Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 31

Erin's POV

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling at my sides. The suit jacket had slipped from the hanger when Derek had jerked it from my hands, the matching pants and carefully pressed shirt following in a heap at my feet. I bit my lip to keep from crying out.

"This is Stone Group," he continued, his voice growing colder with each word. "You're not here to showcase an Omega's incompetence."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. "I... I'm sorry, Alpha," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Derek's jaw tightened, the muscles working beneath his skin. For a moment, he just stared at me, his gaze intense enough to make my skin prickle. Then he dragged a hand through his dark hair, a gesture that somehow made him seem momentarily human rather than the terrifying Alpha who had just thrown a suit to the floor.

"Go prepare the charcoal gray suit," he ordered, turning away from me to look out the window. "This time, I want you to prepare it like Claire does."

I nodded quickly, though he couldn't see me with his back turned. "Yes, Alpha," I responded automatically, bending down to gather the fallen suit, desperate to escape the tension crackling in the air.

Outside in the hallway, I leaned against the wall, drawing in a shaky breath. My wolf whimpered inside me, confused by the conflicting signals—the violence of his anger and the lingering pull of the mate bond that made her want to return to him despite everything.

As I made my way back to the wardrobe area, hot tears finally spilled down my cheeks. I wiped them away furiously with the back of my hand, grateful the corridor was empty. Why was he so cruel to me? What had I done to deserve this treatment, beyond the unforgivable sin of being his Soul Bond?

More troubling was the realization that my job might be at risk. After struggling through a month of demanding work, balancing my college responsibilities with Claire's increasingly unreasonable demands, I couldn't afford to lose this position. The salary was supporting my mother and me, allowing her to work fewer hours as her health declined. The thought of being fired sent a cold wave of panic through me.

In the empty wardrobe area, I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and dialed Claire's number.

"Yes?" her crisp voice answered on the second ring.

"Claire, I'm sorry to bother you again," I began hesitantly, "but there seems to be something wrong with the suit I prepared for the Alpha. He... he threw it to the floor."

A brief silence followed, then Claire's voice turned accusatory. "Why did you prepare the navy suit for a meeting with Silverpine Pack?"

I blinked in confusion. "But you told me to use the navy suit with pinstripes."

"I clearly said the charcoal gray suit," she cut me off sharply. "The Alpha always wears charcoal gray when meeting with Silverpine representatives. It symbolizes diplomacy and respect for tradition."

I frowned, certain she had told me to prepare the navy suit. "He said he wants me to prepare the suit like you do."

A scoff came through the line, Claire's voice dripping with condescension. "That's impossible. How could an Omega possibly understand the nuances like I do? It's about bloodline and rank, don't you understand?"

She paused, then added with false sweetness, "But you can try again. Don't make any mistakes this time. I wouldn't want you to lose your job... though I doubt how long you'll last anyway."

The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at my phone. Something about Claire's tone struck me as odd. She seemed to take peculiar pride in her ability to prepare Derek's clothes, as if it were some intimate privilege. Her possessiveness was unexpected, especially over something as mundane as selecting a suit.

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I pushed the thought aside and carefully located the charcoal gray suit, making sure to check every detail. I noticed a silver cufflink set in a small box nearby that seemed to match perfectly with the suit's subtle pattern. I added these to my preparation, determined not to make another mistake.

Balancing the fresh outfit carefully, I headed back toward Derek's office. As I rounded a corner, I overheard hushed voices from a small group of female employees huddled near the water cooler.

"She's so lucky to be handling the Alpha's personal items," one whispered. "But I guess that's her strategy."

"You're right," another agreed with a smirk. "Since Claire isn't here today, she's seizing the opportunity to touch his clothes and be in his private space. Poor Omega, thinking this will elevate her status."

My step faltered, my wolf suddenly surging forward with unexpected aggression. Before I could stop myself, I had pivoted toward the gossiping women.

"Excuse me?" I said, my voice steady despite the rage building in my chest. "Are you talking about me?"

Their eyes widened in surprise, clearly shocked that an Omega would directly confront them. The taller one—a Beta wolf with perfectly styled blonde hair—recovered first, her expression hardening.

"Nothing important," she replied coolly. "Just discussing certain wolves' ambitions."

I met her gaze steadily, finding strength I didn't know I possessed. "I'm on my way to the Pack Alpha's office right now. Would you like me to share some thoughts with him about unprofessional behavior among his staff?"

The women exchanged alarmed glances, their confidence visibly wavering.

"I suggest you focus on your own work rather than gossiping about others," I continued, my voice surprisingly calm. "It would better serve the Pack."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and continued toward Derek's office, my heart pounding with adrenaline. I couldn't believe I had just stood up to higher-ranking wolves. My hands trembled slightly, but not from fear—from a strange, unfamiliar sense of power.

As I approached Derek's office, I noticed a cleaning worker emerging from the doorway, carrying cleaning supplies. I realized Derek must have called someone to pick up the discarded navy suit from the floor.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I knocked on the door once more.

"Enter," came the familiar command.

I stepped inside, the scent of cleaning solution now mingling with Derek's natural cedar and leather aroma. My wolf immediately perked up, pushing against my control.

Carefully, I placed the charcoal gray suit on the wooden valet stand in the corner of his office, making sure the cufflinks were prominently displayed in their small box. Derek didn't look up from the document he was reading, but his nostrils flared slightly, catching the scent of the fresh suit.

After what felt like an eternity, he glanced at the suit and then looked back at his papers. "You forgot the platinum cufflinks, not the silver ones," he stated flatly.

Something inside me snapped. My wolf, usually content to lurk beneath the surface, suddenly reared up with such force that I couldn't contain her frustration.

"If you knew that already, why didn't you specify which cufflinks?" The words escaped before I could stop them, hanging dangerously in the air between us.

Derek's head snapped up, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

"Because this is not a college orientation," he stated, his voice razor-sharp. "This is a professional work environment where employees are expected to know their responsibilities. Claire doesn't need to be told which cufflinks to select."

I held my breath, waiting for the explosion, for him to fire me on the spot for my insubordination. Instead, he simply gestured toward the door.

"Go back to work," he ordered, but as I turned to leave, he added unexpectedly, "Leave the suit."

I paused, confused. He had just told me I'd selected the wrong cufflinks, yet he wanted to keep the suit as I'd prepared it? My wolf noticed this contradiction too, releasing a soft whine deep in my chest. I quickly suppressed the sound, nodding stiffly before exiting the office.

The hallway felt like a sanctuary after the suffocating tension of Derek's office. I drew several deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart, when a male voice called out.

"Hey, Erin."