Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 133

Erin's POV

I stared at Derek, unable to comprehend why he was being so distant, so cold. This wasn't the man who had held me tenderly just days ago.

Derek moved from his desk to the couch, sitting down and lighting a cigarette. "Speak," he said simply, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

The casual dismissiveness of his tone pierced my heart. I walked closer to him, my voice small as I whispered, "Mate."

"You shouldn't call me that in front of her," Derek replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Why not?" I asked, but Derek offered no response. The silence stretched between us, and I felt my confidence faltering. I lowered my head, suddenly unsure of myself, of everything. Was Mya going to take Derek away from me? The thought was unbearable.

Unable to stand anymore, I knelt in front of Derek, resting my head against his thigh. I closed my eyes, fighting back tears. "If I've done something to make you angry, you can punish me, mate," I whispered desperately. "But please don't let that woman near you again."

Derek's hand came to rest on top of my head, gently stroking my hair. He didn't speak, but the touch was comforting, an acknowledgment of my presence. I felt a tear escape despite my efforts, and I quickly wiped it away. I couldn't lose him—not to Mya, not to anyone.

"Don't think about anything else," Derek finally said. "Just focus on your work and your studies."

I looked up at him, my eyes searching his face. "What about us? Am I not supposed to think about what's between us either?"

Derek frowned, leaning down to look at me more closely. His hand moved to cup my cheek, and I instinctively leaned into his touch, craving the connection.

In a sudden movement, I stood up and sat on Derek's lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his shoulder. I held him tightly, as if afraid he would disappear if I let go.

"If you hurt me," I whispered against his neck, "I swear no one will be able to stop me from leaving this time."

Derek's arms encircled my waist, holding me close as he pressed his nose to my neck, inhaling my scent. "Nothing will change between us," he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. "No one can deny that you are my mate."

Relief flooded through me at his words. I pulled back slightly, cupping Derek's face in my hands. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to his, pouring all my desperation and love into the kiss. Derek responded immediately, his lips moving against mine with equal fervor.

I kissed him with all the passion I had been holding back, afraid of losing him, afraid of what Mya's presence might mean. When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his, both of us breathing heavily.

Opening my eyes to meet his gaze, I made my confession. "I love you, mate."

Derek's hands stilled on my waist, and he abruptly stood up from the couch, causing me to rise with him. I looked at him in surprise, hope and uncertainty mingling in my expression.

"What is it?" I asked, searching his face for a reaction to my declaration.

Derek opened his mouth to respond. "I—" But whatever he was about to say was cut off as the door to his office suddenly swung open.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Derek roared at the intruder, his voice filled with fury at the interruption.

Beta Tom stood in the doorway, his expression apologetic as he glanced between Derek and me. "I'm sorry," he said, addressing me briefly before turning his attention to Derek. "We need to hold a meeting today."

Tom continued, his voice urgent: "All the Alphas in the Silverpine Pack are opposing Charlie Windsor." He paused before adding, "Alpha Alexander called me again... he wants to speak with you."

I smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear, taking a few steps back to create distance between myself and Derek. The moment was broken, the intimate atmosphere shattered.

Tom's phone rang, and he handed it to Derek. Derek looked at me, his expression unreadable once more. "We'll talk later... go back to work."

I nodded and turned to leave. As I reached for the door handle, I heard Derek speak into the phone, his voice angry: "Why the rush for a meeting? Are all your subordinates so afraid of me that they notify you out of fear?"

I paused, my hand on the doorknob, as Derek continued: "Do whatever you want. But if you dare touch her even once, you'll see what happens. Don't forget your father still has some power."

I frowned, wondering who "her" was. The conversation was shocking in its intensity. I noticed Tom watching me and quickly closed the door behind me.

---

Back in my office, I touched my lips and smiled, remembering the kiss we had shared. He was probably going to say he loves me too. But Beta Tom interrupted him. That's why he was angry. He must have been surprised by my sudden confession.

A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Derek. "We're holding the meeting tonight," he informed me.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" I asked.

"Cancel tomorrow's meeting and change it to tonight," Derek instructed. "Notify the others as I told you."

I stared at the phone after he hung up. "He's busy," I murmured, and began working on the task he had given me.

Around lunchtime, I left my office, feeling exhausted from the morning's emotional roller coaster. As I walked through the hallway, Thomas approached me.

"Happy birthday, Erin," he said with a warm smile. "Your mother told me."

"Thank you," I replied, genuinely touched by the gesture.

"Everyone's talking about Mya joining the company," Thomas mentioned casually.

My smile faltered slightly as I remembered that Mya was also moving into Darkwood Estate. I consoled myself with the knowledge that Derek didn't live there—he had his own apartment in the city.

I decided to check on Derek, but when I reached his office, I found it empty. Rather than disturb him, I decided to trust that he would handle the situation with Mya appropriately. He had, after all, reassured me that nothing would change between them.

After seven o'clock, I went to the conference room to ensure everything was ready for the meeting. The managing wolves of the Darkwood Pack began arriving one by one.

When Derek entered, he told me I didn't need to stay, explaining that the meeting was about pack matters, not company business. I returned to my office to wait, calling the restaurant to arrange decorations for a dinner with Derek later. Despite the morning's chaos, I still wanted to celebrate my birthday with him.

At ten past eight, I left my office and walked to the conference room door, curious about how long the meeting would last. Suddenly, the door opened, and a man in an expensive black suit stepped out.

My first impression was that he looked like Alex, but as I studied him more carefully, I noted his cold, arrogant demeanor that radiated power and authority.

As I was about to speak, Enforcer Mark emerged behind the man. "Alpha Alexander, let me escort you out," Mark said.

My eyes widened in shock, and I took a step backward. "Alpha Alexander!" I gasped, finally face to face with the mysterious leader of the Silverpine Pack.