Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 224: _ I Am Not UGLY!

Chapter 224: _ I Am Not UGLY!

I bit my lip. My heart was drumming a ridiculous beat in my chest. Was it the thrill of sneaking out? The weight of being trusted with this? Or maybe just the way Axel looked at me like I was worthy of all of it?

He extended his hand. "Ready, wife?"

"God, stop saying it like that," I hissed, shoving my hand into his. "You’re going to make me combust."

"That’s the idea."

We stepped into the passage, the door sliding shut behind us with a soft thunk. I jumped.

Axel squeezed my fingers. "Relax. The other end opens right near the garden wall. No one ever checks it."

I arched an eyebrow. "And you know this because...?"

"Because I was a teenage boy once with way too much curiosity and a minor problem with authority."

"Only minor?"

"Well," he smirked, "the punishments were major."

The tunnel sloped gently downward. Our footsteps echoed slightly, and I tried not to focus on the creepy horror-movie vibe. Instead, I focused on Axel’s warm, solid, and real hand.

I ran my free hand along the stone wall, feeling the grooves and indentations. "This feels ancient."

"It is. Built by my great-great-grandfather. He was a paranoid bastard, but a genius. Said an Alpha should always have an escape route."

"Smart man."

"Very. He also married a witch. She probably designed the locking mechanism."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh yeah. Our bloodline is a little mixed up."

We walked in silence for a moment with our footsteps the only audible sound.

Then, I sighed. "I never thought I’d be sneaking out of the packhouse with the future Alpha. Usually, I’m sneaking from the future Alpha."

Axel laughed. "You’re welcome for the upgrade."

I smiled.

Eventually, the passage ended at a small, ornate metal door. Axel pressed his palm to it, and with a faint click, it swung open into sunlight.

I stepped out into a secluded part of the garden, surrounded by ivy and lilac bushes. Stars blinked overhead like they were winking just for me.

Axel stepped behind me, arms slipping around my waist. "Welcome to freedom."

I leaned back into him, breathing in the quiet, the space, the lack of eyes and rules and judgments. It felt like stepping into a dream.

"This is perfect," I whispered. "But won’t people see us together?"

"Not if we’re fast," he grinned. "And I’m always fast."

I elbowed him in the ribs. "You better not be."

He groaned dramatically. "You wound me."

I turned in his arms and kissed him again, long and slow. When we pulled apart, we were both breathless.

"Lead the way, Alpha."

"Yes, Luna."

And with that, we slipped into the sunlight, into freedom, into something that felt a lot like the beginning of forever.

.

.

Axel kept close, his hand still wrapped around mine. There was something uncharacteristically tense about the way his fingers curled... like he didn’t want to let go, even if he knew he had to.

We rounded the corner near the outer edge of the estate where the garden met the orchard. And that’s when he stopped walking.

"I can’t go with you," he said softly.

"Here we go..." I muttered.

He turned to face me, his face fully lit by the sunlight. He looked like something from a myth. All dangerous and tender, with too much weight in his eyes.

"If I’m seen leaving the packhouse with you, we risk the whole plan. It’ll get back to my father. Or worse, yours and your sister."

I blinked up at him, not surprised but still... disappointed. "I know," I whispered, even if I didn’t like knowing.

He brought our joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of mine. My skin buzzed.

"I’ll come see you at Santa Leticia tomorrow. First light, before anyone’s awake. I’ll bring food. And I’ll bring you a little gift too."

I choked out a laugh. "You really know how to court a lady."

"I do my best," he said, then leaned in to kiss me again.

It was gentle. It was one of those kisses that makes you feel like you’ve been holding your breath your entire life and only now remembered how to inhale.

When we pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine. "Go," he said.

I nodded even though my throat was tight. "Go," I repeated, and then because I couldn’t help myself—I added, "Try not to get in trouble, okay?"

He grinned. "Not until after Rosa’s life."

That earned a real smile from me.

Then I turned and walked away. I didn’t look back because if I did, I’d run straight into his arms again and probably sob into his shoulder, and I was trying to be dignified.

The path from the garden led around the perimeter of the packhouse. I kept my head low, arms folded, trying to appear like someone on an urgent errand, not someone who had just made out with the future Alpha first in his room and in a hidden tunnel.

As I crept past the western wing, I began to see people. A few workers in dark aprons and uniforms were setting up the morning deliveries; fresh bread, milk, giant sacks of potatoes. One of them glanced up and squinted.

"Wait... is that...?"

"No way," another murmured, adjusting the crate in her arms. "Isn’t that Don Diego’s daughter? The Omega one?"

I quickened my pace. Of course, I wasn’t going to be invisible forever. My face had been plastered on enough pack newsletters over the years to haunt people’s dreams.

"She used to be pretty," someone muttered behind me. "But the rumors said she got... you know. Ugly."

"Ugly how?"

"I don’t know. Just ugly. Probably cursed."

Oh good, I thought bitterly, I’ve gone from tragic heiress to local horror story. I resisted the urge to flip them off over my shoulder and instead kept walking like I hadn’t heard them. You’re above this. You’re mature. You’re...

"Maybe it’s true what they say. Maybe Don Diego locked her up because of shame."

Okay, no. I spun on my heel, stared directly at the women, and smiled sweetly. "Tell Don Diego I said hello," I chirped. "And let him know I’m still not dead. Much to your disappointment. And I’m not ugly as you can see!"

Their mouths opened, but I didn’t wait to hear the reply. I turned back around and marched on.

Fucking gossips!