Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother

Rosa’s fingers brushed against my scarf, and I flinched so hard it was as if she had set fire to my skin.

For a moment, she didn’t react. Just stood there, tilting her head ever so slightly, like a cat toying with its prey. Then, slowly, it made my stomach churn.

Her lips curled into a sinister smirk.

She had seen it. The mark. Of course, she must have. I should have known when she stood behind my door that she would have used her elevated hearing to eavesdrop on us.

Panic surged through me like lightning striking the same spot twice. I jumped forward, trying to yank the scarf back over my neck, but Rosa was faster. Her grip clamped around my wrists like an iron shackle, pinning them in place.

"Ah-ah," she tutted, shaking her head as though I were a disobedient child. "Now, why would you want to hide something so... scandalous?"

I thrashed against her hold, but it was useless. Rosa was stronger, fueled by her fury and whatever twisted pleasure she got from watching me squirm.

"Let go," I hissed, my voice rasping from the earlier choking.

"Why? So you can pretend this never happened?" She yanked me closer until I could see the glint in her eyes. "I already overheard everything, María José. Everything."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to whimper. I had given her enough satisfaction tonight.

"Leave me alone, Rosa," I warned, struggling to blink as one of my eyelids was already swollen and bruised.