Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 223

Erin's POV

Morning light filtered through the hallway window as I stood outside Mya's room, my mind racing. I stared at the empty hallway, fingers pressed against the wall to steady myself as Derek's words from our confrontation replayed in my head.

"My marriage to Mya is an agreement I must honor no matter what. But I can't see you marry another man. I will never let you do that."

I blinked rapidly, my breathing quickening as the meaning behind his words suddenly became clear. Derek hadn't been speaking out of mere possessiveness. He'd been referring to his contract with Mya, to her safety. My eyes widened as another realization hit me - why Charlie Windsor had been so desperate to have Derek as his son-in-law. He wanted protection for his daughter from Alexander.

"No, no. How could I be so stupid?" I whispered, my hand clenching into a fist against the wall. I shook my head frantically. "How could I be so deaf to what everyone was telling me?"

Derek had told me he would let me go after I refused to be his mistress, but I was the one who'd later walked toward him, not away. I was the one who had schemed against him.

My stomach twisted painfully. I remembered sharing Derek's business secrets with Ethan, the Alpha of the Ridgeclaw Pack. I'd thought I was being clever, getting back at Derek for his treatment of me. Now I recalled Alexander's smug expression when he'd introduced us, how he'd prompted certain questions. My hands started to tremble.

"He played me," I said under my breath, swallowing hard against the nausea rising in my throat. I leaned my forehead against the cool wall. "All this time, Alexander was playing me, lying to me about Derek, fueling my hatred."

I'd been so quick to believe the worst about Derek. Yes, he had been wrong to ask me to be his mistress—that was undeniable. But he had also apologized for it. I remembered his face, usually so controlled, showing genuine regret. He had tried to protect me from Alexander, and I had fought him every step of the way.

"I'm not strong," I admitted to myself, my vision blurring with tears. I blinked hard, trying to force them back. "I'm just a foolish girl who thought she knew everything."

A soft cough interrupted my thoughts. I turned quickly, straightening my posture and wiping at my eyes. A maid stood a few feet away, her eyebrows drawn together in concern, hands clasped in front of her uniform.

"Excuse me, Luna," she said, her voice gentle. "Cassandra Morgan is here to see you."

I quickly ran my fingers under my eyes, hoping to erase any evidence of tears.

"Are you alright, Luna?" the maid asked, tilting her head slightly as she noticed my red eyes.

"I'm fine. Thank you," I lied, squaring my shoulders and taking a deep breath. "Where is Cassandra?"

"In the living room, Luna."

---

I nodded and walked past her, moving carefully down the stairs. My mind was still processing everything as I wondered what Derek's witch could possibly want with me. When I entered the living room, Cassandra stood with her back to me, her long dark hair falling over a burgundy dress. Her shoulders were tense, her posture rigid.

She turned as my footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor. Her normally deep brown eyes had already shifted to an intense purple, and her jaw was clenched tight. Before I could speak, she crossed the room in three quick strides and grabbed my wrist, her fingers digging into my skin.

"How could you hurt my Alpha?" she demanded, her eyes boring into mine. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

I tried to pull away, feeling my pulse race beneath her grip, but she held firm. "I don't—"

"He protected you multiple times, but you, Erin, you hurt your own soul bond!" Her voice was sharp, cutting. "How could you do that?"

"He... my mother..." I stammered, words failing me as I struggled to process her accusation. My mouth opened and closed without forming coherent sentences.

Cassandra's eyes flashed brighter, the purple almost glowing. "I warned you, didn't I? I warned you about the consequences of your actions. But you didn't listen." She released my wrist abruptly, leaving red marks on my skin. "Derek married you because he was afraid of losing you, afraid you would marry that evil Alexander—not just because you're his soul bond."

My hand automatically went to rub my wrist as I processed what she was saying. "So that's what you were warning me about?" I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Cassandra was about to respond when the click of heels announced another presence. Judy entered the living room, her lips pressing into a thin line when she spotted us. Her eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down dismissively.

"How are you, Cassandra?" Judy asked, her voice falsely sweet while her fingers tapped impatiently against her thigh. "Have you seen what your Pack Alpha has done? Why didn't you convince him to marry Mya? She would have been a much better wife for him."

Cassandra turned to face Judy, her back straightening and her chin lifting slightly. When she spoke, her voice took on a different tone—formal and measured.

"Mrs. Judy Stone," she began, "you should know better than to try to impose your wishes on others. Your son is a powerful Alpha who makes his own decisions." Her eyes flashed purple again, more intensely. "And a wise one, I might add."

Judy's face reddened, and she took a step forward. "How dare you speak to me like that? I'm still—"

"Tell me, Mrs. Judy Stone," Cassandra cut in, her voice steady, "how do you think an Alpha could live without his soul mate?" She took a step closer to Judy, who instinctively leaned back. "Would you accept it if you were in his position? If someone tried to separate you from your mate?"

Judy glared at me, her lip curling. "This girl is greedy. She was with Alexander—"

"Everything happens for a reason," Cassandra interrupted. "The Moon Goddess chooses our paths." She straightened to her full height, her expression resolute. "I respect you greatly. But as the witch of the Darkwood Pack, I must stand with my Alpha, not his family."

Judy opened her mouth to retort, but Cassandra had already turned back to me. "Come, Erin. We need to talk."