Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 216: _ Seeing Every Bit Of Him

Chapter 216: _ Seeing Every Bit Of Him

I watched Axel’s face as he worked—his concentration, the tiny furrow between his brows, the way he bit his lip when he reached for the soap. And my heart did a flip that no amount of common sense could stop.

"You’re really not going to take advantage of this?" I asked softly.

He glanced up, frowning. "Never."

"Even though I’m... like this?"

He reached out and cupped my cheek again, my thumb brushing the edge of my jaw. "You’re beautiful, María. You don’t need to prove anything to me. Not like this."

Tears stung unexpectedly at the corners of my eyes. I blinked fast to send it back. He still thinks I’m beautiful despite being the most ugly girl in the pack now with my hideous scar.

"Don’t cry," he whispered, leaning in to kiss my nose. "You’ll short-circuit the plumbing."

I laughed, sniffing. "Shut up."

"You’re the one who looks like a sad, sexy teapot."

Another laugh burst out of me but this one was warmer and lighter.

When the bath was done, he wrapped me in the softest towel I’d ever felt. The towel hugged my body like a safe cocoon. It was warm and soft and smelling of lavender and... him.

I should’ve felt awkward. I should’ve been overwhelmed. But all I felt was this strange, shimmering calm under my skin. I had never done this before, but yet, it felt so right.

Axel was kneeling in front of me, hands resting on my knees and his eyes quietly studying my face. His hair was damp from the mist in the bathroom. A few strands had curled over his brow. He looked like trouble.

And he was trouble. Trouble in expensive cologne and a sinful jawline.

Then he said it.

"Now it’s your turn."

M-my what?!

I blinked. "My... my turn to what?"

He gave me a lazy grin. "To bathe me, of course."

I nearly choked. "Excuse me?"

"I washed you. Seems fair, doesn’t it?"

"Fair?!"

"You want me to beg?" he cooed innocently.

"YES. Preferably while fully clothed and at a safe distance."

But he was already standing, unbuttoning his shirt with a maddening sort of confidence. I shrieked and swerved around.

What the hell was he doing? He was going to undress and show me his... his... oh, my God!

I had only seen it online before Don Diego seized my phone. I had never seen a man’s... a man’s—urm, you know... physically before and Axel was just going to pull off his clothes and show it to me like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.

What the heck was this man?!

"Axel!"

"What?" he said, not even trying to hide the laughter in his voice.

"Don’t act like I didn’t just see everything. What’s a little skin between future spouses?"

Future spouses? Rosa ruined my face the last time just for speaking to Axel without even knowing it was the fake him. I wondered what she’d do when she learned of this night we were both having.

I didn’t mind though. I’d have been scared if it was the past me. However, this new me would do anything to enrage her enemies and make them almost bite off their tongues in anger.

"That was different! I didn’t— I mean, I wasn’t..." I stammered, trying to say anything that could make him understand how weird seeing a naked man was to me.

"Naked?" he offered helpfully.

I made a high-pitched sound that wasn’t even a word. It was just panic in musical form.

Then I heard fabric hit the floor.

And suddenly I was aware of every drop of moisture in the air, every crackle of tension, and every beat of my poor, innocent heart.

"María," he said softly. "Look at me."

No.

I remained rooted in a spot, unwilling to do so.

I heard his sigh before the authority crept into his voice. "Look at me, María José."

And I dared not to defy that tone.

I turned... slowly and hesitantly.

And then I stared. Not rudely. Just... scientifically. Because holy everything.

Axel was huge.

When I said huge, I meant nine-inch romance novel style. My throat ran dry instantly.

Seeing a man’s penis physically was actually more demanding than I’d thought. And his body! Oh, his body...

He was not just tall. But built like he’d wrestled bears for sport. His chest was sculpted, broad, and lean with the faintest trail of dark hair leading down his abdomen—like a map of sin—and the muscles in his arms flexed with every breath he took.

His skin was a golden bronze, and droplets of steam clung to him like nature itself couldn’t let him go.

I swallowed audibly. Then immediately wanted to sink through the tiles and die.

"I’m not going to bite," he teased, stepping into the shower area and turning on the water again.

"That’s the problem," I muttered. "I might."

He laughed and leaned back under the warm spray, tilting his head to wet his hair.

"Come here."

I stood there like a statue. "Axel..."

"Mi reina," he said, using that deep, coaxing tone that made my knees remember they didn’t have to hold me up. "Trust me."

I did. That was the terrifying part.

With trembling hands, I picked up the sponge and soap and walked to him, trying not to look anywhere too long, and trying not to combust.

"Start with my shoulders. I’ve had a long day." He implored, voice husky.

"I’m going to have a long life of regret," I muttered.

But I reached up, sponge in hand, and began to gently scrub across his shoulders. His skin was warm and impossibly solid under my fingers. Like carved marble wrapped in heat.

He groaned softly. My brain exploded in response.

"D-Don’t make noises like that," I squeaked.

"Why not? You did when I washed your back."

"AXEL!"

He smirked, utterly shameless.

This man was so bloody shameless!

I moved down to his arms, working the soap across his biceps. They flexed under my touch and my fingers trembled immediately.

The sudden reaction made the sponge nearly fall.

"You okay?" he asked, too amused for my dignity.

"I’m fine. Just having a mild cardiac episode."

He tilted his head. "Want to stop?"

"No." The word escaped before I could think.

Because my curiosity, as it turned out, was louder than my shame.

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