Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 59

Erin's POV

"This card will buy everything you need," he said coldly. "As my personal secretary, your appearance directly reflects on my reputation."

I shook my head. "No, I can't accept this."

Derek's eyes narrowed. "This isn't a request, Erin. Return it after you've made your purchases. There's no room for refusal. It's only right for an Alpha to reward his subordinates."

"So this is the reward you meant?" I looked at him in confusion. "No, I really can't—"

Heat rushed to my face as I realized what he was implying—that I had been expecting something else, something more intimate.

"I—I didn't mean—" I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "I just want to do good work for you, Alpha."

Derek's lips curled upward, almost imperceptibly, possibly in amusement. But there was something else in his expression—a flicker of heat in his eyes that made me hold my breath.

I took the card with trembling fingers, our skin brushing for the briefest moment. Even that momentary contact sent a current up my arm. "Thank you, Alpha. I promise I'll work even harder to deserve your trust."

I said nothing more, hurrying from his office with my heart drumming in my chest, my wolf whimpering with a confusing mixture of relief and disappointment.

---

"Erin, are you alright? Why is your face so red? Did you eat something you're allergic to?"

I looked up to see the administrative assistant watching me with concern as I entered my office.

"Maybe," I mumbled, sinking into my chair.

She hesitated for a moment, clearly curious, but eventually returned to her desk, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Was I dreaming? What had gotten into Derek? He was acting like a completely different person! Was he finally feeling the pull of our Soul Bond too?

I pressed my hands to my burning cheeks, trying to cool my skin. I needed to focus on work, not interpreting Derek's confusing behavior. I opened my laptop, attempting to concentrate on the Silverpine Pack files, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the moment Derek had leaned so close, his breath warming my ear and skin.

Just as I finally settled into a productive workflow, my phone vibrated with another text from the unknown number:

[Are you avoiding reality? Don't you know hiding your feelings is the act of a coward?]

I stared at the screen, completely bewildered. Who was this person, and what did they know about my feelings? Had someone from school seen me with Derek at the club? Or worse, someone from the office?

After a moment's consideration, I decided not to reply. Engaging with anonymous messages would only encourage them. I turned off my phone and refocused on work, determined to get through the rest of the day without further distractions.

When I had completed my tasks for the day, the office was beginning to empty as employees headed home. I gathered my things, eager to go home and thank my mother for covering for me last night. Whatever Amy had told her had worked perfectly.

I walked toward the elevator, surprised to find Derek already there, his finger hovering over the button. He glanced at me, his expression unreadable, but something in his eyes made my pulse quicken.

"Why are you lingering here?" he asked, his deep voice echoing in the empty hallway. "The VIP elevator requires my permission to use, as you should know."

My cheeks flushed again, and I lowered my head slightly in a gesture that was both respectful and shy. "I was just leaving, Alpha. I wanted to finish those files you requested first."

Derek gestured toward the elevator. I stepped inside, trying to make myself as small as possible in the confined space. He followed, his tall frame seeming to consume the remaining air. He stood close enough that I could count the stitches on his perfectly tailored suit if I dared to look directly at him.

The elevator began its descent, the silence between us thick enough to touch. The slight swaying of the elevator occasionally caused our shoulders to brush, each contact sparking along my skin.

His energy seemed to fill the small space completely, pressing against me from all sides, silently claiming ownership of everything inside, including me. I felt both trapped and protected, frightened and thrilled.

My wolf stirred within me, not just circling but almost dancing with excitement, responding to his dominant presence. Her eager reaction only intensified the heat pooling in my stomach.

I kept my gaze fixed on the illuminated floor numbers on the elevator display, clutching my folder tightly against my chest like a shield. If I looked at him now, in this intimate enclosed space, he would surely see the effect he had on me—how my body trembled slightly, how shallow my breathing had become, how my scent must be broadcasting my confused emotions.

When we reached the lobby, I quickly stepped out of the elevator, eager to escape the tension between us.

"Goodbye, Alpha," I said, giving a slight bow of my head before turning toward the exit.

Just as I reached the doors, I heard a car horn. Derek's gleaming black luxury car pulled up directly in front of the building. The window lowered to reveal his stern face.

"Get in. Now."

The command in his voice brooked no argument. I hurried to the car, sliding into the back seat as the driver opened the door.

"Alpha?" I asked uncertainly, settling into the plush leather seat.

