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Ms. Reed blinked at her a moment. “I’m sorry, Alpha Mate. I haven’t slept yet, and we wouldn’t have let you in besides you’re Dr. Clark’s family.”

“Of course, of course,” Mum accepted. “And I was in no way chastising you, especially not at such a difficult moment. I was explaining so when you tell others, you know which hat I’m wearing.”

It was hard not to snicker as I saw it click with Ms. Reed. Mum was giving her a huge win. If London’s pack was doing this to help, others should as well.

And they would. Our pack was one of the oldest of record and top ten prestigious. Others would follow our lead. They always followed Father’s lead.

So it was a huge win for ASH and Ms. Reed.

I only caught a few minutes to talk to Mum and thank her before I showered to wake up. I crashed after a few more hours and then woke up to see something unseemly.

Namely, Dr. Fitz flirting with that same nurse again.

And the asshole just smirked at me when he caught me watching.

I snapped.

The exhaustion, stress—everything got to me and I fucking snapped. He was a senior attending and I was the new kid on the block who barely had the ink dry on his contract. I knew my place at ASH.

But I snapped, and while I didn’t have much of an ego, I was a powerful Alpha wolf, and I didn’t allow people to fucking mock me.

Or enjoy disrespecting women.

I caught him when he went into the attending’s lounge. I was faster than a warlock, so when he came around the corner, I was standing there and made him jump.

Throwing him a smile I knew was wolfish, I stared at him like he was trash.

“Now that I know she’s open to arrangements and you have side pieces, I guess there’s no reason she can’t have one with me, right?

I mean, you said yourself that you guys have an understanding.

” I stood up straight and stretched. “Clearly, that wouldn’t worry you with your history. ”

He sneered at me. “Good luck with that. You aren’t the first hotshot to walk in here and try to make a move on her when they realize she’s the real power of this place. She smells bullshit from a mile away and—”

I froze in my stretching and smirked at him.

“Who says it’s bullshit?” I tilted my head and studied him when anger filled his eyes.

“What are you worried about, ya twat?” I chuckled when he opened his mouth.

“I think we both know the truth and she’s too good for you, too tired of you cocking up, and ready for someone to give her better. ”

He snorted at me even as I scented his anger. “You’re playing with fire and risking wrath that—”

“Naw, I don’t think so when you’re arse about face with her,” I said firmly. “And you’ve cocked up enough around here that—”

“Speak English that I actually understand,” he snapped.

I threw back my head and laughed. “Aw, mate, I’m glad I talked to you. I’m chuffed to bits you’re so pissed.” I kept laughing as I leaned over and slapped his shoulder too hard. “May the best man win, and when she starts having nookie with me, she’ll know immediately who that is.”

I ignored when he cursed at me and told me to come back and walked out of there.

I had no fucking clue how to actually pull off my threat and I was internally groaning that I had acted like such a wanker, but…

Yeah, I just snapped. I hated that git and wanted him to take a long walk off a short pier for sure.

Right as I reached back to the portal and more patients were arriving, I caught the scent of something off. I realized it was someone distressed enough to faint and raced towards where I smelled it.

And caught Ms. Reed right as she went down.

“Clark, get her to a private room and hook her up to some fluids and nutrients,” Dr. Carpenter called over. “I should have knocked her out. Damn stubborn woman.”

“I’ve got her,” I promised.

“Do not leave her side in all of this mess,” he ordered. “I’ve got things here until she wakes up.” He glanced around. “Where’s Tai? She’ll know what Ellie was handling now.”

I left him to manage it and brought Ms. Reed to one of the outpatient surgical recovery rooms where patients woke up. I figured they would have everything I needed.

Almost, but I made it work after catching a nurse in passing and asking for the rest. I had Ms. Reed hooked up to an IV and the blood she was down before most could think to get started.

I was famous in medical circles for a reason. I was a damn good doctor after all.

“You’ve got her?” Dr. Tai checked as she swung by.

She nodded when I did. “Good, then I’ve got her phone and will handle the calls and crazy as best as I can.

Try to keep her down at least a couple hours to rest.” She thanked me when I nodded and looked relieved that I had her hooked to blood as well.

