Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother (by CalebWhite) novel Chapter 85

Erin’s POV

The next morning, I had to skip my classes at Silvermoon Academy and go directly to Stone Group. As I approached the building, my stomach knotted with anxiety, the memory of my public humiliation still fresh. What if Derek had changed his mind? What if the employees still thought I was a traitor?

When I walked into the lobby, I immediately noticed the difference. The atmosphere was completely unlike when I had left. The security guards at the entrance nodded respectfully, one even offering a small, apologetic smile

The receptionist who had previously ignored me now stood up, handing me a visitor badge with both hands.

“Welcome back, Miss Blackwood,” she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth. “We’re glad to have you back.”

Confused but relieved, I took the elevator to my floor. When the doors opened, I was surprised to find several former colleagues waiting. They gathered around me, their expressions remorseful.

“We’re sorry, Erin,” one said, the others nodding in agreement. “We misunderstood you.”

“The Alpha sent out an announcement explaining everything, another added. “Claire was the traitor all along, not you.”

A senior manager stepped forward, extending an envelope to me. “On behalf of all employees at Stone Group, please accept our formal apology.”

My hands trembled slightly as I accepted the envelope. Inside was a formal letter of apology, bearing the Stone Group seal and Derek’s signature. The formality made my throat tighten–not because of what it meant to me personally, but because I understood what it represented. Derek had publicly cleared my name, ensuring everyone in the company knew I had been wrongfully accused.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, genuinely touched by their gesture.

As I walked toward my office, other employees stopped to greet me, offering smiles and welcomes I had never seen before, tinged with new respect. Even the executives from the upper floors congratulated me on my return, each one making a point to apologize for the previous misunderstanding.

I had barely reached my former office when a young woman approached me.

“Miss Blackwood? The Alpha/requires your presence in his office immediately.”

My heart jumped to my throat. Taking a deep breath, I smoothed my skirt and walked toward Derek’s

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office. Each step felt heavier than the last, uncertainty and anticipation building in my chest.

When I entered, Derek was standing by the window, his powerful silhouette outlined in the morning light. His broad shoulders appeared even more imposing in the backlight, his posture radiating. authority and control. When he turned to face me, I unconsciously held my breath. In the sunlight, his eyes appeared lighter, almost silver, his strong jawline accentuated by stubble that hadn’t been there yesterday.

1 stopped in front of his desk, my pulse quickening traitorously. I carefully kept my eyes lowered in respect, though it took considerable effort not to stare at him. “You wanted to see me, Alpha?” My voice was more husky than I’d intended, and I cleared my throat.

Derek studied me for a moment, his gaze traveling slowly from my face down to my carefully chosen outfit, then back to my face. The weight of his scrutiny made my skin heat as if he were touching me rather than just looking.

When he finally spoke, his deep voice seemed to resonate in my chest. “I have dismissed my personal secretary due to her betrayal of the Darkwood Pack,” he said, his tone businesslike, though I detected something else beneath the professional exterior. “Starting today, you will be my personal

secretary,”

My head snapped up, lips parting. I’ll be what?” Our eyes met fully for the first time that morning, and the intensity in his made me grip the edge of his desk to steady myself.

“My personal secretary, he repeated calmly, leaning forward slightly to emphasize the word “my,” as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on me. A subtle curve at the corner of his mouth suggested he was enjoying my reaction.

“No,” I blurted out, then immediately regretted my directness. “I mean… I can’t be your personal

secretary.”

wworkloads whir I struggled to balance my studies. Being “Claire

assigning me impossible