Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 240: _ Powerful Rosa

Chapter 240: _ Powerful Rosa

I could feel how heavy her expectations crashed on me. My throat felt tight as I forced myself to speak, to face the truth that Rosa was laying out so casually before me. "It doesn’t mean I’m going to become the Alpha as I said Álvaro is also contesting. Stop saying it as a matter of factly."

It was just so fucking annoying how sure she was that I was going to become the Alpha and she, my Luna. By the Moon, why doesn’t she wait until we’ve exchanged the vows?

Was she that desperate?

Her eyes darted around for a moment, and the smile nearly disappeared. I would have relished that look had it not only lasted for a split second. Then the smile was back, stronger, and more fixed than ever.

She also didn’t let go of my hands. She pressed them more firmly against her belly like this was what she wanted and I didn’t have a right to decline.

I had to fight the sick feeling crawling up my throat.

"But I’m the pregnant one, Axel. Not Camilla." She said it so matter-of-factly, as if the whole damn world revolved around the baby inside of her.

She placed a hand over my hand on her stomach, as though to emphasize the point. I could feel the tender and possessive touch all at once. I wanted to scream, to shout at her, to tell her that this wasn’t how it worked, that this wasn’t love or partnership—this was control. But I couldn’t.

Yes, from this conversation, I have been able to gather that Rosa actually didn’t love me. She probably just liked the idea of me and liked me enough, but love?

Hell no.

But no...

Rosa was already seeing this in a way that twisted my insides. "You and I have the highest chance of having an heir first. That means you’re more likely to be the Alpha, Axel." She argued.

I opened my mouth to oppose but she sighed in contentment, her eyes closing for just a second. "You’ll be Alpha, and we’ll have our powerful family."

But it wasn’t just a family she wanted. I could see it clearly now in the way she spoke and the way her gaze burned with ambition. She wasn’t just thinking about the baby. She wasn’t just thinking about me. She was thinking about power. About control. About taking everything she could.

No, I can’t stand this shit even for one moment longer.

I jerked my hand away from her belly, and she looked at me like I had slapped her. The confusion flickered on her expression.

One thing was strange though. Having an heir before being crowned an Alpha was a condition my Father gave me and Álvaro because of the rivalry.

Usually, all you needed was to find your Luna and you’re good to go. How Rosa came to know of this condition was puzzling.

"How did you know about the ultimatum my father gave us?" I asked, squinting my eyes in suspicion.

Her eyes darted away for a moment before she regained composure, as if she hadn’t expected me to ask. She quickly covered it up with a soft laugh, trying to mask the crack in her veneer of calm.

"I have my ways of finding out things, Axel," she smoothly put forward, but the edge to it was unmistakable. "I’ve been... keeping an eye on things."

Her fingers traced the curve of her belly again like she was caressing something precious. Something powerful.

I couldn’t stop myself from feeling that knot in my chest, that ever-growing dread that I was losing control. That I had been losing control for far too long. I had spent so long being ignorant.

Hence, instead of asserting what I wanted now, I needed to wear this god-forsaken mask of the good fiancé, the dutiful son, and now Rosa—Rosa was pulling me deeper into a game I didn’t even want to play.

Because I was weak... still weak.

I stared at her and became overly self-aware of all the tension in my body, making my hands tremble in my lap. This wasn’t love. It was strategy. It was ambition dressed up in soft words and gentle touches.

And for some reason, my male ego felt bruised to know that Rosa didn’t love me all along. She just needed me.

However, the better and best part of me was grateful for this. At least, this wasn’t a game of hearts. It was that of wits, action, and alliances.

"Axel," she purred, leaning against the broken banister like a queen on a throne of rubble, "you’re still so naive. It’s...endearing."

My jaw clenched. "Naive?"

She hummed, eyes roaming lazily over the open space around my neckline left by my shirt. "There’s barely anything that happens in this pack that I don’t know. I have eyes everywhere. Ears in places you wouldn’t imagine. People who owe me, people who fear me." She grinned, flashing teeth too white for someone with a personality that was this dirty. "You really think I’d carry a future Alpha’s child without knowing the full game board?"

A chill licked the back of my neck. Not from fear, not really. It was the weight of her truth. The terrible, gleaming confidence that oozed from every word. She was dangerous. Maybe the most dangerous woman I’d ever met.

I had underestimated her. She wouldn’t be so easy to defeat.

"Impressive," I admitted with a little bit of sarcasm in my tone. "You’re more of an Alpha female than I gave you credit for."

She beamed, clearly taking it as a compliment. "Thank you. I’ve worked hard to be where I am."

I couldn’t help but think that if she weren’t so... manipulative, we might have been formidable allies. We had started off as great friends in the past.

We could have been inseparable by now. Her ambition was undeniable, and in another life, perhaps we would remain friends.

She placed a hand on my chest, her touch both comforting and possessive. "I’ll stand by you, Axel, until we lead all the werewolf packs together."

"What if I don’t want that? What if I just want to lead this pack, ensure everyone’s safety and happiness, without the grandeur of ruling all werewolves?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching. "It’s not just about ambition. Sooner or later, a war between supernaturals is coming. We need to be prepared."

A war?

What war?

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