Duh. Ms. Reed was a vampire. I might not be one or a doctor of them, but I knew enough how to treat them when it came to the basics.

It was just over two hours after she’d gone down that I scented worry in the room. “You fainted,” I told her with my eyes still closed. “Carpenter took over by the portal and Tai took your phone and said she’d handle whatever calls came in.”

The sigh she let out could practically be heard around all of Atlanta. “Thanks.”

“You’re smart enough to know to take better care of yourself, but you’re under too much stress for a lecture,” I muttered as I opened my eyes and met her gaze. “Tai wanted you down longer to rest.”

“I can’t,” she mumbled. “The president wants to tap into our reserves of blood because everywhere affected by the earthquake lost power and their blood is bad now.”

I frowned. “Well, they can fucking bite people or hook them up just like before ASH came up with supercharged additives. Are they offering to replace this blood when the crisis is over? Or are they just demanding gits and your president trying to have a win for vamps at your cost?”

She chuckled quietly as she pushed to sit up. “And that’s why I fainted when already exhausted. I didn’t realize I was down on blood as well and the headache hit fast—I was just out.” She moved her hands over her head. “Did someone heal me? The marble out there is no joke.”

“I caught you in time,” I explained, nodding when she did a double take. “I smelled someone’s body in distress and at a level they were going down.”

She studied me carefully. “You’re a very powerful Alpha. I wouldn’t tell people you can scent that level.”

I appreciated the heads-up, but I already knew that and was trusting her. “You might want to wear contacts around strangers. I heard your eyes are caramel brown. Funny, I see them as golden.” I nodded when shock and a bit of fear filled her eyes.

“How?” she whispered when she could, her voice shaky.

I gave a half shrug. “How are you able to sense lies as a vampire?” I nodded when she flinched. “My parents suspect it’s a fluke of two different wolf breeds that are Alphas mating. My mum is an Alpha dire wolf and my father is an Alpha English gray wolf.”

“I see,” she mumbled.

I snorted. “Oh no, you don’t know the best part yet.” I smirked at her. “I was an oops baby, much younger than my siblings, and I’m the only one with this fluke that makes me so powerful. But I’m not the one who will take over the pack from Father.” I nodded when she winced. “Yeah, family is fun.”

“Your mother is—”

“Both my parents are great,” I told her firmly. “They are. They’ve always done the best they can wearing too many hats while having the lives of many on their shoulders. It’s my siblings.” I shrugged. “I honestly hear they’re great to other people, but they’re fucking gits to me.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” she asked, studying me again.

I opened my mouth but then closed it, frowning and scrubbing my hand over my head.

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know because I never tell anyone that much about my family.

Mostly because they’re always curious and want the dirt on them given who they are.

” I met her curious gaze. “But you don’t give a single shite and for some reason that makes me feel safe. ”

She bobbed her head and pushed to fully sit up. “Okay, well, glad you got that off your chest and you feel safe at ASH. We’ll chalk this up to a day of learning too much about each other and move on.”

It was a bit dismissive of her to say that, but I scented her discomfort, so I let it go. “ You are not moving on until you get another IV and blood bag.” I stood and crossed my arms over my chest when she opened her mouth to object. “Doctor’s orders.”

“Ha ha,” she drawled. “I’m fine and—”

“I can call Dr. Carpenter right now and he’ll make me follow you around like a duckling and watch you. So behave, and if you’re steady on your feet, I’ll let you go with an IV pole and hover only a bit.”

She sighed, knowing she was bested. Good.

She was a strong woman who shouldn’t let people push her around, but there was no reason to be difficult just because.

I hated when people called women stubborn for not listening or doing what they were told by people who had no right to boss them around.

I’d seen it too much in my mum’s culture and side of the family.

My aunts were always stubborn when they didn’t just obediently do what their husbands wanted. Who the fuck were they to tell grown women what to do? Their partner?

Sure, that worked if they did the same .

And they didn’t.

So no, my aunts weren’t stubborn, and I’d gotten in trouble with my grandparents the last time we’d visited and I’d said as much.

My father was the only one who actually looked proud of me while my siblings were just annoyed that I’d opened my mouth.

