Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 100: _ The Hunt

Chapter 100: _ The Hunt

The night air was cool on my skin as I stepped out of the house. The estate was quiet, moonlight beaming down and the hum of crickets providing a ground stage to my movements.

I rolled my shoulders, relishing the sensation of control over my body once more. No more pretending. No more sitting still while fools ran their mouths around me.

I was free again, and my first order of business? Ernesto darling.

The guard’s quarters were on the far side of the estate, tucked away behind the main house and near the stables.

It was a modest structure of stone walls, a flat roof, and a single door that was never locked because these men were too arrogant to think they needed security. After all, they were the security.

Idiots.

I moved silently, keeping my senses heightened. The scent of sweat and stale alcohol dominated the air as I approached. The guards were inside, likely sprawled across their bunks, sleeping off whatever pathetic excuse for work they had done today.

Ernesto was among them.

I reached the door and pressed a hand against the rough wood. With a whisper of a dark spell, I sent a pulse of energy through the building.

One could call it a dark lullaby that seeped into the walls and curled around the men inside. One by one, their minds gave in; their bodies going limp, and their breathing deepening.

A few of them stirred, confused, but they didn’t stand a chance against my command. I was the boss. The best of the best.

The magnificent Big Bad Daddy Luis. No one came close. My only challenge was the devil. My master. Anybody else was like my puppets or strings.

I remained the master of all. The one with the supreme authority. Somebody... anybody... cue the dramatic big boss music!

Within seconds, silence reigned in the room. My spell had sent them all to deep slumber. I could drill holes in their heads and they’d never awake.

That was how good I was. How magnificent. How malevolent. How... supreme.

All became a second-hand version of the Sleeping Beauty except for one.

Ernesto.

His body twitched, resisting for a brief moment before his limbs relaxed, and his breathing evened out. He was mine now.

I stepped inside, careful not to disturb the other bodies littering the room. The scent of unwashed clothes and cheap cologne assaulted my senses, but I ignored it, focusing on my target.

I found him in the guards’ quarters, sprawled lazily on his cot, one hand tucked under his head, the other draped over his stomach. His boots were still on, his belt half-unbuckled. A bottle of something strong sat at his bedside. Drunk, arrogant, and completely unaware that Death had come knocking.

I smirked.

"Come, Ernesto," I murmured, dominating the deepest depths of his mind.

His eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused, but he obeyed. Without a word, he swung his legs over the side of the cot and stood in a slow and dreamlike movement.

Good boy.

I turned and walked out, knowing he would follow.

I was the boss, and they, the slaves. Big Bad Daddy Luis reigns over all!

The estate was eerily silent as I led him away from the quarters, walking through the shadows until we reached a secluded clearing behind the stables.

It was quiet here, far from prying eyes and ears. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant howl of a lone wolf.

Perfect.

The trees loomed high, their branches clawing at the sky. Crickets chirped in the distance, and I knew, deep down that their song was going to be the only witness to what was about to unfold.

I turned to face him, releasing my hold on his mind.

The effect was immediate.

Ernesto stumbled back, his head jerking as his senses returned to him. His eyes darted around wildly, wondering, scared, confused.

"W-What the hell?" he stammered. His voice was rough, thick with sleep. "How did I get here?"

Oh, dear Ernesto... if only you turn around and see Daddy Luis awaiting you with a welcoming death.

I tilted my head, letting a mocking smile appear on my face

"I brought you here."

His eyes widened at the sound and when he swerved around and saw me, his jaw slackened.

His breath came in sharp gasps, his fingers twitching like they were struggling to catch up with reality.

"What the...?!"

He staggered back like he’d just seen a ghost, eyes wide with horror.

Hmm... who knows? Maybe I was a ghost. Big Bad Daddy Luis is a ghost. Hehehe!

"You..." he choked out. "You can’t be—this isn’t possible!"

I tilted my head, tsking and winking at him. "Oh? What’s not possible?"

His eyes darted over me, over my standing form, over the way I moved with grace. He took another step back. "You—you’re supposed to be crippled."

I tsked, shaking my head. "Now, now, Ernesto. ’Disabled and useless,’ wasn’t that the phrase you used?"

His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He looked around wildly, as if expecting someone to jump out and tell him this was a prank.

"I don’t understand..." His voice stuttered. "You—your legs..."

I stepped closer, my grin spreading. "They work just fine now. Not that it matters to you."

He swallowed hard. "W-what do you mean?"

I sighed, feigning disappointment. "Ernesto, Ernesto, Ernesto... I mean that you’re breathing your last."

The blood drained from his face so fast that I almost felt bad for him.

Scratch that! Daddy Luis don’t feel bad for anyone!

"Listen," Ernesto said quickly, raising his hands in what I assumed was meant to be a placating gesture. "You don’t want to do this."

I arched a brow. "Oh? And why’s that?"

He licked his lips, his throat bobbing. "I have people. I have connections. You kill me, and there will be consequences."

Connections? Tell me, what connection could be greater than knowing the devil?

Moreover, this idiot was bluffing.

I smacked on my lips, enjoying the fear oozing from him. I liked my kill juicy with fear.

"Oh, Ernesto. If you were so concerned about consequences, maybe—just maybe... you shouldn’t have been groping Rosario right in front of me."

His brows knitted. There it was. The realization.

"You were watching?" He asked with a dim of his eyes and disgust in his tone.

What?! He was disgusted?! Did he even have any right to that word or feeling?!

What the fuck was what he was doing right in my presence called?! If not absolute and sheer shit, what was it?!