Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother

"You’re back! I—I wasn’t expecting you."

"Yeah," I said, keeping Mateo’s grin on my face. "Came back early. Missed home."

And who’s been making it feel like home for me, huh?

She giggled and stepped aside, waving me in. "Well, welcome back. Come in, quick, it’s freezing."

I obeyed, my boots clicking on the tile as I crossed the threshold. The scent hit me immediately. Warm water. Mint. Tea leaves. And her. Always her.

"Smells amazing, were you making tea?" I commented, glancing toward the kitchen.

"Oh—yes! Just something light. Ginger, chamomile..." She hurried past me, that robe swaying like a promise I wasn’t allowed to cash in. "Do you want some?"

"Would love it. If it tastes half as good as it smells, I’ll start faking pack emergencies more often just to come home to this." I sheepishly grinned.

That got a real smile out of her. A small one, but real. Still, I was watching.

Every twitch of her fingers as she picked up the teacup. The stiffness in her spine when I moved behind her. The fact that her eyes kept darting to the front door, like she was expecting someone to burst through at any moment.

I took the cup from her hands when she offered it, letting our fingers brush for half a second longer than necessary.