Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 36

Erin's POV

The elevator doors closed behind us, the heavy metallic sound echoing in my ears, sealing the three of us in the small space. The subtle background noise from the lobby was suddenly cut off, leaving a silence that suffocated me.

My back pressed against the elevator wall, standing as far from Derek as possible, fingers clutching my bag so tightly my knuckles turned white. My heartbeat was so loud in my ears that I feared they could hear it too. I forced myself to breathe deeply, my gaze fixed firmly on the illuminated floor numbers above the door, counting each second that passed.

Thomas seemed oblivious to the tension, rocking slightly on his heels as we descended, humming a light tune. I gripped the elevator handrail, my joints whitening from the pressure. Derek, however, stood ramrod straight, muscles taut, emanating a cold anger. His presence grew increasingly oppressive in the confined space, and I could feel the tension flowing through the air like electricity.

"You seem quite friendly with my assistant secretary," Derek suddenly said, his voice low and controlled, each word seemingly squeezed through clenched teeth. I noticed his fingers curling slightly, as if controlling some impulse.

Thomas smiled, clearly missing the dangerous note in Derek's tone. "Our mothers are friends. We're having dinner together tonight."

When Thomas mentioned "dinner together," I distinctly felt the temperature in the air drop. I couldn't help stealing a glance at Derek, immediately wishing I hadn't.

His jaw was clenched, his eyes darker, almost black, with muscles twitching at the corners. His expression wasn't just anger but something I couldn't fully interpret. His Alpha aura expanded in a visibly tangible way, pressing against every inch of space in the elevator, making the air thick and difficult to breathe.

My lungs began to burn, and I had to struggle not to gasp. My wolf instinctively cowered, making herself as small as possible inside me, releasing a faint whimper. I stepped back, my spine against the elevator wall, trying to create some distance.

When the elevator finally reached the ground floor, Derek was the first to stride out, his movements swift and powerful, like a predator unleashed. The air current from his departure was strong enough to flutter my hair and clothes. I unconsciously stepped back, my calves hitting the rear wall of the elevator. His anger was almost tangible, like invisible hands grasping the air around him.

Thomas and I both immediately lowered our heads, bowing in respect, my neck aching from the posture and tension. I counted my heartbeats—one, two, three—until I was sure he had walked away before daring to raise my head. My fingers trembled slightly, and I clenched them into fists, hiding them at my sides.

"The Alpha seems angry," I whispered, my voice shakier than I'd intended, and I cleared my throat, watching Derek's retreating form. Every step he took was filled with authority and control, the muscles in his back visibly tense beneath his suit.

Thomas nodded, his eyes showing clear confusion and a touch of unease. "It's strange. He was normal when we were talking. Before you entered the elevator, we were just discussing some routine Pack matters. But he seemed to become unsettled only after you joined us."

He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning, "That kind of aura... I haven't felt the Alpha release that level of pressure in a long time."

The implications of Thomas's observation caused a strange flutter in my stomach. My hands suddenly went cold, a sensation of both excitement and fear spreading along my spine.

Was Derek truly bothered by seeing me with Thomas? The thought made my breathing quicken. But that was absurd—he had just made it clear in his office that he had no personal interest in me beyond maintaining the Soul Bond for his own benefit.

I bit my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood. I couldn't deny the flash of gold I'd seen in his eyes just before the elevator doors closed—something possessive and primal that completely contradicted everything he'd said in his office hours earlier. My heart raced, my chest tightening, and I took a deep breath, trying to control my chaotic emotions.

\---

The next day at Silvermoon Academy, I found myself distracted during lectures, my thoughts returning again and again to Derek's words and the mixed signals that followed. My notes were scattered and incomplete, my participation at a minimum. By lunchtime, I was grateful for the pause from pretending to concentrate.

Amy found me sitting alone under a large oak tree on the campus grounds. She plopped down beside me, playfully nudging my shoulder.

"You look like you're carrying the weight of the entire Pack," she observed, unwrapping her sandwich. "What's wrong?"

I sighed, closing the textbook I hadn't actually been reading. "It's complicated."

Amy raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue. Since I had confided in her about the Soul Bond, she had become my confidante for all things Derek-related, always ready with advice or simply a willing ear.

