Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 230

Erin's POV

Without warning, I lunged forward, aiming a swift kick at his midsection. He dodged effortlessly, his movement fluid despite his larger frame. I followed with a series of strikes, but Derek evaded each one with maddening ease.

I feinted left, then drove my right fist toward his jaw. He caught my wrist mid-air, twisted slightly, and used my momentum to spin me away from him.

"Not bad," he commented, and I detected a hint of amusement in his voice.

The fight continued, with me attacking and Derek merely defending. Despite my improvement, I couldn't land a single blow. More frustratingly, he seemed to anticipate my every move, as if he'd seen my fighting style before.

"How do you know what I'm going to do next?" I panted, circling him cautiously. My wolf was fully alert now, enjoying the challenge despite my frustration.

A small smile played at the corner of his mouth—the first genuine expression I'd seen from him today. "You telegraph your moves."

I tried a combination I'd only recently mastered—a feint followed by a sweep and uppercut—but Derek moved exactly where he needed to be to avoid it. This was impossible. It was as if Ryan had trained me, but Derek knew every lesson.

Wait.

The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water. Somehow, Derek knew exactly how I'd been trained. But how?

Before I could voice my suspicion, Derek caught my arm mid-strike, spun me around so my back was pressed against his chest, and held me there, his breath warm against my ear.

"Enough," he murmured.

The fight drained out of me. I relaxed against him, feeling his rapid heartbeat against my back, matching the rhythm of my own. For a moment, we stood there in perfect synchronicity, neither speaking.

Finally, I turned in his arms and wrapped my own around his waist, pressing my face against his chest.

"Why are you punishing me like this?" I whispered. "I've apologized. Let's put all the hatred behind us, okay?"

He stiffened but didn't push me away. I pulled back slightly to look up at him.

"Was it you?" I asked. "Did you order Ryan to train me?"

Derek's expression remained neutral, but something flickered in his eyes. "I don't want to talk about the past," he said. "Better to forget it."

"Tell me," I pressed. "What do you think of my progress this year? Am I any better?"

His mouth quirked in a half-smile. "You're still easy to read."

"How did you know what moves I would make?" I insisted.

Derek sighed, finally relenting. "Your wolf's eyes showed up the first time you called me 'mate,'" he said. "That night, I saw the eyes of your wolf. I knew then how powerful you were." His gaze held mine steadily. "Did you really think when I left you a year ago, I thought you were a weak omega who would die of heartbreak?"

My breath caught in my throat as the implications of his words sank in.

"I also knew you were the one hurting those stray werewolves," he continued, his voice matter-of-fact. "Why else do you think I locked them up in my pack? But I kept them locked away so other pack leaders wouldn't learn about you."

I staggered back, shock coursing through me. "You knew? All this time, you knew it was me?"

Derek had known everything—my strength, my violence, my revenge against the strays. While I'd thought I was cleverly hiding my true nature, he had been quietly watching, protecting me from the consequences of my actions.

The full weight of his care crashed down on me. While I had been plotting against him, he had been shielding me. While I had been cursing his name, he had been ensuring my safety. The realization was too much to bear.

"You're right," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. "I don't deserve to be your soul bond." My voice cracked with emotion. "I'm a selfish person who nearly killed you out of revenge for a broken heart."

I turned and fled from the training area, needing to escape the crushing guilt. My wolf howled inside me, not with anger but with shame. She had known all along that Derek loved us, even when I refused to see it.

I ran through the estate, ignoring the curious looks from pack members I passed. I needed air, space, the freedom of the forest to clear my head.

As I burst through the main doors onto the driveway, a sleek black car pulled up, and the driver stepped out.

"Miss Erin, please get in," he said politely. "Every member of our pack now knows you're our Alpha's Luna. Beta Tom announced it to the entire pack today."

I hesitated, my instinct still urging me to run. But the rational part of my brain took control. Running wouldn't solve anything. I needed to calm down, to think clearly about what I'd learned.

"Take me to the Darkwood Pack hospital," I decided. "I want to see my mother."

---

In the back seat of the car, I stared out the window as the estate's grounds gave way to the main road. My thoughts were a tangled mess of emotions and revelations.

What was love, really? Derek had taught me the answer without saying a word. Love wasn't just passion or desire—it was wanting the best for someone, even when they didn't recognize it. It was protection without expectation of gratitude. It was sacrifice without acknowledgment.

I thought of Mya's tearful accusations against Alexander and felt a fresh wave of anger. He had ruined Mya's life. He had nearly ruined mine.

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became: Alexander Windsor was the source of so much suffering. He'd played me for a fool, making me believe Derek was a villain when the real monster had been right beside me, whispering lies.

By the time we reached the hospital, my resolve had hardened. I would make things right—with Derek, with my pack, with everyone I'd wronged through my ignorance and pride.

The hospital corridors were quiet as I made my way to my mother's room. I nodded to the pack enforcers stationed outside her door, acknowledging their protection with newfound appreciation. Inside, the room was dim, the only sound the steady beeping of monitors.

I sat beside my mother's bed, taking her hand in mine. Her face was peaceful in sedation, no sign of the pain that had gripped her before the surgery.

"Mom, please wake up," I whispered. "I need you."

As if hearing my plea, her fingers twitched in mine. I gasped, squeezing her hand gently.

"Mom?"

Her eyelids fluttered. I jumped to my feet, pressing the call button for the nurse.

"Her hand moved!" I exclaimed as the doctor rushed in, Aaron right behind him. My brother's face lit up with hope as he moved to the other side of the bed.

We watched in breathless anticipation as the doctor examined her. Her eyelids fluttered again, and this time they opened, revealing her familiar brown eyes, confused but alert.

"She's waking up," the doctor confirmed with a smile. "This is excellent progress."

Relief flooded through me, tears spilling down my cheeks. I turned to the doctor. "Thank you," I managed through my emotion. "Thank you for saving her."

"Thank your Alpha," the doctor replied. "He saved your mother."

Before I could respond to this, the doctor turned to me and bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Luna. Call me anytime if you need anything."