Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 44

Erin's POV

I stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the empty space where Derek had just been, my fingers gripping the doorframe so tightly my knuckles turned white.

My heart pounded violently in my chest, each beat sending blood rushing through my veins, making me dizzy. My brain was still struggling to process what had just happened, especially those final words that had fallen from his lips.

"I'm sorry."

In all the time I'd known Derek Stone, I never imagined those words existed in his vocabulary. The leader of the Darkwood Pack, the most powerful werewolf in the dark forest territory, apologizing to me—an Omega. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry.

This was the same man who had publicly humiliated me, thrown photographs at my face, and threatened never to see me again, now uttering words that seemed impossible coming from him. My wolf nearly spun with excitement inside me, making it difficult to stand steady.

My fingers traced my cheek where his tongue had gently brushed over the bruise that was now completely gone. The ghost of his warm, wet tongue against my skin lingered, sending heat spreading from my neck to my chest.

I pressed my thighs together, trying to ignore the tingling warmth that had settled in my core. My wolf shifted restlessly beneath my skin, pleased with the Alpha's attention, almost whimpering with satisfaction.

The bathroom door suddenly banged open, startling me from my thoughts. I jumped, hand flying to my chest as Amy burst in, her eyes wide with excitement and confusion, cheeks flushed with curiosity.

"Oh my god! Did I see that right? Pack Alpha Derek was here? With you? Did he lock you in here? What were you two doing?" The questions tumbled rapidly from her mouth, each one growing louder than the last.

She grabbed my shoulders, scanning me from head to toe, her gaze lingering on my obviously disheveled appearance—my hair messier than when I'd entered, strands hanging loosely around my face, the neckline of my dress noticeably askew from being pressed against Derek's chest, the fabric still retaining his body heat. I self-consciously reached up to smooth my hair, but my hands were trembling.

"No kiss marks?" Amy asked with a playful smile, tilting my head to check my neck, her fingers cool against my heated skin. "Don't tell me he's too proper to mark you even when you're alone together. God, you're practically glowing."

"Amy!" I raised my voice, my cheeks burning so intensely I had to look away from my reflection. "Nothing happened!"

"No?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Then why did he apologize to you?"

I froze. "You heard that?"

Amy nodded, her expression softening. "I was standing right there, leaning against the wall outside the restroom...when he left, he glanced in my direction. Those eyes of his...they went right through me. I think he knew I was listening. He didn't even try to threaten me into silence."

I leaned against the sink, suddenly feeling lightheaded, my legs unsteady beneath me. I gripped the cool porcelain edge to steady myself, my breathing shallow and rapid.

"He apologized. Derek Stone actually said he was sorry." I spoke the words slowly, as if tasting an unfamiliar language on my tongue.

"You said he was too arrogant to ever say sorry, but he just broke your conception of him," Amy said thoughtfully. "I think he only says sorry to people he truly cares about."

"No, it's not like that," I insisted, shaking my head so vigorously that loose strands of hair fell across my face. "He just felt guilty for wrongly accusing me. It was obligation, not...whatever you're thinking."

"Then explain why he was in the women's restroom healing your bruise," Amy challenged, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You know how intimate healing is! We werewolves don't just heal anyone. It's reserved for pack members, mates, and family we deeply care about, especially the way he did it."

I sighed, shoulders slumping, nervously tugging at the hem of my dress. "It doesn't mean anything to him. He was just helping me because my injury was his fault." Even as I said the words, I remembered the feeling of his tongue pressing gently against my skin, his breath hot against my cheek, the intensity in his eyes as he concentrated on healing me.

"He could have given you a bandage or some ointment," Amy pointed out, crossing her arms. "Or sent you to the pack healer. He didn't have to personally heal you with his saliva. He didn't have to use his tongue against you. That was...that was instinctual, Erin. That was possessive."

At her words, my heart skipped a beat, then began to pound so rapidly I felt dizzy. She was right—if that had been his only intention, Derek could have helped me in other ways. The memory made my skin tingle all over, heat pooling in my abdomen.

"Let me fix your makeup," Amy said, pulling out her makeup bag.

As she repaired my foundation, she continued: "I think he has feelings for you. But he doesn't want to admit it."

"Feelings for me?" I repeated, incredulous. "Impossible."

Amy's hand stilled, her gaze meeting mine in the mirror, now serious. "If he did have feelings for you, what would you do, Erin? Would you accept him?"

The question caught me off guard, my body trembling. My palms grew damp, and I wiped them against my dress. My pulse quickened, blood roaring in my ears. For weeks, I had been fighting the Soul Bond, fighting my wolf's instinctual attraction to Derek. I had been so focused on denying these feelings that I hadn't considered what would happen if Derek felt the same way.

I bit my lower lip hard enough to feel the sting. The realization that I was developing feelings for him was terrifying. Not love—I couldn't call it that—but there was something undeniable growing. Whenever he was near, my body responded on its own—skin heating, heart racing, breathing becoming shallow. When he touched me, electricity seemed to flow between us, making it nearly impossible to think clearly.

Yet I also knew Derek wouldn't fall in love with me. I was his brother's ex-girlfriend, and he was my former brother-in-law. My wolf violently disagreed, pushing against my control, insisting I acknowledge the connection between us. I placed my hands on the cool counter, trying to calm myself.

"I don't know," I finally answered, my voice barely audible, broken with emotion. My wolf whimpered with frustration inside me.

Amy squeezed my shoulder gently. "Look at us, discussing the Pack Alpha like he's just some regular guy. Come on, let's get back to the others before they come looking for us."

---

When we returned to the private room, Jack immediately stood up, concern written across his face.

"Is everything okay? You two were gone for a long time."

"Woman stuff," Amy replied smoothly, sliding back into her seat. "Nothing to worry about."

The evening continued with laughter and casual conversation, but my thoughts were elsewhere. I kept replaying the moment in the bathroom—Derek's apology, his touch, that strange healing intimacy. Each time I thought of it, my wolf would perk up, hopeful and eager, forcing me to suppress her excitement.

As promised, Amy drove me home before nine. That night, lying in bed, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, sheets twisting around my legs, pillow unbearably hot no matter how many times I flipped it.

My thoughts kept cycling, reviewing every interaction I'd had with Derek since our first meeting. Had I misread his coldness? Was there something beneath his stern exterior that I hadn't noticed?

I closed my eyes but immediately saw his face—the intensity in his eyes as he healed me, the brief softness when he apologized. I remembered the solidity of his chest against my palm, the heat of his skin through his shirt, that overwhelming scent that surrounded me—cedar and leather and something uniquely male—enveloping me in that small bathroom.

My wolf, usually curled quietly when I tried to sleep, was now pacing eagerly within me, drawing anticipatory circles. The healing had given her new hope. She pushed images into my mind—Derek's hands at my waist, his lips against my neck, his body pressing me against a wall. I groaned in frustration, covering my eyes with my arm, trying to block out thoughts that made my body ache with need.

I kicked off the sheets, feeling too hot despite the cool night air. My skin felt unusually sensitive, every light brush of fabric making me shiver. I clenched my thighs tightly together, trying to ignore the persistent throb between them.

I finally fell asleep around three in the morning, with Derek's voice echoing in my head: "Tomorrow. 8 AM." Even in my dreams, his command made me tremble with both fear and anticipation.