Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother - Chapter 291

Chapter 291: Epilogue 1: Ophelia–Finding My Own Story
Ophelia’s POV

The first date was a disaster.

Well. Disaster might be strong. But my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My voice came out weird. And I spilled coffee on his shirt within the first five minutes.

“I’m so sorry!” I grabbed napkins. Started dabbing at his chest. Then realized I was basically groping him in public and yanked my hands back. “Oh God. I’m making it worse.”

Caleb just laughed. That warm, easy sound that made my stomach do backflips.

“It’s fine.” He caught my hand before I could retreat completely. “Really. I have like twelve of these shirts.”

“You have twelve identical shirts?”

“I’m a mechanic. Things get dirty.” He shrugged. Still holding my hand. Still smiling. “This is nothing compared to motor oil.”

I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.

But he didn’t let go of my hand. And somehow, that made everything okay.

—

The cafe was small. Quiet. Just us and a bored barista scrolling through her phone.

“So.” Caleb leaned back in his chair. “Tell me about yourself. The real stuff. Not the polite first-date stuff.”

“The real stuff?”

“Yeah.” His brown eyes were warm. Interested. “Like… what makes you laugh? What keeps you up at night? What’s the one thing you’ve never told anyone?”

My brain short-circuited. Nobody asked questions like that. Not on a first date. Not ever.

“That’s…” I swallowed. “That’s a lot.”

“Too much?” He looked genuinely concerned. “I can dial it back. We can talk about weather. Or sports. I know nothing about sports but I can pretend.”

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. “You’d pretend to know about sports for me?”

“I’d pretend to know about anything for you.”

My face went hot. Really hot. The kind of hot that probably made me look like a tomato.

“You’re…” I started. Stopped. Started again. “You’re very direct.”

“Life’s short.” He shrugged. “Why waste time on small talk?”

He had a point.

“Okay.” I took a breath. “Something I’ve never told anyone. Um.”

The truth bubbled up before I could stop it.

“I’ve always been the sidekick.”

Caleb tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Sera’s the main character. Always has been. The dramatic love story. The powerful Alpha mate. The traumatic past. The incredible comeback.” I stared at my coffee. “And I’m just… there. Supporting. Helping. Making sure she’s okay.”

“That sounds lonely.”

The words hit harder than they should.

“It’s not.” I said it too fast. “I love Sera. I’d do anything for her. She’s my best friend.”

“But?”

“But sometimes…” My voice dropped. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever have my own story. Or if I’m just a character in hers.”

Silence stretched between us.

I wanted to take it back. It sounded so pathetic. So whiny. He’d probably make an excuse and leave and I’d never see him again and—

“I think you’re wrong.”

I looked up. “What?”

“I think you’re wrong.” Caleb leaned forward. Earnest. Intense. “About being a sidekick. About not having your own story.”

“You barely know me.”

“I know enough.” His eyes held mine. “I know you’re loyal. Brave. The kind of person who shows up when it matters. Sera told me about everything you did during the war. How you protected the kids. Kept the pack running. Held everything together.”

“That was just—”

“That was heroic.” He cut me off. “You’re not a sidekick, Ophelia. You’re a hero. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

My throat felt tight. My eyes were burning.

Nobody had ever said anything like that to me. Ever.

“I…” I couldn’t finish. Couldn’t find words.

Caleb reached across the table. Took my hand again.

“I’d like to get to know you better.” His voice was soft. “The real you. Not Sera’s friend. Not the pack’s helper. Just… you.”

“Why?”

The question came out before I could stop it. Vulnerable. Desperate.

“Because I think you’re incredible.” He smiled. That warm, genuine smile. “And I want to know everything.”

—

He asked me out again two days later.

Then again three days after that.

Then again. And again. And again.

Coffee dates turned into dinner dates. Dinner dates turned into long walks by the river. Long walks turned into movie nights at his tiny apartment above the repair shop.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped being nervous.

Started being myself.

“You’re humming,” Caleb said one night. We were curled up on his couch. Some terrible action movie playing in the background.

“Am I?”

“Yeah.” He was watching me instead of the screen. “You do that when you’re happy.”

“I do?”

“Mmhmm.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Gentle. Careful. “I like it.”

My heart did that stupid flippy thing again.

“Caleb…”

“Yeah?”

I wanted to tell him. Wanted to say the words burning in my chest. But they stuck in my throat.

Because what if I was wrong?

What if this was just… fun for him? What if he was just being nice? What if he actually wanted someone like Sera—beautiful, strong, dramatic—and I was just… convenient?

“Nothing.” I forced a smile. “Just… thanks. For this. For everything.”

His expression flickered. Something complicated passing through his eyes.

“Anytime.”

—

“You’re being an idiot.”

Sera’s voice was flat. Unsympathetic. We were in her kitchen. The twins were napping. Adrian and Lily were at school.

“Thanks for the support.”

“I’m serious.” She poured us both tea. “You clearly like him. He clearly likes you. Why won’t you just tell him?”

“Because…” I wrapped my hands around the mug. “What if he doesn’t feel the same?”

