Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 192

Derek's POV

I walked to my desk and sat down, pulling a stack of papers toward me and beginning to read, deliberately ignoring her. My eyes scanned the words without absorbing their meaning. All I could think about was Erin dancing with me earlier, her body tense but responding to mine. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mya grab the whiskey bottle and take several long swallows.

"Aren't you going back to your room?" I asked without looking up, keeping the desk between us as a barrier.

Mya laughed softly. "I'm telling you, she will never choose you. She's not the woman you expect her to be. Her interest in the Luna position far exceeds her interest in you."

I reached for my phone, pressing the speed dial. "Tom, come to my office immediately." My finger pressed so hard against the screen that it nearly cracked.

"I'll be right there," Tom's voice replied.

I tossed the phone aside, rubbing my forehead in frustration. I needed Mya out of here before I lost control.

Mya's laughter grew louder. "You know why I hate her. You've had feelings for that omega for a long time, but you never told her. How could you not tell her? That's because you're bound to me, Derek Stone."

The alcohol was taking effect on her. She walked to my desk, placing her hands on the surface and leaning forward. I pushed my chair back, maintaining the distance between us.

"I knew you had feelings for her when I saw her in your room two years ago," she revealed, her words slightly slurred. "I saw the way you looked at her. And Aaron Blackwood—"

My eyes flashed gold, and my expression hardened. The door opened, and Tom stepped in.

"Get her out of my office before I lose control," I commanded, my voice tight with restrained anger.

Tom moved to take Mya's arm, but she shook him off. "Why are you treating me like this?" she demanded, her voice rising.

"Ms. Windsor, please," Tom urged, gently pulling her toward the door. "Let's go. You know the Alpha doesn't like people talking to him like that."

Mya turned back to me, her eyes blazing. "That woman abandoned your brother for you two years ago. Now she's choosing your rival over you. I'm telling you she's after power. Alexander is using her against you, and you'll end up losing your life for her."

I stood up, and Tom's eyes widened in alarm. He quickly dragged Mya from the office, the door closing behind them with a decisive click.

---

Alone, I stared at the closed door, Mya's words echoing in my mind. As much as I hated to admit it, there was truth in what she'd said in her drunken state.

I walked to the window, looking out at the moonlit grounds of the estate, letting my mind drift back to the past. I had been attracted to Erin for a long time, about four years ago when she was still in high school.

I remembered clearly the first time I noticed her. She was walking across the lawn with Aaron, her brown hair catching the sunlight. It was longer then, falling past her shoulders in soft waves. She laughed at something her brother said, and the sound carried to where I stood watching from my office window. Something in my chest had tightened at the sight of her smile. It lit up her entire face, made her eyes crinkle at the corners. I didn't understand why I kept looking at her, why I couldn't turn away.

There were other times too. Once, she came to see Bradley with a small container of cookies she had baked. After she gone, Bradley opened it eagerly and offered me one. I took it to be polite, expecting it to be amateur. It wasn't as good as what our staff made, but there was something about the taste—a specific warmth and sweetness—that made my wolf perk up with interest. The cookies smelled like her, I realized. Like cinnamon and something uniquely Erin.

Another time, I passed by the game room and saw her playing pool with Bradley. She bent over the table, concentrating hard, her hair falling forward to frame her face. When she made the shot, she jumped up with excitement, and Bradley lifted her off her feet in a hug. I had walked away quickly, annoyed at the strange feeling in my stomach.

I'd watched her from afar for months, then started ignoring her when I saw how close she was getting with my brother. I told myself it was nothing, just curiosity about the enforcer's sister. Even then, I'd felt something for her, a connection that shouldn't have been possible before her eighteenth birthday. My wolf recognized something in her that my human mind refused to acknowledge.

But I'd ignored it. I'd told myself it was nothing. And now here we were—mates who couldn't stand to be in the same room together, her about to bind herself to another man, my rival.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Tom peered in cautiously. "May I come in?"

"No," I replied flatly.

Tom stepped in anyway, relief washing over his face at my calm tone. He approached my desk, studying me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"What made you think you could enter after I said no?" I asked, irritated by the interruption of my thoughts about Erin.

"I came to talk to you," he said, ignoring my question. "Why did you come to the Darkwood Estate instead of going back to your own villa?"

"Do I need my Beta's permission to come here?" I challenged, not wanting to admit I'd come here because it was closer to where Erin lived, that I'd thought about going to see her again.

Tom sighed. "Don't mind what Mya said. She seemed drunk."

I reached for another bottle of whiskey, noticing Tom's eyes dart to the one on the coffee table with Mya's lipstick mark on the rim. Understanding dawned in his eyes as I opened the fresh bottle.

"Derek, what are you going to do about Erin?" he asked directly.

I paused, frowning at him. "What is there to do?" I took a long drink straight from the bottle, trying to wash away the memories of Erin that kept surfacing.

Tom reached for it, trying to take it from my hand. "You shouldn't be drinking. You quit years ago. After that, you only drank a little at necessary occasions. Why are you drinking so much now?"

I pushed his hand away and took another swig. "How is Enforcer Raymond?" I asked, deliberately changing the subject. I didn't want to talk about Erin anymore. It only made the pain in my chest worse.

Tom sighed, picking up my discarded glass and pouring me a proper drink. "His condition isn't good. I'm worried he won't make it."