Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 50 my wolf, bristling

Victoria’s POV::

Ethan was escorted away by security, and the surrounding crowd was dispersed by the remaining guards.

Seeing the situation under control, Kane returned to his duties, but Alexander Hayes approached me with his fearless smirk.

"Victoria, was that your ex-boyfriend?" Alexander’s voice carried casual mockery. "Your taste in men is really questionable. Even I’m a better choice."

I could feel Nora, my wolf, bristling at his sarcasm. She didn’t like anyone questioning our judgment, especially Alexander Hayes.

I noticed Damian’s eyes narrow when he saw Alexander. The air between them immediately filled with tension, like two dominant wolves meeting on disputed territory.

"Has he been in your office this whole time?" Damian asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. The smoky cedar scent that always surrounded him intensified, betraying his displeasure.

"No," I replied firmly.

"Yes!" Alexander contradicted at the exact same time.

Alexander’s grin widened. "What do you mean ’no’? I was definitely in your office. Are you so eager to deny our relationship? I’ll have to tell Grandfather how uncooperative you’re being about cultivating our connection. You even stood me up on our date the other day."

Every word from Alexander’s mouth was deliberately provocative. He was clearly trying to create misunderstandings between Damian and me. My wolf growled internally at this childish game.

"So this is why Miss Lancaster hasn’t had time to sign our contract these past days," Damian said, his voice dropping to that dangerous, silky tone that made my wolf perk up. "She’s been busy cultivating feelings with another man."

I could smell the subtle change in his scent—territorial and possessive. This confused me because we hadn’t established any formal pack bonds or relationship. Why would he care?

"That’s not true. Stop stirring up trouble!" I turned to Alexander, who stood there with that insufferable pleased expression, clearly enjoying the drama he’d created.

I faced Damian again, trying to salvage the situation. "I will certainly sign the contract. Since you’re here, Mr. Sterling, why don’t you come in?"

This partnership was too valuable to lose over such nonsense. An alliance between Crescent Dawn and Blood Moon could strengthen both our packs, even if Damian didn’t yet know I was aware of his true identity.

However, Damian’s expression remained cold. "I can see Lancaster Enterprises lacks sincerity. With ex-boyfriends and potential matches demanding your attention, Miss Lancaster, you’re clearly too distracted. I’ll take my leave. We can discuss cooperation another day."

"Wait!" I moved forward instinctively, my hand grasping his arm before I could think twice. The contact sent shocks through me—that familiar spark confirming what I’d known since our first meeting, but which he couldn’t feel due to my concealment charm. "Early signing benefits us both. We could start cooperating immediately, couldn’t we?"

I watched Damian look down at my hand on his arm. Though his face remained stoic, something flickered in his eyes—perhaps satisfaction? The scent of midnight roses intensified around him.

"I don’t see what particular benefit this holds for ME," he said coldly. "But I suggest you focus on business matters rather than men, Miss Lancaster. I can’t guarantee this opportunity will remain available long-term."

With that, he extracted his arm from my grip. "Goodbye."

Damian strode away with his secretary, leaving me staring as he returned to his car. I couldn’t help feeling our potential partnership slipping away, all because of Alexander’s mischief.

"He’s gone and you’re still staring," Alexander’s voice interrupted my thoughts. "If you like him that much, why not chase after him? He seems quite pursuable. With enough persistence, I’m sure you’d win him over."

My wolf wanted to snarl at him. "We were discussing business," I said firmly, irritated by his implications.

Alexander laughed. "Look how quickly you deny it? Clear signs of guilt."

"I’m not denying anything! You’re just a child who doesn’t understand these things," I growled, my patience wearing thin. "Now leave—stop interfering with my work! Don’t come to my workplace anymore!"

"Why not?" he challenged. "Since you don’t have a boyfriend, why can’t I be your boyfriend?"

"There are no feelings between us to justify a relationship!" The idea was ridiculous. My wolf whimpered in agreement—we both knew our true mate lay elsewhere.

"Feelings can develop over time," Alexander insisted. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

I gave him a cold smile. "Why would I waste time cultivating feelings with you when I could do so with someone else?"

Alexander’s expression grew smug. "I knew it! You want to cultivate feelings with someone else—that older guy just now, right?"

