Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 227

Erin's POV

I watched Derek's protective stance as he stood between me and Bradley, his broad shoulders forming a wall that shielded me from his brother. The tension in the hallway was palpable, the air between the three of us charged with unspoken emotions.

"But, brother, I was just talking to her," Bradley protested, his voice carrying a hint of desperation that surprised me.

Derek's response was cold and immediate. "Let her go," he commanded again, his voice carrying the unmistakable authority of an Alpha.

When Bradley hesitated, Derek forcefully removed his brother's hand from my wrist, his movements precise and controlled despite the anger I could feel radiating from him. He positioned himself directly in front of me, creating a physical barrier between me and his brother.

"How could you? You get everything while I get nothing. Why is it so unfair?" Bradley accused, his voice rising with emotion.

My heart clenched at his words. Bradley didn't know that Derek had sacrificed his own love for his brother's sake. For years, Derek had watched me with Bradley, suffering silently because he thought I was happy with his brother. The realization made my chest ache with a pain I couldn't quite name.

"I don't care what you think," Derek's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and dangerous. "But stay away from my soul bond. If you dare touch her again, I'll forget you're my brother."

Bradley's eyes widened at the threat, and I felt a warmth spread through me at Derek's protective words. Despite everything between us, he was still defending me, still claiming me as his soul bond.

Without another word, Derek grabbed my hand and pulled me into our bedroom, closing the door firmly behind us.

Once inside, he released my hand immediately, but I could still feel the warmth of his touch lingering on my skin. I watched him walk towards the bathroom, without even looking at me, and walked out half an hour later in wearing a white bathrobe. Even in such simple attire, he looked handsome, his presence commanding the space in a way that made the large bedroom feel suddenly smaller.

He moved to a small cabinet, retrieving a bottle of whiskey and a glass before settling on the sofa. He poured himself a drink, his movements deliberate as he ignored my presence completely. I noticed he'd been drinking more lately; before, he'd preferred cigarettes to alcohol. The change worried me, though I wasn't sure if I had any right to be concerned anymore.

I went to the closet and retrieved my nightgown, retreating to the bathroom to change. As I slipped into the silky material, I decided that tonight I needed to talk to him properly. We couldn't continue this way, with so much unspoken between us.

---

When I returned to the bedroom, Derek was still on the sofa, the amber liquid in his glass catching the light as he raised it to his lips. I approached him slowly, my heart beating a little faster with each step. As he moved to pour another drink, I reached out and gripped his hand.

"Don't drink too much," I said softly.

He tried to pull away, but I held on, feeling that this small act of preventing him from drowning himself in alcohol was somehow my responsibility as his soul mate. He jerked his hand suddenly, the force of his movement causing me to lose my balance. I tumbled forward, finding myself seated awkwardly on his lap.

I froze, my eyes widening in surprise as I realized the position I was in. Looking up, I saw Derek staring at me, his expression unreadable. I gasped softly, feeling my heart hammering wildly in my chest. My surprise slowly morphed into sadness as I remembered how things used to be between us, how he once looked at me like I was precious to him.

"Now, don't you feel disgusted?" Derek asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're sitting on me."

I didn't move, unwilling to miss this rare opportunity for conversation, no matter how uncomfortable. "D-Derek," I stammered, my voice trembling slightly.

His brows furrowed in annoyance, but he didn't push me away. "You're only my Luna, nothing else," he said, his tone flat and distant.

His cold words didn't bother me; I felt he had every right to be angry. Hesitantly, I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my palm.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice less harsh than before.

"I know you're angry with me," I admitted softly.

He laughed mockingly and pushed my hand away. "I know Cassandra explained some things to you, plus you recently learned about Silverpine Pack from Charlie. So these changed your opinion of me? Just like that?"

I accepted the pain his words inflicted, feeling I deserved every bit of it. Internally, I questioned whether I still loved him, whether what I felt was real or just the bond between us. Regardless, I knew I needed to apologize.

"I just want to apologize for everything I did in the past year," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I shouldn't have leaked your business secrets; I shouldn't have doubted your intentions; I shouldn't have believed you caused my mother's heart attack; I shouldn't have thought you hurt Alexander—"

Derek cut me off, his arm suddenly around my waist, pulling me closer. "You just had to mention that man, didn't you?" His anger at Alexander's name was palpable.

I remembered the day Derek had confessed his love and begged me not to be with Alexander. If only I had agreed then, things might have been so different. "That night at the club, when he kissed me, I tried to push him away," I explained hurriedly. "I didn't like his kiss... you came and misunderstood. I was angry at you, so I took his side during the argument."

His grip on me loosened slightly, his anger seeming to subside a little. He looked away, removing his arm from around me. "Go to sleep. I'll take the sofa."

"But why?" I asked, confused by his sudden withdrawal.

"Because I don't want to make you uncomfortable like last night," he explained, his voice softer now. "You're here to fulfill your duty as Luna... I'll give you the respect you deserve as the Luna of this pack..."

I stood up from his lap, feeling suddenly cold without his warmth. "That means from now on I'm just your Luna."

"Yes," he confirmed.

"You don't love me anymore?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

A cunning smile played on his lips. "I hate you, Erin. Just as you hate me."

Anger flared within me at his simplification. "You think everything is my fault? If you had told me the whole truth when you asked me to be with you a year ago, things would have been different."

"I was just trying to protect a naive Omega whose life might have been in danger if she knew the truth," he replied. "But I was wrong. I shouldn't have fallen in love with her in the first place."