Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 193: _ Our Bond is Real

Chapter 193: _ Our Bond is Real

María José nodded, her gaze intense and almost daring me. "Yes. Do it again."

I felt the tension spike, and with a deep exhale, my fingers hovered over her mark.

I couldn’t help myself. Every time my fingers hovered over her mark, the world seemed to shrink down to just the two of us.

The tender pulse of her heartbeat was louder than anything else. It was a constant, rhythmic reminder that something was happening between us... something I couldn’t explain, but damn it, I needed to understand.

I shifted closer, sniffing in her honeysuckle scent while trying to discreetly get it done.

I hadn’t planned on doing this again. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I could control myself if I did. But then her gaze met mine, and I lost my mind yet again.

It was as if she was daring me. Her lips curled a little like she knew exactly what she was doing. I could see it in her eyes, that same fire that had flickered before; her curiosity, her hunger.

Maybe even her need. And gods help me, I wanted to give her more than she was asking for.

"Do it," she whispered again, voice low and breathy.

And that was all it took. I didn’t even hesitate this time. My hand moved on its own, as if it knew exactly what needed to be done. The second my fingers touched her mark, a flood of heat rushed through me, so overwhelming it felt like a wave crashing over me.

She inhaled sharply, her body tensing under my touch. I could feel her heartbeat quicken, the pulse of it matching mine in a strange synchrony.

But the moment my fingers slid along her skin, it wasn’t enough. The intensity of what I was feeling rose like a fire, licking at my insides, and urging me to act.

Hugo, the wolf inside me was awake now. He wasn’t just stirring; he was clawing at the walls of my mind, begging for control, and growling in frustration as I tried to keep myself in check.

"Do it," he urged, his voice deep and powerful. "Claim her."

I wanted to ignore him. I knew I should. But I couldn’t. My body was betraying me. I was supposed to just touch her mark, not whatever the craziness that was running on my mind right now.

Every breath I took was filled with the scent of her, and that subtle, addictive sweetness that clung to her skin.

I pulled closer, and before I knew it, my lips were on hers. I kissed her softly at first. It was just a brief meeting of mouths, but it was enough to ignite something deeper. I could feel her fingers on my chest, hesitant at first, before they dug into the fabric of my shirt, and pulled me closer.

Oh, girl, you shouldn’t have done that.

I deepened the kiss, unable to stop myself. My hands roamed to her back, pulling her even closer. Her body melted against mine as if the tension between us was finally breaking, and for the first time, I felt like I was doing something right.

She tasted like temptation. She tasted like a mixture of sweetness and something darker.

One could call it something that tugged at my very soul. I lost myself in the kiss, my thoughts scattering into the void. My fingers trailed down her spine, feeling the soft warmth of her skin as she pressed against me.

But just as the kiss became more fierce and more desperate, I felt the transition.

Hugo growled in need and took over. His growl was a low sound that rumbled in the back of my throat, urging me forward. He wanted more. He needed more.

I wanted more. I needed more.

I couldn’t hold back. My fangs elongated in response to the hunger, my senses sharp, and the urge to bite her was almost unbearable.

She was my mate; or at least, that’s what my wolf was telling me. And Hugo wanted to mark her, to claim her in the only way he knew how.

But how can an Alpha wolf mark his mate without her own wolf sprawling out to claim it? Hugo’s aura was spreading out above us, roaring and forming blue clouds above.

It engulfed me. My senses, my brain... everything.

I pulled back for just a second, my lips brushing her ear. "María José," I rasped, my voice dark with desire. "I need you."

Her eyes were wide, and she looked at me like she was searching for something. Maybe an answer, or maybe reassurance. But whatever it was, I couldn’t give it to her. Not now. Not when I was this far gone.

Before I could think, my teeth elongated and sank toward her neck, just where I knew the mark would be. I felt the heat of her skin under my fangs, the pulse of her blood just beneath the surface, and I knew... I knew—that I was about to lose myself completely.

Maybe even more than before now.

But just as my fangs brushed against her tender skin, she shoved me away, her hands pushing hard against my chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped, her voice full of shock and fear.

I froze. For a second, I didn’t know what was happening. The rage of my wolf, the fire in my blood, everything inside me screamed to claim her, to finish what we’d started.

But at that moment, I realized how out of control I’d become. I quickly retracted my fangs, teeth returning to normal as I backed away from her.

"I—I don’t know," I stammered, feeling the shame wash over me. "I don’t know why I keep losing control with you. I’m sorry."

She looked at me like she didn’t know whether to slap me or run. Her chest was rising and falling with heavy breaths, and I could see the confusion... and maybe even a little bit of fear in her eyes.

"You..." Her voice trembled, and she pressed her palm to her neck, where I had almost bitten her. "There’s a mark there I’m still trying to get rid of. You wanted to sink your teeth into another one?"

The words settled on the wrong side of me.

"What do you mean?" I rasped. "There’s no getting rid of a mate mark, María José. It doesn’t work like that."

She shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. "It’s not a mate mark," she said flatly, her gaze never leaving mine. "I don’t even have a wolf. So whatever you think this is... it’s not real."