Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother

I stood, still unsteady, and walked toward the mirror mounted crookedly above the dusty dresser. My reflection stared back at me. Pale, sweat-slicked, with jaw clenched in irritation.

I let my eyes roll back, let my flesh twist, and my bones crack.

The mirror seemed like it gurgled.

I hissed through clenched teeth as my muscles pulled tight, my skin shifting like it was being peeled and resewn from the inside out. Veins popped like tiny rivers rerouting themselves. My frame shrank slightly. Jaw sharpened. Cheekbones lifted.

Within moments, Luis was gone—and in his place stood Mateo Rivera.

Golden-skinned. That punchable, lopsided grin. That infuriating dimple on the left cheek, women seemed to lose IQ points over. His messy hair and lazy swagger, all of it was mine now.

I rolled my neck, letting the final adjustments settle.

He smelled like dental floss and citrus shampoo.

God, I hated him. Still, he served his purpose. Everyone liked Mateo. Apparently, he was the God of niceties in this pack.

I grabbed a spare jacket and slipped it on with a sneer. I hoped to hell he wasn’t home.

Just in case, I made a mental note: Kill Mateo. Eventually. Quietly. Nothing dramatic—just enough to avoid the sort of complications that might arise if someone spotted us together in different locations at the same hour. Or even the same location. Imagine me meeting him at home right now as I go.