Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 78

Erin's POV

My chest heaved with the power of my declaration. My wolf prowled beneath my skin, agitated but proud.

I spun around, nearly losing my balance in my haste. The silver-blue skirt of my dress swirled around my legs, the fabric making a soft rustling sound. I kicked off my restrictive heels, needing to feel the ground beneath my feet, needing to be ready to run.

I hurried toward the crystal glass doors that led to the exit, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. My hands were shaking so badly I wasn't sure I could grasp the doorknob. A strand of loose hair blew across my face in the night breeze, sticking to my tear-streaked cheek. I pushed it away impatiently, quickening my pace.

"Stop, Erin."

Each word carried cold authority, the full force of his Alpha status behind the command. The air around us seemed to crackle with tension. I faltered mid-step, my body's instinctive response to an Alpha command warring with my determination to leave.

I clenched my jaw and continued forward, refusing to obey.

"Do you truly think I'm asking for your opinion?" His tone dropped lower, becoming more dangerous. "I can make you forget all of this—this isn't a request, little wolf, this is an order from your Alpha."

The night sounds—insects, the distant music from the restaurant—all seemed to vanish, leaving only the sound of my rapid breathing and Derek's steady footsteps.

One moment he was by the railing, the next he stood directly behind me. I hadn't heard him approach—I felt him. The hair on the back of my neck rose, my skin prickling with awareness of him. The air grew heavier, electrified by his presence.

His fingertips lightly touched my bare shoulder, causing my skin to tighten immediately under his touch. His voice deepened, becoming magnetic, carrying hypnotic power. "I thought you were a smart, sensible girl, Erin. Why such a dramatic reaction to my proposition? A wolf with your potential should understand that sometimes the paths fate arranges for us aren't perfect, but they always have their purpose."

I tensed my shoulders, turning my head slightly, a tear sliding down my clearly defined jawline. "W-what do you mean? What are you implying?"

Derek leaned close to my ear. "Your only choice is to accept fate's arrangement, to accept the position I'm offering you. That time in my office, when you begged me for your brother's sake, I could have demanded you fulfill your promise immediately. But at that time..." his fingertips moved slowly down my arm, causing an involuntary shiver throughout my body. "You weren't interesting enough to capture my attention. But now..."

His voice dropped even lower. "Since you burst into my sight, your image lingers in my mind day and night, refusing to leave. You make my wolf restless, Erin, and that's a dangerous thing."

Tears silently flowed down my cheeks, crystalline droplets hanging from my eyelashes. How many times had I reveled in his touch, craved his closeness? Now it all seemed so ironic and pitiful.

Derek chuckled softly as he stepped back, the outline of muscles beneath his suit visible as he casually adjusted the obsidian cufflinks on his sleeve. His voice carried the calm confidence of someone who knew victory was inevitable. "No need to rush your decision, Erin. The moon doesn't change its orbit in one night; I can wait patiently. After all, destiny has been written—you cannot escape it."

"Keep dreaming!" I shouted, no longer caring who might hear. My voice cracked with emotion but carried an unprecedented determination. "I will never, ever submit to you!"

I was trembling with anger now, fists clenched at my sides. "I would rather spend a lifetime alone than become your sex slave!"

The words hung in the air between us, sharp and irrevocable. For a moment, Derek remained perfectly still, his face a mask of cold fury. Then he moved.

It happened too quickly for me to react. One second we were several feet apart, the next his hand shot out, fingers encircling my wrist, gripping so tightly I gasped in pain. I could feel the bones grinding against each other. I tried to pull away, but it was like being caught in a steel trap.

His transformation was terrifying. His eyes turned pure gold, glowing with inhuman luminescence in the darkness. His lips pulled back, revealing elongated canines—not a full shift, but dangerously sharp fangs capable of tearing flesh. A low, continuous growl emanated from his chest, a sound that made every hair on my body stand on end.

"Watch your actions, Erin Blackwood," he snarled, each word rough and raspy, as if his human voice was battling with his wolf form. Spittle flew from his lips, landing on my cheek. "You're provoking me."

He yanked me closer, close enough that I could feel his hot breath battering my face. His other hand grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Don't forget, I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want." His thumb pressed painfully into the soft spot beneath my jaw. "Don't make me take you right here."

My heart was beating so violently I thought it might burst. I could feel my pulse point in my neck throbbing beneath his fingers. Despite my fear, I refused to look away.

