You should Let Go, My Mate

The meeting dragged on, and when it finally wrapped, Derek's eyes flicked to the unfamiliar she-wolf standing off to the side. His brow furrowed, just enough to notice. "Who's she?" he asked me, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Kayla, my new secretary," I said calmly. "She'll be handling meeting notes from now on."

Derek nodded, thoughtful. "Nice. Frees you up from the small stuff."

Small stuff? I bit back a cold laugh. Those "small stuff" notes were hours of me sifting through chaotic discussions to pull out the sharpest, clearest points just so he could skim them without a headache. All that effort, and to him, it was just. extra.

Kayla handed him the meeting summary, her hands practically trembling. Derek flipped through it, his frown deepening with every page. When she left the room, he turned to me, his voice warm and familiar. "You know me best, Rachel. This new one's notes are way too wordy."

He waited, probably expecting me to take the file and fix it like always. Instead, I just smiled. "Give her a shot."

He blinked, thrown off, but recovered quick. Before he could say more, his phone lit up with a message. I caught a glimpse-his best friend inviting him to an engagement party, with a note to bring a date.

"Want me to come with?" I asked, my voice soft but testing him.

His face shifted, a mix of emotions I couldn't quite pin down. He pulled me into his arms, his tone all warm and protective. "That scene's not for you. Bunch of spoiled wolves. I wouldn't want you stuck in that mess."

I eased out of his hold. "Good, 'cause I've got plans tonight anyway. Gotta head out."

Worried I sounded too sharp, I added, "Be back early."

Relief washed over his face. He brushed a kiss on my cheek. "You're the best, babe. Next time, I'll take you to a real gathering, show you off to the whole pack."

His sincerity almost made me laugh. Five years, and the first time he talks about going public is when I've already checked out.

I turned toward the door, tossing over my shoulder, "Sure, next time."

The door clicked shut, and I knew there'd never be a next time.

As I figured, Derek's "date" was Alyssa. At the party, under glittering lights and clinking glasses, she floated in a sleek white dress, clinging to his arm. Her cheeks flushed, she leaned into him, and the crowd ate it up.

"Alyssa's looking stunning these days."

"Perfect match for Derek, right?"

Everyone conveniently ignored their old "sibling" tie. Alyssa wasn't blood, so to them, they were just another pair of wolves circling each other.

After the party, Alyssa, tipsy and swaying, slumped in Derek's passenger seat. Her fingers toyed with his sleeve. "Derek. I can't go back to that hotel. I'm scared. Can I crash at your place 'til the cooling-off period's over?"

His grip tightened on the wheel. Logic screamed to say no-how would he explain this to me? If his pack found out, it'd be a mess. But one look at her teary eyes and flushed face, and he was steering toward home.

Then, at the doorstep, he froze. There I was, talking with Brian, the pack's hotshot second-gen lawyer, both of us holding a file. Derek's heart must've skipped, because he rushed over, Alyssa still on his arm.

"What's going on?" His eyes locked on the papers. "Who's breaking a bond?"

The file looked familiar, but before he could get a good look, I slipped it into my bag. "Tara's splitting from her mate," I said smoothly. "I'm helping her sort it out."

Tara, my best friend, was my go-to excuse.

I shifted gears, glancing at Alyssa, who was practically plastered to him. "What's with Alyssa? Too much to drink?"

Derek's guilt flashed, his focus snapping away from the file. "Her ex's pack is giving her hell," he mumbled. "She's staying with us for a bit."

He turned to me, his voice taking on that lecturing tone. "Even if it's for a friend, you shouldn't be out this late with some wolf you barely know."

I looked at Alyssa, draped over him, and the irony hit like a brick. This wolf, who treated me like a little sister, was cradling his "real" sister like a lover.

"Brian, let's wrap up for tonight," I said, keeping my voice steady.

Brian's flirty eyes-those signature charmers-flicked to Alyssa, then back to me. He grinned. "You know, I still haven't met Derek's mate."