightened again, that devastating pout transforming into an excited smile that showed her baby tooth. “He says she’s beautiful and kind and brave. He says she has black hair and green eyes

smile in

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper like she was sharing a secret. “He says

him. And

like it was coming from

small fingers trying to touch my face. “You look exactly like how Daddy described!

here! You found me!”

them between mine. They were so small. So

I’d never met

voice as gentle as I

Like… like copies. But I’m not

I’d just told her the worst news

those chubby cheeks. Dripping

I could stop it. “Oh, sweetheart, don’t cry.

without conscious thought. She buried her face in my shoulder, her

body shaking with sobs.

just want a mama,” she hiccupped against my neck. “Everyone else has a mama.

concern. “Maybe we should find her parents. Her dad must be looking for

back gently, keeping my hands on the little girl’s shoulders. “He’s right. Your daddy must be so worried about you. Do

where he is?”

back of her hand, sniffling. “We were getting cupcakes. Will you come meet Daddy? He’ll be so happy!

Mama

that’s a good idea.” I gentled my voice, trying to make the rejection hurt less. “Your daddy needs to find you,

10-35

179 Chapter 179

have my own children. My own

children?” Her eyes went