Page 13

Ellie

I didn’t need three guesses to figure out who it was when I felt a pissed-off Alpha that I didn’t know heading my way.

It was all over the hospital that the Clarks were there for their annual physicals, and everyone was kissing their asses.

I’d already texted Mrs. Clark promising I had everything in hand with what happened the day before and Ha-joon wasn’t in trouble.

Well, he was, but I would keep him safe. It would all get dismissed, and I’d even talked to the local wolf Alpha playing it up that Ha-joon had done well.

I’d also put out a fire there that I was pretty sure the Clarks didn’t know about because Atlanta’s Alpha was worried about Ha-joon coming to take over. I’d laughed so hard that it took me a bit to calm down.

And I hadn’t even been acting. I swore up and down that he had no desire to be Alpha. He wasn’t even one in the hospital and only cared about medicine. He hadn’t shown his face to the pack yet because if he seemed too eager it would worry people.

But now it had backfired and they felt dismissed.

I told the wolf honestly that things hadn’t been going well at the hospital and he’d been pulled into too much.

Off the record, Ha-joon was an asset for Atlanta and the Clarks were not looking to expand.

They were worried about their son and were trying not to start trouble or flex on anyone.

I told him how Mrs. Clark had even come with her hat in her hand asking to protect him.

I was pretty sure the fire was well put out, especially after I promised the new “board” was going to have meetings with all the local supe leaders and get their input on how things were going with their people.

We employed most of Atlanta—even indirectly since our staff was who shopped or ate everywhere.

ASH was Atlanta, and people who didn’t get that were just deluding themselves.

He slipped onto the elevator with me and growled when I didn’t even look up to acknowledge him. “What are you doing to my son?”

I absolutely lost my mind for a moment because of how high everything was piled on me. I would admit that and have to apologize to Ha-joon later then. “Right now? Nothing. Later? Probably ride him like he loves and feed from him before he bends me over something and plows me.”

I flinched when his aura changed so rapidly that I saw it even out of the corner of my eye.

Oh shit.

I glanced up and his eyes were comically wide. “Well, clearly, you didn’t know we were involved and that wasn’t what you were talking about, so now I’m confused too.” I was going to say more, but I had a flash of the man before me but younger, and my magic sparked against his aura.

Fear filled me instead of sass and sarcasm. I had no reason to be afraid now, but given our past—it was instinct.

It took him a second longer, but recognition filled his eyes as well. “You.”

“You’re mistaken,” I whispered, grateful when the elevator doors opened. I stumbled getting out but then caught myself and hurried off. My phone was in my hand, and I was already texting Ha-joon. I couldn’t hide this from him and have another misunderstanding blow up between us.

Especially because I hadn’t known. I’d seen Alpha Clark in the media in passing and never made the connection. Hell, I was pretty sure I’d been at events where he had been even.

But not this close. Not like this.

Not in hundreds of years.

Ha-joon immediately texted me back where he was and that he was looking for me too. I hadn’t realized his mother would be with him… Or that his father had given chase after me.

I caught on to that too late, feeling him right as Ha-joon and Mrs. Clark came into view. I saw Ha-joon’s eyes flash something and I started to turn to face off with his father.

Except I couldn’t see anything. Ha-joon moved that fast and blocked me, pushing me behind him even.

And he was letting out his full Alpha aura.

“Don’t challenge me,” his father growled. “I cannot believe you would pick her over family.”

“I am picking what is right over all else,” Ha-joon snarled. “She is scared and it’s focused on you, Da. So stand down before my wolf goes too far because he protects her. She is ours .”

“Oh dear,” Mrs. Clark whispered. “Okay, well this complicates things if she is your—”

“No, we signed an agreement,” Ha-joon mumbled. “It’s complicated, but after we were both so badly burned—we—it’s between us.” He let out a slow breath. “Sorry to overshare, Ellie.”

“No, I started it when your dad tried to pull rank with me, though I don’t know why he’s upset with me,” I admitted. “And I need you to—I didn’t know that I knew him. I swear it. I never knew his name.”

He flinched. “Did you—have you been with my da?”

“No!” his dad and I exclaimed together.

“How do you know Ms. Reed, and why is she afraid of you, Marlon?” Mrs. Clark asked, her voice tight.

He sighed and I felt his wolf back down and Ha-joon reacted in kind but not all of the way. Enough de-escalated that I felt comfortable at least moving next to Ha-joon. We were by receiving and no one was around. Evidently, the Clarks had already been wanting to talk privately.

