Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 64

Erin’s POV

I woke with a start, the sensation of Derek's kiss still lingering on my lips. Even in the dim morning light filtering through the curtains, I found myself touching my lips, reliving the moment his mouth had claimed mine. The intensity in his eyes, the possessiveness of his touch—everything about that kiss had awakened something primal within me.

My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, craving more, yearning for her mate. I pushed these thoughts aside, forcing myself to focus on the day ahead. Last night might have changed everything between Derek and me, but my other responsibilities remained.

I reached for my laptop, intending to review my notes for today's class presentation, only to find the screen completely black when I pressed the power button.

"No, no, no," I muttered, frantically trying every troubleshooting trick I knew. After fifteen minutes of futile attempts, I had to accept the reality: my laptop was dead, and with it, all my class notes and the draft of the group assignment I'd been working on.

I called the nearest repair shop, but the news wasn't encouraging.

"Three days minimum," the technician apologized, "possibly longer depending on what's wrong with it."

I sighed, preparing for class, determined not to let this setback ruin my day.

---

As I walked across the Silvermoon Academy campus, the familiar buzz of activity greeted me. Students hurried across the manicured lawns, rushing to morning classes or gathering in groups to discuss assignments. I took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp morning air tinged with the faint pine scent from the nearby forest.

Amy spotted me as I approached the main building and waved enthusiastically.

"Hey!" she called, jogging over. "You look tense. What's wrong?"

"My laptop died this morning," I explained.

Amy's expression shifted to sympathy. "Talk about bad timing. When will you get it back?"

"Three days, maybe longer," I sighed. "I'll have to recreate everything from memory."

"We can share my notes," she offered immediately. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

Her kindness made me smile. "Thank you, Amy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

As we walked toward the classroom, Amy studied my face more carefully. "Despite the laptop drama, you look... different today. Almost glowing. Something happened, didn't it?"

Heat rushed to my cheeks at the thought of Derek's kiss. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said vaguely, nervously adjusting my bag.

Amy's eyes widened. "Oh my god, something did happen! Tell me everything!"

"Later," I promised, noticing several students turning to look at us. "Not here."

We entered the classroom, and I immediately sensed something different. The room was more crowded than usual, unfamiliar faces mixed in with the regular students. Several older students sat in the back rows, their posture and attire clearly marking them as upper-year werewolves.

But what really caught my attention were the three professionally dressed individuals standing at the back of the room. Each wore the distinctive silver pin of the Darkwood Pack on their collars.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Amy.

Before she could answer, a familiar and unwelcome voice came from behind me.

"Look who's here," Lily said, loud enough for nearby students to hear. "Trying to catch the attention of higher-ranking wolves? One Stone wasn't enough to satisfy you? Now you want more?"

I stiffened but continued walking, refusing to acknowledge her taunts. Despite my resolve, her words stung, a reminder that all the rumors and gossip had followed me since my breakup with Bradley.

Amy grabbed my arm, pulling me toward two empty seats. "Ignore her. She's just jealous."

Once we were settled, Amy leaned closer. "Those people in the back are observers from the Pack Enforcer training camp. They're evaluating potential candidates and monitoring the curriculum."

"You look unusually good today, despite the computer disaster," Amy studied my face. "Baby, something definitely happened. What is it?"

The memory of Derek's lips against mine, his hand in my hair, came rushing back with such intensity that I immediately felt my cheeks heating. I bit my lip, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to break across my face.

Amy's eyes widened. "Oh my god! You're blushing! What—"

"Shh!" I hissed, glancing nervously around us. "Not here."

"Hey!" Amy suddenly lowered her voice to an urgent whisper, "You know those Enforcer observers can smell emotional changes, right? They're trained to detect subtle pheromone shifts."

Fear washed over me as I realized the implications. "Oh god," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "If they report to Aaron... he'll kill me!"

Panic surged at the thought of my overprotective brother discovering my developing relationship with Derek.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. After a moment's hesitation, I leaned close to Amy's ear. "Derek kissed me last night," I whispered, my voice so low even she had to strain to hear it. "Please don't tell anyone. Not even Jack."

Amy's expression shifted from curiosity to delight. She opened her mouth to respond, but caught herself when she noticed one of the observers looking in our direction. When they finally turned away, she whispered, "I'm happy for you, baby. But you know what this means—you need to be even more careful now."