---

I stumbled down the mountain path, fleeing the restaurant, fleeing Derek, fleeing everything. My bare feet slapped against the rough ground, rocks cutting into my soles, but I barely felt the pain. My custom silver-blue dress caught on branches and thorns, tearing in several places.

Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. I wiped them away roughly, smearing dirt across my cheeks. My carefully styled hair had completely come undone, hairpins lost somewhere along the way, leaving my hair to tangle wildly around my shoulders.

"Careful," I muttered to myself, turning sideways to avoid a fallen branch. My breathing had become heavy pants that burned my lungs. A stitch formed in my side, but I pressed on.

The low rumble of an engine broke the night's silence. A Jaguar sedan, with silver trim, sped along the path, headlights cutting into the darkness like the eyes of a beast. The door was flung open, and Derek's tall figure emerged from the shadows.

"Erin Blackwood, get in the car. Now." His voice was like an ice-cold knife.

I bit my lip, my voice trembling with anger. "Go away! I'm not anyone's property, and certainly not your toy to play with as you please!"

A cold smile spread across Derek's face, his voice dropping even lower. "Forget about those insignificant boys from your past. From tonight on, you'll only remember my touch, my scent."

He moved with predatory grace, strong arms encircling my slender waist, forcefully pulling me against his chest. My back pressed firmly against the front of his suit.

His lips nearly touched my earlobe, his voice dangerous and low. "Look around you, little wolf. We're at least twenty miles from Darkwood territory. No cars will pass by at this hour. If other packs catch your scent, with my essence on you, they would tear you to pieces without hesitation. Isn't riding in my car safer than that possibility?"

Despite my full-body trembling, my voice remained defiant. "I'd rather take my chances than go anywhere with you."

Derek wrapped one arm around my waist, effortlessly lifting me as if I weighed nothing, placing me in the passenger seat before slamming the door, sealing out the night's chill.

He leaned toward me, long fingers grasping the seatbelt, close to my cheek. "Don't make me tie you down."

His voice was so low it was almost a growl. "If I wanted to, I could claim you right here, right now... Don't force me to do something you'll regret for the rest of your life. Right now, I only want to get you home safely. Drop your meaningless resistance so I can concentrate on driving."

Suffocating silence filled the car, broken only by the low rumble of the engine and the sound of tires crushing gravel. I curled up against the window, tears silently rolling down my cheeks as I stared blankly at the dark forest outside.

Moonlight cast dappled shadows on the wrought-iron gates of the traditional Blackwood family residence. Derek turned to me, the cold light in his eyes softening slightly.

"It's not too late to change your mind. Will you come back with me?"

My voice was hoarse but firm. "Never."

Derek chuckled lightly. "You didn't speak a word the entire journey, nor did you try to escape. I thought you had accepted reality."

I looked directly into his eyes. "Even if the moon falls and the stars go out, I will never yield."

Derek elegantly removed his expensive midnight-blue suit jacket, gently draping it over my trembling shoulders. His fingers deliberately brushed against the side of my neck. "Your mother will notice the marks on your neck. Cover them well."

I instinctively tightened the collar of the jacket, acutely aware that he was protecting me from my mother's questioning. Yet, at the same time, shame washed over me—even in this situation, something deep in my soul still longed for our connection.

---

Watching Derek's taillights disappear in the distance, I didn't push open the door to my home. Instead, I turned toward the depths of the Darkwood Forest, right at the edge of our territory. My silver-blue dress shimmered in the moonlight, like ripples on water.

"Forgive me, Mom..." I whispered into the night. "My soul is too chaotic to face your loving eyes. I just need some time alone...I'll return to you before dawn."

Standing in the center of a forest clearing, I removed the luxurious dress and high heels, letting the soft moonlight wash over my skin.

I closed my eyes, feeling the surging heat within—the energy of my first complete transformation burning like wildfire through my veins. A moment later, my human form was gone, replaced by a beautiful pure brown female wolf, fur gleaming in the moonlight.

The brown wolf raced through the forest with astonishing speed, paws barely touching the ground, like silver lightning. I climbed to Moonscape Cliff, the highest point in Darkwood territory, standing at the edge of the precipice.

I raised my head high, releasing a beautiful, mournful howl from deep in my throat—a painful elegy, a question to the Moon Goddess, a protest against fate. The sound echoed through the valley, conveying inexpressible sadness and confusion.

Silver moonlight poured like liquid over the brown wolf's elegant form. Even in this moment of extreme heartbreak, deep in my soul, I still yearned to be connected with my Alpha.

"Mate," my wolf howled.