Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 243: _ HER

Chapter 243: _ HER

The evening air was cool, almost brittle as I drove through the streets of Santa Leticia, my hands gripping the steering wheel with quite a lot of force.

I hadn’t even realized how tightly I was holding it until my knuckles started aching. The city lights flickered on like scattered stars, throwing their artificial glow onto the cracked pavement. A faint breeze blew through the open window, but it couldn’t calm the storm inside me.

I glanced at the clock: 6:45 PM. The day had dragged on, consumed with everything that Rosa had thrown at me, and now it was time to visit María José.

I could already hear her laughter in my mind. I could feel the warmth of her presence, that soothing, innocent aura that had made all the chaos in my life feel like it was just a background noise. A distraction. She was my focus now.

I had originally planned to pick up a few gifts for her; flowers, a new phone because how could an eighteen-year-old lack one? And maybe something cute. I had even considered going by one of those overpriced stores that sold everything with a ridiculous price tag for the sake of it, but I was running out of time. It was already late, and I didn’t want to show up with nothing but a haggard look on my face.

Tomorrow. I’ll get them tomorrow. But for now, I’d go to her, and that would be enough.

But as I continued driving, I spotted something that made me change course—something that tugged at me, tugged at that part of me that wanted to do everything right for her.

A small flower stand, the kind you’d expect to see in a corner of a forgotten street, where the roses and daisies seemed to laugh with the wind. It was a modest stand, with a few vases lining the cart. A tiny girl with messy braids stood behind the counter, arranging the flowers like she had all the time in the world.

Without thinking, I pulled over.

"Excuse me," I called as I rolled down the window. "How much for the roses?"

The girl looked up, her eyes bright but a little cautious. She smiled, revealing a single missing tooth. "Roses? Twenty for the big ones, fifteen for the small."

I didn’t hesitate. "I’ll take the big ones."

She smiled wider and grabbed a bouquet, wrapping them with a string of twine. I handed her the cash, nodding my thanks, and the bouquet was in my hands in a moment.

The scent of roses filled my car, fresh and sweet. As I held them, I couldn’t help but picture María José’s smile. She would love these. She deserved more than just roses, but they would do for now.

The drive continued, the flowers resting in my lap, and my thoughts settled again on everything that had happened today. Rosa’s words, her promises of power and legacy—they haunted me like a bad dream. I didn’t need her. I never did. I had María José, and that was enough.

The drive was long enough for regrets to settle in the passenger seat like old friends.

By the time I reached her apartment complex in Santa Leticia, the sky was navy blue and the stars looked tired. The building stood like a skeleton against the night; old bones painted in flaking beige, its iron bars rusted, the entry gate leaning like it had given up standing straight years ago.

I climbed the steps two at a time, my heartbeat rising with each one. The hallway reeked of onions and burnt oil, and the hum of a flickering fluorescent light followed me to her door.

I knocked.

Once. Twice. And then it opened.

She stood there barefoot, wearing that simple dress again, the one she always seemed to wear when I showed up, like it was waiting for me.

Her hair was tied up in the messiest bun I’d ever seen—and I swear to God, I forgot how to breathe. Her eyes widened, the soft green of them sparkling like moonlight caught in honey. She blinked once, like she didn’t believe it was me.

Then she smiled like I was the greatest thing to walk into her life, and maybe I was. But in this moment, it felt like she was the one who made everything make sense.

And my ribs cracked open.

"Axel," she breathed, like it hurt to say my name. Then again, maybe it healed her too.

I didn’t wait for permission. I stepped forward, and she threw herself into my arms like the world was ending.

I didn’t waste a second. The flowers almost dropped onto the floor as I pulled her into my arms. Her breath seized in her throat, and I felt her hands slide up to my chest, as though she couldn’t quite believe I was here.

We kissed.

God, we kissed.

Her mouth was warm and soft and tasted faintly of toothpaste and cinnamon, and I didn’t care that it was clumsy at first or desperate. She clung to my shirt, her fingers fisting the fabric like she was afraid I’d vanish.

My hand curled around her waist, the bouquet crushed between us. It didn’t matter. Nothing did, except her. Her warmth. Her breath on my cheek. Her heartbeat against mine.

"I missed you," she whispered.

I pressed my forehead to hers. "We saw each other yesterday."

She looked up at me, eyes glassy. "Doesn’t mean I didn’t miss you."

I kissed her again, slower this time. I kissed her like it was a promise, a question... a prayer.

"Flowers," I said hoarsely, remembering the wet mess between us. "Got these. For you. I wanted to get something nice for you. A small gesture."

She blinked at the stems sticking out sideways from between us and burst out laughing—an honest, belly-deep laugh that made me feel like I’d won something sacred. She pulled back, took the flowers, and held them like they were diamonds.

"They’re beautiful," she mused, and she meant it, even though one was missing half its petals.

I could see the appreciation in her eyes. I could see the love, and it made my chest tighten. She didn’t need to say anything else. I didn’t need to hear her tell me how much she cared. It was all there in the way she held the roses to her chest, the way she looked at me like I was something special.

"I should’ve gotten more," I mumbled. "But I didn’t have time. Tomorrow, I’ll—"

"No. These are perfect." She interjected.

I smiled and cupped her face, feeling the softness of her skin beneath my palms. "I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier. I should’ve been."

"You’re here now," she said with a small laugh, a sparkle in her eyes that made my heart skip a beat. "That’s all that matters. Now, come inside."

To be honest, being alone with María José was torture, and I sincerely have no idea how much longer I could keep my wolf and desires in control.