Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 43

Erin's POV

"What are you doing in the women's restroom?" I demanded, my voice barely above a whisper as I spun around to face him directly.

Derek didn't answer. Instead, he pushed himself away from the door and took several deliberate steps toward me.

The distance between us shrank rapidly, and I instinctively backed up until I felt the cold edge of the marble sink press against my lower back.

"Answer me," I insisted, though my voice had lost its earlier conviction.

Still silent, he continued his approach until he stood directly in front of me, so close that his expensive cologne—cedar and leather—overwhelmed my senses. The familiar scent sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, my body reacting traitorously to his proximity.

My heart pounded violently against my ribcage. I could feel each beat echoing in my ears, feel the blood rushing through my veins. My wolf, who had been so subdued in recent days, now circled eagerly beneath my skin, pushing forward with such intensity that I had to clench my fists to maintain control.

Derek's eyes traveled slowly over my face, lingering on my lips before returning to meet my gaze. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his deep voice resonating in the tiled restroom.

"I'm here with my friends," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the trembling that had started in my limbs. "We're having dinner."

His eyebrows drew together slightly. "Who was that boy who walked you to the restroom?"

The question caught me off guard. Was that... jealousy in his tone? The idea seemed absurd—Derek had made it abundantly clear that his only interest in me was maintaining the Soul Bond for his position's sake.

"Just a friend," I answered, watching his reaction carefully.

Derek's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Just a friend?"

I nodded. "Yes. Why do you care?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't respond to my question. Instead, he shifted topics abruptly. "Why won't you return to Stone Group?"

The unexpected change in subject made me blink in confusion. I took a deep breath, trying to collect my scattered thoughts.

"Please, Alpha," I said, deliberately using his title to create distance between us. "Don't make my life more difficult than it already is. I'm happy where I am now."

His eyes flashed gold again, a brief glimpse of his wolf responding to my formal address. "Are you?"

"Yes," I insisted, though we both knew it wasn't entirely true. "I don't want to go back to your company. I don't want to be near you."

"Why?"

The question was so direct, so unexpected, that I faltered momentarily. "You know why," I finally said, my voice growing stronger with indignation.

"You humiliated me. You accused me without evidence. You threw those pictures at me and said..." I swallowed hard, the memory still painful. "You said I was the last person you'd want to see."

\---

As I spoke, Derek's gaze shifted, focusing on something on my face. His expression changed. Before I could react, he raised his hand toward my face.

I flinched instinctively, turning my head away. "Don't."

His hand stilled in midair. "What happened to your face?"

My hand flew to my cheek, where the makeup had worn off, revealing the yellowish bruise beneath.

"Nothing. You should leave," I said quickly, attempting to turn away.

Derek caught my wrist before I could move. "Tell me who did this to you."

"You did," I said, meeting his eyes directly. "When you threw those photographs at me. One of them hit my face."

His expression shifted, recognition dawning in his eyes. His grip on my wrist loosened, but he didn't release me completely.

I tried to pull away again, but Derek tightened his hold, tugging me closer until I collided with the solid wall of his chest. My free hand instinctively came up between us, palm flat against his sternum, feeling the strong, steady heartbeat beneath my fingers.

"Let me go," I said, my voice embarrassingly breathy.

Derek ignored my request, releasing my wrist only to wrap his arm around my waist, holding me firmly against him. His other hand moved to my injured cheek, fingers ghosting over the bruised skin with surprising gentleness.

"How did I not see this before?" he murmured, seemingly to himself.

My wolf responded to his touch with immediate, overwhelming delight. She strained against my control, pushing toward the surface with such force that I had to close my eyes briefly, concentrating on keeping her contained.

"You look beautiful tonight," Derek said unexpectedly, his eyes traveling down to take in my teal dress. "I've never seen you wear something like this."

The compliment flustered me, heat rising to my cheeks. "Thank you."

Before I could recover, Derek turned me around to face the mirror, his hands on my shoulders. I found myself staring at our reflection—me, small and vulnerable-looking despite my best efforts; him, tall and powerful behind me, his presence dominating the frame.

His eyes met mine in the mirror, gold flecks dancing in the gray. "Don't move," he commanded softly, his breath warm against my ear.

