I didn’t know what to do with myself after María José smiled at like I was her entire morning.
I an, what does a man do when the love of his life watches him sleep and smiles like that? Do I just... go and make cereal? Take a walk? Shave my chest?
The answer was none of the above, because my heart was still doing backflips and my brain had not quite rebooted yet.
So I did what any sane man in my position would do.
I got up. Brushed my teeth while cursing Álvaro under my breath. And decided to go cause a ruckus sowhere else.
Specifically, at Luis’s place.
Yes, more than anything—I needed to talk. No, rant. Preferably to soone who wouldn’t look at like I’d lost it. Which left with exactly one option. Him.
Good ol’ Luis, my cousin. The silent, immobile enigma. The man had the patience of a saint and the judgntal capacity of a rock—which made him the perfect person to dump my swirling chaos onto.
Because if there was one thing that cald my nerves, it was ranting in front of my cousin. He couldn’t respond, poor guy, but man, could he listen. Best therapist I’d ever had. Free too. The only downside was the occasional creepy stare.
I threw on a jacket, ran a hand through my ss of curls, and made my way across the estate to Luis’s quieter part of the estate.
It was raining again. Of course, it was. Because nothing says "brooding pack politics and unsolved murder" like constant dramatic drizzle. The sky had the color of wet cent, and my breath fogged in the air, which reminded I’d forgotten to eat. Again.
I trudged down the narrow gravel path that led to the modest little house tucked at the side of the estate. Luis’s place was surrounded by wilting rose bushes and a wooden fence that leaned just a little too far left. It always slled like peppermint and antiseptic, probably Rosario’s doing.
When I pushed open the creaky wooden gate to the smaller house, I expected the usual: Luis where he always was, Rosario in so state of chaotic energy, blasting music or ranting to a telenovela character on screen like they owed her money.
Today, the house was quiet.
Creepy quiet.
I stepped in and imdiately squinted.
"Rosario?" I called out, sniffing the air.
No burnt toast. No bleach. No fresh mint. Just a weird, uneasy stillness that made the hairs on my neck stand.
She popped out of the hallway like a poorly summoned ghost. "Oh, Beta Axel."
Her voice was soft.
I frowned. "You okay? You look like soone told you salsa is canceled forever."
She blinked at , all big brown eyes and guilt, and then offered a slow nod. "I’m fine."
"You’re not fine," I muttered, stepping past her. "You’re never this quiet. It’s suspicious. Is Luis okay?"
"He’s fine. Sleeping." Her tone was too careful.
I paused and then I turned. "Rosario. What’s wrong?"
She chewed her lip, then dropped onto the couch like she’d just aged twenty years. "One of the recent deaths really touched ."
My spine straightened. "The boys?"
"That too. Díos mío, it was so horrible. They were young. But..." She looked away. "It was the Packhouse guard. Ernesto."
My eyes narrowed. "Ernesto?"
"He ca here the day before he went missing," she added, not looking at .
I blinked. "He ca inside here?"
She nodded solemnly.
"Rosario, do you rember what he said? Anything at all?"
I hadn’t expected to find that piece of information when I decided to co here. However, seems we find clues in the least anticipated places.
Her body stiffened. That was never a good sign.
"You don’t have to tell if you’re not comfortable," I offered quickly. "I’m not trying to interrogate you. I just..."
She whipped her head toward , eyes wide. "Are you saying I’m a suspect now?!"
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
"No. I didn’t say that," I grumbled. "Look, it wasn’t even a werewolf that killed him. It was a witch."
Her eyes practically fell out of her skull. "So it’s true?! There’s a witch in the pack?! Madre de Dios, I told everyone sothing was in the air! My knees have been aching for two weeks!"
Argh! She was back to being Rosario again! I liked the quiet and moody one I t when I ca in better.
"Rosario..."
"My instincts never fail , Beta Axel. That’s why I only drink goat’s milk and never trust n with skinny eyebrows."
"...What."
She waved off. "Never mind. The point is—this witch is among us. We’re cursed. I told you!"