"What ’older guy’? Just go," I demanded. "Don’t come looking for me again, or I’ll tell your grandfather you’ve been harassing me!"

Male wolves really did mature later than females. Despite being only a year younger than me, Alexander seemed so childish. Handsome, certainly, but completely not my type. I preferred more mature men—someone whose presence made both me and my wolf feel safe.

I left Alexander standing there and went back inside. I still had work to do, and the situation with Damian could be handled later.

Alexander didn’t follow me upstairs. Instead, he returned to his own car and drove away. What I didn’t notice was that Damian’s luxury business vehicle hadn’t actually left the vicinity. It had simply moved a short distance from the Lancaster Enterprises entrance before stopping.

As I took the elevator back to my office, I absent-mindedly touched the concealment charm bracelet on my wrist. The magical silver felt cool against my skin, its magic pulsing faintly. How much longer would I have to hide my true nature? The white wolf within me was growing restless, tired of being suppressed.

"Just a little longer, Nora," I whispered to my wolf. "We need to be certain this time."

But even as I said this, I wondered if I was making another mistake. Because despite all my caution and my previous heartbreak with Ethan, I truly couldn’t ignore Damian Sterling.

His presence was too intense, and far more dangerous. I felt very insecure, especially with the future of the pack resting on my shoulders. I didn’t want to be like a gambler.

Author’s pov:

In the Sterling Corporation headquarters, Ethan sat with his head bowed before his father, Lawrence Sterling, the Alpha of the Northstream Pack. The tension in the room was palpable, with Lawrence’s dominant scent filling the executive office.

"Dad, I was only trying to help our company," Ethan pleaded, his wolf cowering within him. "I was just waiting outside to meet the Lancaster heiress. How was I supposed to know Damien would show up and humiliate me? He forced me to kneel in front of everyone! This isn’t my fault!"

"Disgraceful!" Lawrence roared, his Alpha voice making the windows tremble slightly. "Do you have any idea how many pack leaders and business associates have called me about this incident? You’ve shamed not just yourself, but our entire pack!"

The rich scent of anger rolled off Lawrence in waves, causing Ethan’s wolf to whimper submissively.

"I’m sorry, Dad," Ethan said, tilting his head slightly to expose his neck in submission—a gesture deeply ingrained in wolf culture. "I’ve disappointed you. It’s just that... growing up away from the pack with Mom, I became used to being bullied. Not like Damien, who grew up by your side in a loving home with proper guidance. I know I’ll never measure up to him in your eyes. It’s all my fault."

Lawrence’s anger faltered at these words, and guilt clouded his scent. His wolf, once ready to assert dominance, now retreated with a sense of shame.

"I failed you and your mother," Lawrence sighed, the Alpha’s shoulders slumping slightly.

The weight of his decision years ago—to choose his mate over his son—hung heavily between them. For all these years, Ethan had been denied his rightful place in the pack hierarchy.

"Not at all, Dad," Ethan replied, his voice soft and calculated. "Mom always told me I had a wonderful father—the best in the world. She said you were just in a difficult position and that someday you’d bring us home. Now that I can work by your side, I’m already so happy."

Ethan carefully controlled his scent to mask any deception as he continued, "Don’t worry, I’ll work hard and make you proud. Even though my brother is always targeting me, I believe he doesn’t mean harm. Isn’t it natural for an older brother to discipline his younger sibling? It’s my fault for disappointing him."

Lawrence’s guilt deepened with every word. His wolf growled inside, directing his anger toward his eldest son instead.

"It’s Damien who’s being unreasonable," Lawrence snarled, his eyes briefly flashing wolf-gold. "He’s not just targeting you—he’s challenging my authority as Alpha! This is a direct challenge to me!"

The Alpha paced the office, his dominant pheromones filling the room. Damien hadn’t answered his calls, further fueling Lawrence’s rage. Was his son no longer recognizing him as Alpha?

Lawrence felt his authority being undermined, a situation no Alpha could tolerate. He ordered his betas to locate Damien, but they could only find his residence address.

As night fell over the city, Lawrence personally went to confront his eldest son, his wolf simmering with the need to reassert dominance over a pack member who’d forgotten his place in the hierarchy.