Our conversation was interrupted by the professor walking into the room, his presence immediately commanding everyone's attention. He was a distinguished Beta with silver at his temples, carrying an air of academic authority that even the most rebellious Alpha students respected.

"Good morning," he began, placing his materials on the desk. "Today, we are honored to have members of the Advanced Werewolf Studies program, as well as representatives from the Darkwood Pack Enforcement Division. This joint session emphasizes the importance of understanding werewolf history not merely as an academic exercise, but as a living tradition that shapes our society's future."

As the professor continued his introduction, the classroom door opened again, and Bradley walked in, fashionably late as usual. His confident stride and casual smile showed no embarrassment at interrupting the class. He nodded respectfully to the Enforcer observers, who acknowledged him with slight bows of their heads—a courtesy to the Pack Alpha's brother.

He took an empty seat on the opposite side of the room, but not before his eyes found me, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk that made my skin crawl.

Professor Wilson cleared his throat. "Now, regarding the group assignment we discussed last week. I've assigned teams based on complementary skills and perspectives." He began reading names from his list, and with each group announced, my anxiety increased.

"Group Seven: Erin Blackwood, Bradley Stone, and Vanessa Hughes."

My heart sank. Of all people, I was assigned to work with Bradley? This couldn't be happening.

I immediately raised my hand. "Professor, I'm sorry, but could I switch groups? I don't think—"

"I have no objection to working with Erin," Bradley smoothly interrupted, his voice carrying across the room. "In fact, I think we'll make an excellent team."

Professor Wilson looked between us, his expression stern. "Miss Blackwood, in both academic and pack environments, we must learn to work effectively with different individuals, regardless of personal feelings. The assignment stands."

I sank back into my seat, feeling trapped. From across the room, Bradley caught my eye and winked.

Looking around, I noticed the third member of our group—a quiet Beta girl with auburn hair sitting in the front row. Vanessa Hughes. She looked as uncomfortable with the arrangement as I felt, her eyes nervously flicking between Bradley and me.

---

When the class finally ended, I quickly gathered my things and headed for the door, with Amy and Jack close behind.

"That was a complete disaster," I muttered once we were in the hallway. "Of all people, why Bradley?"

"We should talk to Professor Wilson again," Jack suggested.

"It's no use," I said, remembering the professor's firm tone. "He made it clear there would be no changes."

Bradley emerged from the classroom, spotted me, and made an exaggerated saluting gesture, deliberately mentioning my brother's name to one of the observers before walking in the opposite direction.

"What a jerk," Amy said, glaring at his retreating figure. "You were supposed to be happy today, but that idiot ruined everything, and now he's trying to get the Enforcers' attention too."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Happy? What's special about today? Does our quiet Omega have a secret?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "You don't need to know. It's girl stuff. More importantly, what did Bradley mean by mentioning Aaron?"

I was about to respond when a soft voice spoke from behind us. "Excuse me?"

We turned to find Vanessa, the Beta girl from our group. Up close, I noticed her eyes were a striking amber color that beautifully complemented her auburn hair.

"I know you don't want to work with Bradley," she said, her voice quiet but determined. "I don't either. But maybe we can face this together? Make it easier on both of us?"

I studied her for a moment, surprised by her directness. Most Betas were cautious around both Alphas and Omegas. But Vanessa spoke with a quiet confidence that I immediately respected.

"That would be great," I admitted, feeling a surge of relief. "I was dreading facing this alone."

Vanessa smiled, revealing a small dimple in her left cheek. "We'll get through this. Bradley may be the Alpha's brother, but there are two of us and only one of him."

This unexpected alliance brought a genuine smile to my face. "Thank you, Vanessa."

My afternoon class was noticeably tense with an Enforcer observer seated in the back row. More unsettling was the way his gaze seemed to follow me specifically, his expression revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Midway through the lecture, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I carefully slipped it out just enough to see the screen without drawing attention. It was a message from the unknown number: [Both flowers and coffee have strong scents. But which one is my favorite, and do you know why?]

Almost immediately, a second message followed: [They remind me of you. If someone is watching you, don't reply. Will contact you later.]