"Rosario," I said, more sternly this ti, stepping closer, "if you rember anything Ernesto said that day, tell . Every little detail helps us catch the bastard."
And then... she got weird.
Like, extra weird. Fidgeting. Eye-darting. Suddenly obsessed with straightening the hem of her cardigan.
I tilted my head. "Rosario..."
She swallowed.
My tone dropped. "Talk to ."
She let out a dramatic breath, looked around like the walls might snitch on her, and then whispered, "We were banging."
I stared at her.
"Co again?"
Her face turned pink. "The last ti Ernesto was here, we were... intimate."
My mouth fell open like a cheap window in a thunderstorm. "In here? In this house? With Luis in the room?!"
She nodded miserably. "Yes."
What the actual fuck?!
My hands ran over my face. "Rosario! Are you out of your mind?"
"It was spontaneous!" she shrieked defensively. "He looked so good in his uniform and slled like fresh cinnamon!"
"LUIS WAS IN THE ROOM!"
She threw her hands up. "He doesn’t move! I thought..."
"HE’S NOT BLIND, ROSARIO!"
She winced. "Okay, okay! I admit, it was wrong. I’m sorry."
"You were supposed to be working. You’re a caregiver, not a side character in so trashy film!"
She gasped. "How dare you!"
"Oh, I dare." I pointed a stern finger at her. "That man is my cousin, and you—you... violated that trust."
She wrung her hands. "Ernesto said it was his last shift. He was tense. We were both lonely. One thing led to another..."
"Rosario, for the love of all things holy, spare the softcore soundtrack." I massaged my temples. "Was that the last ti you saw him?"
She nodded. "I swear. He left right after."
I paced the room, my boots thudding against the hardwood. My thoughts were a ss—flashes of María José’s bruised shoulder, the rain, Álvaro’s sneer, Luis staring into space while Rosario defiled the sanctity of caregiving in his presence.
I groaned. Luis let out a tiny grunt from his bed. I turned toward him.
"Yeah, bro. Sa."
Rosario stood, twisting her fingers. "Am I fired?"
"Not yet," I snapped. "But one more sexcapade in front of Luis, and I’ll tie you to a tree myself."
"Fine." She rolled her eyes. "But don’t act like you don’t sneak off with your secret Oga girlfriend."
Really? Did soone see María José and despite how discreet we tried to be. Not that I gave a damn anyway.
Let them spread the word: Axel and María José are a thing. If Rosa asked, I’d deny it for the sake of my and María’s mission.
I turned sharply to Rosa. "Watch it."
Her mouth shut instantly. Because that was the line.
I deserved respect and Oga or not, my Mate deserved even better. And Rosario knew that.
I adjusted my hoodie and gave her one last glance. "Next ti you bang a murder victim in your house, maybe don’t wait until they’re dead to ntion it."
She nodded quickly. "Sí, Beta."
"Leave," I said flatly, turning to Rosario. "I want a word with Luis."
She blinked at like I’d just asked her to donate a kidney. "Why do you always do that?"
I frowned. "Do what?"
"You act like he’s your personal therapist-slash-confessional box. He can’t even do a thing! He just sits there!" She gestured dramatically at Luis, who—as always—was quietly existing in the background like he was the human version of a suspenseful violin string.
"He doesn’t have to do a thing. He listens. Sothing you clearly never learned." I snapped.
Her mouth dropped open. "That was rude."
"Get out, Rosario."
"I’m just saying! It’s weird, you know? You act like he’s the Pope, and I’m so kind of..."
"Rosario."
She flinched at the sharpness in my tone. I didn’t yell. I didn’t need to. One look, and she knew I was done entertaining her excuses.
"I said out."
With a dramatic sigh loud enough to shake windows in other dinsions, she stomped to the door like a teenager told to put her phone away. But just as she reached for the knob, she paused, glanced back, and gave that look.
That ’I’m about to say sothing that’s none of my business but I’m going to say it anyway’ look.
"By the way," she said sweetly, "did you finally regain your mories from those two days we slept together in the sa bed... and urm—naked?"
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