Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 85: _ A Sickening Welcoming

Chapter 85: _ A Sickening Welcoming

The limousine pulled to a smooth stop in front of Don Diego’s estate, and if I hadn’t been suffocating under my own nerves, I might have taken a moment to appreciate the grandeur of it.

Don Diego never did anything by halves, and his home was a reflection of that. The villa was surrounded by sprawling gardens and an iron-gated entrance that made it clear—this was not just a home. This was a fortress of influence, a place built to command respect.

Built by a man who deserved not in the least bit of respect.

This was also the place where María José lived.

My fingers twitched against my lap, it was a nervous tic I couldn’t suppress. I had braced myself to see her again, and had spent the entire ride convincing myself that she would look miserable, exhausted, maybe even resentful after what had happened last night.

Maybe then I could delude myself into thinking she’d forgotten.

But the moment I stepped out of the limousine and saw her standing at the entrance, standing nobly beside her two sisters, my mind went completely blank.

She looked... good.

Too good.

My feet nearly froze to the ground as my gaze swept over her. Her skin was smooth again with the bruises appearing to be surprisingly healed as if she had a wolf.

Whatever exhaustion I expected her to have, courtesy of last night’s suffering was nearly gone. She wasn’t pale or weak—if anything, she looked refreshed. Rested. Even her long, red hair was neatly braided to fall on her back.

The relief hit me so hard it was almost dizzying.

But right beneath it, shame burned in my stomach. At least, she wasn’t hurt. I hadn’t hurt her... that bad.

But the shame wouldn’t evaporate because of that. Because she had to remember.

She had to.

Her stance gave it away—the subtle tremor in her fingers as they rested against the folds of her dress, the way she kept her eyes stubbornly low, too afraid to meet mine.

I clenched my jaw.

Dios mío...

I was a bastard. And she was too polite to ever say it out loud.

"Look at her. That’s a girl who woke up with teeth marks and spent all morning wondering what the hell to do about it." Hugo remarked teasingly.

I gnashed my teeth together "Shut up."

"Try not to look like a guilty bastard," He murmured as we stepped out of the car. "You’re making it obvious."

That’s right, Axel. Act normal. None of these people know. This is just between you and María José. Just the both of you.

Argh, saying it like that even made it feel worse. As though I was in some forbidden romance with her or something. I hated to see it like that.

She was supposed to be my little sister.

The moment my father stepped out, Don Diego’s entire household straightened. The respect was palpable. The Alpha of our pack was a force to be reckoned with, and everyone knew it. Even Don Diego—powerful in his own right as Gamma—bowed his head slightly.

"Don Diego," my father greeted, extending his hand.

"Alpha," Don Diego responded sharply, clasping it in a firm handshake. "It is always an honor to receive you and your family at my home."

"Your estate is as magnificent as ever," my father remarked, glancing at the grand villa behind him.

"It has served us well," Don Diego replied, pleased. "And your family is looking well. It is always a pleasure to have them here."

I barely paid attention to the rest of the greeting party, though I knew Rosa and Camilla stood on either side of her, playing their roles to perfection. Rosa was as composed and reserved as always, the perfect eldest daughter. Camilla, on the other hand...

"¡Dios, qué guapos están!" Camilla squealed as we stepped forward, clasping her hands together as if she had been waiting for this moment her entire life. "I swear, every time I see you all, you somehow look even more refined. I almost can’t stand it!"

She wasn’t talking about me.

No, her attention was firmly on Álvaro, who, of course, was eating it up.

With a smile, he stepped forward, effortlessly charming as he took Rosa’s hand first, pressing a brief kiss to her knuckles. "Rosa, as lovely as ever."

She inclined her head in greeting, always the restrained and sophisticated one. Every time I see her, I always remember her being my first kiss and being one of the reasons why I had stayed away from this pack.

We could have made a power couple. Hell, I considered her despite my strong unwillingness to be involved in romance.

However, after witnessing her selfishness the other day; forsaking her own sister for a man who hadn’t done as little as to give her some attention for years, I lost every interest in her.

I might manage to handle her as a friend, but as anything other than that? I couldn’t. I wouldn’t even kiss her back for free at this point.

Álvaro turned to Camilla, whose cheeks were already pink with anticipation. "And Camilla," he cooed, taking her hand as well, "you grow more radiant by the day."

I thought she was going to faint on the spot.

"Thank you, Álvaro! Your muscles scream ’I don’t need the gym, the gym needs me!’" She squealed gingerly, resting her chin on both fists.

Oh, please... I internally rolled my eyes. It was obvious that my little brother was well-built. Hell, he had more muscles than I did because he paid enormous attention to his body as if to make up for what he lacked in looks.

Did he acknowledge María José? Hell no. She was Ignored. Completely.

Álvaro dropped Camilla’s hand and moved on as if she wasn’t even standing there.

My stomach knotted again, but for an entirely different reason.

I forced my shoulders to relax as I stepped forward next, greeting Rosa first with a respectful nod before taking her hand lightly. "It’s good to see you again, Rosa."

She gave a plate smile, but when she gazed into my eyes, I saw all the pent-up yearning in them. Don’t tell me she has been longing for me all those years.

Fuck, that would be bad. The last thing I needed was for Rosa being obsessed with me. People like her—they knew just how to get what they wanted.

I didn’t want to be wanted. At least, not by her.

"Likewise, Axel." She beamed.

Then came Camilla, who grinned at me with way too much enthusiasm. "You look serious as ever!" she teased. "I bet you’ve already thought of twenty ways to escape this visit, haven’t you?"

She wasn’t wrong. I could remember her resounding slap from last night and I suddenly had the urge to smudge her pink lipstick on her entire caked face.

I smirked regardless. "Only fifteen."

She giggled as I greeted her properly.

Then, finally, María José.

How the hell am I supposed to act? Hugo?