Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 61

Erin's POV

"It's my mom's birthday today, and I'm planning a small surprise party for her. Nothing fancy, just family and close friends," he continued, "I'm terrible at this kind of thing. Decorations, cake, gifts—I don't know where to start." He glanced at me hopefully. "You've always been good at organizing things. Could you help me set up? It would mean a lot to my mom."

"Of course I'll help," I said without hesitation, touched by his thoughtfulness. "What time are you planning to start?"

Relief washed over his face. "Really? That's great! I was thinking around 7 PM. I've already ordered a cake from her favorite bakery, but I need help with decorations and maybe some gift suggestions."

For the remainder of the drive, we discussed party plans—what kind of decorations we needed, who would be attending, and potential gift ideas.

When we reached Stone Group, I felt a wave of gratitude for Tomas's friendship. Unlike those who had believed the worst of me after Bradley's lies, Tomas had never wavered in his support.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as we parted ways in the lobby. "I'll come help you set up for the party after my shift."

"I'll wait for you in the lobby at 5:30," he confirmed with a smile. "Thanks again for your help, Erin. You're a lifesaver."

---

An hour later, I stood outside Derek's office with a fresh cup of coffee in hand, my heart inexplicably racing. After the confrontation with Bradley and the mysterious texts, I felt strangely nervous about facing Derek.

I knocked gently on the door.

"Enter," his deep voice called from inside.

I pushed the door open to find Derek standing by the window, his tall figure silhouetted against the afternoon light. He turned as I entered, his gray eyes immediately locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.

"I brought you coffee," I said, trying to maintain professional composure as I walked toward his desk.

Derek's gaze shifted from my face to the cup in my hand, then back to my face. "I don't want coffee."

I stopped in my tracks, confused by his refusal. In the weeks I'd served as his personal secretary, I'd learned that Derek always appreciated a fresh cup of coffee in the afternoon. It was part of our routine—one of the few constants in our otherwise unpredictable interactions.

"Are you feeling all right, Alpha?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.

His jaw tightened. "I'm fine. Get back to work."

The coldness in his tone stung, especially after the confusing warmth he had shown yesterday. I placed the coffee on his desk, trying not to let my hurt show on my face.

"Of course, Alpha. I'll be at my desk if you need anything."

As I turned to leave, I couldn't help wondering if those mysterious texts could possibly be from Derek. His mood swings were so unpredictable, it almost made sense—perhaps he was more comfortable expressing himself through anonymous messages than face-to-face.

Back at my desk, I pulled out my phone and stared at the message again: [Your eyes shine like amber in the sunlight.]

Taking a deep breath, I typed a reply: [I don't know who you are, but I feel like you might be someone close to me.]

I hesitated before pressing send, my thumb hovering over the button. Was I setting myself up for embarrassment? What if it wasn't Derek at all? But curiosity won over doubt, and I sent the message before I could change my mind.

For the next hour, I processed financial reports, occasionally checking my phone, but no reply came. The lack of response only added to my uncertainty. If it was Derek, why wouldn't he answer? And if not him, who could it be?

By five o'clock, I had nearly convinced myself that the messages were just a prank, possibly orchestrated by some Stone Group employees jealous of my promotion to Derek's personal secretary.

I gathered my things and headed to Derek's office to inform him I was leaving. I knocked lightly on his door.

"Come in," he called.

I entered the room to find him reviewing documents at his desk, his expression focused and serious. "Alpha, I've completed the financial reports you requested. They're in your inbox. I'd like to leave for the day, if that's all right."

Derek looked up, his gaze penetrating as he studied me. "People should reply to text messages they receive, don't you think?"

My heart skipped a beat. Was he referring to the mysterious messages? Were they really from him?

"I... I suppose so," I managed to answer, struggling to keep my voice steady.

Derek leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving mine. "Where were you before coming to the office? Who were you with?"

The sudden interrogation caught me off guard. "I was at school, Alpha. I had classes all morning."

"And then?" he pressed, his tone casually conversational but with an undercurrent of possessiveness that made my pulse race.

"I... Tomas drove me to work," I admitted, unsure why sharing such mundane information made me so nervous.

Something flashed in Derek's eyes—a momentary glimpse of gold that disappeared so quickly I might have imagined it. "Tomas again," he said, his voice low and controlled. "You seem to be spending a lot of time with him."