His hands slid from my shoulders down my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I shivered, my breath catching in my throat as he gently tilted my head to the side, exposing the bruised cheek.

"What are you—"

My question was cut short as Derek lowered his head, his lips brushing against the injured skin. The contact was so light, so unexpected, that I gasped. Then, to my complete shock, I felt the warm, wet touch of his tongue against the bruise.

"Derek!" I exclaimed, trying to pull away, but his arms tightened around me, holding me securely against his solid chest.

He murmured against my skin. "How dare you call me by my name? Stay still. I'm healing you."

He continued the strange ministration, his tongue tracing the outline of the bruise with meticulous care. The sensation was unlike anything I had ever experienced—intimate in a way that felt almost more personal than a kiss would have been.

A peculiar warmth began to spread from the point of contact, gradually replacing the dull ache of the bruise with a pleasant tingling. I watched in the mirror as Derek's eyes closed in concentration, his expression one of intense focus.

My own eyes began to change, the brown irises lightening to amber, then gold—my wolf, rising to the surface, drawn by the Alpha's touch.

Each stroke of his tongue, each brush of his lips against my skin, sent waves of heat through my body.

I found myself leaning back into him unconsciously, my body molding against his, my head tilting further to give him better access. My wolf's pleasure hummed through me, a constant vibration beneath my skin.

After what felt like an eternity, Derek finally pulled away, though his arms remained around me. "There," he said, his voice rougher than usual. "Look."

I focused on our reflection, my eyes widening in astonishment. The bruise was gone—not just faded, but completely disappeared, as if it had never existed. The skin was smooth and unmarked, matching the rest of my face perfectly.

"How did you..." I began, raising my hand to touch the healed area in disbelief.

Derek's lips curved into a small smile, the expression transforming his usually stern features. "Alpha ability," he explained simply. "I can heal those under my protection."

He reached up, absently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, the gesture surprisingly tender. Both of us seemed to realize the intimacy of the action at the same moment, his hand quickly dropping away as I sucked in a sharp breath, my cheeks flushing pink.

"Is that why you came here?" I asked, finally finding my voice. "To heal me so I'll come back to Stone Group?"

Derek's expression hardened slightly. "No. I came because..." He paused, seeming to struggle with his words—an unusual sight for someone typically so self-assured. "I wanted to correct my mistake."

"What mistake? Firing me or accusing me?"

"Both," he admitted, his hands falling away from me completely, creating a small space between us. "I expect you at Stone Group tomorrow."

\---

The command in his voice sparked my indignation anew. "I told you, I'm not coming back."

Derek's expression darkened. "You signed a contract, Blackwood. You can't resign without my approval."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What? That's not—"

A sharp knock on the door interrupted me, followed by Jack's concerned voice. "Erin? Are you okay in there? You've been gone a while."

Panic flashed through me. If Jack discovered Derek in the women's restroom with me, there would be questions I couldn't answer, rumors I couldn't control.

"Just a minute!" I called out, keeping my voice as casual as possible. Turning back to Derek, I hissed, "You need to leave. Now."

Derek appeared completely unconcerned, his posture relaxed, almost amused by my panic. "Why? We haven't done anything wrong. I was simply healing your injury."

His nonchalance infuriated me. "This is the women's restroom! You shouldn't be in here at all."

"Erin?" Jack called again, sounding increasingly worried. "Is someone in there with you?"

Derek's eyes held mine, a challenge in their depths. "You should answer your friend."

"I'll be right out!" I shouted toward the door, then lowered my voice to a furious whisper. "This is exactly why I don't want to come back to Stone Group. You're impossible!"

"Impossible or not," Derek said calmly, "your contract is binding. I expect you at your desk tomorrow morning, 8 AM sharp."

I glared at him, anger mingling with confusion and frustration. "I don't understand you. One minute you're healing my bruise with a... with whatever that was, and the next you're threatening me with contract violations. What do you really want from me?"

Derek's expression softened fractionally, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "Erin," he began, using my first name for once, the sound sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "About that day... I'm sorry."

The unexpected apology stunned me into silence. Before I could recover enough to respond, Derek moved past me toward the door. He paused with his hand on the handle, glancing back over his shoulder. "Tomorrow. 8 AM."