Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 215

Erin's POV

I stood frozen beside Derek as Judy Stone's face contorted with disbelief and rage. The elegant living room of the Darkwood Estate suddenly felt too small, too suffocating, as if the walls were closing in around me.

"You did what?" She turned her furious gaze from her son to me, her perfectly manicured finger pointing accusingly. "What did you do to my son? How did you manipulate him into binding with you?"

The accusation stung, but it also ignited something fierce inside me.

"I didn't do anything to your son," I said, my voice stronger than I expected. "If anyone was manipulated here, it was me."

Judy took a step toward me, her eyes flashing with anger. "You must have done something. My son would never bind himself to an Omega like you unless you tricked him somehow."

Harry placed a restraining hand on his wife's arm, but his expression was equally troubled as he stared at Derek with confusion.

"You've hated me from the beginning," I continued, my hands trembling with rage. "You've never even given me a chance. You gave me a check to stay away from your son, remember?"

A shocked silence fell over the room. Charlie Windsor and his wife exchanged glances, while Harry Stone's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Derek turned slowly to face his mother. "You gave her a check?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

Judy's composure faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I did what I thought was necessary. I knew she was just after your money—"

"No, you listen to me," I interrupted, stepping forward. "I don't care what you think of me anymore. I'm not that same girl who will just stand there and take your abuse. Hear me clearly—I didn't manipulate your son into anything."

My wolf stirred within me, pleased with my defiance. The days of cowering before the Stone family were over.

Judy's face paled. "You have no right to speak to me like that, you little—"

"She has every right," Derek cut in, his tone icy. "She's my Luna now."

He turned back to his mother. "So you gave her a check? You thought you could buy her off?"

Judy's chin lifted defiantly. "I know she approached you for money, so I just gave her what she wanted."

Derek let out a cold laugh that sent shivers down my spine. "Interesting theory, Mother. Except she never accepted your check." His eyes slid to me, and there was something cruel in his expression that made my stomach clench. "But she certainly seized a greater opportunity, didn't she? Becoming the Luna of a pack is quite the step up from where she started."

The breath left my lungs as if I'd been punched. Even now, even after forcing me into this binding, he was making it sound like I was the opportunist. The humiliation burned through me, and I remembered all the times he'd treated me with such cold disdain, as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience.

"How dare you," I whispered, but no one seemed to hear me.

Charlie Windsor stepped forward then, his expression grave. "This binding cannot stand, Derek. You've made a commitment to my daughter."

"What commitment?" I asked, looking between Derek and Charlie, but they ignored me.

"I don't care what agreement we had," Derek replied calmly. "The woman beside me is my soul mate. Did you really think I would allow her to bind with your son?"

Charlie's face reddened. "You gave your word! We had an arrangement!"

Derek's expression remained impassive. "What exactly do you think the Silverpine Pack can do about it, Charlie? Challenge the Darkwood Pack?" His tone made it clear how ridiculous he found the notion.

Mrs. Windsor let out a soft sob, and Judy immediately went to comfort her.

"Think about Mya," Judy said, looking pleadingly at her son. "She's been preparing to be your Luna for years."

"You all underestimate her," Derek replied coldly. "She should have the strength to handle this."

I watched as Harry Stone attempted to intervene. "Derek, perhaps we should discuss this privately—"

"There's nothing to discuss," Charlie snapped. "Your son has disgraced our agreement and insulted my family."

Harry's shoulders slumped, and he looked away, something like shame crossing his features. I noticed how he seemed to defer to Charlie Windsor, despite being the father of the Alpha. There was something in his posture that suggested fear or respect—or both—toward the Silverpine Pack.

"This is your fault," Judy hissed at me, her eyes filled with contempt. "I will never accept this Omega as my son's mate."

Something inside me snapped. "Just tell your son to let me go, and I promise you'll never see me again."

The room fell silent once more. Derek's hand suddenly clasped my wrist, his grip painful. When I looked up at him, I saw his eyes beginning to shift, the human irises giving way to the gold of his wolf.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he growled, his voice barely human.

"Her mother?" Charlie asked, his brow furrowed.

Derek didn't take his eyes off me as he addressed Charlie. "Her mother is being treated at our pack hospital. She's also the mother of one of my enforcers." His voice hardened. "And if anyone were to interfere with her care, they should be well aware of what I'm capable of."

I felt the blood drain from my face. Was he threatening my mother? Or warning Charlie to stay away from her? Either way, it filled me with dread. My mother's heart condition made her vulnerable, and the thought of her being used as leverage made me sick with fear.

---

"Enough of this," Derek said abruptly. His grip on my wrist tightened as he began pulling me toward the grand staircase. "My Luna needs to rest before our evening gathering."

I tried to resist, but his strength was overwhelming. When we reached the second floor, Derek marched me down the hallway to a large door at the end. He pushed it open and practically shoved me inside before following and locking the door behind us.

"Don't leave this room until I come for you," Derek ordered, his voice cold. "You've caused enough trouble for one day."

Before I could respond, he turned and left, the door locking with a definitive click behind him.

Looking around the familiar space, I noticed changes since my last visit. The bedding was different, more masculine in its dark colors. The picture of him and Bradley I once saw on the bedside table was gone.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, my legs no longer able to support me. My chest ached with the effort of holding back sobs, and my wolf whined inside me, distressed by our situation.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered to her, but she had no answers for me.

Hours passed as I remained in Derek's bedroom, alternating between pacing the floor and sitting despondently in an armchair by the window. A maid brought me lunch on a tray but wouldn't answer any of my questions about what was happening downstairs.

In the afternoon, another maid appeared with a stack of fresh towels and a leather-bound book.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the heavy tome from her.