Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 154

Erin's POV

The room fell silent as my words hung in the air. I could feel several pairs of eyes suddenly turn to me, curiosity piqued by my audacious question. Mya's expression shifted from smug superiority to stunned disbelief, her mouth slightly agape as she processed what I'd just said.

I maintained eye contact with her, a mocking smile playing at the corners of my lips. The satisfaction of catching her off guard was almost worth the risk I was taking.

"What are you talking about?" Mya finally managed, her voice tight with barely contained fury. Her perfectly manicured nails dug into Derek's arm where she still clung to him, as if marking her territory.

"I'm just curious," I said, my voice deceptively light. "Two years ago, there was supposed to be a binding ceremony, wasn't there? But it never happened. I wonder why."

The direct confrontation had clearly thrown Mya off balance. Her face flushed with anger, eyes narrowing dangerously. I could see her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to maintain her composure.

"That was because my brother wasn't present at the time," Mya answered, her chin lifting slightly. "So Derek had to postpone the binding ceremony."

I blinked, genuinely surprised by her quick thinking. I glanced at Derek and found him staring at me intently, his gray eyes boring into mine. A shiver ran down my spine, and I quickly looked away, uncomfortable with how my body still responded to him despite everything.

The nerve of this man, I thought bitterly, crossing my legs under the table to ease the sudden tension in my body. He didn't care what anyone thought about our soul bond. He's made his choice clear.

"I see," I said softly, running my finger along the rim of my glass. "Your brother must be a very important person."

A young woman seated near Mya leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with the excitement of someone about to share juicy gossip. "Such an ignorant girl," she said with a condescending smile. "Her brother is Alexander Windsor, the Alpha of the Silverpine Pack."

The woman's voice faltered as she mentioned Alexander's name, and she cast a nervous glance toward Derek. The tension in the room thickened noticeably.

Mya reached out to stroke Derek's arm, clearly trying to soothe him. I watched the gesture and took a deep breath, fighting the irrational surge of jealousy that tightened my chest and made my fingers curl around my napkin.

I noticed Derek glaring at the young woman who had spoken, and I couldn't help but smile slightly. This was my chance to push further.

"You're right," I said, addressing the woman. "I don't know much about him, but... if Miss Windsor could tell us more about her brother, I'd be interested to hear it. I've read about him online—"

"Erin." Bradley's voice cut through my words, and he shook his head slightly, warning me to stop.

I caught Derek's gray eyes warning me as well. His jaw was tight, a muscle twitching at the corner. I felt a perverse pleasure in having gotten under his skin. I was tired of being the one who always got hurt.

"I think my ex doesn't like me talking about another man," I said with a laugh, and several others at the table chuckled nervously.

I turned to Bradley with fake sweetness, leaning forward slightly. "Darling, we broke up long ago. Why do you care? Are you afraid your favorite sister-in-law's brother might come to see me?"

Bradley's expression was a mixture of concern and exasperation. He knew I was deliberately provoking Derek, and he was worried about the consequences.

---

The arrival of the servers with our first course provided a welcome distraction. As everyone focused on the food, the tension in the room eased slightly. I picked at my plate, not really tasting anything. I could feel Derek's eyes on me occasionally, and each time I felt it, my skin grew warmer.

"Erin," Mya said, breaking the silence, "I notice you seem quite interested in my brother. But you should know, young women are usually afraid of him. He's dangerous."

I looked up from my plate, my eyes narrowing. "Why would you say that? Isn't he your brother? He tells everyone he loves you, and here you are speaking ill of him behind his back? Does he know that?"

My serious expression and cold tone shocked everyone at the table. Even Amy looked at me with wide eyes, clearly surprised by my sudden defense of a man I'd never met.

Mya's face hardened. "I wasn't speaking ill of him. And by the way, you know nothing about him. Why are you defending him? Don't you know he's your Pack Alpha's rival?"

"So what?" I challenged, straightening my back and meeting her gaze head-on. "His position doesn't make him a bad person. Now... I'm starting to believe all those stories circulating in our pack about him are just false rumors. He can't be that bad of a guy—"

"Enough!" Derek's voice, low and commanding, cut through the room like a knife.

Everyone at the table immediately lowered their heads, a reflexive response to their Alpha's displeasure. Everyone except me. I met his gaze steadily, refusing to be cowed. His eyes had darkened, and I could feel the power radiating from him across the table. Despite my anger, my body responded with a rush of heat that made me shift in my seat.

"We're here to attend a dinner, not to discuss family members, Miss Blackwood," Derek said, his voice cold and controlled.

Why didn't you stop Mya when she was talking? I thought angrily, gripping my fork tighter. Why was I the only one being reprimanded?

"Erin," Amy whispered beside me, "I think you should calm down now. Please, baby."

I glanced at Mya, who was smirking triumphantly, then at Aria, whose birthday celebration was being overshadowed by this tension. For Aria's sake, I decided to back down.

"You're right, Alpha," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I emphasized his title. "I apologize for the interruption."