Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother (Seraphina and Damien) novel Chapter 253

253 Chapter 253

Damien’s Perspective

The alert arrived at exactly 3 AM.

I had already been awake for several hours, seated in my dimly lit office. The only sound was the soft hum of the computer as I stared intently at the video files displayed on the screen.

Gabriel’s confession. Emma’s emotional collapse. Every detail meticulously recorded.

Each moment was undeniable proof.

My phone vibrated sharply. Marcus.

**Marcus: Alpha. Update on the situation. Voss has gathered at least 200 rogues. They’re holding position, not advancing yet. He sent a message—he wants to face you directly. One-on-one combat for control of the territory.**

I read the message twice, letting the weight of it settle in.

Then it hit me.

This wasn’t just some random border clash. It was something far more personal.

Voss was after me. Specifically.

He intended to claim my territory. My pack. Everything I’d built.

And he was counting on me not to refuse.

Refusing would be a sign of weakness. It would shatter my authority as Alpha.

A cunning move.

**Me: Accepted. I’ll be there.**

I turned my gaze back to the computer screen, focusing on Gabriel’s face frozen mid-confession, and Emma’s tear-streaked face as she admitted the truth.

This was the evidence Sera needed. The undeniable proof that I hadn’t betrayed her—that everything had been orchestrated against me.

But would she believe it? Would she take the time to watch the videos?

Or would she dismiss it all as a forced confession?

I didn’t know.

But I had to try.

By the time I finally left my office, the sun was starting to rise.

—

The house was enveloped in silence. The kind of stillness that only exists before the day truly begins. The kids wouldn’t stir for at least another hour.

I climbed the stairs with slow, deliberate steps. My legs felt leaden, as if moving through thick water.

First stop: Adrian’s room.

I eased the door open, careful not to disturb him.

He lay sprawled across his bed, one arm dangling over the side. His favorite book rested open on his chest, a testament to another night spent falling asleep while reading.

My son—so intelligent, so cautious. A mirror image of his mother in so many ways.

I approached quietly, picked up the book, and placed it gently on the nightstand. Then, I pulled the blanket up over his shoulders.

He shifted slightly, muttered something incoherent, but didn’t wake.

“I love you, buddy,” I whispered softly. “No matter what happens, remember that.”

Next, Lily’s room.

She was curled up in a tight ball, surrounded by an army of stuffed animals. Her face was serene—innocent and unaware that the world around her might soon change once again.

I sat on the edge of her bed and brushed her hair away from her face.

“Hey, baby girl,” I murmured, even though I doubted she could hear me. “Daddy has to go away for a little while. But I’ll come back, I promise.”

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

“Daddy?”

“Shh. Go back to sleep.”

“Where are you going?” Her voice was thick with sleep.

“Just a work trip. Nothing to worry about.”

“When will you be back?”

“Soon.” I kissed her forehead gently. “Very soon.”

“Promise?”

My throat tightened. “I promise.”

She smiled faintly, already drifting back into sleep.

“Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you too, baby girl. More than anything.”

I waited until her breathing evened out before standing and heading for the door.

I paused, looking back at both rooms, at my children sleeping peacefully, trusting that their father would always return home.

I had to make that promise real. I had to survive this fight. I had to come back to them.

They had already lost their mother once. They couldn’t lose me too.

—

By 8 AM, both kids were awake.

I made breakfast—pancakes, their favorite—with as many chocolate chips as they wanted.

“Daddy?” Lily looked up from her plate. “Are you sad?”

“No, baby. Why would you think that?”

“You keep looking at us funny.”

Smart girl. Too smart.

“I’m just happy,” I forced a smile. “Happy to be here with you.”

Adrian was silent, watching me with those sharp, observant eyes that seemed to see more than I wanted them to.

“I need to talk to you both,” I said finally.

They stopped eating and looked at me expectantly.

“I have to go away for a few days. It’s pack business. Nothing dangerous—just important meetings.”

“Can we come?” Lily asked immediately.

“Not this time, sweetheart. But Mommy will come to stay with you. Would you like that?”

Her face lit up. “Really? We can stay at Mama’s apartment?”

“If that’s what she wants. Or she can stay here with you. Whatever works best.”

“When are you leaving?” Adrian asked, his voice cautious.

“Tomorrow morning.”

“That’s really soon.”

“I know. But it’s important.” I reached across the table and took both their hands in mine. “Listen carefully. No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, I need you to remember something.”

They waited silently.

“I love you both. More than anything in this world. You’re the best things that ever happened to me, okay?”

“Okay,” Lily said softly, though uncertainty lingered in her voice.

Adrian’s jaw clenched. “Why does this sound like goodbye?”

“It’s not goodbye.” I squeezed his hand firmly. “I just want you to know, in case I don’t say it enough or you ever forget.”

“We know, Dad,” Adrian’s voice cracked slightly. “You don’t have to say it like that.”

“I know. But I wanted to anyway.”

We finished breakfast in quiet.

—

I spent the rest of the day fully present with them.