Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 149: _ Stubborn Flower

Chapter 149: _ Stubborn Flower

I gave María José a mocking smile. "Axel said he doesn’t like women like that. Do you get that? He doesn’t want romance."

Her fingers twitched in response like a pianist’s fingers poised to strike the keys, but frozen in anticipation.

Oh, do I love that? Love was an understatement. It was ethereal seeing my broken flower broken again.

I tilted my head, letting my smirk widen. "And you know what else? He said you’re just like a little sister to him."

Her entire body stiffened.

I could practically feel the cracks forming in her little heart, the way her mind struggled to reconcile my words with whatever foolish fantasy she had built in her head.

She finally found her voice and it came out small and hoarse. "H-How did you know he was the one I..."

Oh, that’s right. I couldn’t tell her; ’Hey, I’m Luis and Axel comes to rant to me about you almost every fucking time!’ Could I?

Instead, I scoffed, releasing her wrist. "Who doesn’t know?" I spread my arms, mockingly. "If we asked everyone in the pack, I’m sure they’d all guess the same."

Her eyes popped even wider and I could see the layer of glossiness in them.

Good. Let it sink in. Let her feel the humiliation.

"You’re so shameless about your feelings," I continued. "So obvious."

Her lips trembled.

"You think throwing yourself at an arrogant, irresponsible man like Axel makes you look gracious?" I sneered, scolding. "You’re supposed to be the most elegant lady in the pack, María José. Do you have an idea how special you are?!"

Her fingers curled into fists.

I wasn’t done.

I inclined lower, my nose nearly brushing hers as I lowered my voice into a malevolent tone. "This is why your sisters always step above you."

She swallowed.

"Because you’re so naïve. So foolish."

Her eyes darted away and I could see her throat bobbing.

I smiled in the slowest and most satisfied way. There it is. The doubt.

Her lips finally parted, and when she spoke, her voice was a whisper. "Stop it..."

"Oh?" I feigned innocence. "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as if trying to block out my words.

Pathetic.

I traced her cheek, the touch so so tender. "Poor María José," I murmured. "Blinded by a love that never even existed."

And then...

The first tear fell.

It was a shaky and broken sob that escaped her lips, making her body curl slightly as if she could make herself smaller.

Something inside me thrilled at the sight.

I had broken her.

I had shattered the illusion she had so desperately clung to.

And now...

Now, she was mine.

I tilted her chin up, making her look at me through those wet, helpless eyes.

"See?" I whispered. "You were always meant to be with me."

She didn’t answer.

She only wept.

And Dios... I had never seen anything more beautiful.

There was something divine about watching the light shatter in those big, foolish eyes. Watching her curl into herself, so fragile and utterly mine to mold.

I should have ended it here. I should have let her soak in the heartbreak, let her fester in the realization that Axel; her perfect, shining dream... was nothing but a fairytale that would never come true.

But María José, my delicate little flower, did something I never expected.

She fought back.

She moved.

It wasn’t the tiny, defeated twitch of her fingers or the helpless bob of her throat—no. María José straightened, and lifted her chin slightly, her teary eyes still wide but now filled with something close to defiance.

Defiance?

How precious.

"Why should I believe you?" Her voice was still small and hoarse from the sobs she was trying to suppress, but there was something solid underneath it.

A hint of stubbornness. "You don’t even know anything about Axel. And yet, you think you can stand here and judge him? Judge me?"

I stared at her.

For the first time since this little game began, I faltered.

The depth of her devotion to that insufferable bastard suddenly hit me like a fist to the gut.

Even now, after everything I had said, after I had carved open her little heart and filled it with doubt, she still hells onto Axel. She still refused to let go.

My amusement drained away.

No. No, this wouldn’t do.

I narrowed my eyes. "You really are naïve, aren’t you? You don’t even know anything."

Her lips pressed together.

I stepped closer to her, tilting my head. "Isn’t it shameful that I know Axel better than you? You, who claim to be in love with him?"

What a foolish innocent flower. My foolish innocent flower.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

I prowled closer, closing the gap between us, watching her muscles tense like a cornered rabbit. "Tell me, María José, what exactly do you know about him? His dreams? His fears? His favorite scent in the morning?"

I leaned in until I could feel the soft puff of her breath against my skin. "Or is all of this based on some ridiculous illusion you built in your head?"

Her fingers twitched, but she held her ground.

I smirked. She was really putting on a show to save her love. "Axel sees you as nothing more than a little sister." I leaned in, whispering in the cruelest tone I could muster. "Because you are Rosa’s sister. Because that’s what you are to him. Rosa’s sister. That’s all you’ve ever been. And do you want to know why? Rosa..." I let the words drag, savoring the moment, "... is the one Axel really wants."

The reaction was immediate. María José flinched like I had struck her. I knew I had struck the nerve I wanted.

"N-No," she stammered, shaking her head, her hands clenching into fists. "Axel wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t..."

"Wouldn’t what?" I interrupted, my tone filled with mockery. "Wouldn’t prefer Rosa over you? Wouldn’t see you as a pathetic little girl pining for something she was never meant to have?"

"You’re lying," she whispered.

I knew she couldn’t believe it because that scum called Axel had marked her. Perhaps, it was high time I opened her eyes, and she knew that whatever that mark was couldn’t be a mate mark.

I bet she felt more like a wolf around him. Perhaps, she was still holding on to the fantasy that somewhere deep down, her wolf was in there.

She really had no idea how selfish and cruel their Moon Goddess could be. She played her children like they were chess pieces.

However, with the power bestowed upon me by my master, I was going to steal someone’s wolf for María José.

Hell, I had so many plans laid down in my head to fix her. She just needed to be a good girl and let Big Bad Daddy Luis do the job.