Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 5

Erin's POV

The word echoed through the suddenly silent hall. For a moment, everything seemed frozen in time—the gathered Pack members, the elegant decorations swaying gently in the air conditioning, even the light from the chandeliers appeared suspended in crystal stillness.

My mind was screaming in panic, completely at odds with the serene certainty of my wolf. What are you doing? I wanted to shriek at her, but she had taken control, driven by an instinct.

Then Derek's face transformed. His perfectly composed expression shattered, showing something primal and ferocious. His eyes, usually steel-gray and calculating, flashed a brilliant gold—the mark of his wolf.

A bone-chilling roar erupted from his chest, so powerful that the crystal glasses on nearby tables vibrated. The sound reverberated through the hall, making my knees buckle beneath me.

All around us, Pack members dropped to their knees, heads bowed in instinctive submission to their Alpha's growl. Only a few high-ranking members remained standing, though they too lowered their gazes respectfully.

"SILENCE!" Derek's command thundered through the hall, his voice laden with unmistakable Alpha authority.

My heart slammed against my ribs so violently I thought it might shatter. What had I done? My wolf had followed her instincts, drawn by that inexplicable pull toward Derek. But seeing his thunderous expression, I realized I'd just hurled myself into the deadliest situation of my life.

Shame and terror battled within me as I felt dozens of eyes boring into me from all directions. My cheeks burned with humiliation, yet beneath that, a strange defiant certainty lingered—my wolf still insisting she was right, even as the rational part of me wanted to dissolve into the floor and disappear forever.

Derek's eyes swept the room, lingering on my trembling form before he addressed the stunned crowd.

"On your feet," he ordered, his voice suddenly ice-cold and controlled. "This is nothing but a misunderstanding."

Slowly, Pack members rose to their feet, exchanging nervous glances. The hall filled with hushed whispers, all eyes darting between Derek, Mya, and me.

Mya stepped forward, her beautiful face twisted with rage and disbelief. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded, her amber eyes boring into me with naked hatred. "This... this nobody thinks she's your Soul Bond?"

I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole. My wolf had retreated deep inside, abandoning me to face the chaos she'd created.

After spending years dreaming about finding my Soul Bond, hoping for a magical moment of connection, I'd instead created a disaster that threatened not just my future but an alliance between two powerful Packs.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to hide, but my legs refused to move. I'd never felt more exposed or vulnerable in my life, standing there with everyone's shocked and judgmental stares cutting into me like knives.

"I didn't... I never meant to..." My words came out as a pathetic whisper.

One of the Enforcers stepped forward—an older man with graying temples who wore the silver insignia of the Chief Enforcer on his uniform.

"My Alpha," he said with practiced formality, "according to Pack Law, if a claim of Soul Bond is made before a Binding Ceremony, the ceremony must be postponed until the truth of the claim is verified."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. I caught fragments of conversations: "—the Omega girl—" "—impossible—" "—what about the Silverpine alliance?—"

Derek's jaw was clenched so tightly I could see a muscle twitching in his cheek. His fists were balled at his sides, and for a moment, I feared he might strike me.

Instead, he turned to the Chief Enforcer. "Clear the hall," he commanded. "The ceremony is postponed."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. From the corner of my eye, I saw Judy press a hand to her mouth in shock. Beside her stood an imposing older man—presumably Mya's father, the Alpha of the Silverpine Pack. His face had darkened to a dangerous shade of crimson.

"This is an absolute outrage!" Mya's father roared, storming forward. "My daughter has been promised to the Darkwood Alpha for years. We won't tolerate this humiliation!"

"Enough," Derek cut in, his tone razor-sharp and final, "I get that you're pissed. But Pack Law doesn't give us a choice here. We'll handle this behind closed doors."

"You have to fix this mess as soon as possible, or consider our alliance dead and buried." Mya's father jerked his head toward the exit, and his family members instantly fell in line, following him out.

The rest of the guests began filtering out as well, some looking disappointed, others clearly thrilled by the unexpected drama.

I remained frozen in place, tears sliding silently down my cheeks as the magnitude of what had happened began to sink in.

In a single moment of wolf-driven instinct, I had potentially destroyed years of careful diplomacy and alliance-building.

My stomach twisted with a nauseating mix of guilt, terror, and—most confusingly—a bizarre possessiveness that seemed to radiate from my wolf.

