Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 174

Derek's POV

The last thing I needed was Tom questioning me about Erin. Again. I sat behind my desk, pretending to focus on documents that I hadn't actually read a word of. The memory of Erin leaving with Alexander still burned in my mind, but I'd be damned if I let anyone see how much it affected me.

"Alpha, we need to talk about Erin," Tom said, his voice firm despite addressing his superior.

I didn't look up. "There's nothing to discuss."

"With all due respect, there is." Tom stepped closer to my desk, a move few would dare. "Your indulgence of her behavior goes beyond what's expected for a soul bond. You've allowed her to disrespect you publicly, you've protected her brother despite his insubordination, and now you're letting her walk away with Alexander Windsor without consequence."

I finally raised my eyes, keeping my expression neutral. "Is there a point to this observation?"

"The point is that this isn't just about your soul bond. It's about your feelings for her." Tom's gaze never wavered. "You're in love with her."

The accusation hung in the air between us. I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Love was a weakness I couldn't afford.

"That will be all, Tom. Return to Darkwood Estate. I don't have time for this nonsense." I turned my attention back to the papers before me, dismissing him.

But Tom didn't move. Instead, he planted his hands on my desk, leaning forward. "Do you remember what you told me when we lost that construction contract in Chicago? 'Derek, self-deception might be the only reason for failure in business warfare.'"

I clenched my jaw. "Step back, Tom. You're forgetting yourself."

"Am I?" He straightened but didn't retreat. "Or am I the only one willing to tell you the truth?"

"I believe you're forgetting who you're speaking to, Beta Tom." My voice dropped dangerously low, a warning that would have sent most pack members scurrying away with lowered heads.

"I know exactly who I'm speaking to." Tom crossed his arms. "My Alpha, who's lying to himself."

I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. "Let me say this one more time. My tolerance of Erin is solely because she's my soul bond."

"Then why didn't you kill her?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. I froze, my mind racing back to that night—Erin's eighteenth birthday, when I'd felt the unmistakable pull of our bond. The night I should have ended her life to protect myself from this very weakness.

"What did you say?" My voice was barely audible.

"If she were just a soul bond—just an inconvenience—why didn't you kill her the night you discovered she was your mate?" Tom pressed, his tone softer now but no less insistent. "You've eliminated obstacles before. You know the legend says you'd be free if she died before you accepted the bond. So why is she still alive, Derek?"

The room seemed to close in around me. My control slipped, and I felt my eyes changing, burning gold with my wolf's fury as it rose to the surface.

"I don't love her!" I slammed my fist on the desk, the wood cracking under the impact. "I can't love her. I can't love anyone. An Alpha can't allow anyone to become a weakness." The words tore from my throat, raw and desperate.

Tom's expression softened into something like relief, a small smile playing at his lips. "You're right. You can't allow it. But that doesn't mean it hasn't already happened." He paused, meeting my gaze steadily despite my wolf's presence. "Alpha, you love Erin."

"No." The denial was automatic, but hollow even to my own ears.

"You wanted her as your personal secretary to keep her close. You protected her brother when he challenged you. You stood by while she humiliated you in front of other Alphas." Tom ticked off each point on his fingers. "These aren't the actions of a man merely bound by mystical forces. These are the actions of a man in love."

I turned away, looking out the window at the darkness beyond. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, knuckles white with tension.

"Yes." The admission felt like glass in my throat. "You're right. I love her. But I've hurt her too deeply. She doesn't want me anymore."

The truth of it settled over me like a weight I couldn't shake. "She's made her choice."

---

Erin's POV

I paced my bedroom floor, my mind spinning with everything that had happened tonight. Aaron sat on the edge of my bed, his expression grim as he delivered news I didn't want to hear.

"I'm resigning from my position with the pack," he said, his voice steady but tinged with regret.

"What? No!" I stopped pacing to stare at him. "Aaron, you can't."

"I can't continue to work for someone who has hurt you this badly." Aaron's jaw tensed. "I won't be able to control myself around him anymore."

My chest tightened with guilt. "But you worked so hard for that position. How can you just throw it away?"

"It's just a job, Erin."

"It's not just a job and you know it." I sank onto the bed beside him. "Being an enforcer is everything you've ever wanted."

Aaron shrugged, but I could see the pain behind the casual gesture. "Some things are more important."

I buried my face in my hands. "How are we going to tell Mom? She was so proud when you became an enforcer."

"She'll understand." Aaron put his arm around my shoulders. "Family comes first. Always has."

I nodded, though I wasn't convinced. Aaron's career had been a bright spot for our family, especially after everything we'd been through. And now he was giving it up because of me—because of my mess with Derek.

As if reading my thoughts, Aaron squeezed my shoulder. "This isn't your fault. It's his."

But the guilt remained, along with a host of other emotions I couldn't begin to sort through. Alexander's announcement kept replaying in my mind, his words echoing like an ominous prophecy: "I'm officially announcing that Erin Blackwood will be the Luna of the Silverpine Pack in a month."

"Why would Alexander announce me as his Luna?" I murmured, more to myself than to Aaron. "I need to tell him to take it back."

"That's not how it works," Aaron said carefully. "Once an Alpha makes that kind of declaration, especially in front of other packs..."

"I don't care about pack politics!" I stood up again, restless energy coursing through me. "I should never have agreed to this. I don't want to be with anyone. Alexander included."