Derek didn't look at me. "Drive," he commanded the driver.

"Where to?" I asked, panic rising. "Alpha, I need to go home. I can't work overtime today. Could the work wait until tomorrow?"

Derek gave me an amused glance. "Tell him your address. My personal secretary doesn't need to wait for buses. It's beneath the dignity of the Pack Alpha."

Relief washed over me as I gave the driver my address. At least he wasn't making me work overtime—he was just providing me with a ride home. The car pulled smoothly away from the curb and into the evening traffic.

---

We drove in silence for several minutes until my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, surprised to see Tomas's name.

"Hi, Tomas," I answered, acutely aware of Derek beside me.

"Hey, Erin. I'm good. I meant to see you today, but I couldn't make it to the upper floors because of too much work," Tomas's friendly voice came through the phone.

"Oh, you wanted to see me? You could have called. I would have come to your floor without a doubt," I responded, a note of surprise and warmth in my voice.

"You're too kind. I wanted to talk to you about something. If you feel up to it, can we meet after work tomorrow?"

I hesitated, feeling Derek listening attentively beside me. "Sure. See you tomorrow."

After hanging up, I noticed Derek watching me.

"It seems you and Tomas are quite close," he said, his voice low and probing, with a dangerous undercurrent in his tone that made my skin prickle.

"Oh, we're not—I mean, we're just..." I stammered, suddenly anxious to clarify. "Our mothers are best friends, so we've known each other since childhood. He's like a brother to me, really."

Derek's jaw tightened at my words, his profile sharp and forbidding in the dim light of the car. He gave a curt nod, an abrupt movement. "I see."

"He's a good person," I continued, nervously twisting my fingers in my lap. "When Bradley... when everything happened, and people were saying those terrible things about me, Tomas was one of the few who believed me."

The temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees, Derek's expression darkening, his knuckles whitening where he gripped his knee.

"It seems my brother's transgressions have gained you... interesting friendships," he said, each word precisely controlled yet still vibrating with restrained emotion. "How fortunate that someone extended their hand when you were in need."

The possessiveness in his tone was unmistakable, sending a shiver through me from head to toe. My wolf immediately responded, whimpering softly within me, eager to prove her loyalty to the Alpha beside us.

When we arrived at my home, the driver immediately got out and retrieved several packages from the trunk—my clothes from last night, now neatly folded and packed.

I instinctively reached out to help, wanting to be useful. "Oh, please let me take those. They're not heavy."

"Stay where you are," Derek commanded, his voice low and firm. "He will assist you. That's his job."

I immediately dropped my hands to my sides, my body responding to his command before my mind could form a protest. The driver carried the packages to my front door while I stood beside the car, suddenly very aware of how my purple dress clung to my figure in the cool night air.

As the driver returned to the car, I gathered my courage and looked at Derek through the open window. He remained seated, his strong profile illuminated by the soft glow from the dashboard, his gaze fixed straight ahead through the windshield. The set line of his jaw and the intensity of his gaze made him look like a sculpture carved from marble—beautiful, cold, untouchable.

"Thank you, Alpha," I said softly, infusing my voice with genuine gratitude. "I promise I'll work even harder tomorrow to deserve all your kindness."

He didn't respond, didn't even blink, the muscles at the edge of his jaw tightening slightly. His continued silence left me standing there feeling both awkward and confused, yet strangely reluctant to leave.

Finally, I turned and walked toward my house, acutely aware that his gaze might have shifted to follow me. Only when I reached the door did I hear the sound of the car pulling away, as if he had waited until he was sure I was safely inside.

I leaned against the closed door, my heart racing as I tried to make sense of everything. Why had his mood shifted so dramatically? Was it Tomas's call that triggered that possessive reaction? Or had my innocent question about his living arrangements somehow crossed a line?

This protective behavior, his insistence on driving me home, ensuring I didn't take public transportation like a common employee... the way his eyes had darkened when Tomas called...

Was the powerful Alpha, who had once resisted our bond so fiercely, finally beginning to yield to it?

The thought was both terrifying and thrilling, sending warmth throughout my body. I pressed my fingers to my lips, remembering how close he had come to kissing me in his office, how his breath had caressed my skin.

"What are you doing to me, Derek Stone?" I whispered to the empty hallway, my voice trembling with confusion and longing.