"No." I shook my head quickly, gripping my scarf tightly. "I just... felt like wearing it."

Luis Miguel’s gaze remained on it for a second too long, but thankfully, he didn’t push.

Instead, he grinned. "Well, whatever. Get some rest, princesa."

The others nodded in agreement.

I pressed my lips together. Then, quietly, I said, "Thanks."

Pedro grinned. "For what?"

"For..." I exhaled, glancing at them. "I don’t know what changed you, but... I like this version."

There was a bit of silence as the boys glanced at each other, making sign language as though they were contemplating telling me something.

In the end, they didn’t. I wondered what it was but I wasn’t the type to poke nose and push people into saying what they’d rather not.

Gonzalo clutched his chest. "She likes us!"

Pedro pretended to wipe a tear. "So beautiful."

Rubén sniffled dramatically. "I knew this day would come."

Luis Miguel smirked. "Well, princesa, like I said—we’re at your service."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

I turned toward the villa, stepping into the warm glow of the estate’s lights.

"Goodnight, María José," Luis Miguel called from behind.

The others echoed the sentiment, their voices fading into the night as they finally...finally—left.

I stood there for a moment, watching them go.

Then, with a small shake of my head, I turned and disappeared into the villa.

Oh, what an evening!

I stepped into the villa like a thief, moving as quietly as possible, practically tiptoeing over the marble floors. I wasnotin the mood to bump into my father or any of my siblings, especially not Rosa.

She would take one whiff of me, recoil in horror, and immediately demand that I explain why I smelled like a landfill as if she wasn’t the one who sent me on the death errand.

And honestly? I didn’t have the energy for that conversation.

The only problem now was the maids.

The second I entered, two of them froze in their tracks, their eyes widening as they took in myveryunfortunate state. One of them was a woman named Letizia whom I knew was a little close to Juana.

She clutched her chest like she had just witnessed a murder.

"Santa María," she gasped. "Whatisthat smell?"

The other maid, Giulia, actually gagged. "Señorita María José, you—por Dió—youstink!"

Tell me something I don’t know. Pfft.

"Good evening to you too," I muttered, trying to edge past them, but they weren’t done.

Letizia took a dramatic step back. "Whathappenedto you?"

"Did you roll in the trash?" Giulia asked, eyes filled with genuine concern.

"Worse," I said, sighing. "Icarriedtrash."

They both gasped.

"The world has truly fallen apart," Letizia whispered, crossing herself.

Giulia shook her head in disbelief. "Your father is going to..."

"Yes, I know," I cut in before she could finish that thought. "That’s why Ireallyneed to get to my room before anyone else sees me."

They exchanged looks, then—thankfully—stepped aside. But not before Giulia wrinkled her nose and muttered, "Dios mío,even thewallswill need to be aired out after this."

At least, these were maids on my side, not the jealous ones determined to make life hard for me. I ignored them and hurried up the grand staircase, careful not to leave a trail of filth behind me. The last thing I needed was someone following ascent trailstraight to my room like a bloodhound.

Finally, finally, I made it inside and shut the door.

I exhaled deeply, leaning against the wood.Safe. For now.

I immediately pulled off my dress, tossing it as far away from me as possible. That thing was never going to be clean again. I’d have to burn it. Maybe hold a funeral for it.

I pray Father doesn’t ask that I return it.Where was he anyway?

Was he not intent on punishing me anymore? Every minute whenever I thought of what hell he had planned awaiting me, my heart figuratively left my chest.

If anything, I wanted it to be done with so that I could know what peace looked like once again.

Then, my fingers hesitated at my scarf. With this in place, I might never know peace until Axel and I talked and found a way out of this mess.

Axel and I... would we ever get to talk privately again? Not with Rosa on my neck and father’s house arrest.

Slowly, I unwrapped the scarf, holding my breath as the fabric slipped away and the mark on my neck was revealed.

Axel’s mark.

I lifted a trembling hand to it, tracing the familiar ridges with my fingertips. It had been itching all day.

Heaven knows it’s been a dull, persistent throb that I had beenforcingmyself to ignore. But now, standing alone in my room, with the gore of the evening behind me, I could finally feel it.

Reallyfeel it. The pull.

It was subtle, like the whisper of a song I had forgotten the lyrics to; something distant yet familiar, calling to me in a voice I couldn’t quite hear.

I missed him.

Imissedhim so much it physically hurt.

My throat tightened, and before I could stop myself, my nails dug into the mark, scratching at the skin, desperate torelievethe maddening itch. But the second I did, a sharp sting shot through me, and suddenly...

Blood.

A thin, red trail leaked from the mark, trickling down my collarbone.

Panic bloomed in my chest.

Why is it bleeding?

This wasn’t normal. It wasn’t supposed todothis.

I grabbed the scarf and quickly pressed it against my skin, trying to stop the bleeding. But when I pulled it away, all I saw was more blood.

My heartbeat began to accelerate. This was bad. This wasreallybad.

If my father saw this—ifanyonesaw this...

Oh, no. I should do something. The last thing I wanted was to pass out from blood loss and end up being found by some maid with a loose mouth.

Before morning, the entire pack would have begun to sing about María José, the Omega who got an illegitimate mark that wasn’t even a mate mark but rather something unusual...

Something forbidden.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com