Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 101

Erin's POV

I looked at Derek as he closed the door behind us, still feeling the tension from the confrontation with his family. The cool evening air hit my face, a welcome relief after the stifling atmosphere inside. Derek's driver stood waiting by the sleek black car, his expression professionally neutral despite the obvious tension.

"I'll drive," Derek said abruptly, startling the driver who had begun to open the back door for us.

The driver blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. "Of course, Alpha."

Derek guided me to the passenger side, his hand still firm against the small of my back. The warmth of his touch sent tingles up my spine as he opened the door and practically pushed me into the seat. Everything was happening so fast that I barely had time to process it. One minute we were having the most uncomfortable family gathering imaginable, and the next, Derek was defending me against his own parents and brother.

As Derek slid into the driver's seat beside me, I noticed how tightly he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. His jaw was clenched, eyes focused intently on the road ahead as he started the engine and pulled away from Darkwood Estate.

I studied his profile in the dim light, taking in the sharp line of his jaw, the slight flare of his nostrils as he breathed deeply, clearly trying to control his anger. The memory of how he'd defended me replayed in my mind. "Erin is under my protection now... She stays with me." His words had been so definitive, so possessive.

A smile tugged at my lips as realization washed over me. My soul bond truly cared for me. Despite his intimidating exterior and all his efforts to maintain distance between us, Derek had stood up for me against his own family. The thought warmed me from within.

"What's so amusing?" Derek's sharp question cut through my thoughts.

I quickly turned my gaze away, surprised that he'd noticed my smile while keeping his eyes on the road. "Nothing," I mumbled, fidgeting with the hem of my dress.

"Pack Alpha, you shouldn't have left your estate," I said softly, trying to change the subject. The title felt strangely formal after everything that had just happened between us.

"That's not my home," he corrected immediately, his voice tight.

I glanced at him, noting the tension in his shoulders. "You must be hungry," I said, remembering that he hadn't eaten dinner. "You didn't get to finish your meal."

Derek suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road, the tires crunching on gravel as we came to an abrupt stop. He turned toward me, his dark eyes intense in the dim light of the car.

"You're right," he said, his voice dropping to a low, husky tone that made my heart skip a beat. "I am hungry now."

I stared into his deep, mesmerizing eyes, feeling both terrified and exhilarated by their intensity. Something about his gaze gave me courage. I reached out, my hand trembling slightly as I touched his cheek.

"Don't be angry with them, soul bond," I whispered, using the intimate term that had been slipping more frequently from my lips. "They're your parents."

His expression softened slightly at my touch, though the tension remained in his body.

"I'm grateful you stood up for me today," I continued, my voice gaining strength. "You told your family I wasn't an outsider. I want to tell you that you're not an outsider to me either. I feel the same way."

Derek remained silent, his eyes searching mine. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, but my heart pounded as I waited for his response. His gaze dropped to my lips, making me suddenly self-conscious. I remembered how he'd kissed me in his office, how his touch had set my body on fire.

Without warning, Derek leaned forward and captured my lips with his. I gasped in surprise before my eyes fluttered closed and I responded to his kiss, my hands finding their way around his neck. His lips were firm yet gentle against mine, moving with a hunger that matched the intensity in his eyes.

In one swift movement, Derek unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled me onto his lap, my dress hiking up slightly as I straddled him. I broke the kiss and stared at him in shock, my breathing heavy.

Derek's thumb traced my lower lip, his eyes dark with desire. "Don't give me that innocent look," he said, his voice rough and strained, "because I don't know when I might just take you."

---

My face flushed hot at his words, and I covered my face with my hands, embarrassed by how my body responded to him.

Derek gently pulled my hands away from my face, drawing me closer. "Don't hide from me," he murmured before claiming my lips again in a more demanding kiss.

His hands roamed my back, one sliding up to tangle in my hair while the other moved lower, pulling me tighter against him. I shivered as his touch left trails of fire on my skin, even through the fabric of my dress. The thin strap of my dress slipped off my shoulder, exposing more of my collarbone.

"Damn it," Derek muttered against my lips, his breath warm on my skin. "I can't even form words right now."

He kissed me again, more hungrily this time, his movements becoming more urgent. His lips left mine to trail down my neck, sucking and nipping at the sensitive skin there. When he reached my ear, he gently bit my earlobe, causing a soft moan to escape my lips.

I clutched at his shirt, overwhelmed by the sensations he was creating. My body responded to his touch in ways I'd never experienced before, like every nerve ending was suddenly alive and hypersensitive.

"Don't move," Derek growled against my ear, his voice strained. "Let me calm down, little Omega. Otherwise, I'm going to have to fuck you right here."

His crude words shocked me out of my haze of desire. My cheeks burned as I realized exactly what he meant, and I froze in his arms, suddenly very aware of our intimate position and the hardness pressing against me through his pants.

Slowly, I wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my head against his shoulder. I could feel his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to control his breathing and the wolf within him.

Derek sighed, his arms encircling me in a protective embrace. I could feel some of the tension leaving his body as he held me, his anger seemingly dissipating with our closeness.

I lifted my head to look at him, cupping his face between my hands. "Mate, don't be angry," I pleaded softly. "When you're angry, I get scared."

His eyes softened at my words, the darkness in them receding slightly.

"Your eyes get so dark when you're angry," I continued, my thumb gently stroking his cheek. "I don't like it. I feel like your wolf is about to come out."

A small smile tugged at Derek's lips, and he leaned forward to press his forehead against mine. "You're adorable," he murmured, his breath warm against my face.

I could see the conflict in his eyes – desire warring with restraint, need fighting against reason. He wanted me; that much was clear. But something was holding him back. Was it the ancient curse? The consequences of claiming his soul bond? Or something else entirely?

Derek adjusted me in his arms, pressing my head against his chest as he reached for the steering wheel. "Let's go," he said, starting the engine again.

"You're going to drive like this?" I asked in surprise, still perched on his lap.

"Didn't I tell you not to move?" he reminded me, preventing me from returning to my seat with a firm arm around my waist.

I pouted but then smiled, snuggling closer against his chest. I felt happy, truly happy, for the first time in what seemed like forever. Derek drove with one arm around me, the other on the steering wheel. I could feel his wolf's satisfaction at our closeness, a contentment that seemed to radiate from him despite the events of the evening.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, I looked up at him. "Are we going to my house?" I asked, wondering where he was taking us.

"No," he replied simply.

My eyes lit up with excitement. "Are we going to dinner?"

"Yes."