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I had to. I couldn’t be a duffer who lost a woman this amazing.

First, I had to make our relationship real. That would be enough of a challenge, but we were in no rush.

Sure, sure, I just had to figure out a way to get my wolf to chill out.

I quickly pulled Ha-yun off to the side after the meeting. “Handle Byeol however and I won’t jump on whatever Ellie fills me in on, but I’ll be home after I’m done seeing patients.” I shook my head when she started protesting. “Weboth knowif I don’t take a stand on this and only you smack her, the next idiot will do something else—something worseand we could—”

“I understand. They did this to themselves,” she accepted. She sighed when I snorted. “I may not have acted as I should have as a sister, but I have never come for you, Ha-joon. I have notinstigatedor taunted you. I simply didn’t defend you or made petty comments. That is vastly different.”

“I could argue that and how it made you culpable to stand by and watch it but fine, not being the perpetrator is different according to the law,” I offered, not about to forgive her just because she didn’t start it.

She also neverobjected. She acted like stopping it was the only other option. It wasn’t. One word from her that she didn’t approve or like what was happening would have done a lot. She didn’t get out of it all just by saying she wasn’t the reason it happened.

No, she was part of the reason it didn’t stop.

I said goodbye to my mates and headed back to the hospital with Ellie, glad we could ride together. “I think we should discuss extending our contract now that we’re getting into business dealings.”

Her lips twitched as she drove. “Is that what you think, pup?”

“At least keep an open mind to it and give me a chance to persuade you,” I replied, trying to sound easy about it. I tried another tactic when she didn’t respond. “Do you have anycomplaints with how things have been going? I mean other than—”

“I have no complaints about last night. It was explained.” She cleared her throat and adjusted how she was holding the steering wheel. “I’m glad you’re not upset about today.”

“‘Upset’ isn’t the word I’d use, and I plan on showing you what I’m feeling tomorrow after I handle this shit with my family tonight.”

“Or I could give you permission to use the ASH warlocks on twenty-four-hour call since this was a last-minute thing in case you want to come back. I mean, if things get too hostile there and you think it’s best. I was also planning on giving you the code to my condo. If you wanted to use me as your emotional support pillow.”

“I do like snuggling you,” I whispered, almost like I wasn’t trying to spook her into changing her mind, but also I was surprised since I didn’t see this coming.

“Only Alan has the code for emergencies,” she mumbled.

“I wouldn’t abuse it.”

“No, you’re not the type,” she accepted. She gave an awkward chuckle. “Plus, you’re not an idiot who would write it down somewhere.”

“No, never,” I agreed.

She leaned over at a stoplight a few blocks from the hospital and gave me a quick kiss and told me the code. She cleared her throat yet again and focused back on the road. “I won’t wish you luck because you don’t need it. Congrats on smacking idiots back into place and I look forward to hearing it went well. In the morning because of the time difference.”

“Thanks, Ellie,” I whispered, her faith in me meaning the world to me when so much else was a mess inside of me.

I held onto that and the step forward in our relationship that she trusted me with the code as I prepared for battle the rest of the day.

Ha-yun warned the family something was going on because it was almost eleven at night when I arrived, and not only was the immediate family all gathered, but about a dozen extended family. That shocked me and I focused on my parents, not even greeting them like normal which worried them.

“You want me to do this in front of them?”

Da just let out a long breath. “Ha-yun wouldn’t tell us what happened because it’s your story to tell and Byeol’s wrong that was committed. All we know is she’s been simmering with rage since she came home and beat the piss out of Byeol until your mum had to intercede.”

That shocked me beyond words, and I glanced at Ha-yun who intently focused on the fruit she was snacking on.

“I told you—and everyone here—that it wasn’t about you or Byeol. It was about theline crossed,” she said evenly but with a tint of anger. “We are better than ever behaving in such a way, and while we have issues, wearefamily. You are not some affair baby—and that’s never the child’s fault. This risked the whole family.”

“Which is why we need to know what happened,” Mum snapped.

“You do, but I knew Ha-joon was coming home and we say enough behind his back. He deserved the respect to wait a few hours to be here,” Ha-yun mumbled, clearly repeating herself.

“So now you’re in business with him and you are all up his bum to be his lackey to—” my eldest brother, Myung, started to mock.