Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 80

Derek's POV

I turned back to her, retrieving her wallet and phone from my desk drawer. As I handed them to her, I deliberately ensured our fingers touched during the exchange, my enhanced senses monitoring her reaction—a slight acceleration in pulse, a barely perceptible pause in breathing.

"This is quite surprising, Miss Blackwood," I said, setting down my crystal whiskey glass. "I would have thought last night's experience would have kept you hiding for at least three days."

Erin maintained her distance, standing precisely three meters from my desk—just beyond arm's reach. "Pack Alpha Stone," her voice was formal and cold, "that was my official resignation letter. I wish to terminate all duties at Stone Group."

I smiled coldly as I pointed to the fireplace, where her resignation letter was now ash. "Is your thinking affected by last night's alcohol? Even the weakest Omega knows better than to offend the Alpha this way."

I moved closer to her, noticing how she subtly shifted to maintain the distance between us. "You didn't go straight home last night," I said, my voice dropping lower. "You went somewhere else. Tell me, where?"

Erin straightened her spine, her chin lifting slightly in challenge. "Respected Pack Alpha, my whereabouts are irrelevant to Stone Group business. Please sign the termination documents."

"As an adult werewolf, I have the right to move freely," she continued, her arms crossing protectively over her chest. "I understand you're accustomed to controlling everything, but my personal time is not within your jurisdiction."

A slight tremor ran through her voice as she added, "Alpha Stone, if my actions have offended you or the traditions of the Darkwood Pack, I sincerely apologize. But I must focus on my studies at Silvermoon Academy. I cannot continue as your personal assistant."

I pulled her employment contract from my desk drawer, holding it up for her to see. "Have you forgotten what you signed when you accepted this position? 'The contract remains valid for life unless the Alpha permits otherwise.'"

Erin's hands balled into fists at her sides. "This was a trap from the beginning. You planned everything."

I allowed a dangerous smile to spread across my face, feeling my nails lengthen slightly. "Little wolf cub, did you think you could enter a predator's territory and leave safely whenever you wished?"

I turned my back to her, looking down at my pack, my city. When I spoke again, my voice carried absolute certainty. "In a few days, you'll return to this office with that lovely pride of yours, begging me to take you back. Remember this conversation, Erin Blackwood."

Her emotional scent filled the room—anger, hurt, and underneath it all, an unwilling attraction she couldn't entirely suppress. Her eyes were slightly swollen from crying, the dark circles beneath them confirming she had indeed spent a sleepless night. Despite her disheveled appearance, she maintained a posture of dignity, deliberately keeping physical distance between us.

As I observed her through the reflection in the window, I felt a momentary pang of guilt for her obvious pain. The feeling was quickly replaced by a surge of possessiveness and anger that she would dare attempt to remove herself from my sphere of influence.

She finally turned to leave, empty-handed, her shoulders trembling slightly but her spine straight, determined to get away from me even if it meant violating her contract.

---

Erin's POV

I stepped into the elevator, exhaustion weighing down my limbs after a night spent running through the forest in wolf form until dawn broke. The encounter with Derek had left me emotionally drained, and I leaned against the cool glass, closing my eyes briefly.

When I opened them, I realized I wasn't alone. Lily Winters stood in the corner, accompanied by three fashionably dressed female werewolves from the marketing department. Their conversation abruptly ceased when they noticed me, exchanging meaningful glances.

Lily held up her phone, showing something to her companions. "Did you see the scene last night?" she asked, her voice deliberately loud enough for me to hear. "That Blackwood girl refused Bradley's flowers, then followed Derek straight into the elevator. Who does she think she is?"

A young employee responded with an exaggerated whisper. "I heard she's an Omega, but how can an Omega be so bold?"

Lily's perfectly manicured fingers pushed her hair back, her diamond earrings catching the light. "Look who's here! Our Miss Blackwood, the star of last night's party!"

She turned on her mobile phone and showed a photo to everyone—Derek and me standing close together at the celebration. "Why are your eyes so swollen? The way you were pressed against him in these photos is quite impressive."

I clenched my fists as the elevator continued its slow descent, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

Lily leaned toward the other employees, her voice a dramatic whisper. "You all know her, of course. The notorious figure from Silvermoon Academy, not only for her family background but for being Bradley Stone's plaything and now trying to climb into his brother's bed."

