Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 232

Erin's POV

Her eyes widened before she dissolved into fresh tears, this time of relief. I held her until she calmed, whispering reassurances.

"I promise you," I said, looking directly into her eyes, "he will pay for what he's done. To you and to every other girl. I won't let him hurt anyone else."

She gripped my arm. "Please don't tell anyone it was me. Let me have some dignity left."

I nodded solemnly. "I promise."

By the time I returned to the Darkwood Estate that night, my emotions were a tangled mess. Rage at Alexander burned within me, alongside a deep sadness for that poor girl and all his other victims. I wanted to tell Derek about the underage omegas, but I decided to keep my promise not to reveal the specific girl's identity.

The main house was quiet when I entered. "Is everything okay?" I asked the maid who took my coat.

"Mrs. Stone and Mrs. Windsor are in the living room," she replied. "They've been waiting for you."

I found them sitting silently, tension evident in their postures. They looked up as I entered, and Judy's expression held none of her usual contempt—only worry.

"What's happened?" I asked, immediately on alert.

Judy sighed. "Derek received a notification from the Wolf Council today."

My stomach dropped. "What kind of notification?"

"Someone filed a complaint," she explained, not quite meeting my eyes. "They claimed you're not truly Derek's soul bond."

I stared at her in disbelief. "That's ridiculous! Who would make such a complaint?"

"It was anonymous," Judy replied, her tone softening slightly. "But the Council has reminded Derek of pack law. They're... requesting that he complete the marking ceremony as soon as possible."

The realization hit me instantly. Alexander. This had to be his doing—a desperate attempt to prevent our binding after his other plans had failed.

"Not his soul bond?" I repeated incredulously. "How could anyone even suggest that?"

Mrs. Windsor spoke up, her voice gentler than I'd ever heard it. "The Council takes these matters seriously. Without the completed marking, there could be questions."

Judy rose and approached me, surprising me by placing a hand on my arm. "Look, I know we've had our differences," she said. "But you're Derek's Luna now. The pack needs stability, especially with Alexander causing trouble." She hesitated. "Perhaps it's time you both fulfilled your responsibilities to the pack."

I stared at her, realizing this was as close to acceptance as I might get from Derek's mother. She wasn't expressing affection, but at least she was acknowledging my position.

"Where is Derek?" I asked.

"In your bedroom," Mrs. Windsor replied. "Mya is... quite distressed after seeing Alexander again. The memories are very painful for her."

I nodded, understanding now exactly why those memories would be traumatic. "I'll speak with Derek."

---

As I climbed the stairs to our shared bedroom, my thoughts were chaotic. The idea of being marked by Derek sent conflicting emotions through me—nervousness, anticipation, and after what I'd learned today, a fierce desire to cement our bond against any threat Alexander might pose.

I found Derek standing by the window, silhouetted against the night sky. His broad shoulders were tense, hands clasped behind his back.

"I need to talk to you about something," I said, closing the door behind me.

He didn't turn. "If you want to discuss the marking, then stay away from me tonight." His voice was strained. "My wolf almost lost control today. I won't mark you without your consent."

His words caught me off guard. Rather than fear or hesitation, I felt a sudden clarity. I approached him from behind, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my cheek against his back. I felt him stiffen in surprise.

"What if I consent to you marking me, Alpha?" I whispered.

Derek turned slowly, his eyes searching mine. The gold of his wolf was already bleeding into his irises. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.

I nodded, even as my heart raced. "I'm sure."

In one fluid motion, he spun me around, pressing me against the wall. His eyes were fully gold now, his wolf close to the surface. Mine responded immediately, my vision sharpening as my wolf rose to meet his challenge.

"You're certain?" he growled, his face inches from mine.

"Y-yes, my Alpha," I answered, my voice sounding strange to my own ears—my wolf's influence evident in the submissive tone.

Derek lowered his head to the junction of my neck and shoulder, his breath hot against my skin. I tilted my head, offering better access in an instinctive gesture of submission. I felt his fangs extend, grazing the sensitive skin.

For a moment, everything around us seemed to fade away. There was only Derek, his scent enveloping me, his presence dominating my senses. I closed my eyes, bracing for the bite that would mark me as his forever.

But the moment his fangs broke skin, something strange happened. A burning sensation spread from the point of contact, and I saw Derek recoil in shock.

Derek staggered back, his eyes wide and human again. "What the hell was that?" he whispered, more to himself than to me.

I touched my neck, finding it completely unmarked. "I don't know. What happened?"

He stared at me, an unreadable expression crossing his face. "Has Alexander ever bitten you?" he demanded.

"What? No!" I answered, shocked by the question. "I told you, nothing happened between us."

Derek ran a hand through his hair, tension radiating from him. "Go to sleep, Erin."

"But what just happened? Why couldn't you mark me?"

"It's nothing," he said dismissively, though the tightness around his eyes told a different story. "I have some business to attend to."

"In the middle of the night?" I asked, hurt and confusion washing over me. "Derek, please don't shut me out. Is there something wrong with me? With our bond?"

"No," he said firmly. "There's nothing wrong with you. Listen, Erin, I just remembered that there were still some things to deal with."

I felt tears spring to my eyes, misinterpreting his withdrawal. "You don't want to mark me anymore? You don't want me as your Luna?"

Derek's expression softened marginally. He approached me again, gently wiping a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "That's not it," he said quietly. "It's complicated. I need to look into something." He pressed a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. "Goodnight. Be a good girl and get some rest."