Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 39

Erin's POV

"I trusted you," Derek said, each word dropping like ice into the silence. "I gave you a position in my company—my Pack—despite your being an Omega." He stood tall, imposing even across the desk. "And this is how you repay me?"

Confusion washed over me, temporarily overwhelming my fear. "I—I don't understand..."

Derek's fist slammed down on the desk, the force so great that the heavy wooden furniture moved, pens rolling off, papers scattering. "Don't play innocent with me, Blackwood!"

I flinched violently, my body curling inward, arms wrapping protectively around my middle. My heart was beating so fiercely I felt light-headed, each breath shallow and insufficient.

Derek rounded his desk, deliberately pacing his steps, each one heavy and purposeful. His Alpha aura expanded to fill the entire room, pressing down on me like a physical weight, making the air itself difficult to breathe.

"What—what did I do?" I stammered, genuinely confused. Tears came unbidden, blurring my vision. I blinked rapidly, determined not to cry, not to show such weakness before him.

Without warning, Derek's hand shot out, fingers encircling my upper arm with enough force to leave bruises. In his grasp, I felt small and fragile, acutely aware of the power difference between us—not just our ranks, but our physical disparity. He could hurt me without effort if he wanted to.

He yanked me closer, my body stumbling forward, having to press my other hand against his chest to prevent colliding with him. His scent enveloped me completely, no longer just anger but something primal and dangerous.

"How much?" he demanded, his voice a growl that barely resembled human speech. "How much did the Ridgeclaw Pack pay you to betray me?"

My mouth opened and closed soundlessly, my thoughts spinning with incomprehension. "Betray you? I would never—"

"Answer me!" Derek's fingers tightened more painfully, his nails digging into my flesh through the thin fabric of my blouse. His eyes now flickered gold, his wolf pushing forward, teeth slightly elongated as he struggled to maintain control.

"I—I didn't do... Ah!" I cried out involuntarily.

His face was so close to mine I could feel his breath hot against my skin. "You're a greedy woman, aren't you? You never miss an opportunity, do you? Just like that time at the Binding Ceremony. Today, you tried to ruin me."

Tears were now streaming unchecked down my cheeks, leaving hot trails in the air-conditioned office, quickly cooling against my skin.

"Alpha, please..." my voice broke, becoming thin and pleading. "I don't know what you're talking about." My legs felt weak beneath me, Derek's grip on my arm now partially supporting my weight.

He suddenly released me, and I stumbled backward, my hip painfully colliding with the edge of a side table. Derek strode to his desk, his movements stiff with barely controlled violence. He snatched up a folder, the papers crinkling in his powerful grip, then extracted several photographs, thrusting them toward my face.

"Explain these," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous, each syllable precisely enunciated.

The photographs showed me earlier today in the Stone Group lobby, talking with a tall, well-dressed man I didn't recognize. In one image, he was leaning toward me, his expression intent, while I looked politely interested but slightly uncomfortable.

"These—these were taken today," I whispered, my voice barely audible even to myself.

"That's right," Derek confirmed, his voice dropping to a deadly quiet. "Why was he talking to you?"

"I—I don't know," I answered truthfully, words tumbling out in panic. "He approached me as I was crossing the lobby. He asked who I was, then started talking to me. I didn't initiate the conversation."

Derek's nostrils flared, drawing in air deeply, sniffing for the scent of lies. His eyes narrowed dangerously, his jaw working beneath his skin. "You expect me to believe that Ethan, the Alpha of the Ridgeclaw Pack, just happened to approach an Omega assistant secretary for a casual chat?"

The revelation of the man's identity made my stomach sink. No wonder Derek was so angry—Ethan was the Alpha of Ridgeclaw Pack, Stone Group's main competitor, Derek's longtime rival.

"I know you won't believe me," I said, my voice becoming steadier. "But I heard about the information leak from my friend Thomas."

Derek's eyebrows shot up. His fingers drummed an agitated rhythm against his thigh as he stared at me. "Just one month at Stone Group, and you've become so intimate with our finance manager that he discusses sensitive internal information with you?"

