Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 142: _ Sweet Sunlight

Chapter 142: _ Sweet Sunlight

Axel understood now.

He understood that he had never stood a chance.

I stood there, watching, enjoying it. The pleasure from fucking Rosario crazy was nothing compared to this type of pleasure.

This was teaching the man who didn’t know his place a lesson. This was taking back María José’s name from his mouth.

Oh, killing Ernesto didn’t feel half as good as this. My dear, sweet Axel, I swear, I’d transgress to the heavens and back on the day that you die by my hands.

The prospect of your death tasted so sweet... so euphoric.

Axel dropped to his knees, his body swaying. Blood dripped from his mouth as he tried—oh, he tried—to speak. Maybe to beg. Maybe to curse who did this to him. Maybe to ask why.

But the truth was, he wasn’t even worth an explanation.

His body twitched one last time. Then, finally, he stilled.

And just as I was about to revel in my triumph...

The door burst open.

"Señor Axel!"

I turned just as Rosario rushed in, her face horrified.

She fell to her knees beside him, pressing her hands against his wound, trying to stop the inevitable.

Idiot. You are my possession. You’re supposed to be on my side, not helping this scumbag!

However, trust Rosario to be foolish until the end. She was too focused on Axel to notice that the me sitting in the wheelchair was just an illusion.

Perfect.

Let her try to save him. Let her waste her time. It wouldn’t matter.

Because I had more important things to do.

I had a girl to see.

Without another sound, I turned and slipped out of the room, heading straight for Don Diego’s estate.

It was broad daylight. The sun was merciless, spilling golden light across the land, illuminating everything. But I didn’t care.

I usually never went out during the daytime, but for her, for my precious angelic flower, I’d do anything. Anything at all.

I needed to see her.

I needed to breathe her in, to remind myself why I did what I did.

To remind myself that she was mine.

And no one—not Axel, not her father, not anyone... would ever take her from me.

The moment I slip out of sight, I shed my form like an old skin. Gone is the frail, miserable husk of Luis in his wheelchair. Gone is the illusion that binds me, chains me, and forces me to sit and observe like some pathetic shadow.

Instead, I shift.

Mateo’s form slid over me like silk. He was taller, broader, the kind of man who could walk freely among the pack without so much as a second glance.

My new skin molded to me effortlessly, and I uncloaked myself as I stepped into the daylight, stretching my limbs with a slow and delicious pleasure.

Oh.

Oh, this—this is glory.

The outside sun touched my face for the first time in years, and I almost shudder from the sheer sensation of it. Warmth, real warmth, spilled over me, and I drank it in like a starving beast.

I rolled my shoulders, flexed my fingers, and breathed deep the scent of the pack lands; pine and earth, sweat, and the lingering iron tang of blood in the air from my recent handiwork.

As I walked into the pack, I realized how tense it was.

I wanted to laugh. Tomas was doing a horrible job.

These fools. The stupid pack members who let a murderer rule them.

They were whispering, eyes darting like nervous prey, ears twitching at every sound. They think a witch did it. A witch.

Oh, how delightful.

I passed a small group of women murmuring by a storefront, their voices hushed and their heads bent close together.

"I heard he was nearly decapitated—like something slashed him wide open mid-shift."

"That’s witchcraft, I tell you. No wolf would kill like that."

"Don Diego’s on edge. He’s ordered all patrols doubled. Says if there’s a threat in our territory, we’ll find it."

I nearly grinned.

Find it?

You’re looking at him.

"Who would do something like that?"

Me.

I walked past them, biting my tongue to keep the smirk from spreading across my face. If only they knew. The monster they feared was strolling through their streets, basking in the sun like a lazy cat.

The pack meant something to me—I won’t deny that. I despised most of them, but they were still mine. My father’s legacy, my birthright. I didn’t want them running around like headless chickens over a murder that should have been neatly disposed of.

This chaos, this fear—it’s a mistake, yes. A rare mistake. I let my emotions get the better of me with Ernesto, and now they were all scrambling.

But it wouldn’t matter. I’ll fix it. I’ll make them forget. And when the time came, when the moment was right, they would kneel.

They just didn’t know it yet.

I rounded a corner, heading toward Don Diego’s estate, when suddenly, I heard a...

Smack.

What followed was a sharp, stinging blow to the back of my head.

I froze.

Oh, no.

Oh, absolutely not.

"Where the fuck have you been, Mateo?!" a voice snarled behind me.

I turned slowly, cracking my neck as I did. A wiry, angry-looking warrior stood there, fists clenched, glaring at me like I’d insulted his ancestors.

It was some idiot—one of Mateo’s fellow soldiers who was a brute of a man with more muscle than a brain. He scowled at me, arms crossed, tapping his foot like an impatient school teacher.

"We’ve been waiting for you, pendejo! Don Diego is furious. You were supposed to report hours ago."

I didn’t let him finish. How dare he hit me?!

With the kind of speed that should not belong to a wolf no matter how strong they were, I seized his wrist mid-gesture. He barely had time to blink before I snapped it backward with a sickening crack.

His scream was delicious.

"Ow—fuck!" He dropped to his knees, clutching his mangled hand with his eyes wide with agony.

I crouched beside him, gripped his throat lightly, and leaned in close. "Do you have any idea who you just touched?"

He staggered back, clutching his now-useless hand with shock. He probably didn’t expect timid Mateo to react this way.

At least, I wasn’t only stealing Mateo’s form, I was doing him a favor by standing up for himself.

"You—" he gasped.

"Shut up," I growled, stepping close. "Unless you want me to break something else."

He nodded frantically, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Good boy," I said, patting his cheek mockingly.

I shove him back, letting him collapse onto the ground like the worm he was. "Next time you lay a hand on me, you won’t get it back."

I stepped over him, brushing off my sleeves.

Annoying. But not entirely unpleasant. It’s been too long since I’ve felt the thrill of putting a lesser creature in its place in broad daylight.

I continued my walk toward Don Diego’s estate. The path to his estate was lined with men. More patrols than usual.

Good. They were taking things seriously.

But it didn’t matter. They were on a wild goose chase.

The moment I reached the gates, two guards stepped forward, blocking my way.

"Hey," one of them commanded. "State your business."

Oh, stupid me. I should have just transformed into Mateo in his patrol uniform. However, I wanted to impress María José and decided to give the guy his best look.

I tilted my head, fixing them both with a menacing smile.

"I’m Mateo. Let me in," I commanded.

Of course, Mateo’s name might hold no weight, but my powers surely would. Their eyes glazed over instantly.

Ah, power. So effortlessly intoxicating.

"Of course, Mateo," one of them murmured, stepping aside.

I strolled past them without another word.

María José, mi amor, here I come.