Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother (by CalebWhite) novel Chapter 56

Chapter 56

I swallowed hard, feeling the pulse at the base of my throat. She was always like this around him- scratching and pushing, leaning toward Derek with such intensity that I had to tense every muscle to maintain control. My chest tightened, making breathing difficult. She tried to reach the man who should have been our mate, ignoring all the reasons we needed to keep our distance.

After what felt like an eternity, Derek finally looked up, his eyes meeting mine with such intensity that I had to fight the urge to step back.

“Alpha, you called for me,” I said, my voice mercifully steady.

“You’ll be taking over Claire’s duties in her absence, Blackwood,” he said coldly.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “I have an important business meeting this afternoon. I need you to iron the appropriate suit for me.”

I blinked, momentarily thrown by the mundane request. For a moment, I wondered if this was some kind of test. But his expression remained impassive, expectant.

“Yes, Alpha,” I replied, turning to leave.

“And Blackwood,” he called as I reached the door, stopping me in my tracks. “Don’t take too long.”

I nodded and quickly left, my mind racing. Ironing his suit seemed simple enough, but I suddenly realized I had no idea which suit he intended to wear for his meeting. Claire had never mentioned this aspect of her duties during my training.

In the executive lounge adjacent to Derek’s office, I found the private wardrobe area. I stood frozen for a moment, taking in the vast collection of perfectly tailored suits, dress shirts, and ties, all organized by color and occasion. Each garment looked more expensive than my entire closet at

home.

My hands trembled slightly as I surveyed the options, my wolf unusually quiet inside me, as if holding her breath. After a moment’s hesitation, I decided I needed guidance and pulled out my phone to call Claire.

“Yes?” her crisp voice answered on the second ring.

“Claire, I’m sorry to bother you,” I began hesitantly, “but the Alpha asked me to iron his suit for an important business meeting this afternoon. Which one should I prepare?”

A brief silence followed, then Claire’s voice turned accusatory. “You should prepare his navy blue suit

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with the subtle pinstripe. It’s his preferred attire for business negotiations. The white shirt with French cuffs should accompany it, along with the silver and navy tie.”

1 frowned, scanning the rack for the described outfit. “Thank you, Claire.”

“Don’t make any mistakes,” she added with false sweetness before hanging up. “I wouldn’t want you to lose your job… though I’doubt how long you’ll last anyway.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at my phone. Something about Claire’s tone struck me as odd. She seemed to take peculiar pride in knowing Derek’s preferences, as if it were some intimate privilege. Her possessiveness was unexpected, especially over something as mundane as clothing

choices.

I pushed the thought aside and carefully located the navy suit Claire had described. I set up the ironing board and went to work, meticulously pressing each piece, ensuring there wasn’t a single

wrinkle to be found.

The rich, expensive fabric felt smooth under my fingers as I worked. My wolf grew restless again,

perhaps recognizing our mate’s scent embedded in the clothing.

When I finished, I carefully draped the suit, shirt, and tie over my arm and headed back toward

Derek’s office. As I rounded a corner, I overheard hushed voices from a small group of female

employees huddled near the water cooler.

“She’s so lucky to be handling the Alpha’s personal items,” one whispered. “But I guess that’s her

strategy.”

“You’re right,” another agreed with a smirk. “Since Claire isn’t here today, she’s seizing the

opportunity to get closer to the Alpha. Poor Omega, thinking this will elevate her status.”

My step faltered, my wolf suddenly surging forward with unexpected aggression. Before I could stop

myself, I had pivoted toward the gossiping women.

“Excuse me?” I said, my voice steady despite the rage building in my chest. “Are you talking about

me?”

Their eyes widened in surprise, clearly shocked that an Omega would directly confront them. The

taller one–a Beta wolf with perfectly styled blonde hair–recovered first, her expression hardening.

“Nothing important,‘ she replied coolly. “Just discussing certain wolves‘ ambitions.”

I met her gaze steadily, finding strength I didn’t know I possessed. “I’m on my way to the Pack Alpha’s office right now. Would you like me to share some thoughts with him about unprofessional

behavior among his staff?”

The women exchanged alarmed glances, their confidence visibly wavering.

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“I suggest you focus on your own work rather than gossiping about others, I continued, my voice surprisingly calm. It would better serve the Pack:”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and continued toward Derek’s office, my heart pounding with adrenaline. I couldn’t believe I had just stood up to higher ranking wolves. My hands trembled slightly, but not from fear–from a strange, unfamiliar sense of power.

I knocked on the door once more.

“Enter” came the familiar command.