Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother - Chapter 288

Chapter 288: Chapter 288
Seraphina’s POV

The backyard looked like a pink and blue bomb had exploded.

Balloons everywhere. Streamers hanging from every tree. Two massive question marks made of flowers standing on either side of a confetti cannon that Damien had spent three hours setting up.

“Is this too much?” I asked for the tenth time.

“Yes.” Ophelia adjusted a centerpiece. “But it’s perfect.”

She was nervous. I could tell. Her hands kept fidgeting. Her eyes kept darting toward the gate.

Caleb wasn’t here yet.

“Stop looking,” I whispered.

“I’m not looking.”

“You’ve checked the entrance seventeen times in the last five minutes.”

“I’m monitoring the party setup.”

“Sure you are.”

She threw a napkin at me. I caught it. Laughed.

The guests started arriving around noon. Pack members. Friends. Family. Everyone who mattered.

Lucas came with Riley. They’d been officially together for two months now. She was practically glowing. He couldn’t stop touching her. Hand on her back. Fingers through her hair. Little gestures that said mine without words.

Marcus brought his wife and kids. Claire arrived with an enormous gift basket. The elders showed up in a group, all of them already arguing about whether the twins would be boys, girls, or one of each.

Adrian and Lily ran between guests like tiny tornadoes. Excited. Hyper. Probably on a sugar high from the cookies they’d snuck earlier.

“Mommy!” Lily crashed into my legs. “When do we find out? When? When?”

“Soon, baby.” I smoothed her hair. “Be patient.”

“I can’t be patient! I’m too excited!”

Adrian appeared beside her. More composed. But his eyes were just as bright. “I think it’s one of each. That makes the most sense mathematically.”

“Babies aren’t math,” Lily informed him.

“Everything is math.”

They wandered off. Still debating. I watched them go with my heart full.

Damien’s arm slid around my waist. “You okay?”

“Perfect.” I leaned into him. “This is perfect.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it keeps being true.”

He kissed my temple. Soft. Sweet. The kind of casual affection that still made my stomach flutter.

“The cannon’s ready,” he said. “Just give the word.”

“Soon. We’re waiting for one more person.”

His eyebrows rose. “Caleb?”

“Caleb.”

Right on cue, the gate opened.

Caleb walked in. Tall. Blonde. Looking slightly overwhelmed by the explosion of decorations. He wore a nice button-down shirt. Actually made an effort.

Interesting.

“He dressed up,” Damien observed.

“He did.”

“For a casual backyard party.”

“Mmhmm.”

Damien’s lips twitched. “This should be fun to watch.”

Across the yard, Ophelia had frozen mid-conversation. Her back was to the gate. But somehow she knew. Could probably feel his presence. That’s how these things worked.

She turned slowly. Their eyes met.

Even from here, I saw her blush.

“Go say hi,” I called to her.

She shot me a death glare. Excused herself from whoever she’d been talking to. Walked toward Caleb like she was approaching a bomb.

I grabbed Damien’s hand. “Come on. Let’s make introductions.”

We intercepted them in the middle of the yard. Perfect timing.

“Caleb!” I hugged him quickly. “You made it!”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” His eyes kept drifting to Ophelia. Not subtle at all. “The place looks amazing.”

“Ophelia did most of the decorating.” I gestured toward her. “You two remember each other, right?”

“Of course.” Caleb’s voice dropped slightly. Softer. “Hi, Ophelia.”

“Hi.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Nervous habit. “You look… I mean, you found the place okay?”

“GPS helped.”

“Right. GPS. Good.”

Silence. Awkward, electric silence.

Damien coughed. Badly hiding a laugh.

Ophelia was still standing there. Still blushing. Still looking like she wanted the ground to swallow her.

Time for phase two.

“Ophelia, can you show Caleb where the drinks are?” I asked sweetly. “Damien and I need to check on the cannon.”

“The drinks are right there.” She pointed at the obvious table ten feet away.

“But Caleb doesn’t know what we have. You should explain the options.”

“It’s lemonade and water.”

“Ophelia.” I gave her a look. “Please?”

She sighed. Defeated. “Fine. Come on, Caleb.”

They walked away together. His hand found the small of her back. Guiding her. Protective.

She didn’t pull away.

“You’re enjoying this,” Damien murmured.

“Immensely.”

“Should I be worried about your matchmaking tendencies?”

“Only if you misbehave.”