Even as she cowered within me, she still clung to that unshakeable conviction: Derek Stone is mine. The conflicting emotions made me dizzy, disoriented.

Mya stalked toward me, her silver gown catching the light like a drawn dagger. "You pathetic little nobody," she hissed under her breath, leaning in close. "You think this desperate stunt will actually work? Derek would rather claw his own eyes out than mate with gutter trash like you."

I couldn't squeeze out a single word. My throat had sealed shut with pure terror.

"Trust me," she whispered, her breath hot against my ear, "you're going to wish you'd never pulled this." She spun away, the silk of her gown snapping like a whip as she followed her family's exit.

Soon, the hall was empty except for Derek, a few high-ranking Pack members, and me. I stood trembling, still unable to move or speak coherently.

Suddenly, a hand gripped my arm roughly. I turned to see Bradley, his face a mask of fury and disbelief.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he growled, his fingers biting into my skin.

"Get your hands off me," I whispered, trying to wrench free.

He snarled, jerking me closer, "Is this your sick idea of payback? Humiliating my entire family because I dumped your pathetic ass?"

"Bradley." Derek's voice sliced through the tension like a frozen blade. "Take her to my quarters. Now."

Bradley's eyes widened for a split second before he masked it. "Sure thing, Alpha."

Without another word, he began dragging me across the hall toward the east wing where the Stone family lived. I stumbled along, too overwhelmed to resist.

\---

Bradley shoved me into Derek's suite with enough force to make me stumble. I caught myself against the edge of a sleek modern desk, wincing as the corner dug into my palm.

The room was large and minimalist—all clean lines and muted colors. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning view of the forest, but I barely registered the beauty of the moonlit landscape. My entire being was focused on Bradley, who stood between me and the only exit, his face twisted with rage.

"You've really lost it this time," he spat, pacing like he wanted to wear a hole in the floor. "So what, you're seriously my brother's Soul Bond now? That's your story? Or is this just your sad little revenge plot?"

I straightened my spine, clinging to whatever scraps of dignity I had left. "Believe it or not, not everything is about you."

"Bullshit!" He exploded, closing the gap between us in two aggressive strides. "This has everything to do with me. Yesterday you catch me with Lily, and today—miracle of miracles—you're suddenly my brother's destined mate? Give me a fucking break!"

"I didn't choose this," I said, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay strong. "Do you think I want to be mated to your brother who clearly hates me?"

Bradley's laugh was cold and humorless. "You've really outdone yourself this time, Erin. Do you have any idea what you've done? The Silverpine alliance has been in the works for years. Derek's binding with Mya was supposed to secure our position as the dominant Pack in the region."

"I didn't plan this," I insisted, fighting back tears. "My wolf... she just knew him. It wasn't something I could stop."

"Your wolf," Bradley echoed with a sneer. "Right. So your barely-awake wolf just happens to pick the most powerful Alpha for miles as her mate, conveniently right before your first full moon. Nothing fishy about that timing at all."

His words cut deep, making me question myself. Was my wolf wrong? Had I somehow fabricated this connection because of the trauma of discovering Bradley's betrayal?

"You're nothing but a nobody omega," Bradley continued, disgust dripping from every word. "There's no way in hell you're my brother's Soul Bond. He's meant for someone who actually matters, someone who brings something to the table besides daddy issues and cheap clothes."

Each syllable cut like a serrated blade, hitting every insecurity I'd ever had about my status in the Pack. The Blackwoods weren't nobodies, but we sure as hell weren't royalty either.

Bradley grabbed my shoulders, his fingers digging in. "Cut the crap, Erin. Are you actually his Soul Bond, or are you just making this shit up for attention?"

I caught something in his eyes beyond the anger—raw fear. If I really was Derek's mate, Bradley's betrayal wasn't just cheating on his girlfriend. He'd betrayed the Alpha's destined mate—the kind of offense that could get him exiled or worse.

"This is real," I shot back, my wolf's certainty giving me strength I didn't know I had. "You think I'd make up something this insane? Not all of us have your talent for lying and backstabbing. I'm not the one who was screwing my girlfriend's best friend behind her back."

Bradley's face twisted with rage. His grip turned vicious as he slammed me back against the desk. "You fucking little—"

The door exploded open, crashing against the wall with a sound like a gunshot.

"Get your hands off her. Now."