Chapter 158
After a moment of silence, I suddenly asked, “You and Jack… do you think he might be your Soul Mate? What does it feel
like?‘
Amy laughed. “Wow, getting all serious suddenly? The Soul Bond connection is undeniable. It’s like an invisible chain, feeling the other person no matter the distance.” She paused, her tone becoming mysterious, “Especially when you’re dealing with powerful figures in the pack, like an Alpha… the strength of that connection can be suffocating.”
I walked to the window, pressing my forehead against the cool glass. “Maybe some connections are destined to fail. He and I… we’re too different. Perhaps I should stay away from all this.”
“Erin!” Amy’s voice suddenly rose. “Don’t you understand? Once a Soul Bond forms, it’s like poison in your blood– impossible to purge. The more you struggle, the tighter it wraps. Trust me, I’ve seen wolves who tried to escape their Soul Bonds. The pain… unimaginable.”
Her words echoed in my mind long after I hung up, disquieting whispers that corresponded with the restless pacing of the
wolf beneath my skin.
For the weekend, I locked myself in my bedroom, crying until there were no tears left, then staring blankly at the ceiling.
I kept replaying the tender moments with Bradley, trying to understand how everything had changed so dramatically. Was there something about me that attracted these complicated situations with the Stone brothers?
But what troubled me most were the memories of Derek. The feeling of his hand on my waist. The sensation of his lips on
my neck when he licked my wound.
The heat of his body when he stood close to me. The fact that my body still responded to these memories despite the pain he had caused made me all the more frustrated with myself.
Sunday morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and barely recognized the person staring back. Dark circles underlined my eyes from lack of sleep, and my skin was pale.
The wolf inside me whimpered softly, confused and unsettled. I ran my fingers through my tangled hair, wondering what Derek would think if he saw me like this now, then immediately hated myself for still caring about his opinion.
“Erin! Breakfast!” Mom called from downstairs..
I turned to my closet, my hand automatically reaching for a jacket–Derek’s jacket, the one he had draped over my shoulders before driving me home that night. His scent still clung to the fabric, cedar and leather mixed with something uniquely him. I quickly pushed it aside, grabbing a simple sweater instead.
After dressing and making myself somewhat presentable, I went downstairs to join Mom for brea‘
“Aren’t you going somewhere today?” Mom asked, placing a plate of food in front of me.
I looked up, confused. “Where would I go, Mom?”
“It’s the weekend. I thought you had plans. She studied my face carefully, noting my dull expression.
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Chapter 158
I shook my head, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. The thought of going anywhere, possibly encountering Derek or anyone from Stone Group, made my stomach twist painfully.
Mom reached across the table, her warm hand covering mine. “Why so dejected, dear? Are you missing your brother?”
The mention of Aaron sent a pang through my heart. “How is he, Mom?” I hadn’t heard from my protective brother in weeks, not since Derek had suspended him from his position as Pack Enforcer.
Before she could answer, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and nearly jumped from her chair. “It’s Aaron!” Her voice trembled with excitement.
Mom quickly answered, her face lighting up as she spoke with her son, occasionally bursting into delighted laughter. After a moment, she covered the microphone with her hand and beckoned to me. “Aaron wants to speak with you, come quick!”
I took the phone and ran upstairs to my bedroom for privacy. Closing the door, I tried to steady my breathing. “Aaron?”
“Little one, your voice sounds strange.” Aaron’s deep voice came through, warm and familiar. “Is your wolf crying? I can feel it.”
I wiped the corner of my eye with my sleeve. “No, it’s not that. It’s just… it’s been so long since I heard your voice. My wolf misses you.” I forced myself to smile, even though he couldn’t see.
A displeased growl came from the other end. “Don’t play games with me, Erin. I just received an interesting message–my sister, without my knowledge, became an employee of Stone Group? Reporting directly to the Pack Alpha?”
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