My Alpha Brother’s Regret Was Too Late Chapter 03

My Alpha Brother’s Regret Was Too Late Chapter 03

My phone buzzed.

The screen lit up with a message from Mira and a photo.

Mira: [Don’t think you can fool anyone by putting on an act these days. My brother will never go soft for you.]

Mira: [In his heart, you’ll never measure up to me.]

Mira: [And do you really think he punished those thirteen rogues for you?]

My chest clenched so hard I could barely breathe.

But the next second, I forced myself to calm down, because from the time we were kids, my brother never broke a promise he made to me.

Mira loved playing this game, wedging herself between us again and again until suspicion poisoned everything and we fell apart for good.

I drew in a slow breath, steadied my hands, and tapped the photo.

In that instant, my world caved in.

In the picture were the thirteen rogues my brother had sworn he’d make suffer worse than death.

Some were behind the wheel of supercars, some had women hanging off their arms, all of them living even flashier than they had three years ago.

My phone slipped from my fingers.

It hit the floor with a sharp crack.

But I couldn’t hear a thing anymore.

All I could think was this: if they were never punished, then what did my three years in prison, where I was bullied and made to suffer worse than death, even mean?

Back then, my brother had decided those rogues were the ones I’d “brought in” to hurt Mira.

To protect the Shadowrune Pack’s reputation, he refused to hunt them down publicly unless I apologized to Mira.

I dropped to my knees and bowed again and again, my forehead slamming into the floor until blood streamed down my face.

“But what if I’m still scared every time I see sis?” Mira had said, curled up in my brother’s arms.

My brother had looked down at me with contempt. “Tessa, you’ll go to prison for three years,” he said. “When Mira isn’t afraid anymore, you can come back.”

“Then swear you’ll make those thirteen rogues pay,” I’d begged, my face smeared with blood.

I traded my life for a promise from him.

And now?

I spun around and charged forward, grabbing my brother by the collar.

“Why are those thirteen rogues still walking around like nothing happened?” The moment I spoke, I realized my voice was shaking so badly it could barely hold together.

My brother’s pupils tightened, and the next second he shoved my hand away without hesitation.

“Mira forgave them,” he said, impatient. “She’s the victim here. Why are you still clinging to this?”

“She’s the victim?”

I grabbed his collar again, my knuckles turning white. “If she’s the victim, then what am I?”

My brother frowned, annoyed. “And whose fault is that?” he snapped. “You’re the one who brought them in to hurt Mira. This is your punishment as the perpetrator.”

“And I already punished them,” he added. “I made them apologize to Mira.”

All he could offer was an apology.

The moment those words landed, something detonated in my ears.

That night tore open inside my head all over again: the dim light, the crushing weight, thirteen men tearing at me all night while they screamed insults, the pain so intense I blacked out and woke the next day unable to even stand.

I used to think that was the deepest hell I’d ever see.

Compared to this moment, it was nothing.

I stared at the man I had once trusted without question and depended on completely.

Each word came out like I was grinding it through my teeth. “They did that to me, and you promised me,” I said. “How can you go back on your word? I’m your sister…”

Mira stepped in, cutting me off with a gentle smile. “Tessa, my parents always used to say, let bygones be bygones.”

“I’ve already forgiven you,” she went on. “So stop making a fuss over something this small.”

My brother looked at Mira with open approval. “See?” he said. “Even Mira, an orphan, is so reasonable. You’re not even as mature as she is.”

Mira’s smile stayed soft as she leaned close and lowered her voice for only me to hear.

“They told me to pass a message to you,” she whispered. “After three years, they’ve missed you.”

“We didn’t get to finish with you three years ago,” she murmured. “Next time we see you, we’ll make sure we have our fun until you’re ‘satisfied.’”

The last thread of restraint in my mind snapped.

I swung with everything I had and slapped her hard across the face.

“It was you,” I screamed, completely out of control. “It was you!”

“Why?” I howled. “No matter how much I hated you, I never once tried to hurt you, so why would you…”

I didn’t get to finish.

A heavier slap cracked across my face.

The force flipped me onto the floor.

My ears rang, my vision went black at the edges, and the world tilted out from under me.