<h4>Chapter 72: _ Home Sweet Hell</h4>


    I turned back to the sorry bunch of market-sweeping delinquents sprawled against the tree.


    I crouched down, letting my shadow stand above them. "You all remember what I said about María José, right?"


    Luis Miguel swallowed. "Sí, sí. We’ll do it."


    I arched a brow. "And if you don’t?"


    I nced at them one after the other, letting the silence hold the weight of the meaning behind my worries


    Gonzalo cleared his throat. "You’ll... you’ll make our lives miserable."


    I smiled and patted his shoulders. "Good. I’m d we understand each other."


    Luis Miguel heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that I was already leaving, wiping his filthy face with an equally filthy sleeve. "Damn you, Beta."


    I grinned. "Already did, amigo."


    With that, I straightened, dusted off my hands, and turned to leave, relishing the sound of their defeated groans as I walked away.


    The moment I hit the street, Hugo stirred. "You know your Papá is going to eat you alive, right?"


    "Please." I rolled my eyes. "Even you know I don’t fear the old man."


    He chuckled in response. "No, but you do have to respect him, whether you like it or not. That Alpha bond is a real pain in the ass, isn’t it?"


    Argh... the bloody Alpha bond. That was the only bloody thing that made defiling the old man almost impossible.


    I fucking hate everything about being a bloody werewolf!


    I scoffed. "If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t give a damn about him."


    Sliding into the driver’s seat, I fired up the engine and let it roar to life.


    "You could always run away, you know," Hugo suggestedzily. "Go rogue. Live in the mountains. Eat rabbits."


    "And be nothing but a feral animal in a werewolf form?" My eyes went round. "Not a chance, Hugo."


    He huffed. "Then drive, dead man walking."


    <strong><i>*******</i></strong>


    The drive home was peaceful. However, I knew it was a kind of peace that proceeded great violence.


    But the moment I pulled up to the massive iron gates of our family estate, I wiped sweat off my forehead.


    Trouble was brewing.


    The guards almost didn’t meet my eyes as they swung the gates open. I shook my head at our centuries-old mansion that looked as cold and unweing as the people inside.


    I parked, stepped out, and walked through the entrance.


    Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating as presumed.


    Standing in the middle of the living room, looking like a panel of judges at my execution, were the three people I least wanted to see right now.


    The Alpha.


    álvaro.


    And Mamá.


    Papá stood tall with his arms crossed while he radiated a level of rage that could probably set the furniture on fire. álvaro, my golden-boy younger brother had that usual scowl on his face, looking like he wanted nothing more than to strangle me.


    And Mamá... well, she sat on the white couch, lips pressed together with a gaze that was more worried than furious.


    I shut the door behind me and took in the scene. Then casually, I lifted my arms.


    "Okay, let’s not act like I justmitted murder. I didn’t kill anyone. Yet."


    Papá could nearly be blinded with rage as he thundered. "Axel! How dare you walk in here with that attitude after what you’ve done?"


    <i>Oh, please. Not now. I already had a long day. I didn’t need any of their bullshits. </i>


    I shrugged listlessly. "I don’t see the problem."


    álvaro shot up from his chair, pointing a furious finger at me. "Of course you don’t! Because this was all a setup, wasn’t it?! You couldn’t stand that I was finally getting a mate and getting married as any responsible male in the pack would, so you sabotaged it!"


    <i>Please, tell me he didn’t just say that. What the hell was my business with his stupid marriage with the equally stupid Cami?!</i>


    <i>For all I care, I might not even go with them tomorrow. I didn’t give a fuck about all of this. </i>


    I arched a brow. "Oh, sí, álvaro, because everything in life revolves around you."


    "You always do this!" he barked. "Every time something good happens to me, you ruin it! You’re jealous!"


    Iughed. "Jealous? Of you?" I gestured at him dramatically. "Please, enlighten me—what exactly am I supposed to be jealous of? Your obnoxious face? Your shiny shoes? Your ability to kiss ass so well it should be an Olympic sport?"


    álvaro shoved his hair back away from his face and clenched his fists after. "You’re pathetic."


    "And you’re stupid."


    "Enough!" Papá roared.


    The room went still and silent.


    Mamá tried to speak, "Maybe if we all just..."


    "Be quiet, Ana," The bloody man growled at her. .


    She winced, sitting back tightly. álvaro smirked and I saw red. <i>The bastard was pleased to see Papá’s misogynistic attitude disyed on fleek.</i>


    <i>Fucker. </i>


    Papá turned his fiery re back to me. "There is <i>no</i> reason... no excuse that justifies what you did today. The news is spreading fast. The workers are whispering it to other workers of every household. Soon enough, the entire pack will be chewing it like chicle!"


    He threw his hands angrily in the air. "I REPEAT, NOTHING JUSTIFIES WHAT YOU DID!"


    I crossed my arms. "Even if Don Diego is mistreating his daughter?"


    Papá scoffed—actually scoffed. "And that’s what makes this all the more absurd!You humiliated a whole Don Diego over <i>his</i> Omega daughter? What business of yours is it how he treats that useless, cursed girl?"


    The moon help me, I could strangle my own father if the ball of pure anger inside of me had its way.


    "You know, I really love how you and Don Diego think so alike. It’s cute. I bet if I cracked open your skulls, I’d find the same rotting ideas inside." I blurted out, eyeing the man with contempt.


    Papá’s face ashened with shock. I’d always talk back at him, but it was rare for me to actually throw jabs at him. And why did I lose that control?


    Why did I, Axel, who’s had to deal with these people for years upon years and still maintain my little respectful momentum lose it because I couldn’t stand his disregard for María José?


    Was that the kind of impact she had on me? Is this how it feels to have a little sister?


    "You stand there talking about what is right or wrong and you stand there, spouting such words to your own father?" Papá scoffed, almost putting a hand on his head.


    I shrugged. "Not my fault the truth makes you ufortable."


    álvaro, of course, jumped in like thepdog he was. "If you care so much, why don’t you <i>marry her, </i>huh? You’re both useless anyway. Trust me when I say you’ll make a good fit. Then, you can carry her along on your stupid wild escapades. No one gives a shit!"


    Marry María José?! <i>My little sister?!</i>