Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 240

Third POV

Bradley Stone sat at the head of the table in the Darkwood Estate's conference room, his fingers drumming impatiently as he surveyed the faces of the pack's most important members. The silence in the room had stretched for nearly a minute since he'd posed his question, and with each passing second, his jaw clenched tighter.

"Well?" Bradley finally broke the silence, his voice echoing in the spacious room. "Does anyone have an opinion on this matter, or did you all suddenly lose your voices?"

Beta Tom exchanged glances with Delta Mark, while Aaron Blackwood, as the pack enforcer, maintained his stoic expression. The other high-ranking members of the Darkwood Pack shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Bradley's frustration was palpable. In the weeks since Derek had stepped down, he'd been thrust into a position he wasn't fully prepared for. He understood business well enough—Derek had made sure of that—but the complex politics of pack leadership remained an enigma. The silent stares from the pack members only heightened his sense of inadequacy.

Finally, Beta Tom cleared his throat, his posture straightening as he addressed the room.

"I believe everyone should remember that Mr. Bradley Stone will be our Pack Alpha," Tom said, his tone measured but firm. "So you'd better think carefully before you speak."

The reminder hung in the air, weighted with implied threat. Tom was fulfilling his duty, molding Bradley into what Derek wanted him to be—a strong, respected leader. But the tension in the room only thickened.

After another prolonged silence, one of the older pack members finally spoke up.

"We're sorry to say this, but we cannot give our consent on this matter," the man said, his voice steady despite the risk of challenging their future Alpha. "You are our future Pack Alpha, that is without question. But you need concrete evidence to ban Alpha Alexander from entering our territory. This goes against wolf law. That's why Alpha Derek never managed to expel him either."

Another member nodded in agreement. "We cannot sign any agreement."

Bradley's knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists on the table. His eyes darkened with rage, and he struggled to understand why they would refuse to work with him on something as simple as banning Alexander from their territory. The man had forced his brother to step down, yet these people still treated him with respect.

"This is ridiculous!" Bradley exploded, slamming his fist on the table as he stood up.

Shock rippled through the room at his unprofessional outburst. The pack members exchanged concerned glances, realizing that Bradley's leadership style was drastically different from his brother's calculated composure.

"Calm down, Bradley," Delta Mark said, reaching out to place a steadying hand on Bradley's arm.

"Meeting adjourned," Tom announced firmly, stepping in to control the situation.

---

The pack members rose from their seats and filed out of the conference room, leaving Bradley fuming with the three officials.

"How can I calm down?" Bradley snapped once the door closed, shrugging off Mark's hand. "That man forced my brother to give up his position, and I can't even ban him from my territory."

"You need to calm down first," Tom said, his voice low and authoritative. "They have a misunderstanding that your brother couldn't expel him. The real reason is that Alpha Derek hated Alexander and always wanted to catch him red-handed so he could kill him personally. That's why he always kept the borders open for him. You tried to expel him and failed, it's fine, we'll find another way to deal with him."

Bradley's expression softened slightly at the mention of his brother. He hadn't realized Derek had been protecting him in this way too, setting things up before leaving. A twinge of shame crept through him at how poorly he'd handled the meeting.

Without another word, Bradley stormed out of the conference room, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. He turned a corner and nearly collided with Mya, who was leaning against the wall, staring out at the cars leaving the Darkwood Estate. Her eyes held a distant look, as though she were watching her hopes depart with each vehicle.

"Mya," Bradley said, his voice softer than it had been moments ago.

She turned to him, a sad smile touching her lips. Bradley felt a pang in his chest at the sight of her downcast expression. Since their engagement, he'd developed complicated feelings for her. At first, he'd seen it as a duty—marrying the woman his brother had been engaged to—but over time, Mya had begun to fill a void in his heart. There was something about her quiet strength that resonated with him. Perhaps this was fate's way of aligning things after all.

"Are they working with Alexander?" Mya asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Bradley's jaw tightened. He knew Mya had asked him to ban Alexander from their territory weeks ago, and he'd promised to make it happen. Yet another promise he'd failed to keep.

"I'm sorry," he said, the words feeling inadequate.

Mya had changed over the past few weeks. Though still beautiful, her personality had shifted. She no longer tried to get too close to him, respecting his space while they adjusted to their new reality.

"It's okay," she said, pushing herself away from the wall. "I need to be a strong Luna to fight against Alexander."

As she moved to walk past him, Bradley caught her hand, pulling her closer. Mya froze, startled by the sudden intimacy, her body stiffening as the electric current of their mate bond flowed between them.

"Mya, I will face this with you," Bradley said, his voice low and intense. "We'll grow together. One day, I'll do what my brother couldn't—I'll kill Alexander for good, and I'll make you happy."

He leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. After a moment of surprise, Mya responded, her lips moving against his.

When they parted, Bradley kept his forehead pressed against hers. "Mya? Let's accept each other in our hearts. It will make life easier for us."

Tears glistened in Mya's eyes as she looked up at him. He could see her longing to be loved and protected, something she'd finally found in him.

"Yes, you're right," she whispered. "I shouldn't dwell on the past. I should feel this bond and trust our destiny."