Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother - Chapter 206

Chapter 206: Chapter 206
Damien’s POV

Pain.

That was the first thing that registered when consciousness crawled back. Sharp, stabbing pain that drilled through my skull like someone had taken an ice pick to my brain

I kept my eyes closed. Didn’t want to face the light. Didn’t want to face anything.

But something was wrong. The bed felt different. Warmer. The sheets smelled like—

My eyes snapped open.

Sera.

She was right there. Inches away. Lying on her side facing me. Her dark hair spread across the white pillow like spilled ink.

Sleeping.

Her breathing was deep. Heavy. The kind of exhausted sleep that came after—

Oh God.

Memory crashed into me like a freight train.

The bar. The whiskey. Coming here drunk. Her crying. Me climbing into bed. Her pushing me away. Me not stopping. Her screaming my name. Me—

*No. No, no, no.*

My stomach lurched violently. I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up.

Everything came up. The alcohol. The dinner I hadn’t eaten. Bile burning my throat.

I knelt on the cold tile. Forehead pressed against the toilet seat. Shaking.

*What did I do?*

I’d forced myself on my mate. My wife. The woman I loved more than life itself.

I’d become the monster she’d been running from.

Another wave of nausea hit. I retched until there was nothing left. Until I was just dry heaving and gasping.

When I finally stumbled to the sink, I couldn’t look at my reflection. Couldn’t face the man staring back at me.

I splashed cold water on my face. It didn’t help. Nothing could help.

I gripped the edge of the sink so hard my knuckles went white. My claws extended slightly. Cutting into my palms.

*She’ll never forgive me. Never.*

The bathroom door was still open. I could see the bed from here. See her small form under the covers.

She hadn’t moved. Still sleeping. Or pretending to sleep.

I forced myself to walk back into the room. Each step felt like walking through concrete.

The morning light streaming through the windows was too bright. Too cheerful. Mocking me.

I stopped a few feet from the bed. Just stood there. Staring at her.

She was wearing one of my shirts. When had she put that on? Had I helped her? Or had she done it herself after I—

My hands started shaking. I clenched them into fists. Felt my claws dig deeper into my palms. Felt blood drip between my fingers.

Then I saw them.

The marks on her neck.

Dark purple bruises. Bite marks. My bite marks.

I’d marked her. Not the sacred claiming bite that would’ve bonded us forever. Just brutal, violent marks that screamed what I’d done.

I was possessive. Obsessive. Dangerous.

And last night, I’d proven it.

I took a step back. Then another. Putting distance between us even though it was too late. The damage was done.

My wolf was silent inside me. No defense. No justification. Even Alex knew what we’d done was unforgivable.

Sera moved.

Just slightly. A small shift in her breathing. Her fingers twitching against the pillow.

I froze. Every muscle locked. Heart hammering so hard I thought it might break my ribs.

She’d been safe in sleep. Away from me. Away from what I’d done.

Now she had to face it. Face me.

I wanted to run. Wanted to bolt from this room and never come back.

Her eyes opened slowly.

For a moment, she just stared at the wall. Not moving. Not speaking.

Then she turned her head.

Our eyes met.

I braced myself. For anger. For tears. For screaming. For her to attack me. To try to claw my eyes out.

I would’ve let her. Would’ve welcomed it.

But she didn’t do any of that.

She just… looked at me.

Her expression was blank. Empty. Like all the life had been drained out of her.

That was worse. So much worse than anger.

“Sera.” My voice came out hoarse. Broken. “I—”

She held up one hand. Stopping me.

Then she slowly sat up. The blanket fell away. My shirt hung loose on her frame. Those marks on her neck stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Proof of my crime.

She didn’t try to cover them. Didn’t touch them. Just sat there in silence.

I should say something. Apologize. Beg for forgiveness I didn’t deserve.

But what words could possibly make this better?

*Sorry I raped you* didn’t quite cut it.

Sera swung her legs over the side of the bed. Winced slightly. Probably sore from—

Stop. Don’t think about it.

She stood up. Walked past me toward the bathroom without a word.

I heard the door close. The lock click. Water running.

Then nothing.

I stood there like an idiot. Staring at the closed bathroom door. Waiting for… what? For her to come out? To scream at me? To tell me she hated me?

The silence was killing me.

Minutes passed. Five. Ten. Fifteen.

Finally, the bathroom door opened.

She’d changed. Put on the sweatpants I’d left for her. Pulled her hair back. Washed her face.

But she still looked… hollow. Empty. Like a ghost wearing her skin.

She walked to the window. Stood there staring out at the city. Her back to me.

More silence.

I moved to the couch. Sat down. Put my head in my hands.

This was it. This was how we ended. Not with a fight. Not with tears. Not with any of the dramatic scenes I’d imagined over the past three years.

Just… silence. And the slow, painful death of everything we’d been.

Time passed. I don’t know how long. Could’ve been minutes. Could’ve been hours.

Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved.

Just two broken people in a room full of ghosts.

Finally—finally—Sera spoke.

“Can you take me to see them?”

The words were so quiet I almost missed them.

I looked up. She was still facing the window. Still not looking at me.

“What?” My voice cracked.

She took a breath. Let it out slowly. “The kids. Adrian and Lily. Can I see them?”