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Bonded to My Ex’s Alpha Brother
Chapter 159
Erin’s POV
I gasped, fingers gripping the windowsill tightly. “Who told you?”
“That’s not important,” Aaron’s voice sharpened. “What matters is why you’re in that dangerous place. That’s not an ordinary company, Erin, that’s Alpha Derek’s territory! The most dangerous werewolf in the Darkwood Pack!”
I frowned. “I was only trying to help, brother. I thought… I thought it would help our family…”
“Help?” Aaron scoffed. “Do you know what Derek Stone has done during full moons? Do you understand how dangerous that man is? For Moon’s sake, Erin, you’ve barely completed your first transformation!”
I bit my lip. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll quit. I’ve already submitted my resignation.”
Aaron was silent for a moment, his voice suddenly dropping lower. “There’s something else you need to know. Derek has given me leave, what he calls ‘a gesture of goodwill.” His voice was thick with sarcasm. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
A wave of dizziness hit me. “Tomorrow?”
“Don’t tell Mom,” Aaron said quickly, “I want to surprise her. We’ll discuss this in detail when we meet, understand?”
I hung up the phone and stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. I recalled Derek’s words that night at Moonlight Restaurant, finally understanding the meaning behind his cold smile. “Within two days, Blackwood, you’ll crawl back on your own, begging me to take back your resignation letter. Remember my words.”
I threw my phone down as if electrocuted, my trembling hands covering my mouth to prevent myself from screaming out
loud.
“This was his arrangement,” I whispered to the empty room, “all of this was his plan.” I slowly slid down to the floor, arms wrapped tightly around myself. “He’s going to use Aaron to threaten me… if I don’t go back, Aaron will lose his position as Pack Enforcer.”
Anger surged through me like a tidal wave. I jumped to my feet, slamming my fist on the dressing table, sending perfume bottles and jewelry boxes clattering to the floor. I grabbed my hair, tears streaming down my cheeks. “How dare he! What am I going to do? Moon Goddéss, what am I going to do?”
I pulled back the curtains and looked toward the distant forest, as if I could see crimson eyes watching me from the darkness. Derek Stone was clearly more dangerous, more calculating than I had imagined.
I couldn’t sleep that night. I sat on the edge of my bed, a cup of coffee in my hands, watching the blinds gradually brighten as dawn approached. My thoughts raced through possibilities, each more desperate than the last.
What if I was late to the office? What if I couldn’t save Aaron’s position? The memory of beggin brother haunted me—I had promised to do anything. Now he was collecting on that promise.
rek to reinstate my
I set down my coffee cup, determination solidifying like ice in my veins. I would accept Derek’s proposition. The thought of becoming someone’s plaything made me physically ill, but for my brother, for my mother’s heart condition that could worsen with stress… I had no choice.
The wolf inside me grew restless, conflicted and confused. Part of her recoiled at the thought of submitting under these
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Chapter 159
circumstances, while another part still yearned for Derek. Every time I thought of him–his touch, his scent, the intensity in his eyes when he looked at me–a warmth spread through my body.
Standing before my closet Sunday morning, I stared at the designer clothes Derek had given me. Each garment now seemed to mock me, reminding me of how foolishly I had believed in what might have been a genuine connection.
My phone rang, interrupting my dark thoughts. Amy’s name flashed on the screen.
“Erin! Don’t forget we have Professor Wilson’s lecture on wolf bloodline genetics today! It’s crucial for our semester grade!”
I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I can’t make it today.”
“What? Why not?” Amy’s voice was clearly surprised.
“I need to go to the office early. I have important work to handle.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.
Amy paused, and I could sense her detecting something was wrong, but she didn’t press. “Alright, but tomorrow at Silvermoon Academy I want all the details, okay?”
I showered quickly and deliberately chose an old dress from the back of my closet–nothing Derek had given me. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me wearing his gifts while lowering my dignity.
I slipped out of the house while my mother was still sleeping, not wanting to wake her. The morning air was fresh and cool, carrying the scent of leaves and distant rain.
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