Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother - Chapter 215

Chapter 215: Chapter 215
Seraphina’s POV

Damien stared at me for a long moment. His jaw worked like he was chewing on something bitter.

“You want to help with the pack,” he said slowly.

“Yes. I’m not asking for permission, Damien. I’m telling you. I’m not going to sit around this house being useless.”

“I never said you were useless.”

“You didn’t have to.”

He ran a hand through his hair. Frustrated. Conflicted.

“What exactly do you want to do?” he asked finally.

“Whatever needs doing.” I shrugged. “You said yourself the pack’s struggling. Let me help.”

“With what? You can’t shift anymore. You can’t—”

“I can fight.” The words came out sharp. “You saw that firsthand. I don’t need a wolf to be useful.”

His expression shifted. Something dark flickering across his features.

Yeah. He’d definitely seen me fight. Watched me nearly kill a man twice my size.

“There is something,” he said slowly. “Something we need. But Sera, I don’t know if—”

“What is it?”

He hesitated. Then: “We need someone to lead the female warriors. Train them. Riley’s been doing it but with the baby, she’s had to cut back. The women need a proper leader. Someone strong. Someone they can look up to.”

“You asked what needed doing.” His voice was careful. Too careful. “This is what we need most.”

“Maybe I can try to.”

“You took down a wolf twice your size in that ring.” He stepped closer. “Without shifting. Without any advantages. You fought with pure skill and determination. That’s exactly what our female warriors need to see.”

His eyes locked onto mine. “The women in this pack have been raised to think they’re weaker. Less capable. They need someone to show them different.”

He wasn’t wrong. The way female pack members were treated. Expected to be support. Caregivers. Never fighters.

“Think about it,” Damien said quietly. “You don’t have to decide right now.”

“Fine.” I turned toward the door. “I’ll think about it.”

“Sera?”

I stopped. Didn’t turn around.

“I’m going to call Ophelia and Riley,” he said. “Tell them you’re back. They’ve been worried. Really worried.”

My throat tightened.

Ophelia and Riley. My best friends. Who I’d abandoned without a word.

“Okay,” I managed.

“I thought maybe we could have them over. Nothing big. Just… let them know you’re alright.”

I nodded. Still didn’t turn around.

“They missed you.” His voice got softer. “A lot.”

The words hit harder than they should have.

I left before he could say anything else.

—

Two hours later, I stood in the kitchen trying to remember how to make coffee in my own house.

Everything looked the same but felt foreign. Like I was a guest in my own life.

The doorbell rang.

My heart jumped into my throat.

*They’re here.*

I heard Damien’s footsteps. The door opening. Voices.

“—can’t believe you didn’t tell us sooner!”

Ophelia.

Her voice was exactly the same. Loud. Energetic. Full of life.

“I wanted to wait until—” Damien started.

“Wait? WAIT?” Ophelia’s voice got louder. “Damien, she’s been gone for three years! You find her and you don’t immediately call me?”

“It’s complicated—”

“I don’t care how complicated it is! Where is she?”

Footsteps. Fast. Getting closer.

Then she was there.

Standing in the kitchen doorway. Staring at me.

Ophelia looked exactly the same. Same wild curly hair. Same bright eyes. Same everything.

We stared at each other.

For one heartbeat. Two. Three.

Then she moved.

Crossed the kitchen in three strides and slapped me on my arm, not hurt.

“You little bastard!” Her voice cracked.

She slapped me on my arm again. Harder this time.

“Three years!” Another slap. “Three FUCKING years!”

“Ophelia—” I tried.

“No!” She grabbed my shoulders. Shook me. “You don’t get to explain! You don’t get to justify! You just LEFT!”

Tears streamed down her face now.

“I thought you were dead!” The words came out as a wail. “I thought someone killed you! I thought—”

She pulled me into her arms. Held me so tight I couldn’t breathe.

And started sobbing.

“I missed you so much,” she cried into my shoulder. “I missed you so fucking much and I was so scared and I thought I’d never see you again and—”

My own tears started. Hot. Fast.

“I’m sorry.” The words came out broken. “I’m so sorry, Ophelia. I’m so—”

“Shut up.” She pulled back. Slapped me again. Then hugged me again. “Just shut up.”

We stood there. Both crying. Both holding each other like we’d drown if we let go.

“Girls?”

Riley’s voice. Soft. Gentle.

I looked up.

She stood in the doorway. Holding a little girl’s hand. Grace. She was bigger now. Three years old. With Riley’s eyes and Lucas’s smile.

“Hi,” Riley said quietly.

Fresh tears spilled down my face.

Riley had always been kind. Patient. Everything I wasn’t.

And I’d left her without a word too.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

She crossed the room. Set Grace down gently.

Then she wrapped her arms around both me and Ophelia.

“You’re here now,” she said simply. “That’s what matters.”

Grace tugged on my shirt.

I looked down at her. This little person I’d never met.

“Are you Aunt Sera?” she asked.

My throat closed completely.

“Yeah,” I managed. “Yeah, I am.”

“Mommy said you were lost.” Grace’s face was serious. “But now you’re found.”

Something in my chest cracked wide open.

“Yeah.” I knelt down to her level. “I was lost. But I’m home now.”

“Good.” She threw her small arms around my neck. “I’m glad.”

—

We moved to the living room. Riley helped make tea. Ophelia couldn’t stop touching me—my arm, my hand, my face—like she needed to confirm I was real.

The kids played in the corner. Adrian, Lily, and Grace. Normal. Happy.

Like this was fine. Like everything was fine.

“So.” Ophelia finally sat back. Her eyes were red from crying but her voice was steady now. “Are you going to tell us where the hell you’ve been?”

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

Where did I even start?

“She’s been fighting.” Damien’s voice cut through. He stood in the doorway. Arms crossed. “Underground circuits.”

Ophelia’s eyes went wide. “What?”

“That’s how I found her.” He looked at me. Something unreadable in his expression. “She was in a ring. Nearly died.”

“Jesus Christ, Sera.” Ophelia’s hand flew to her mouth. “Why?”

“Because I had to.” The words came out flat. “I needed money. Needed something to do.

Silence fell.

—

An hour later, the kids were playing upstairs. Riley had made sandwiches. We sat around the dining table like old times.

Except it wasn’t like old times at all.

“So,” Ophelia said casually. “You and Damien. Back together? Happy ending? All that?”

I choked on my water.

Riley’s eyes darted between us. “Yeah. You seem… good.”

Damien and I looked at each other.

The room got very quiet. Very awkward.

Neither of us spoke.