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“Ha-yun would never is what your father is saying,” Mrs. Clark said quietly.

“I don’t know that I believe that, Mum,” Ha-joon mumbled and I felt like I saw him as a child being neglected—after his siblings bullied him again.

“You already made a promise to her, Hugo,” Alpha Clark said firmly. “You can’t just back out—”

“Nothing has been signed, and you will put your family’s image before your son, not hold your daughter accountable,” I snapped. “So he can back out at any time if there aren’t guarantees.” I hurried on when anger about radiated off of him. “But I suggested he form an LLC with his mates who are also in the pack and invest that way.”

“That’s actually a better way to handle it,” Alpha Clark said after a moment. He glanced past me. “Ha-yun is sincere in this. She wants her own life just as you do.”

“Yeah, but I never shit on anyone in the family to get there. She can’t say the same, so Ellie’s right that I shouldn’t trust her after our past,” Ha-joon said quietly. “Especially in a new market and…”

Alpha Clark met my gaze and let out a long breath. “No, she’s a good person to protect you without trying to make problems for you and our family. Thank you.”

I gave a shallow nod. “As your mate already knows, I have family issues of my own. Clearly on a different level than your family, but I’ve had the rug pulled out on me too many times to believe people change. If they do—lovely. I just never have any faith in it. So I would never think to invest with his siblings, but he wants to. I just want him to do it safely.”

Alpha Clark nodded. “I understand. I asked Ha-joon to introduce Ha-yun to you after learning about your business—”

“Da,” Ha-joon cut in.

“But he said with the board issues it wasn’t the right time.” He frowned and glanced at Ha-joon. “You’re involved with her. What does it matter now—”

“It matters because I’d drain your children,” I chuckled darkly, letting him see in my eyes that I wasn’t kidding. “Leaving aside our personal relationship, I don’t letanyonegive the staff of ASH trouble. It’s why I handled the situation with thelocal wolf Alpha that I’ll talk to Ha-joon about. But your other children give him trouble. So no, do not let them around me.”

“You did not just say that to one of the biggest Alphas in the world,” Ha-joon whispered under his breath, his tone full of awe.

I snorted and looked at him. “I run ASH,love. I basically run Atlanta and boss around all the different supe groups I want. I have a direct line to every president and they all owe me favors. No shade against your family, but they arenotthe big hitter standing here. I am. You know of one company.” I tilted my head and studied him. “Why do you assume that’s the only one?”

He let out a long, deep breath before lowering his forehead to my shoulder. “Please stop making me long for you more. I’m trying to be good and not be all over you after I was a jerk and give you the space you asked for. You can’t be so damn sexy and—”

“Enough from you,” I growled and moved so he stumbled. “Now you’re really in trouble, pup.”

“I was just being honest,” he mumbled.

Gods save me.

“On the note that I have a lot on my shoulders, I need to get going,” I said to all of them before focusing on Mrs. Clark. “Though I hope you can schedule lunch soon.” I hurried on when her eyes flashed shock. “As a respected patient who has the best interest of ASH at heart and keeps her eyes and ears open.”

She dipped her head to me. “Yes, I have many notes if you’re open to them.”

“Always.” I wasn’t offended when Ha-joon and his father snorted. “From people that I trust and won’t just try to change everything for their best interest. You have no interest or reason to insert yourself here.”

“No, no I do not,” she agreed. “And my notes are very minor—mostly praise. Dr. Tai—she is—I’m not sure I’ve met a moreimpressive physician and for her not to even be a shifter—astounding, a true talent.” She gave her son a look to shove it.

“I accept that since I’ve never been your doctor,” he grumbled good-naturedly.

Well, that was one way to leave the “meeting” and make my escape.

And I was a smart enough woman to do it.

8

Ha-joon

Ellie was a mess of every emotion after the run-in with my parents and whatever the fuck her past was with my father. I made it clear that I wanted to pound him after she was gone—which shocked the shit out of my parents to say the least.

“Yes, if I have my way she will be my mate,” I told them under my breath, done with the pretenses since they knew now. “So deal with it. My wolf wants her to be ours now and—I don’t care about what the pack or family thinks. So this one time make the exception for me or—”

“Ha-joon, we would never object to her,” Mum said firmly… But Father hesitated, shocking both of us.