My hands clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms, the tiny pain helping me focus. "He mentioned someone might be leaking our upcoming project details to Ridgeclaw. I didn't know who that man in the lobby was—he approached me, asked my name, then said something about congratulating me for helping them get the project. I thought he had me confused with someone else."

Derek turned abruptly. "If Claire hadn't overheard your conversation with him, I might never have known the identity of the traitor."

My voice became tiny with shock. "Claire?"

Claire had framed me. The realization was so shocking that I momentarily forgot my fear, indignation taking its place instead. My wolf stirred, no longer just cowering but confused and angry at the injustice.

"Alpha, please listen," I began, stepping forward. My hand instinctively reached out, not actually touching him, but the gesture was pleading. "I didn't—"

Derek cut me off. "Leave Stone Group. I don't want to see your face again. It's only because your brother is my Enforcer that I'm letting you go this time. But if I see you again, I'll be the last person you see before you die."

This was no empty threat—I could feel the absolute conviction behind his words. This was the Pack Alpha speaking, the most powerful wolf in the region, capable of ordering my exile or death with a single command.

But worse than his threat was what I felt inside. My wolf howled in primal pain, the rejection from our Soul Bond cutting through my body like broken glass.

I stumbled toward the door, my vision tunneling, legs wooden beneath me.

\---

When I emerged from Derek's office, the executive floor immediately fell silent. Everyone turned in my direction, dozens of eyes staring, expressions ranging from shock to disgust to morbid curiosity.

Someone must have already spread the news—the accusations, the damning photographs.

Under their scrutiny, I felt exposed, my skin prickling uncomfortably. With each step, my legs trembled, and though I tried to appear composed, my shoulders still slumped. Tears threatened again, burning behind my eyes, but I blinked them back fiercely. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me completely break down.

As I entered my office to retrieve my belongings, my hands were shaking. I paused, staring at the one-way glass that had always made me uncomfortable. Had Derek been watching me all along, observing my every move, just waiting for an opportunity to accuse me of betrayal?

When I walked back into the hallway, I found my path blocked by an increasing number of employees.

"Traitor!" The accusation came from somewhere behind the crowd.

"I didn't do anything wrong," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

My eyes scanned the crowd until I spotted Claire. She stood slightly apart from the others, arms crossed over her chest, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Unlike the others, whose expressions showed genuine anger or curiosity, hers was something altogether different—satisfaction.

I walked toward her, forcing my legs to move forward when they only wanted to run in the opposite direction. The crowd parted reluctantly, some wolves even physically backing away as if my presence might contaminate them.

"Why did you do this to me?" I asked Claire directly, not needing to lower my voice. I wanted everyone to hear.

Claire affected a surprised expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Why did you lie to the Alpha?" I persisted, my voice growing stronger with indignation. "I never discussed any project with Alpha Ethan."

Claire straightened her spine, lifting her chin slightly in a show of superiority. "Why would I lie? I've worked for the Alpha for years."

"Yes, why would Claire lie?" someone called out, others quickly joining the chorus. "You're the one who leaked our information to Ridgeclaw."

I studied Claire's face carefully, noting the subtle triumph in her eyes, the slight upward curve of her lips she couldn't entirely suppress. Memories suddenly surfaced—Claire in her office, speaking urgently in a hushed tone on the phone, abruptly ending the call when she noticed my presence nearby. The furtive way she shoved documents into a drawer when I entered. Unexplained absences during crucial meetings.

"What's going on here?"

The commanding voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife. Immediately, the crowd parted, wolves clearing a path. Their postures instantly changed—shoulders lowering, heads slightly bowed, eyes respectfully downcast.

Derek stood at the edge of the gathered crowd, his powerful presence radiating outward like the heat from a flame. He hadn't raised his voice, hadn't needed to. His presence alone was enough to completely alter the atmosphere.

Every wolf around responded instinctively to the arrival of their Alpha. Even I felt the pull to submit, to lower myself before him, though I fought against it, maintaining what dignity I had left.

"Why are you still here?" he asked.

My face burned with this, my lungs struggling to breathe under the weight of dozens of stares. I had never felt so small, so completely alone despite being surrounded by people. Each pair of eyes seemed to strip away another layer of my self-respect until I felt naked and exposed.

"I'm leaving," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.