Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 152

Erin's POV

The hot tears stung my eyes as I curled up on my bed, clutching a pillow to my chest. Seeing Derek today had ripped open wounds I'd spent a year trying to heal. I'd managed to keep my composure in front of him—my face neutral, my voice steady—but now, in the privacy of my room, I allowed myself this moment of weakness.

"Damn it," I whispered, wiping furiously at my cheeks. At least he hadn't seen me cry. I would never let him see my tears again.

I forced myself to sit up, reaching for the mug of chamomile tea I'd prepared earlier. The warmth seeped through the ceramic and into my palms as I scrolled mindlessly through social media on my phone, trying to distract myself from the memories that seeing Derek had unleashed. The pain of our soul bond, the betrayal I'd felt when he'd chosen Mya over me, the humiliation of being cast aside—all of it came flooding back.

My phone rang suddenly, startling me. I glanced at the screen and frowned at the unfamiliar number before answering cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Erin?" The voice was deep, concerned.

"Mr. Grayson." I recognized the voice of the new director of the Darkwood Orphanage.

"Erin, where are you?" His tone made my heart skip a beat.

The unexpected question caught me off guard. My mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusions. Had something happened at the orphanage? Had one of the children been hurt?

"I'm at home. What's wrong, Mr. Grayson? Is everything okay at the orphanage?" I sat up straighter, already mentally preparing to grab my keys.

"Everything's fine with the orphanage, child. I'm calling about Ryan." The relief I felt was short-lived as concern for Ryan took its place.

"Is he with you? I haven't seen him today. He's not answering my calls."

I bit my lip, thinking of Ryan. He had canceled his date with his girlfriend yesterday to help me train. The witch had been disappointed, but Ryan had insisted on helping me with my control exercises. He'd been teaching me how to manage my emotions, especially when I might encounter Derek.

"He's not with me," I said, frowning. "I thought he might be with friends."

"I've called everyone I could think of," Mr. Grayson's voice was strained with worry. "This isn't like him."

I knew he was right. Ryan never disappeared without telling his father where he was going. Not since his mother died five years ago. He was too considerate of his father's feelings to make him worry unnecessarily.

"Let me try calling him," I offered. "If I reach him, I'll let you know immediately."

After hanging up, I immediately dialed Ryan's number. It went straight to voicemail. I tried again with the same result.

"Where are you, Ryan?" I whispered to the empty room.

I tried to think logically. Ryan was probably with his girlfriend—what was her name? I'd never met her properly, just knew she was a witch who Ryan had been dating for a few months. Unfortunately, I didn't have her number.

---

The doorbell rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I wiped my face, making sure no traces of tears remained, and headed downstairs. When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Amy and Jack standing there, both dressed up for a night out.

"Amy? Jack?" I blinked in surprise. "What a surprise!"

"We're here to take you with us," Jack announced with a grin.

"Take me where?" I asked, confused.

Amy peered past me into the house. "How's your mom doing?"

"She took her medication and is resting," I replied. My mother's heart condition had been acting up lately, causing me additional worry.

"We're here to take you to Jack's sister's birthday party," Amy explained, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Aria's turning twenty-one, and she's having this amazing dinner celebration."

I shook my head, already backing away. "I can't. I have something to do." Ryan's disappearance was weighing on my mind.

"Erin, don't say no to me," Jack pleaded, his expression serious. "You promised my sister you'd come. She'll be heartbroken if you don't show up."

I winced, remembering the phone call last week when Aria had personally invited me. I had agreed without thinking much about it, never imagining I'd have to deal with seeing Derek today or worrying about Ryan's whereabouts.

"Why didn't you remind me about this at university today?" I asked, feeling cornered.

Amy smiled sheepishly. "Because I knew you'd find a way to refuse. That's why we planned to come directly to your house and kidnap you."

I sighed, knowing I was trapped. A promise was a promise, and I couldn't let Aria down. "Fine. Give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Is it at some club?" I asked as Amy followed me upstairs to help me choose an outfit.

"No... just a dinner at a hotel," Amy replied, rummaging through my closet.

While Amy picked out a wine-red dress that complemented my pale skin, I quickly applied makeup, trying to hide the evidence of my earlier tears. Jack waited patiently in the living room.

"I bet all the boys will fall at your feet tonight," Amy declared as she helped me with my hair.

I forced a smile, but my mind was still on Ryan. "I hope this dinner ends quickly. I need to find Ryan afterward."

"What's wrong with Ryan?" Amy asked, concern crossing her features.

"His father called. Ryan's missing, and no one can reach him."

Amy waved dismissively. "He's a grown man. What's there to worry about? I bet he's busy with his girlfriend."

Her words offered some comfort. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was overreacting.

"That guy would totally do that," I agreed, trying to convince myself. "He's so careless! If he answers my call, I'm definitely giving him a piece of my mind today."

Amy smiled, squeezing my shoulders. "That's my baby. Now let's go. Jack's sister is waiting for us."

In Jack's car, I leaned my head against the window, feeling strangely unsettled. I knew it wasn't just about Ryan—seeing Derek today had thrown me off balance more than I wanted to admit.

"Are you okay?" Amy asked, noticing my silence.

"It's nothing. Just thinking about how I never have to see a certain someone's face again," I murmured.

Amy's eyes widened. "A certain someone's face? You mean the Alpha? Have you seen the Alpha recently?"

Jack glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "What's wrong, Erin?"

"I ran into him at lunch today," I admitted. "I think it's best if I avoid him from now on."