He laughed. Pulled me closer. “Never.”

—

An hour later, it was time.

Everyone gathered around the confetti cannon. The crowd buzzed with speculation. Bets had been placed. Arguments had happened. Lucas was convinced it was two boys. Claire insisted on two girls. Most people were hedging their guesses.

Only a few of us knew the truth.

Damien stood beside the cannon. Adrian and Lily next to him. All three of them wearing matching grins.

“Ready?” Damien asked the crowd.

“READY!” The response was deafening.

“On three!” He grabbed the trigger rope. “One!”

The crowd joined in. “TWO!”

“THREE!”

He pulled.

The cannon exploded.

Pink AND blue confetti burst into the air. Swirling. Mixing. Covering everything and everyone.

For a second, confusion. Then understanding.

“TWINS!” Someone screamed. “It’s twins!”

“One of each!” Another voice. “A boy AND a girl!”

The yard erupted. Cheering. Crying. Hugging. Pure joy everywhere.

Lily was jumping up and down. “I get a sister AND a brother! Best day EVER!”

Adrian pumped his fist. “I knew it! I knew it was mathematically probable!”

Damien caught me. Lifted me off my feet. Spun me around while confetti rained down.

“A boy and a girl,” he breathed against my ear. “We’re having a boy and a girl.”

“We are.” I was crying. Laughing. Both at the same time. “Our family’s getting bigger.”

“I love you.” He set me down. Cupped my face. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

He kissed me. Deep. Perfect. The crowd wolf-whistled. We ignored them.

When we finally broke apart, Lucas was there. Eyes suspiciously wet.

“Congratulations.” He hugged us both. “You deserve all of this.”

Riley was right behind him. Then Claire. Then everyone.

The next twenty minutes were a blur of embraces and well-wishes. My face hurt from smiling. My heart felt too big for my chest.

Through the chaos, I kept track of two specific people.

Ophelia and Caleb stood near the drink table. Together. Talking quietly. She was laughing at something he said. He was watching her like she was the only person at the party.

Good. Very good.

But they needed a push. One final nudge.

I excused myself from a conversation. Made my way toward them. Casual. Innocent.

“Having fun?” I asked.

Ophelia’s guard went up. “What are you doing?”

“Talking to my friends. Is that not allowed?”

“Sera…”

“You two look cozy over here.” I gestured between them. “Standing so close. Sharing drinks. Very cute.”

Caleb’s ears went red. “We were just talking.”

“Uh-huh.” I smiled sweetly. Then, in one smooth motion, I “tripped.”

My shoulder hit Ophelia. Hard enough to knock her off balance. She stumbled forward.

Right into Caleb.

His arms caught her automatically. One around her waist. One on her shoulder. Steadying her.

They froze. Faces inches apart. Bodies pressed together.

“Oh no!” I gasped dramatically. “I’m so clumsy! These pregnancy hormones!”

Ophelia shot me a murderous look over her shoulder. “You did that on purpose.”

“Did I?” Innocent blinking. “I’m just so unsteady these days.”

“Sera!”

Caleb hadn’t let go. His arm was still around her waist. Holding her close.

He didn’t seem to want to let go.

Ophelia turned back to him. Flustered. Embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. She’s—she does this. It’s like a disease. She can’t help meddling.”

“It’s fine.” His voice was soft. Almost tender.

“It’s really not. She’s been planning this. The whole party. Inviting you. All of it. She thinks she’s subtle but she’s really not.”

“I noticed.”

Ophelia paused. “You… noticed?”

“The pointed looks. The convenient disappearances. The ‘show him where the drinks are’ thing.” Caleb smiled. That warm, genuine smile. “She’s not exactly subtle.”

“I’m going to kill her.”

“Please don’t. I’d miss her.”

Ophelia laughed. Nervous. Still in his arms. Still not pulling away.

Around them, people were starting to notice. Heads turning. Smiles spreading.

“I should…” Ophelia gestured vaguely. “Step back. This is… people are watching.”

“Let them watch.”

She froze. “What?”

Caleb’s arm tightened slightly. Gentle but firm. “I don’t mind if they watch.”

“Caleb…”

“Can I ask you something?”

Her breath caught. “What?”

The whole party had gone quiet now. Everyone watching. Waiting.

“Would you want to try this?” Caleb asked. “Going out. With me. On a real date.”

Ophelia’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.