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“Yes.” I blinked at her. “Yes,that’s exactly what I’m feeling. Thank you, Mum. I couldn’t put a name to—I was just overwhelmed with the crazy.”

Seo-yeon snorted. “So you ran home to—”

Our father walked in and cleared his throat, Seo-yeon instantly shutting her mouth and reaching for more food.

“Hey, Da,” I greeted as I wiped my mouth. He preferred “Father” when people could hear us or with others present, but in our home like this… He was just our da, not the Alpha. I stood and gave him a real hug. “I wish you would let me pay for the condo. Seriously, I made a good sale on the last place.”

“That place you bought without coming to us,” Mum complained. “Luckily, you have learned from being too independent. Your siblings were bought similar places.”

I sighed and nodded. “I mean no offense, Mum. I make good money and have for a while. I don’t need to eat into your funds.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Da told me. “Your mum says your big boss has a successful company on her own too. We might ask for a meeting for your sister. She’s looking to branch out.” He chuckled when I flinched. “Not Atlanta. But North America. They have a good market.”

I nodded, trying to swallow my annoyance. Both my parents immediately sensed it, and Seo-yeon was amused, so she did too. “I’m sure that can happen but not right now.”

“No, not right now,” Mum agreed, giving my da a look. “The board tried to throw a coup on the woman. She just kicked them all out and will be restructuring.”

Da winced. “Yes, not now. I understand your reaction. You don’t want to be the one to add to her life personally. However, now is the time to float some ideas professionally. She’ll need wins and you have good ideas, lad. You really do.”

I felt seen and loved that he immediately had faith in me like that. I nodded. “She agreed to have the physical therapist in mypractice. We have one from the ortho department right now and the feedback is good.”

“She approved converting an unused lounge to be added to Ha-joon’s practice,” Mum added. “It’s a bit small, but it will work.”

“It will, and she was smart to let the ortho team come work with us on the special needs for my practice. The cross-training could be better than hoped,” I told them.

“Good. She’s a smart lass then,” Da praised.

“She’s over three hundred,” Mum chuckled.

Da took it in stride. “Makes sense that it’s not a nipper running ASH. Good. Glad she’s got a good head.” He gave me a firm look. “Still not a bad plan to dust off that idea, Ha-joon. If you’re getting in well with your department head and your mum says you’ve been working with dermatology. Flesh it out with them.”

I considered it a few moments as I ate some more kimchi and scallion pancakes. “Yeah, you’re right. At least the scheduling idea. ASH would definitely be more open to that than my other hospital.”

Da nodded but then grabbed my chin and stared me down. I felt his wolf and let mine be explored. He gave me the look I deserved.

“I know, but I’ve been better in other ways,” I defended. “I’ve gained at least three kilograms and gotten into a good routine at the condo’s gym. All my other vitals and levels are excellent, especially nutrition and not all just takeout.”

“Fine, that’s good,” he accepted, backing down. “But you’re taking runs as your wolf this weekend. We can go in the morning with your brothers.”

Fuck. Just…Fuck.

“Aye, Da,” I agreed with a tight smile. It wasn’t meant to be a punishment… But it was. My brothers hated me and the feeling was mutual.

My parents simply dreamed of a time that their children all got along.

“And you will have an introduction with the Atlanta pack or I will come there and hold your hand like I’m taking you to school,” he warned.

“Yes, Alpha,” I agreed, smirking at him when he frowned.

Well, he was sounding more like my Alpha than my da… And the look Mum gave him backed me up.

“I said taking him to school,” Da defended as he made himself a plate.

We all chuckled, and the tension broke.

I got caught up on the family and pack while we ate, but then they headed off to bed or to start getting ready. I was on Atlanta time and it was only six there, so I hit the family gym and got in a good, extended workout since I kept skipping.

Well, skipping to have amazing cardio—the best cardio I’d ever had.