The anger building inside me became increasingly difficult to control. "Shut up, Lily," I warned, my voice low and tense. "Or I'll make sure Alpha Derek knows who's spreading rumors that damage the Darkwood Pack's reputation in the company."

Lily's smile turned cruel as she raised her voice slightly. "Poor little wolf cub thinks she could become the next Darkwood Alpha's mate, but I heard Alpha Derek has already ordered HR to prepare her termination papers. She came with her resignation letter today just to save the last shred of her pitiful dignity."

Something snapped inside me. I felt my wolf surge forward, my eyes turning amber, claws extending from my fingertips. "I've had enough, Lily Winters," I growled, my voice deeper than normal, vibrating with werewolf power. "Say one more word, and I won't just wipe this mirror with your pretty face—I'll also play the surveillance footage of you flirting with Bradley's former Beta in the Darkwood Forest during my next department meeting, while I was still dating him."

The elevator fell silent, the other employees pressing themselves into the corners, away from the conflict. Lily's confident expression faltered momentarily, uncertainty flickering in her eyes as she realized I might be more dangerous than she had anticipated.

For the first time, I fully realized how precarious and uncomfortable my position at Stone Group had become. The humiliation and anger flowing through me nearly triggered a full transformation in the elevator.

When the elevator doors finally opened at the lobby level, I was the first to step out, taking deep breaths to regain control, aware of the curious glances from employees who sensed the tension.

---

Thomas intercepted me at the revolving doors, his expression concerned. "Erin! I've been trying to reach you!"

I fumbled with my phone, only then noticing the notification showing 29 voice messages from my mother. My heart sank as I opened the Darkwood Pack internal social network app and saw high-definition photos of Derek and me together at last night's party, captioned "The Alpha and a New Mate?"

"Erin," Thomas asked anxiously, "where were you? Aunt Elena didn't sleep all night."

"Work responsibilities," I lied, avoiding his eyes. "I was handling some urgent files in the conference room. Forgot to notify mother. Sorry."

Thomas studied my face carefully. "Erin, surveillance records show you left the estate with the Pack Alpha, in his private vehicle. Did something... happen between you two?"

I almost fell. "What? No, you've misunderstood. We were just... discussing my internship evaluation."

Thomas lowered his voice, his eyes filled with genuine concern. "I should have noticed some signs earlier. Alpha Derek has been unusually interested in your family recently, and I was asked to provide all information about you. Now everything makes sense."

He gently grabbed my wrist. "Listen to me, Erin. Derek Stone isn't just the CEO of Stone Group. He's the Alpha of the Darkwood Pack with six generations of purebred warrior bloodlines. He can fully control his wild nature during the full moon and personally tore apart three enemy pack Betas during the border wars. Little wolf cub, you've just completed your 18-year transformation—you don't understand what kind of predator he is. He can make you the princess of Darkwood overnight or the outcast of the entire pack."

My face went from pale to crimson as I looked at the circulating photos on my phone, realizing I might have already become the focus of the entire pack's attention. I backed away a few steps in panic, feeling the gaze of surrounding employees on my back, understanding that my plan to escape Derek might have already completely failed.

Thomas's warning made me shiver, as I had witnessed the golden glow and threat in Derek's eyes when he rejected me at Moonlight Restaurant. I now understood that Derek's true feelings for me were more complex and dangerous than I had imagined—a realization that both terrified me and brought a thrill I was reluctant to acknowledge.

---

I sat alone on a bench in the small city park across from Stone Group, the massive silver pine tree in the center shielding me from the midday sun. My fingers trembled as I scrolled through my phone screen, reading the comments and speculation spreading on the pack's social network.

[Who is this Omega with our Alpha?]

[Isn't she the one Bradley Stone was dating?]

[The Alpha hasn't had a companion at formal events for years...]

I opened the private album on my phone, looking at old photos of Bradley and me, wondering why I seemed to always be drawn to the Stone men. The thought made me cringe.

Looking up, I stared at the top-floor windows of Stone Group, certain that Derek was standing there, overlooking the city—overlooking me. The wolf inside me whimpered softly, calling out to the predator above, still longing for him despite everything.

Perhaps I should follow Aaron's advice, leave this city, get away from the Darkwood Pack and their complicated politics, I thought, watching clouds drift across the sky.

But my wolf had recognized him—my Soul Bond. Even though Derek refused to accept this connection, my instincts still called out to him.