Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 179

Erin's POV

Alexander shrugged, his shoulder brushing against mine. He seemed unconcerned, almost bored by the question. "Her father is afraid of me. How can she not be?"

His non-answer frustrated me. I suppressed a scowl, teeth clenching momentarily. "Can you ever give a straight answer? What specific reason makes her afraid?"

Alexander's eyes moved past me, his attention shifting to something—or someone—behind me. Before I could turn to look, he leaned closer, his hand coming up to brush my cheek, fingers trailing along my skin in a deliberate caress.

"Darling, you look beautiful today," he said loudly enough for others to hear.

Someone cleared their throat, and I turned to see Charlie Windsor and Harry Stone approaching the seating area. Derek was descending the staircase behind them, his face a mask of careful neutrality.

My inner wolf immediately reacted to his presence, stirring restlessly beneath my skin. A hot, electric sensation spread through my veins, unwelcome but impossible to ignore. I clenched my teeth, fingernails digging into my palms, forcing it back down. Not now. Not ever again. I quickly turned away from Derek and smiled at Alexander, hoping the flush creeping up my neck wasn't visible.

Charlie and Harry took seats on one of the sofas. Alexander's lip curled slightly as he looked at Harry.

"It seems you've forgotten that Charlie is no longer the Alpha of the Silverpine Pack, Mr. Harry Stone," Alexander said mockingly.

Harry's expression remained placid. "I haven't forgotten, Alpha Alexander. You've been too busy to join us for gatherings."

Derek approached the seating area and sat down directly across from Alexander and me. I caught him looking at me, his gaze different somehow—less cold than I remembered. His eyes moved slowly over my face, lingering on my lips for a fraction too long before meeting my eyes. The intensity in that brief glance sent an unwanted shiver down my spine, forcing me to break eye contact first.

Mya hurried over to sit beside Derek. Her mother—Mrs. Windsor—and Judy's mother followed, taking seats nearby.

"Where were you before, Mrs. Windsor?" Alexander asked, his tone deceptively casual.

"I was in the kitchen with Judy," she answered, a slight tremor in her voice as she met Alexander's cold stare.

Alexander turned to me with a sardonic smile. "Do you think she poisoned our food?"

I glanced at Mrs. Windsor, whom I barely knew, then at Judy. The memory of Judy's past schemes flashed through my mind—the check she'd offered me to leave Derek, the countless humiliations. "I don't know about Mrs. Windsor," I replied, "but Judy made it clear she doesn't want me here just a few minutes ago."

Judy's face flushed with anger, red blotches appearing on her cheeks. She sat forward, hands gripping the armrests of her chair. "What are you saying? Why would I poison anyone? Do you have any evidence for such an accusation?"

Alexander frowned, looking at Judy with displeasure. "Slow down. You can't speak to my woman in that high-pitched voice."

Judy clenched her fists, closing her mouth tightly. Her glare, however, remained fixed on me. I returned it with a sarcastic smile, one eyebrow slightly raised in challenge. A small part of me reveled in her discomfort, in this small shift of power between us.

Throughout this exchange, Derek sat silently, observing everything with those calculating eyes of his. I felt his gaze on me like a physical touch, making me hyper-aware of every movement, every breath. His jaw tightened when Alexander referred to me as "his woman," a muscle flexing in his cheek.

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Derek finally shifted his gaze from me to Alexander. "I was the one who invited Alpha Alexander here," he stated, his deep voice filling the room.

Alexander leaned back, his arm casually draped over the sofa behind me, fingers brushing against my shoulder in a subtle claim of ownership. I resisted the urge to move away, forcing myself to remain still.

"Don't ignore my mate. Since you invited me, she comes too." He smirked. "I'm looking forward to inviting you to my binding ceremony, Alpha Derek."

Derek raised an eyebrow, his expression challenging. His gaze flicked to me for a split second, something dark and possessive flashing in his eyes before he controlled it. "I wonder if your binding ceremony will proceed as smoothly as you hope."

Alexander's smile faltered, his eyes darkening with displeasure. The arm behind me tensed, his fingers pressing more firmly against my shoulder. "What do you mean? My binding ceremony will certainly proceed smoothly."

Derek simply looked at Alexander, appearing unbothered by his reaction, which seemed to irritate Alexander even more. The tension between the two Alphas filled the room, thick and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe.

Charlie Windsor cleared his throat. "Alpha Alexander, I received a call from our pack enforcer."

Alexander's brow furrowed. "Why would he contact you instead of me?"

"He's gravely ill," Charlie explained. "His family begged me to speak with you on his behalf."

"Why are you pleading for him?" Alexander asked sharply.

"His father was my enforcer once," Charlie replied. "I can't watch his son lose his life."

Alexander rolled his eyes. "How touching. A man who didn't care about his own son now cares about someone else's."

I glanced at Alexander, feeling sympathy for him for the first time. The bitterness in his voice sounded genuine, not calculated. I wondered if what he said about his father was true. Had Charlie been a poor father to Alexander during his childhood? The thought made me see Alexander in a slightly different light—not just as a manipulative Alpha, but as someone possibly shaped by his own pain.

I squeezed his arm gently in support, my fingers pressing lightly against the expensive fabric of his suit. He looked down at my hand, then met my eyes. I offered him a small smile, not entirely forced.

Derek's gaze shifted from Alexander to my hand on his arm. I could see him struggling to maintain his composure, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. His eyes darkened, pupils dilating slightly as he watched my fingers against Alexander's sleeve.

The sight of me offering comfort to another man seemed to bother him deeply. His nostrils flared briefly, hands gripping the armrests of his chair. The raw emotion in his expression was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual mask of control, but I had seen it—and it sent an unwelcome flutter through my stomach.

"Alpha Alexander," Derek said suddenly, his voice carrying an edge, "how long do you plan to stay in my pack? Don't you have your own pack to rule?"

Both Alexander and I turned to look at Derek. His focus remained entirely on Alexander, deliberately avoiding my gaze, though I could see the tension in his shoulders, the tightness around his mouth.

I removed my hand from Alexander's arm, placing it in my lap instead. My fingers twisted together nervously, betraying the calm exterior I fought to maintain.

Alexander raised an eyebrow at Derek. "I don't have any urgent matters in the Silverpine Pack. Unlike you, who is forbidden from entering my pack, I can freely come and go in the Darkwood Pack."

I stiffened at his words, my head turning sharply toward Alexander. "What do you mean?" The question came out more forcefully than I intended, echoing in the sudden silence of the room.

Alexander chuckled, his eyes gleaming with malicious pleasure. "Oh, yes. You probably don't know. Your Alpha, Derek Stone, the supposedly greatest Alpha in history, is forbidden from entering the Silverpine Pack. By law, if he crosses the boundary, he'll be killed immediately."