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“Don’t you dare,” I bit out. “You’ve sinned against me enough already.”

He nodded before looking at his mate. “You already know she’s special like Ha-joon. Leave it at that. I was a bastard and lost my head out of fear. It’s inexcusable and I have always regretted it.” He looked to Ha-joon. “But it’s the reason I won’t make the same move against your brother. It worked for me because my sanity returned. I fear it would only bring out the worst in him.”

“I agree,” Ha-joon said sadly, confusing his mother and me. He let out a slow breath before turning to me. “You won’t tell me, right? Whatever this is, you won’t tell me.”

“No.” That one word hung in the air, and I got annoyed when he adjusted his neck. “He shouldn’t know. That’s not my fault, and I’m not being bullied into—”

“I know,” Ha-joon growled but then shook his head, shaking off his wolf really. “I know.” He snarled and then was suddenly on me, backing me against the wall and sniffing me. “I know it’s not fair. It’s just not fair to me either that my father knows things about you that I don’t when I’m in your bed. You have to see that’s not fair to me.”

“I do.”

“Good.” He sniffed me again and shivered. “I know I’m still in the doghouse, but my wolf is demanding you feed from us tonight even if no sex. Da doesn’t give you that. We’re the wolf that shares that with you. Please, give me that so I can process this and behave.”

“Okay,” I accepted, rubbing my hand over his chest. “It’s not my fault, but I’m sorry. I don’t tell people.” I met his gaze. “Only Alan knows here, and I’ve known him for over a hundred years, Ha-joon. Your father doesn’t know what he thinks he knows. He just knows something.”

He opened his mouth but then closed it before nodding. Then he kissed me in a way that wasnotsuitable for his parents to see.

And it was everything—itsaideverything he was feeling but couldn’t convey to me verbally.

“I need a minute,” he mumbled before walking off.

I blinked after him with a scowl for a full minute after he was gone. “Oh sure, I’ll just handle your parents after that, you dipshit.” I felt better when his mom snorted. I sighed andglanced at her. “It just sort of happened. Your son is very charming.”

She threw back her head and laughed. Even his dad seemed amused, but I was more focused on her.

Mrs. Clark came over to me and cupped my face, kissing both of my cheeks. “If anyone can heal your heart after an abusive relationship, it’s my Ha-joon. And I see you doing the same. I now understand why he was so upset when he came home. The situation blowing up with thatwomanand finding out you were a doctor while being involved—”

“It got messy, but he didn’t give me a chance to explain,” I confirmed. “And then the idiot ghosted me until yesterday.” I nodded when she frowned. “Men.”

“Yes, how they are in charge most times astonishes me.”

Her mate was less than thrilled to hear her say that, but I snorted in agreement. I’d felt the same so many times it wasn’t even funny. I was pretty sure most women had.

“And he hasn’t been feeding me,” I told her, giving her my best pout as a way to refocus them. “I’m out of everything and I returned all of my containers.”

Her eyes danced with amusement as she pet my hair. “Oh, you poor lass. My son is a monster to keep you away from your daily kimchi and needed soy eggs.”

“Heis,” I agreed. “And someone brought me this blackberry peach crumble that has protein in the granola so it’s healthy and filling, not just sugar and butter. It’s so good that I immediately ordered two huge trays to share with you, but when he wasn’t answering me—what was I do to? I gave it to my staff.”

“I cannot believe he would deny me Southern desserts like that,” she said with a gasp… While trying to hide a smirk, her glance cutting to the left. “Well, now he’ll have to buy it extra for the trade-off.

“Yes, I’m sorry, Mum,” Ha-joon agreed as he rejoined us. “And I do have all of her washed containers. I was the jerk. Tell the chefs that—”

“They’re thrilled to have the chance to make so much food and not just the whims of your siblings,” Mrs. Clark said, her voice a bit tight.

So clearly something was going on there.

I decided to take the bullet on something and protect Ha-joon as my apology for being flippant with his father. “I heard about the investment opportunity in Miami. I advised Ha-joon against the idea as it was presented to him.”

Mrs. Clark flinched away from me as if she was shocked I would insult her, but Alpha Clark was pissed… And the one I was worried about on this topic.

“It’s not like it sounds or—” Ha-joon started to say, but it was my turn and I pushed him behind me, probably shocking him with my strength.

I kept Alpha Clark’s gaze. “If your daughter who has repeatedly bullied him and not treated him as she should pulls a fast one because she now has the chance, are you fine with him fighting back? Taking things tocourtand not getting screwed over? Will you allow that embarrassment for your family and pack when—”

“You’ve made your point, Ms. Reed,” he bit out.

I swallowed loudly when I felt Ha-joon’s pain… And I wasn’t the only one from the way the Clarks immediately looked at him.