"So he said he would never reject you?" she asked after I'd related my conversation with Derek. "Those were his exact words?"

I nodded, plucking at the grass beside my leg. "He said according to Pack Law, formally rejecting me would bring eternal suffering to us both, so he would never do that."

"Why won't he reject you?"

"Because he doesn't want to lose his position," I answered bitterly. "That's all he cares about—being Pack Alpha."

Amy tilted her head thoughtfully. "I think he's lying to you."

My head snapped up. "What?"

"If I had to guess," she continued, her eyes sparkling with speculation, "he doesn't want to reject you for his own sake."

"What are you talking about?"

Amy leaned closer, lowering her voice although there was no one nearby to hear. "Can you resist the Soul Bond? No, right? Well, neither can he. He must feel it too. I think he doesn't want to break it either."

I shook my head firmly. "You're wrong. He barely tolerates me."

"Then why not just reject you and be done with it?" Amy challenged. "There must be ways around this 'eternal suffering' thing, especially for a Pack Alpha. If he really wanted to, he could find a loophole."

I wanted to argue further, but doubt had begun to creep in. Derek's behavior was inconsistent—cold and dismissive one moment, intensely possessive the next. Pressing me against his office door, his body flush against mine, his scent surrounding me... that hadn't felt like mere tolerance.

"It doesn't matter," I finally said, hugging my knees to my chest. "I don't like him, and he doesn't like me. I've been assuming that since neither of us wants this bond, there must be a solution. But when he said there was no hope, I felt... devastated. I mean, what happens now? Am I going to be alone forever?"

Amy patted my arm sympathetically. "Don't worry, baby. He'll be your boyfriend soon enough."

"What? No way."

"Then get a boyfriend," Amy suggested with a mischievous smile. "Show that arrogant Soul Bond of yours that you have a boy who wants you."

I couldn't help laughing, finding her suggestion ridiculous. "Right, because that would definitely end well."

\---

Our conversation was interrupted by a commotion from the basketball courts nearby. A crowd began to gather, voices rising with excitement. Amy and I exchanged curious glances, then stood to investigate.

As we approached, the crowd parted just enough for me to see what—or rather who—was causing the disturbance. Bradley stood at the edge of the court looking uncomfortable, with Lily dramatically approaching him.

"Bradley, please!" Lily called out loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Listen to me. Why are you doing this to me?"

Bradley stopped walking and slowly turned to face her. Lily seemed to realize she had created a scene, her expression shifting from desperation to contrition as she moved closer to him.

"Bradley, I'm sorry," she said, her voice lower but still audible to those around them. "I didn't mean to do this. I just wanted to say, why are you treating me like this? Why are you still angry with me? Didn't you say I understood your desires so well? So why aren't you coming to me?"

Bradley's gaze swept over the crowd until it landed on me. Our eyes met briefly before I looked away, unable to hide the disgust on my face. They were both contemptible—Bradley for his betrayal, Lily for her deception. I had once trusted them both completely, and they had each broken that trust in their own way.

Suddenly, Bradley pushed Lily away, his expression hardening with anger. "How dare you approach me?" he growled, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Lily tried to speak, but Bradley cut her off sharply. "Shut up. Stay away from me. If I see you near me again, that internship you're so proud of? You'll lose it immediately."

Lily's eyes widened with shock. "Don't do this. I earned it on my own."

"Yes," Bradley responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I know how hard you worked on that project. Stealing someone else's work really counts as hard work."

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. Lily stood frozen, her face paling as she realized Bradley knew about her plagiarism.

"Who told you?" she demanded, shock quickly turning to accusation. Her gaze searched frantically until it landed on me. "It was her, wasn't it? She told you. She's a liar, Bradley. She's trying to keep you away from me."

The crowd's attention shifted to me, whispers spreading like wildfire. I felt dozens of eyes watching, waiting for my response.

Blood roared in my ears as I stepped forward, my wolf suddenly alert and ready. I had stayed silent for too long, allowing Lily's lies to go unchallenged. But no more.

I looked around at the gathered students, making eye contact with as many as I could before speaking. "Did you all hear what Bradley just said?"