Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 136

Erin's POV

The bouquet slipped from my fingers, hitting the floor with a soft thud. Petals scattered across the polished wood like drops of blood. I stared at Derek, unable to process what he'd just said, my mind refusing to accept the words that had left his mouth.

The world around me seemed to slow down, sounds becoming muffled as if I were underwater. The flickering candlelight, the distant chatter from other diners, the soft music playing in the background—all of it faded away until there was nothing but the crushing weight of his words.

"Erin."

My name on his lips snapped me back to reality. I felt my body trembling, my fingers clutching the edge of the table for support. My throat constricted painfully as I tried to form words.

"Is—is that it?" I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're only with me because you'd lose your Alpha status if you weren't with your soul bond? That's the only reason?"

Derek's eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw tightening as he reached out and grabbed my wrist when I tried to step back. "You're overreacting," he said, his tone laced with annoyance.

I stared at his hand wrapped around my wrist, wondering if my confession of love had irritated him. Had my feelings become a burden? The thought sent a fresh wave of pain through my chest.

"I—I thought you loved me..." The words tumbled out as tears welled in my eyes, spilling over despite my desperate attempt to hold them back. The pain in my chest was physical now, as if something vital had been torn from me.

Derek's expression remained unchanged as he watched my tears fall. There was no sympathy in his eyes, no hint of remorse—just cold indifference. This was a side of him I had never seen before, a cruelty I had never thought him capable of. Had I been so blinded by love that I'd ignored his true nature?

His gaze was steady, unflinching as he pulled me closer. "Listen to me," he commanded.

I bit my lip and shook my head, unable to bear any more of his coldness.

"I don't believe in love," Derek stated flatly. "I never have. I've never loved anyone. You're still young, Erin. You have a lot to learn. Don't get caught up in romanticized notions of love."

I searched his eyes, looking for any crack in his armor, any sign that he wasn't being truthful. But all I found was annoyance, as if my emotions were an inconvenience. In that moment, I knew with crushing certainty that he didn't love me. Perhaps he never had.

"So if I weren't your soul bond..." I paused, needing to hear the confirmation even though I knew it would destroy me. "You wouldn't—"

"Isn't it obvious?" Derek cut me off, releasing my hand. His voice was cold, clinical. "You brought this up yourself months ago. Wasn't I clear then?"

I flinched at his tone, shrinking away from him. This couldn't be the same man who had held me so tenderly, who had protected me, who had made me feel safe. This stranger with Derek's face was looking at me as if I were nothing more than an obligation.

"Don't—don't be so cold to me," I pleaded, my voice breaking. "I can't bear it, m-mate."

I tried to convince myself that this wasn't happening, that there had to be another explanation. No, he was lying. He loved me, he just couldn't say it because of who he was. I stepped forward again, wrapping my arms around him, pressing my face against his chest.

"Don't lie to me, mate," I whispered desperately. "I know you love me."

---

Derek stood perfectly still, his body rigid under my touch. He didn't return my embrace, his arms remaining at his sides. His gaze was fixed on some point in the distance, his expression dark and unreadable.

I pulled back slightly, confused by his lack of response. Why wasn't he holding me back? A terrible fear gripped me—the fear that he truly meant what he said, that he didn't love me. I needed him to tell me that our relationship was built on more than just the soul bond, that it wasn't just a compromise he'd made to maintain his position.

"Mate," I said, desperation creeping into my voice, "let's reveal our soul bond to others." It was a desperate move, born from the fear of losing him. If everyone knew, maybe he wouldn't be able to push me aside so easily.

Derek frowned, his eyes growing colder. The look he gave me sent a chill down my spine, and I instinctively loosened my grip on him.

"You don't want to do that?" I asked softly, hope still clinging to my words.

"I can't do that," he replied, his voice firm and final.

"Why can't you do that?" I pressed, needing to understand.

Derek's gaze hardened. "My pack is the most important thing in my life. I cannot betray my pack."

My confusion deepened. "What do you mean?"

"When I became the Alpha of this pack," Derek said, his voice steady, "I designated Mya as the Luna of my pack."

The words hit me like a physical blow. My body trembled violently, and I nearly collapsed, grabbing the back of a chair to steady myself. My vision blurred, the room spinning around me.

"That day, I didn't call off the engagement," Derek continued, driving the knife deeper. "I only postponed it."

My legs gave way beneath me, and I sank into the chair. The world seemed to be crumbling around me. All this time, I had never truly existed in Derek's heart or his plans. I was nothing more than an inconvenient obligation, a complication in his perfectly ordered life.

"You—you," I couldn't form a coherent sentence, my thoughts scattered by the revelation. I remembered all the warnings—from his brother, from his mother, from his rivals. They had all tried to tell me what kind of man Derek Stone really was. They were right. He had no heart.

"How could you do this to me?" I whispered, the words catching in my throat as my inner wolf howled in anguish.

"I thought you loved me," I continued, my voice hollow with pain. "All those things you did for me... was it all an act? Did you plan this all along?"

Derek looked at me with a detached curiosity. "Why are you reacting this way? If I marry someone else, how does that affect you?"

I laughed bitterly, the sound devoid of any humor. "You gave me the impression that you loved me, knowing full well there was no future for us."

Derek's gaze sharpened. "That's the problem with women. When did I ever say I loved you? Didn't I tell you, clearly, that I don't love you and I can't love you?"