My mum had defended me but also looked a bit embarrassed.

I wasn’t mad. She grew up to be a filial daughter and always listen to her parents. They were always right and to be obedient.

Luckily, I had better parents who didn’t demand respect but had earned mine. Plus, they always respected their children. It was a shame that my grandparents hadn’t been taught better to learn that was important in a family.

My grandfather had kicked me out of their house when I’d said that.

“What are you so angry about?” Ms. Reed asked after I called for a nurse and what I needed.

I snapped out of the past and blinked at her. “Sorry, lost in my head about my family now that I brought it up. Just thinking about how sexist my mum’s side can be and—sorry.” I sighed and rubbed my hand over my hair.

“This is one of your first times dealing with this kind of disaster response, isn’t it?” she asked gently.

“From this side like this,” I admitted. “I was—it was different and it’s been a while.”

“You did well,” she praised, smiling at the nurse who came in. She chuckled when I just stared at her. “Don’t be so shocked, Dr. Clark. I give compliments all of the time.” She frowned when the nurse snorted. “Well, clearly, your lack of professionalism is why you haven’t experienced it.”

The nurse did not like being called out on her behavior and looked like she had a lot to say… But wouldn’t to Ms. Reed’s face. She’d be bold and say it all later behind her back.

“I guess no place can ever be perfect,” I said dryly as I took the supplies. “You’re much more patient than the administrators at my previous hospitals. There’s a bit too much cattiness and immaturity I’ve found shadowing Dr. Tai.”

Ms. Reed did a double take that I’d not only sided with her but spoken up. “When you’re fully acclimated, I’d like to hear your perspective and maybe you can even speak to the board. According to them, I’m sensitive and have an inflated ego when I’m just a paper pusher.”

I laughed so hard that I had to stop what I was doing. Seriously, my stomach hurt I laughed so hard. It really wasn’t that funny, but it was the stress of the disaster and lack of sleep too.

I shook my head. “You’re practically the mayor of Atlanta running this place, and you don’t have the same amount of support staff.

My father has aides always hurrying after him and he’s only in charge of the wolves of London and the surrounding areas.

I would bet you have more people under you than that and handle more. ”

She couldn’t seem to get her mouth to work… Nor the nurse who stared at me like I’d grown another head. That pissed me off.

I focused on her while I switched out Ms. Reed’s IV.

“I don’t know who has been filling your head with nonsense, but I suggest you take some time for self-reflection and to reassess.

Ms. Reed is seen as a rock star and an amazing leader to other hospitals around the world.

Every hospital would drop a senior attending to be able to afford her.

“Mine tried several times. And the attitude of some of the support medical staff around here is like she’s the cashier at the damn parking garage.

It’s ridiculous when the heads of departments treat her with respect and understand she’s their boss.

I don’t know who these fools are that push these ideas or—”

“She works for Dr. Hastings who was recently reprimanded and told to clean up his department,” Ms. Reed cut in, seeming to recover from her shock.

“I think we’re all a bit too stressed, so let’s chalk it up to that and get back to saving people who need it.

” She looked at the nurse and thanked her, politely dismissing her.

“Sorry,” I mumbled as I switched out her blood bag next.

She was quiet until it was done and slid on her shoes. “I appreciate the support, but you’re new here. Don’t make enemies for me, Dr. Clark. I’m more than able to shoulder what I need to, and you’re going to burn bridges you will regret.”

I stopped her before she got to the door, turning her to face me and getting lost in her pretty golden eyes.

“I don’t ever regret being on the right side and saying what someone should.

That’s where my head was lost earlier about my family.

I started a stink and my grandfather kicked me out of his house.

Years later and I don’t regret sticking up for my aunts. Someone should have.”

She gently pulled her arm away. “You’re old enough to make your own decisions and yes, it’s your morality. Thank you, but I don’t need the help. I can fight my own battles, Dr. Clark.”

Liar.

I let her walk out the door and down the hallway with her IV pole but not before I smelled the sadness she was feeling. She was lying to me as much as herself.

Ellie Reed had more than she could bear and needed help. Anyone with eyes could see that if they gave a shit enough to pay attention.