Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 173: _ I am Not a De la Vega

Chapter 173: _ I am Not a De la Vega

The silence was unbearably long. Hell, it felt like a blade hovering over my throat. Letizia and Giulia had both gone rigid, their eyes darting back to my bare neck.

My own fear was right up there. I had completely forgotten myself and had left what I should have done at first for the last.

I resisted the urge to cover the mark with my hands. Maybe they hadn’t really seen it. Maybe the light was playing tricks on them. Maybe...

"Uh..." Letizia cleared her throat, the sound grating against the stillness. "Your scarf, María José... about that..."

Giulia looked anywhere but at me, suddenly fascinated with the wooden floorboards. "We... uh... we had to take it off when we were bathing you."

My stomach plummeted.

"We didn’t mean to pry," Letizia added hastily, her hands flapping like agitated birds. "It’s just—we saw..."

I gulped down. I knew what they saw.

"We saw the mark," Giulia blurted, finally daring to look at me.

I could actually hear my own heartbeat drumming in my ears. This was bad. This was really, really bad.

My mark. My biggest secret. The one thing that had the power to either ruin me or damn me completely. Even though I didn’t want to follow Rosa’s command, I knew she was right.

I needed to guard this like my life depended on it because maybe it does.

I tried to swallow down my panic, but my throat was dry. "You saw it?"

Letizia nodded hesitantly. "It was hard to miss."

Giulia crossed her arms, tilting her head. "I thought you were wolfless."

The question was innocent, but it felt like an accusation.

I had spent months in the shadows of this pack, dismissed and trampled on, all because I was considered weak. Because I wasn’t supposed to have a mate. And now... now they knew I had gotten an abominable mark.

I had to say something. Anything at all, but nothing seriously came to mind.

My mouth opened and closed while my mind wandered. How was I supposed to explain this?

"It... it just happened," I finally muttered, feeling like a fool and according to Mateo’s words, tainted.

Letizia and Giulia exchanged glances, clearly unimpressed with my answer.

"It just happened?" Giulia repeated, arching a brow. "That’s the best you’ve got?"

I clenched my fists. "It’s the truth."

Letizia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Alright, fine. But whose mark is it?"

Axel’s name was already on my lips, but something in me hesitated.

I could lie. I could protect him. I could let this pass, let the shame continue to crush me while he played the devoted fiancé to my sister.

That would save my face too, wouldn’t it? It would keep me from being tagged as the whore who seduced her sister’s finacé even if they didn’t know the entire truth.

But then again... what was left of my reputation to be saved? I was already the weakest link, the cursed one, adding ’whore’ to the list wouldn’t really do more damage than was already done.

I could let it go, really. Or I could start here. I knew I had just said a few seconds ago that my life depended on it. But I had come to discover that everything in this world was mind set

I could start my revenge... NOW.

I lifted my chin and squared my expression. "It belongs to Axel."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Giulia blinked at me like I’d just grown a second head. Letizia’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again, but no sound came out.

Then, just as I shut my eyes, thinking my story was too absurd to even deserve an answer, I heard it.

"WHAT?!"

The force of their combined shriek nearly sent me stumbling backward.

Giulia grabbed my wrist like I might disappear. "Axel?! As in Beta Axel? The Alpha’s son?"

"The same Axel who’s engaged to Rosa, your sister?!" Letizia’s voice cracked in disbelief. "That Axel?"

I nodded.

They gawked at me and I could see the shock and horror on their faces.

"But... but his engagement to Rosa was announced this morning!" Giulia practically shrieked. "The entire pack is talking about it! How—how can he mark the younger sister and then get engaged to the older one?"

What?

It was announced already? Really? I guess my guess was correct. Axel, that bastard!

"This is a mess!" Letizia wailed, pacing the small room. "An abomination! This is the kind of thing that starts wars in packs! What was he thinking? What were you thinking?"

The hell did she mean what was I thinking? This wasn’t my fault! It was Axel who snuck into my room, it was him who kissed me first and marked me. I never asked for any of this.

Never asked for this burden.

I scowled. "Oh, don’t you dare make this about me. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one he marked first. I was the one he claimed before Rosa seduced him."

That made them pause.

Giulia slowly sank onto the bed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You’re serious."

"I wish I wasn’t."

Letizia pressed a hand to her forehead. "Axel and Rosa... they actually did this to you?"

"They did worse," I muttered, staring at the floor.

A silence that carried a million words then filled the room again.

Then, like a dam breaking, the two women erupted.

"That bastard!" Giulia hissed. "He used you, didn’t he? He marked you, knowing he was going to abandon you!"

"And Rosa," Letizia spat, her face scrunched in anger. "That snake. She must’ve known. She must’ve stolen him on purpose."

"She did," I confirmed.

Giulia threw her hands up. "This is so unfair! María José, this is the worst betrayal I’ve ever heard of! Axel should be disgraced for this. Rosa too!"

Letizia nodded fervently. "This isn’t just some small scandal. If your father or the Alpha finds out, they won’t let this slide."

"They’ll blame me," I said bitterly. "They’ll say I’m trying to ruin Rosa and Axel’s union."

They both grimaced, because we all knew it was true.

Giulia leaned forward, gripping my hand. "What are you going to do?"

I met her gaze and let the rage in my chest burn hot and clear.

"I’m not going to be accused of ruining their union." I smiled coldly. "Because I’m actually going to ruin it."

Giulia and Letizia stared at me and their mouths popped open simultaneously.

Then Giulia let out a low whistle. "Damn."

Letizia swallowed. "Just... just don’t do anything reckless, okay? Weak people don’t survive in this pack, María José. You know that."

I gave them a sharp smile. "Don’t worry about me."

Letizia still looked worried, but she sighed. "Alright. Let’s get you out of here before Rosa or anyone else finds out you’re still here."

Giulia hopped up and helped me gather my things. It wasn’t much; just a small bag of clothes and whatever little possessions I had left. The maids must have packed them.

But as we moved toward the door, I realized something strange. For the first time in a long time, I felt light.

Letizia led me through the back of the house, avoiding the busier parts of the estate. She handed me a slip of paper with scribbled directions. "This is Mateo’s address. His house isn’t far, but..." She hesitated. "Are you sure about this? Living with him?"

I had no idea.

Mateo terrified me. He was unpredictable, untrustworthy, and had made it painfully clear that he was no friend of mine. But right now, I had no other choice.

"I’ll manage," I said.

Giulia patted my shoulder. "Good luck. And if he tries anything, kick him where it hurts."

That actually made me laugh. "I’ll keep that in mind."

I actually might.

I stepped outside, dragging my small bag behind me. The sun was already dipping low, illuminating golden hues over the estate as dusk set in.

For once, I walked through the pack lands without anyone spitting insults at me. No taunts. No sneers.

They didn’t recognize me because of my hideous scar. They barely even cast me a single glance.

It felt... good. I was no longer a part of that cursed family. Maybe being a noble wasn’t all that after all.

The only reason why this might hit me a little was because my mother used to bear the name De la Vega. Even though she acquired it through marriage, she had been a devoted and true De la Vega.

I wanted to follow in her footsteps and be obedient. I wanted to be a true De la Vega just like her.

However, I had forgotten that when I got married, I was shedding that name. I might be a De la Vega by blood, but it had taken more blood than I was born with from me.

I didn’t need that name. What I needed was the peace thrumming underneath my skin now:

But that peace wouldn’t last. I knew that much.

Still, as I trudged toward Mateo’s house, my grip tightening on my bag, I let myself savor this brief moment of freedom.

Because soon, I would make sure that Axel and Rosa felt what it meant to be powerless.