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He didn’t get to pick the food after all of that. “Mexican. I want that little place we ordered from with those burritos—the pork ones that—”

“Yesssss,” he groaned, leaning over and giving me a quick peck. “Yes, that’s exactly what we need. I’ll get the menu and order.”

I grabbed his arm before he could roll out of bed and escape. “And there better be an explanation with that food.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t going to hide this.” He let out a slow, shaky breath. “I was going to ask your advice. My sibling—siblings maybe—went too far this time.”

My heart hurt for him when I saw him blinking back tears as he left. What did those fuckers do to him now? Seriously, just when I thought nothing could be more fucked up than my situation with my sibling—no, I knew there was much worse. I just hated that he had to deal with any of it.

I got cleaned up—not even bothering with the mess my hair now was. I would have to reshower in the morning and condition it to make any sense of it. He’d run up to his condo to grab clothes, smiling when I chuckled that he’d gone up there in a towel.

“You’re not in trouble,” I confirmed when I realized he thought I was mad. “I agreed and nothing was too far. That’s just not something you skip the explanation on.”

“No, yeah—that’s fair.” He went to the door when the food arrived and spent the next several minutes filling me in on lots including a bit of history with his siblings so I understood the layers.

“This is escalating instead of getting better now that you’ve moved,” I told him, hoping he understood that.

He opened his mouth to say something but then seemed stumped, taking too big of a bite of his food instead. “I don’t think it’s escalating in the way you think like I’m a threat. That part has de-escalated.”

What he meant hit me. “It’s straight jealousy. The youngest of your eldest sisters is just jealous that you received any sort of recognition from your eldest sister and she wanted to make a mess for you.”

“Yes, but I think she thought it would really work and I’d be trapped.” He nodded when I couldn’t hide my shock. “I don’t make waves in my family, Ellie. I always do what’s best for them,and this could be a headache for them. Or could have been if I didn’t scare the shit out of the Alpha, but she’s never met him to know his power level.

“I’ve only dug in my heels once and that was going to med school. It was the only time my parents told me no and I told them to fuck off and I would dump the family. I have always fallen in line and been the good pup of the Clark family. I have always beenapologeticfor making them look bad by being special.” He snorted.

“Until recently,” I surmised, knowing he threw down with them when he’d gone home last time. I nodded when he did. “It’s not going to get better now that you’ve shown you have bite. You have to truly bite one of them, Ha-joon.”

“I know,” he whispered sadly. “And more than that, I have to do something I don’t want to and will really hurt Da. It’s to save him though because he’s in more trouble than he realizes. I just have to talk to my mates first and see if they’ll back my play.” He swallowed loudly and met my gaze. “And for you to trust me. Trust me more than I should ask you to.”

I studied his gaze and saw not only worry, but maybe the little boy Ha-joon had once been and no one had ever picked him. No one in his family had loved him how they should—even his parents who had tried to do their best. He was too special to be pushed to the side, but he had been.

“As long as you tell me the truth and we talk, I can ignore rumors and stupid just fine,” I promised him. “I have piles of my own shit and it’s hit you too. We both need to have faith in each other better.” I was glad that he took the chastising as intended and nodded. “But you’re going to have to forgive me for stepping in to protect you as well.”

He frowned and asked what that meant, but I was saved when his sister called to ask how the meeting with his new in-laws went. Ha-joon got angry so fast that my condo and the whole building probably went up ten degrees.

I was going to drain the bitch. I could hear the whole conversation and—I wasn’t sure I could be that cruel to someone I hated. Ha-joon was her baby brother and hadn’t done anything to deserve this treatment. What petty fuckers. Really. It was disgusting.

But what had I meant?

I crashed his lunch meeting the next day with his friends who had formed an American corporation at my suggestion and his eldest sister, Ha-yun. Their shock was amusing, but I only had eyes for her, seeing a predator and protector… But not evil.

“I’m not going to lie that I wasn’t already considering this and throwing my weight around so you understood the ramifications of behaving on whatever deal happens here, but yesterday solidified it,” I told her firmly. “And I’m not talking about your sister, Byeol, trying to force Ha-joon into mating the Atlanta Alpha’s eldest daughter.”

“What?” Ha-yun bit out before looking at Ha-joon. “Is this true?”

“It is and here is his number,” I told her, sliding over a folder. “There’s also some of the misdeeds of your sister that you might want to clean up.”

“It is true,” Ha-joon confirmed. “What’s in there, Ellie?”

“And when did you find it out that you’re keeping it from Ha-joon?” his friend, Matt, demanded.

Ha-yun knew the answer though, chuckling. “I would bet every penny that it was this morning. She started digging the moment her territory was threatened.” Amusement danced in her eyes. “How long have you been involved with my baby brother, Ms.—Dr. Reed?”

“Ellie is fine and yes, we are involved,” I confirmed. “Not publicly.” I held up a finger to hold her off. “But know I woulddo this for any of my attendings—any employee of ASH who told me they had issues or needed help. And I have.” I snorted when I saw the disbelief in her eyes. “Dr. Tai who helped show your brother the ropes has an uncle who will never be found.

“And he is not the only one I’ve made sure never came near one of mine again. I might not be an Alpha in the traditional sense, Ms. Clark, but I am the top leader of ASH, and I take my duty to protect my people seriously. And before you think I’m barking at the wind, here’s my proof.”

I slid over the second folder before finally focusing on Ha-joon.