Alpha Clark scrubbed his hand over his head and met my gaze. “I’m sorry for what I did to you back then. Truly. I was scared and—”

“Explain then apologize,” Ha-joon snapped. “We’re—you went after Ellie now because you felt my unease?”

His father sighed. “Yes, I thought she wasn’t being fair with you at work. I didn’t realize you were together, and it was a hiccup. You were upset when I mentioned her and…”

“You put two and six together and came up with twenty,” I filled in, easily forgiving it. “Sorry I was shit back, but there is too much going on.”

“What did you say?” Ha-joon asked, snickering when I winced. “He deserved it.”

“Yes, but you never deserve being thrown in someone’s face,” I mumbled. “I’m sorry, and I’ll make it up to you later.”

He was quiet a moment. “Just explain why you were so hesitant this morning. That’s why I’m worried. I thought we were going to be okay, but then you were hesitant. Was it because you didn’t have nightmares with me like Dr. Carpenter thinks?”

“Yes.” I admitted it because it wasn’t fair for him to worry when it was my past and issues. But I didn’t like him bringing that up in front of his parents.

Though there was already a mess, sooooo… Life was fun.

“When I got too big for my britches, my da kicked me out for a bit to go become my own man,” Alpha Clark explained, his gaze locked on mine.

“My family knows the story well, and I’ve said time and time again that it was the best thing for me and my da was a wise man and I’m not half the Alpha he was.

“But he made it clear that I needed to become a man on my own and that meant making a path—money—all of it. I wasn’t—I thought I had more ready and could handle that easily.

I didn’t. I struggled, and after years of failing, I was ready to go back and admit that I failed and I wasn’t worthy of the pack.

” He let out a slow breath. “Then I stumbled upon you.”

“Yes, you made it very clear that I was the prize you had been looking for and would drag home to be—”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, truly sounding like he meant it.

“Your son inherited your habit of interrupting it seems,” I bit out. I moved away from Ha-joon and shoved his father’s shoulder, reminding myself I wasn’t that scared girl anymore. “It wasn’t one slip. You chased me for a month until—”

“Until I regained my senses and realized what I was doing to a person ,” he whispered, grabbing my wrist when I went to shove him again.

He flinched when Ha-joon growled and immediately let me go.

“I was young too. Too old to have behaved that badly. I know that. I’m sorry, and I did look for you later to apologize but… ” He sighed.

“What did you think you would even get from bringing a vampire to the pack?” Mrs. Clark asked.

“Don’t you dare,” I bit out. “You’ve sinned against me enough already.”

He nodded before looking at his mate. “You already know she’s special like Ha-joon.

Leave it at that. I was a bastard and lost my head out of fear.

It’s inexcusable and I have always regretted it.

” He looked to Ha-joon. “But it’s the reason I won’t make the same move against your brother.

It worked for me because my sanity returned.

I fear it would only bring out the worst in him. ”

“I agree,” Ha-joon said sadly, confusing his mother and me. He let out a slow breath before turning to me. “You won’t tell me, right? Whatever this is, you won’t tell me.”

“No.” That one word hung in the air, and I got annoyed when he adjusted his neck. “He shouldn’t know. That’s not my fault, and I’m not being bullied into—”

“I know,” Ha-joon growled but then shook his head, shaking off his wolf really.

“I know.” He snarled and then was suddenly on me, backing me against the wall and sniffing me.

“I know it’s not fair. It’s just not fair to me either that my father knows things about you that I don’t when I’m in your bed. You have to see that’s not fair to me.”

“I do.”

“Good.” He sniffed me again and shivered. “I know I’m still in the doghouse, but my wolf is demanding you feed from us tonight even if no sex. Da doesn’t give you that. We’re the wolf that shares that with you. Please, give me that so I can process this and behave.”

“Okay,” I accepted, rubbing my hand over his chest. “It’s not my fault, but I’m sorry. I don’t tell people.” I met his gaze. “Only Alan knows here, and I’ve known him for over a hundred years, Ha-joon. Your father doesn’t know what he thinks he knows. He just knows something.”

He opened his mouth but then closed it before nodding. Then he kissed me in a way that was not suitable for his parents to see.

And it was everything—it said everything he was feeling but couldn’t convey to me verbally.

“I need a minute,” he mumbled before walking off.