Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

185 Chapter 185

Seraphina’s POV

The little girl’s chubby arms around my waist. Her sticky face pressed against my stomach. That word-*Mama“-echoing in my ears.

I couldn’t shake it.

Back at Margaret’s place, I went through the motions. Helped set up for her birthday dinner. Smiled at the right times. Laughed when

everyone else did. But my mind kept drifting back to that street corner, to those innocent eyes looking up at me with such certainty.

“Sera, honey, you’re burning the garlic bread.”

Margaret’s voice snapped me back. Smoke curled up from the oven.

“Shit!” I yanked the tray out, nearly dropping it. The bread was charcoal black.

Margaret took the tray from my hands, her eyes soft with concern. “What’s going on with you tonight?”

“Nothing. Sorry. I’ll make another batch.”

“We have plenty of food.” She set the ruined bread aside. “Talk to me.”

“I’m fine. Really.” I forced a smile. “Just tired from the drive.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she let it go. For now.

Dinner was loud and chaotic in the best way. Margaret’s friends filled her dining room with laughter and wine and terrible dad jokes. I

sat at the corner of the table, picking at my pasta, trying to be present.

“So Sera,” one of Margaret’s book club friends–Linda? Lydia?—leaned toward me. “Margaret says you’re a professional boxer. That must

be so glamorous.”

“It has its moments.”

“Do you travel a lot?”

“Yeah. Constantly.”

“That sounds exhausting.” She took a sip of wine. “Do you ever think about settling down? Starting a family?”

The pasta turned to cement in my mouth. I forced myself to swallow.

“Linda,” Margaret cut in smoothly. “Sera’s only twenty–six. Plenty of time for all that.”

“Oh, I know! I just meant—” Linda backpedaled. “My daughter’s your age and she’s already talking about freezing her eggs. These young

women today, so practical about these things.”

I excused myself to the bathroom. Locked the door. Stared at my reflection.

*Mama.*

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face swam in my vision. I gripped the edge of the sink until my knuckles

Get it together, Seraphina.

and sang Happy Birthday, I started gathering my

think you’re going?” Margaret materialized in front of the door, arms

“Home. It’s getting late.”

“The

“Margaret, I can’t—”

down my kitchen. You almost gave yourself second–degree burns.” She

letting you drive

“I’m fine to drive.”

raised one finger when I opened my mouth to argue. “One night. That’s all I’m asking. Stay. Let

you for once.”

my defenses crumble. Maybe

first thing Saturday morning. I have a match Monday. I need to get

practice.”

softened with relief. “Perfect. I’ll

early, sunlight stabbing through the

My head pounded. My eyes

promise, piling my plate high with blueberry ones–my favorite, because of course

remembered.

said, sliding the syrup across

knots. The sweetness made me

“It’s barely nine.”

lie to add to the growing pile. “And I want to hit the gym

eyes seeing straight through me like they always did.

“Alright. But drive carefully.”

hugged her goodbye, inhaling her familiar lavender perfume, trying to

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185 Chapter 185

that my usual route was closed due to an accident.

Take Highway

knuckles

No. No way.

tried to find another route. Any other route. But

insisting on Highway

I have already wasted 3 hours on this broken road. Then hit it again.

million people. I’d be in my car the whole time. Just passing through. in

know I was

as I

up the radio, some mindless pop song about love and heartbreak,

turned it up louder, letting the bass drown out

crawl. Of course. Saturday afternoon in downtown, everyone out for

my fingers on the wheel, then my palm, then my whole hand,

Red light.

trapped. Waiting. My eyes wandered

street,

grass and

eyes swept over it automatically. White tables with cheerful yellow

their

then I saw