Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 161

Erin's POV

My heart pounded as we approached. Mya looked between us, confusion evident on her perfect features. She unconsciously took a step back as Alexander drew nearer.

"Br-brother, how do you know her?" she stammered.

Alexander's smile was glacial. "You should greet your brother properly first, Mya." He towered over her, his stance wide, shoulders back—the posture of an Alpha demanding respect.

I couldn't resist twisting the knife. "Ms. Windsor, are you really happy to see your brother? Because a few days ago at Aria's birthday, you didn't seem very pleased when talking about him."

Alexander chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "My little sister has grown quite bold since her engagement to the Pack Alpha. Remember when you used to tremble at my voice, Mya?"

Mya paled, inching closer to Derek. Her eyes darted nervously between her brother and me. She seemed to shrink before my eyes, her earlier confidence evaporating.

"What happened to your clothes?" she suddenly asked, looking me up and down with distaste. "Did you dress like this on purpose?"

I felt Derek's gaze travel over my damp clothes, lingering on the places where the wet fabric clung to my body. His nostrils flared slightly, and his eyes darkened. Heat rushed to my face, but I refused to show embarrassment. Before I could respond, Alexander slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

"She came to catch my attention," he said smoothly, his hand resting possessively on my lower back. "It doesn't concern anyone else."

Mya's lip curled. "Well, she certainly succeeded. Though I'm not sure why anyone would want to attract attention looking like a drowned rat."

I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting for Derek to say something, to defend me. But he remained silent, his face an unreadable mask. His eyes, though – they weren't unreadable at all. They were fixed on Alexander's hand on my back, and they burned with something dark and possessive. The muscle in his jaw ticked, and I could see the tension in his shoulders. I felt a pang of regret for ever loving this man, followed by a rush of satisfaction at his obvious jealousy.

"Be careful how you speak about her, little sister," Alexander said, his voice dangerously soft. "Or shall I start talking about your... lifestyle back in Silverpine?"

Mya began to tremble, and I saw real fear in her eyes. Derek's hand shot out, gripping Alexander's wrist where it rested on Mya's shoulder. The movement was lightning-fast, his fingers wrapping around Alexander's wrist like steel bands.

"This is Darkwood Pack territory, not Silverpine," Derek said, his voice low and threatening. He stepped forward, bringing himself chest-to-chest with Alexander. "I suggest you don't touch what doesn't belong to you. It might get you burned."

The two Alphas stood toe-to-toe, neither willing to back down. The air between them crackled with tension. People nearby instinctively moved away, sensing the dangerous energy radiating from the two men.

Alexander's laugh was cold. "It took all these years to get a reaction from you, Derek."

"Don't make me remind you of things you'd rather not remember," Derek warned, his eyes flashing gold. His voice deepened to a near growl, the sound sending shivers down my spine.

I felt a surge of sympathy for Alexander. His father had betrayed him, and he'd lost half his territory. No wonder he harbored such resentment.

Alexander tensed, his shoulders bunching, and I could sense his anger building. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand. "Please don't fight. I don't care what Mya said."

He looked down at me, the rage in his eyes slowly receding. "You can stop me in any situation. Did you know that?" His tone was intimate, as if we were sharing a secret. He relaxed his posture slightly, but kept his eyes locked with Derek's.

Before I could respond, Beta Tom and Delta Mark approached. "It's time to go, Alpha," Tom said, then noticed me with surprise. "Erin? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick up Alexander," I answered coldly.

Mya gasped. "You call him by his first name?" she asked me incredulously.

I turned to her with a cold smile. "You were trembling a few minutes ago. How can you suddenly speak now?"

Her face flushed with anger. "Derek, did you hear what she said to me?" She tugged at Derek's sleeve like a child seeking protection.

Alexander's grip on my wrist tightened. He took a deliberate step toward Mya, his presence so commanding that she shrank back. "Touch her," he said to Mya, "and I'll break your hand in front of your fiancé."

With that, he pulled me away toward the exit. I could feel Derek's gaze following us, lingering on our joined hands.

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Derek's POV

I watched Alexander Windsor lead Erin away, his hand possessively gripping hers. Something dark and primal stirred within me, a rage I hadn't felt in years. My wolf clawed beneath my skin, demanding I tear his hand from her body. I maintained my composure, but it took every ounce of control not to follow them and rip them apart.

"Call Enforcer Aaron," I instructed Tom without taking my eyes off their retreating figures. My voice was calm, but the command in it was unmistakable. "Ask him how his sister knows that man. Is she taking another step to destroy me?"

Beside me, Mya was still trembling with indignation. "I can't believe she knows my brother," she hissed. "How is that even possible? Did you see how familiar they were with each other?"

Tom shifted uncomfortably. "Alpha, perhaps we shouldn't discuss—"

"She must have been seeing him behind your back all along," Mya continued, oblivious to Tom's warning. "When she couldn't have you, she went after my brother instead. That's why she rejected becoming your—"

I turned to her slowly, letting my rage show in my eyes. Mya's words died in her throat as she took a step back. The image of Erin in her rain-soaked clothes, her body visible through the wet fabric, burned in my mind. The way Alexander's eyes had roamed over her, the way his hands touched her with such familiarity – it made my blood boil.

"You've been talking too much lately," I said quietly. I drew myself up to my full height, looming over her. "Should I shut your mouth the same way I shut your friend's?"

She shook her head frantically, lowering her gaze in submission. Her shoulders hunched, making herself smaller before me—a primal response to an Alpha's displeasure.

I leaned closer, my voice barely above a whisper. "Tell your brother that if he truly wants to make it back to Silverpine alive, he'll stay away from her."