Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother

I continued for effect. "And that thing with the pigs on your father’s estate? You think that was some kind of witch’s work? No, María José. That was them. Rosa and her lover."

Her face went pale, and her hands began to shake slightly as she set the mug down on the counter. "That’s a lie," she muttered, almost to herself. "That’s not true. The traces of dark magic proved that it was the work of a witch."

"Maybe you’re right. Maybe it was a witch. But what if it was done by Rosa and her lover? What if they were the ones who butchered those pigs? What if they’ve been using magic to cover their tracks? What if Rosa’s lover is a witch? What if your exemplary sister, the gem of the pack, is the one breaking the number one rule, associating with other supernaturals and even dating one of them?"

I watched as her face drained of color, her lips trembling as she tried to form a coherent thought. "No," she gasped, shaking her head vigorously.

"That’s not possible. Everyone knows there’s a strict law. From the treaty, it’s said that the other supernaturals... They can’t just... they can’t cross into our territory without permission. And why would Rosa—why would she do that?"

I watched her entire body stiffen, her breath hitching in her throat as the weight of the truth—or what I’d just presented as the truth settled over her like a suffocating blanket. Her face was drained of color. She blinked rapidly, her eyes glossy.

But for real, I spoke of nothing but the truth. The better part was that she hadn’t even heard the best part yet.

"You’re lying," she whispered again, this time with less conviction.

I stood up once again, my chair scraping across the tile floor with an unnerving screech. She flinched, but I was already moving toward her, my presence pressing down on her like the very air was thickening. The space between us shrank, and I could feel the rapid thrum of her heartbeat.