“He literally comes to Silver Moon Harbor every weekend just to see you. That’s a six-hour round trip, Ophelia.”

“Maybe he just likes the drive.”

“Nobody likes driving six hours.”

I stared at my tea. She had a point.

“He could have anyone,” I said quietly. “He’s handsome. Kind. Successful. He could date someone like… like you.”

Sera choked on her tea. “Like ME?”

“You know what I mean. Beautiful. Powerful. Interesting.”

“I’m a disaster with trauma issues and four children under seven.” She set down her mug. Hard. “Ophelia. Look at me.”

I looked up reluctantly.

“You are beautiful.” Her voice was fierce. “You are powerful in your own way. You are the most loyal, caring, incredible person I know. And if Caleb can’t see that, he’s an idiot.”

“But—”

“No buts.” She grabbed my hands. “I spent years pushing away happiness because I was scared. Because I didn’t think I deserved it. Because I convinced myself the worst before giving anything a chance.”

Her eyes were shining. Intense.

“Don’t make my mistakes.” She squeezed my hands. “Tell him. Fight for this. Fight for yourself.”

—

The next time Caleb drove up, I was ready.

Kind of.

My palms were sweating. My heart was racing. I’d changed outfits four times. But I was ready.

We went to our usual spot. A quiet overlook above the town. The sunset painted everything gold and pink.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Caleb said. We were sitting on his truck bed. Shoulders touching. His warmth bleeding into me.

“Just thinking.”

“About what?”

Now or never.

I turned to face him. Took a breath. Opened my mouth.

“I think I’m—”

“I really like—”

We both spoke at exactly the same time.

Stopped.

Stared at each other.

“Wait.” Caleb’s eyes were wide. “What were you going to say?”

“What were YOU going to say?”

Silence. The longest three seconds of my life.

Then we both spoke again.

“I really like you.”

“I think I’m falling for you.”

Same time. Same breath. Same terrified, hopeful expression.

Caleb started laughing. That wonderful, warm sound that made everything better.

“We’re idiots,” he said.

“Complete idiots.”

“I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks.” He ran a hand through his blond hair. Frustrated. Relieved. “But I didn’t want to scare you off. Didn’t want to move too fast. Didn’t want—”

I kissed him.

Just grabbed his face and kissed him.

He froze for half a second. Then his arms wrapped around me. Pulled me closer. Kissed me back like he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard.

“So.” His forehead pressed against mine. “Just to be clear. You like me?”

“I like you.”

“Like… like-like?”

I laughed. Giddy. Ridiculous. “Are we twelve?”

“I need verbal confirmation.” But he was grinning. “For legal purposes.”

“Yes, Caleb.” I kissed him again. Quick. Soft. “I like-like you. I want to be with you. I want this.”

His smile could have lit up the whole town.

“Good.” He pulled me closer. “Because I like-like you too. A lot. Like… a concerning amount.”

“Concerning?”

“I drive six hours every weekend just to see your face.” He shook his head. “That’s not normal behavior.”

“I think it’s romantic.”

“It’s definitely insane.” But he was still smiling. “You make me insane, Ophelia.”

“In a good way?”

“In the best way.”

—

The months that followed were the happiest of my life.

I’d spent years watching Sera’s love story. The drama. The heartbreak. The epic reconciliation.

Mine was quieter. Simpler.

Caleb and I didn’t have tragic pasts or poisoned enemies or near-death experiences.

We had Sunday morning pancakes. Movie marathons on his couch. Long phone calls when he couldn’t visit. Silly text messages at 2 AM. Inside jokes nobody else understood.

We had normal.

And normal was perfect.

“You’re staring at your phone again.” Sera’s voice broke through my thoughts. We were at the twins’ first birthday party. Chaos everywhere.

“I’m not staring.”

“You’ve been smiling at that screen for five minutes.”

I looked down at Caleb’s latest text. A blurry selfie with a caption: “Counting down the hours until I see you. 47 more. Not that I’m tracking.”

My smile got bigger.

“Okay, fine.” I put the phone away. “I’m staring.”

Sera laughed. That bright, happy sound I’d been hearing more and more lately.

“I’m glad,” she said. “You deserve this. All of it.”

I watched her. My best friend. The woman I’d supported through everything. Heartbreak. War. Four children. A love story for the ages.

She caught me looking. Raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I smiled. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

I looked around the party. At Damien holding Liam. At Adrian and Lily chasing each other. At the pack celebrating. At this family I’d helped hold together for years.

And I thought about Caleb. Waiting for me. Counting down the hours.

“I spent so long being part of your story,” I said quietly. “Helping you. Supporting you. Watching you fall and get back up.”

Sera’s expression softened.

“And I don’t regret any of it,” I continued. “You’re my best friend. You always will be.”

“But?”

I smiled. Really smiled.

“But I think I’m finally writing my own story.” I pulled out my phone again. Looked at Caleb’s goofy selfie. “And I really like how it’s going.”

Sera pulled me into a hug. Tight. Warm.

“I’m so happy for you,” she whispered. “So, so happy.”

“I know.” I hugged her back. “I’m happy for me too.”

And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t the sidekick.

I was the main character.

Finally.