Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 24

Erin’s POV

"Hello? Miss Blackwood, are you there?"

I froze in the middle of the campus courtyard, my phone pressed painfully against my ear. The woman's words echoed in my mind, but none of this made sense. Derek Stone wanted me to be his Chief Executive Assistant Secretary?

"Yes, ma'am, I'm here," I finally managed, my voice barely audible, my heart slamming violently against my ribs.

"Miss Blackwood," the woman on the other end said with practiced efficiency, "you are to report to the company tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp. When you arrive, you will also participate in a brief training course."

My thoughts raced as I tried to comprehend what was happening. Less than an hour ago, Derek had looked me in the eye and told me I wasn't qualified to work at Stone Group. Now his secretary was offering me a position working directly under him? My hands trembled as emotions—confusion, anxiety, and something close to excitement—surged through me.

"That's wonderful. Thank you," I responded reflexively, my instincts kicking in despite the turmoil inside.

"You're welcome. Have a pleasant day. See you tomorrow," she said before hanging up.

I slowly lowered my phone, staring at the screen. My wolf, who had been sulking since the humiliating interview with Derek, suddenly became interested, her curiosity blending with my confusion. She stretched inside me.

Why would Derek offer me a job—not just any job, but a position that would put me directly at his side every day? Was this some elaborate scheme to further humiliate me? To keep me close so he could control the Soul Bond situation? Or was it possible—and here my traitorous heart skipped a beat—that he had changed his mind about me?

The fear of being publicly rejected again made my stomach clench painfully. I had barely recovered from the first rejection. If he was just setting me up, just to watch me fall again... Yet despite this, I couldn't deny the tiny flutter of hope beneath the fear. Maybe, possibly, this could be the beginning of something different between us.

The memory of his dismissive words still stung: "I don't believe you have what it takes to work at this Pack's premier company." And yet now, I had received a job offer that completely contradicted what he had just said to me.

My wolf seemed unconcerned with these inconsistencies, focused only on the prospect of being near our mate again. I mentally rolled my eyes at her. "He's not interested in us."

She disagreed, pushing forward memories of him—his strong hands steadying me in the hallway, his scent enveloping me in the car, the intensity in his eyes when I had boldly claimed to be his Soul Bond.

\---

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Amy approaching until she hugged me from behind, making me jump.

"How was your interview?" she asked eagerly, excitement written all over her face as she turned me to face her.

I hesitated, unsure how to explain what had just happened. "Not great. But..."

"But what? Why not great? Did the manager ask difficult questions?" Amy searched my expression, concern replacing her initial enthusiasm.

"I got the job," I said, the words sounding unreal even to my own ears.

Amy's eyes widened, then she let out a squeal loud enough to make passing students turn and stare. "That's amazing! I knew it!"

She hugged me tightly, bouncing on her toes. The genuine joy on her face dispelled some of my tension. At least someone believed in me, even if I wasn't sure I believed in myself right now.

"What position did you get?" she finally released me to ask. "Even if it's entry-level, don't lose hope. I'm sure you'll shine in no time."

I took a deep breath. "I'm the Alpha's assistant secretary."

Amy's smile froze. "You're what?!"

"I know, I can hardly believe it myself," I admitted, lowering my voice as more students passed by.

"I'm still trying to make sense of it all."

"But that's... that's incredible!" Amy grabbed my shoulders, her eyes wide with excitement. "Do you know how many wolves would kill for that position? You'll be working directly with the Alpha every day!"

That was exactly what worried me. My wolf, however, practically purred at the thought.

"We should celebrate," I changed the subject, not wanting Amy to ask more questions I couldn't answer. "Dinner tonight? My treat. You and Jack."

"Absolutely!" Amy's smile grew wider. "But first, we have class. You should probably change out of your interview clothes."

I looked down at my formal attire, suddenly aware of how out of place I looked among casually dressed students. "Right. I'll see you in the classroom."

In the restroom, I quickly changed back into my regular clothes—jeans and a simple sweater. As I stuffed my interview outfit into my backpack, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The girl staring back at me looked completely stunned, her hazel eyes full of uncertainty.

"What game are you playing, Derek Stone?" I whispered to my reflection, as if it might offer answers.

My fingertips traced along the edge of the sink. Despite all the rational reasons to hate him, a rebellious part of me still clung to the tiniest glimmer of hope.

His gaze following me as I walked to his office door. The almost imperceptible softness in his voice when he asked if I was okay that night at Moonshade.

Was I setting myself up for another devastating humiliation? Probably. Yet I couldn't completely extinguish that tiny flame of hope that there was more beneath his cold exterior.

Throughout my morning classes, I couldn't focus on what the professors were saying. My thoughts kept returning to Derek—the steely coldness in his eyes when he rejected me, that subtle flash of gold when his wolf noticed mine, how his scent had filled that intimidating office. Even as he rejected me, there had been something in his eyes I couldn't quite name. Desire? Conflict? Whatever it was, it had quickly been buried beneath layers of icy control.

Why did he affect me so deeply? Before the Soul Bond disaster, I had barely noticed him, except as Bradley's intimidating brother. Now, just thinking about him made my heart race and my palms sweat. Each encounter left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, yet some masochistic part of me still craved more.

My wolf insisted that our bodies recognized what our minds refused to acknowledge—that we belonged together, that the connection between us was real and powerful. She was practically giddy at the prospect of working at his side every day.

"Shut up," I commanded her silently.

She whined, unhappy with my dismissal but unable to dispute the facts. Somehow, I was now able to control my wolf better. This was a blessing as it would help me keep my wolf from making me mess up in important situations. At the same time, I was also worried that someday, my wolf would explode.

\---

At lunch, I saw Amy and Jack already seated at our usual table in the cafeteria. Jack's arm was casually draped over Amy's shoulders, the two of them sitting close, sharing some private joke. Seeing them together—so natural, so harmonious—made my chest ache with longing for Soul Bond contact.

"Congratulations!" Jack called as I approached, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "I hear you got a job?"

I set down my tray and slid into the seat across from them. "Yes. I'm grateful. But honestly, I'm too numb to feel anything right now."

Jack's smile dimmed slightly. "Why? What happened?"

I glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned forward. "Derek Stone interviewed me today, and I left his office without his permission."

Amy's eyes widened with shock. "That's so disrespectful to the Alpha! He didn't punish you?"

"I know," I admitted, wincing at the memory. "But I just... I couldn't stay another second. He was being impossible."

"Wait," Jack interrupted, frowning. "Why did you need to deal with him at all? I thought the goal was to get a job at his company, not interact with him personally."

I froze, realizing I'd said too much. How could I explain my complicated relationship with Derek without revealing the Soul Bond? The truth was, I was tired of carrying this secret alone. For months, the burden had been suffocating me.

"Erin?" Amy prompted, her expression concerned.

I took a deep breath, studying my friends' faces. After Lily's betrayal, I had developed serious trust issues. But over the past months, Amy and Jack had proven themselves to be true friends again and again. They had stood by me, defended me, supported me without question.

Maybe it was time to trust again.

"You both know my former best friend betrayed me," I began slowly. "After that, I had... trust issues with her and others. But after spending so much time with you two, I've concluded that you are my closest friends and you would never betray me. So I can share my secret with you."

I lowered my voice to barely above a whisper. "I am Derek Stone's Soul Bond."