Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 173

Derek's POV

The party dispersed quickly after Erin left. The high-ranking pack members sensed my mood and made themselves scarce. I ignored my family's concerned looks and Mya's parents' attempts to salvage the evening, leaving as soon as possible.

Now, in the silence of my private study, I stared out the window at the dense forest beyond, a cigarette burning slowly between my fingers. My mind kept replaying the hatred in Erin's eyes. It bothered me more than I wanted to admit. I was used to fear, to respect, even to resentment—but the pure hatred from her cut deeper than any challenge to my authority.

"Alpha, what's wrong with you?" Tom's frustrated voice cut through my thoughts. "Why can't you put her in her place? She's always disrespectful toward you."

I remained silent. What could I say? That my wolf recognized her as our mate even as I pushed her away? That every harsh word from her felt like a physical blow? I couldn't explain it to them. They wouldn't understand.

Mark leaned against my desk, his expression thoughtful. "If you'll allow me, I could talk to Erin. Make her understand that her behavior is inappropriate." He glanced at Tom, who nodded in agreement. "Revenge isn't the answer."

I tensed at the suggestion of anyone confronting Erin. The thought of her being intimidated, even verbally, made my wolf stir protectively. But I kept my face impassive, betraying nothing of the conflict within me.

Tom's frustration grew with my continued silence. "Why are you so quiet, Alpha? What do you think?"

He paused, fear flashing across his face. "When you saw Alpha Alexander with her, I thought you might attack him, but you just left the party without a word." Tom shook his head, clearly confused by my restraint. "Your face was completely blank."

I had nearly lost control seeing Alexander's hands on Erin. The only reason I hadn't torn him apart was knowing it would push her further away. My wolf had howled for blood, but I'd forced it down, maintaining the control that had become second nature to me over the years.

Before I could respond, the door to my study burst open with enough force to slam against the wall. Bradley stood in the doorway, his face flushed with anger.

"What's going on?" I asked, speaking for the first time since returning to my study.

"I heard Erin is marrying Alexander? How is that possible?" Bradley demanded, stepping into the room uninvited.

I felt a surge of irritation at his entitled behavior. Always barging in, always demanding answers as if he had a right to them. The mention of Erin marrying Alexander sent a stab of something dark and possessive through me that I refused to acknowledge.

I took a slow drag from my cigarette before answering. "You heard correctly. She's about to become the Luna of the Silverpine Pack."

Saying the words out loud made them more real, more painful. The thought of Erin bound to another Alpha made my jaw clench, though I kept my voice even.

Bradley's face contorted with disgust and confusion. "How could you allow this to happen?"

"What would you have me do now?" I asked, genuinely curious about what he thought was possible at this point. Stop the ceremony? Claim her publicly as my mate after I'd rejected her? The options were limited, none of them simple.

"Brother, I gave her up for you," Bradley snapped, his voice rising. "Now it's your turn. I know you don't want to share her with anyone. You want to keep her for yourself. But you can't stop the binding ceremony now. Everything has been announced."

He was right—I didn't want to share her. But I'd made my choice when I put the pack's stability above my personal desires.

"Only because you're my brother am I letting you walk away today. Don't ever speak to me like that again."

Bradley lowered his head, his jaw clenched tight. Without another word, he stormed out of the study, the door slamming shut behind him.

I reached for the phone on my desk. "Follow Bradley," I instructed the guard at the entrance. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

I worried about what Bradley might do in his current state. He'd always been impulsive, acting without thinking about consequences. The last thing I needed was him confronting Alexander or approaching Erin.

Mark and Tom exchanged glances as I returned to my position by the window.

"Your silence is killing us, Alpha," Mark said gently.

Tom joined in, his earlier frustration replaced with genuine concern. "Why can't you accept that Erin is starting a new life? How long will you be like this?"

I didn't answer immediately. I couldn't share with them how Erin's absence left a void I couldn't fill. How seeing her with Alexander made me want to tear him apart.

"I don't want to be reminded of Alexander's past," I finally said, interrupting Mark as he began to speak about Alexander. "Because of that incident, I calmed down and changed myself for years. But if he keeps pushing my boundaries, I'm not sure how long I can maintain my control."

Especially when those boundaries involved Erin. My resolve was weakening every time I saw her.

Tom and Mark exchanged worried glances.

"We don't know what to say," Mark admitted.

"What are you planning to do?" Tom pressed. "Alexander is getting on my nerves."

Mark hesitated before asking, "How should we treat Erin?"

"You've been lenient with Aaron because of her," Tom pointed out. "Should we teach her a lesson? Break her illusion that she can take revenge on an Alpha?"

I felt a surge of protectiveness at the suggestion. The thought of anyone in my pack threatening Erin, even to "teach her a lesson," made my wolf rise to the surface. I pushed it down, maintaining my outward calm.

"She naively thinks she can take revenge on me and then walk away," I murmured, more to myself than to them. "But she's destined to be my soul bond. You will not harm her."

I meant it as a warning, not an explanation. No one in the pack would touch her, regardless of her behavior toward me.

Tom frowned. "Your soul bond? Derek, she's your destined mate, but she's not acting like your mate anymore." His voice dropped lower. "I'm worried about the future of our pack."

He had a point. A rejected soul bond created instability. But the alternative—forcing Erin into a role she clearly despised—seemed worse. She would hate me even more if I tried to claim her now, after everything.

Mark shook his head, giving me one last look before leaving the study.

With just Tom and me remaining, the room fell into silence. Tom studied me, his expression thoughtful.

"You used to be different," he said finally. "Competitive, always fighting for what you wanted. Not this calm, controlled version of yourself." He paused. "You were the one everyone feared."

A subtle change came over his face, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I know you have feelings for her. How long are you going to suppress them, Alpha?"

The direct question caught me off guard. Was I that transparent? I'd thought I'd hidden my feelings well, maintained the facade of indifference that had served me for years.

Taking a long drag from my cigarette, I exhaled slowly. "Don't let your imagination run wild," I said quietly, not wanting to admit even to myself the depth of what I felt for Erin.

Tom persisted. "Why can't you face your heart? Stop deceiving yourself."