Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 197

Erin's POV

Derek pulled a stainless steel pan from beneath the counter, his movements fluid and controlled. I watched in disbelief as he gathered ingredients with the same confidence he commanded board meetings.

"I'm going to cook for you," he announced, his voice matter-of-fact as he adjusted the apron strings behind his back.

My mouth fell open slightly. The powerful Alpha of the Darkwood Pack wearing an apron in his kitchen was so incongruous I needed a moment to process it. A suspicion formed immediately in my mind - this was another attempt to manipulate me, to convince me to cancel my binding ceremony with Alexander.

"Sit down and relax," Derek instructed, nodding toward the living room visible through the open kitchen layout. "This won't take long."

Still wary, I moved to the living room and perched on the edge of a plush sofa. From this position, I could observe him working. Derek moved with the same precision he displayed in the boardroom, methodically chopping vegetables and seasoning meat. Every movement was calculated and efficient - a perfectionist even in this domestic setting. His hands, usually signing documents or delivering commands, now wielded a knife with expert skill.

I pulled out my phone to distract myself from watching him. Scrolling through my conversations with Alex from the past week, I reread his last warning: "When I return, I'll answer all your questions. While I'm away, please stay away from Derek Stone."

I sighed. So much for following that directive. But I had little choice - my transfer certificate was being held hostage, and I needed it to complete my enrollment at the university in Silverpine territory after the binding ceremony. Besides, I trusted my Omega instincts. They'd been finely tuned through years of navigating pack politics. I wouldn't fall for whatever game Derek Stone was playing.

The sizzling sound of meat hitting a hot pan drew my attention back to the kitchen. Derek was focused entirely on his cooking, his brow slightly furrowed in concentration. The sight was oddly... normal. Human, almost. So different from the cold, calculating Alpha who had rejected me and broken my heart.

"Lunch is ready," Derek announced nearly forty minutes later, placing two plates on the modern dining table. He pulled out a chair for me with an unexpected formality. "Please, sit."

I deliberately walked to the opposite side of the table and sat in a different chair. A flash of gold flickered in Derek's eyes - his wolf responding to my small act of defiance - but he said nothing, simply taking his own seat.

Looking down at my plate, I was surprised to find he had prepared one of my favorite meals - pan-seared salmon with roasted vegetables and a lemon butter sauce. How did he know? Had he been paying attention to my preferences all this time?

"Eat," he said, his voice taking on that low, resonant quality that Alphas used when they wanted to be obeyed.

I ate in silence, determined not to show how good the food actually was. Derek reached across the table and added more vegetables to my plate.

"Eat more," he said, his lips curving into a slight smirk. "If you want to be my enemy, you'll need to gain more strength, little wolf."

I stiffened at his words but continued eating. The food was frustratingly delicious - perfectly seasoned and cooked. Of course Derek Stone would excel at cooking just as he did at everything else.

---

When I finished, I stood and gathered our plates without a word.

"You don't have to do that," Derek said as I carried them to the kitchen.

"I want to," I replied tersely. I didn't want the Alpha doing anything for me, not even washing dishes. I needed to maintain whatever small control I could in this situation.

As I stood at the sink rinsing the plates, I heard Derek approach from behind. He stopped close enough that I could feel his presence, though he wasn't touching me.

"See?" his voice came low near my ear. "Your wolf trusts me very much. Otherwise, why would you eat food prepared by me? You know, I could have mixed something harmful to werewolves into your food."

I paused, towel in hand as I dried my fingers. Did my wolf still trust him? No, impossible. I was just hungry, and he'd caught me off guard with his unexpected hospitality. This was Derek Stone using typical Alpha tactics to soften me up.

"Now that we've eaten," I said, turning to face him but finding myself uncomfortably close to his chest, "is there anything else, or can I go now?"

I stepped around him, grabbing my phone and purse from the living room. "I'm leaving," I announced, walking toward the front door.

"Wait," Derek commanded, his Alpha tone stopping me in my tracks.

I turned reluctantly, frustration building in my chest. "What now?"

"You haven't seen upstairs yet," he said, his expression unreadable. "Let's go there. The view is beautiful. It would be a shame not to see it."

"I'm not interested," I replied flatly.

Derek's eyes narrowed slightly. "According to our agreement, your day isn't over yet."

I bit back a retort. He was right - I had agreed to spend the day with him in exchange for my transfer certificate. With a resigned sigh, I followed him up the modern staircase to the second floor.

The master bedroom was spacious and elegant, dominated by a large bed with charcoal gray bedding. Floor-to-ceiling windows filled one entire wall, with a sliding glass door leading to a modern balcony that overlooked the forest.

Derek walked to the glass door and slid it open. "Come see."

Cautiously, I approached and stepped out onto the balcony. The view was indeed breathtaking - endless trees stretching to the distant mountains, bathed in the golden light of afternoon sun.

The moment I was fully outside, I heard the door slide shut behind me. Spinning around, I saw Derek on the other side of the glass. I tried the handle - locked.

A smile spread across my face as I realized what had happened. "You can't come out," I taunted through the glass. "Let me enjoy some time alone."

Derek's expression remained neutral as he watched me through the glass.

"I want to be alone out here, not in a room with you," I called. "My fiancé told me to keep my distance from you. I'm just following his instruction. Sorry, Alpha."