"We're just friends," I hurriedly explained. "He's helping his mother celebrate her birthday tonight, and he asked for my help getting ready."

"I could drive you," he offered, though it sounded more like a command than a suggestion.

"That would be nice, Alpha, but Tomas is waiting for me in the lobby," I explained. "We're going shopping for decorations and then heading to his house."

As if on cue, my phone rang. Tomas's name flashed on the screen. I gave Derek an apologetic look. "It's Tomas. He's probably wondering where I am."

Derek's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Then go. Don't keep him waiting."

I hesitated for a moment, feeling like I should say something, but the dismissal in his tone was clear. "Thank you, Alpha. Have a good evening."

As I turned to leave, I thought I heard a low growl emanate from behind me—a sound so primal and possessive it sent chills down my spine. But when I glanced back, Derek had already returned his attention to the documents on his desk, looking completely composed.

I hurried from the office, my heart racing, confused yet strangely, excitedly hopeful that perhaps Derek wasn't as indifferent to me as he pretended to be.

---

"How about this one?" Tomas held up a delicate silver bracelet adorned with tiny sapphire charms. We stood in a busy department store, surrounded by jewelry displays and bustling shoppers.

I examined the bracelet critically. "It's pretty, but didn't you say your mom prefers gold jewelry?"

Tomas sighed, putting the bracelet back on the display. "I don't know. I usually just get her gift cards and let her choose."

I laughed, shaking my head. "That's such a typical guy thing to do. Your mom deserves something special that shows you put thought into it."

We moved to another counter where gold jewelry gleamed under bright display lights. I pointed to a simple but elegant gold bracelet with a heart-shaped charm. "What about this? It's classic and versatile—she could wear it with any outfit."

Tomas's face brightened. "That's perfect! She'll love it!"

As the sales assistant removed the bracelet from the case, she smiled warmly at us. "Shopping for a special occasion?"

"It's my mother's birthday," Tomas explained.

"How lovely," the woman replied, looking meaningfully between us. "Your girlfriend has excellent taste. This bracelet will look beautiful on your mother."

We didn't correct her assumption, though I felt my neck grow warm. After purchasing the bracelet, we headed to the clothing section, where I helped Tomas select a stylish dress I knew his mother would appreciate.

"I would never have found these things without you," Tomas admitted. "I'm absolutely hopeless at gift shopping."

I smiled, enjoying the simple pleasure of helping a friend. After the tension with Derek and the confrontation with Bradley, this ordinary activity felt delightfully uncomplicated.

"Happy to help," I said sincerely. "Your mom has always been kind to me."

Tomas smiled. "That's what makes you special, Erin. You're always thinking of others."

With our shopping complete, we headed to Tomas's home to prepare for the party. His mother would be home in an hour, giving us enough time to set up decorations and prepare food for the small gathering of family and friends.

---

"Surprise!" we all shouted in unison as Tomas's mother opened the front door, her eyes widening at the sight of the decorated living room and the small group of loved ones.

"My goodness!" she exclaimed, one hand flying to her heart. "What is this?"

Tomas stepped forward, giving his mother a warm hug. "Happy birthday, Mom. I wanted to do something special for you this year."

Tears of joy glistened in her eyes as she looked around at the decorated room. "This is wonderful! Did you do all this yourself?"

Tomas shook his head, smiling. "I had help. Erin was my party planning expert."

His mother immediately came over to embrace me. "Erin! It's so good to see you. Thank you for helping my son put together this wonderful surprise."

The small gathering was exactly as Tomas had described—just family and close friends, creating an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy. I found myself relaxing, enjoying the normalcy of a simple birthday celebration after the emotional turbulence of my interactions with the Stone brothers.

Tomas's mother insisted I stay for cake, dismissing my weak protests that I should head home. "I won't hear of it. You helped create this lovely evening, you must stay to enjoy it."

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, my phone rang in my bag. I pulled it out, expecting to see my mother's number, but it turned out to be an unfamiliar one.

Curiosity and nervousness battled within me as I excused myself to answer the call in a quiet corner of the room.

"Hello?" I answered tentatively.

There was a moment of silence, then a deep, unmistakable voice came through, sending chills down my spine.

"Get out. Now." The voice was low and dangerous, barely controlled anger vibrating through it. "I don't want you in that house for one more second."