122 Chapter 122
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Damien’s POV 1
I heard voices at the front door. Sera’s voice, soft and uncertain. Another voice I didn’t recognize. Female.
Professional.
Setting down my coffee, I walked toward the entrance.
Emma Rodriguez stood on my doorstep.. Perfect business attire. Leather briefcase.
“Mr. Nightshadow,” she said when she spotted me. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
“What can I do for you, Emma?” I kept my voice neutral. It was Saturday evening. Seven o’clock. This better
be good.
“I brought those contract revisions. For tomorrow’s conference call.” She held up her briefcase. “I wanted to
make sure you had time to review them.”
I nced at Sera. She was holding Lily, but something was wrong. Her shoulders were tense. Her face was too
pale. She wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“It’s Saturday night,” I pointed out.
“I know, I know. But I wanted everything to be perfect.” Emma’s smile brightened. “I take my responsibilities
very seriously.”
“I see.” I stepped closer to Sera. My hand found the small of her back automatically. “Well, thank you for
bringing them by.”
“Right. Of course.” Emma’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Have a lovely evening.”
I closed the door. Locked it. Turned to face Sera.
She was staring at the floor. Still holding Lily. Still avoiding my eyes.
“Sera.”
“She’s very professional,” Sera said quietly. “Very put-together.”
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“What happened?”
“Nothing happened.” But her voice was too small. Too careful.
“Baby, look at me.”
She finally raised her eyes. The hurt I saw there made my chest ache.
“She thought I was the nanny,” Sera whispered.
Fuck.
“She what?”
“When I answered the door. She asked if I was Damien’s human nanny.” Sera’sugh was hollow. “I guess I
can’t me her. Look at me.”
Sera was wearing yesterday’s clothes. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. No makeup. Lily had spit
up on her shoulder earlier.
She looked like a mother. My mate. The most beautiful woman in the world.
“What exactly do you see when you look in the mirror?” I asked.
“A mess.” Her voice cracked. “A human woman who doesn’t belong in your world anymore.”
“Sera-”
“She was so polished, Damien. So professional. So… wolf-like. Everything I used to be before…” She gestured
helplessly at herself. “Before I became this.”
The pain in her voice hit me like a punch to the gut.
“Come here,” I said softly.
“I’m fine-”
“Come here”
She took a small step closer. I reached out, cupping her face in my hands. Her skin was warm. Soft. Real.
“Listen to me very carefully,” I said. “You are not a mess. You are not a nanny. You are the Luna of this pack.”
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122 Chapter 122
“I don’t feel like a Luna anymore.”
“Then let me remind you.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “You survived torture that would have killed most wolves. You protected our son when I failed to keep you safe. You gave birth to our daughter while dealing with trauma that would have broken anyone else.”
“But I can’t even answer the door without someone mistaking me for the help.”
“So what?”
She blinked. “So what?”
“So fucking what if some assistant doesn’t recognize you immediately? So what if you’re wearingfortable
clothes in your own home? So what if you look like exactly what you are-a mother taking care of her baby?”
“It’s not that simple-”
“It is that simple.” My voice was firm. Final. “You think I care what Emma Rodriguez thinks about anything?”
“You should. She’s helping run your business.”
“She’s temporary staff. You’re my mate. There’s a difference.”
. Sera was quiet for a moment. Lily stirred in her arms, making soft baby noises.
She looked skeptical.
“Let me ask you something,” I continued. “Do you think I fell in love with your wolf?”
“I… what?”
“Do you think I mated with you because of A? Because of your supernatural abilities?”
“No, but-”
“Then why would losing those things change how I feel about you?”
Sera was quiet. Thinking.
“I fell in love with your kindness,” I said. “With your intelligence. With the way you make meugh. With how fiercely you protect the people you love. None of that has changed.”
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Lily started fussing. Sera automatically began swaying, soothing her with practiced ease.
I pulled her closer. Careful of Lily. Breathing in Sera’s scent. She still smelled like home.
“The only mistake I ever made was not protecting you better,” I said against her hair. “Everything else- choosing you, mating with you, building a life with you-that was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Even now? Even like this?”
“Especially now. Especially like this.”
We stood there for a long moment. Holding each other. Holding our daughter. Being a family.
“Damien?”
“Yeah?”
“If you really don’t mind Emma being here…”.
“I don’t mind her doing her job. But if she makes you ufortable, she’s gone.”
“No, that’s not fair to her. She was just… she was just doing what anyone would do. Making assumptions
based on appearances.”
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