Page 15

Ha-joon

Ellie was a mess of every emotion after the run-in with my parents and whatever the fuck her past was with my father. I made it clear that I wanted to pound him after she was gone—which shocked the shit out of my parents to say the least.

“Yes, if I have my way she will be my mate,” I told them under my breath, done with the pretenses since they knew now. “So deal with it. My wolf wants her to be ours now and—I don’t care about what the pack or family thinks. So this one time make the exception for me or—”

“Ha-joon, we would never object to her,” Mum said firmly… But Father hesitated, shocking both of us.

“It’s not about her not being a wolf or shifter,” he sighed, scrubbing the back of his neck.

“You’re special enough, Ha-joon. You know the problems that comes with.

I never want—I want my children to have easy lives.

” He gave me a serious look. “You will not have an easy life if that woman is your mate. Hear me.”

“I don’t care,” I told him firmly… With the same firmness as the one time I went against him and announced I was going to medical school.

“Then I will support your dreams. I learned not to stand in your way. I almost lost you doing that. You ask so little—just don’t let her…”

I nodded. There was no good way to say that mates couldn’t have secrets between them. I needed to know the real Ellie Reed before we could ever be mates. “She’s nowhere close to where I am. I’m just being honest. My wolf knows the truth, and being without her even—it just made everything clearer.”

“So be it,” he mumbled before turning and walking away.

Mum and I shared a look. Seriously, what did Da know about Ellie that made him worry so much? Hadn’t he wanted to bring her into the pack’s fold before?

It was going to be very, very hard to let this go, but I had to if I wanted her.

And I wanted her. In every way possible… Especially the naughty ones after I’d been an idiot. Yes, completely my fault and I accepted that.

It didn’t mean I was going to fight fair.

When work was over, I changed like I was going to work out instead of leaving in scrubs like normal. I felt the stares I was getting wearing a fitted tank top and the right kind of running pants that showed off my lean hips and nice ass.

Luck was on my side when I didn’t even have to go up to her office to try and get on her radar. She was talking with a few people in the lobby of the administrative building. I bit back a growl when Gerald Woods the third was there, too close to her like always.

Fine, time to mark my territory even if covertly.

I moved up next to the group and politely waited, making sure to sling my bag over my shoulder so my bicep and muscles were clearly on display when she looked at me.

“Did you need one of us, Dr. Clark?” someone from the group asked.

Ellie did a double take and her eyes immediately filled with interest.

Line cast .

I smiled easily. “Yes, just needed to talk to Ms. Reed. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Me?” she asked, glancing between me and the group and then back to me.

“Yes, about dinner.” I put on my most innocent face.

The woman who first spoke let out a small gasp. “Are you two—is this a date or—”

“We’re neighbors,” I clarified… But didn’t deny it because I would go out with Ellie any day she let me take her out.

Duh.

“She’s become friends with my mum and they trade food,” I hedged, shooting Ellie a look like I wasn’t sure she wanted people to know that.

“Oh yes, everyone knows to leave the containers from your mother alone in our break room fridge,” another woman said with a chuckle. “Though she did let me have a soy egg and—very interesting. I would love that on a bowl of soup.”

I dipped my head to her in thanks. “Since we’re so busy, we’re sort of piggybacking off of that.

Ms. Reed’s been telling me all of the best spots and sometimes I pick up dinner for her as well and sometimes she does for me.

It’s easier given her long hours at the hospital and I keep jumping in on surgeries to help.

” A thought hit me and I stretched knowing she was looking.

“I’m not used to standing still that long. It’s a whole different workout.”

“Well, it’s good to keep in shape,” she muttered, clearly affected.

Yeah, fine, but she wasn’t my goal.

I looked at Ellie and pretended not to notice the heat in her eyes. “What are you hungry for tonight, Ms. Reed?”

Yes, everyone probably heard the innuendo there, but I kept my face innocent… Until Gerald growled.

I rolled my eyes. “We’re adults. Don’t be a duffer.” I smiled at her. “What are you in the mood for?”

She smirked at me, clearly knowing exactly where my mind was. “Surprise me. I shouldn’t be the only one to shape your culinary journey of America or Southern cooking. Go find a new place I’ve not even tried yet. I’m sure you know what I like by now.”

Oh damn. Like… Dayuummm as I’d heard other doctors in America say.

She was really laying down the gauntlet now.

I pretended to think about it and snapped my fingers. “Got it. I know exactly what you need.”

“I just bet you do, pup,” Dr. Carla Greer said under her breath at a level that most in the group wouldn’t have heard.

But Ellie and I did. So did Gerald from the scowl he was shooting me.

I apologized again for interrupting and headed out, stopping at the security desk. They seemed to be tapped in on everything at the hospital and beyond. I asked if they knew anything new that opened up that was getting good reviews.

One told me there was a new Middle Eastern place, but it was getting mixed reviews. From what he’d heard people were trying it that didn’t know what Middle Eastern food was and then called it weird—idiot feedback. But people who knew what to expect seemed thrilled.

Perfect.

I worked out hard and then went back out to pick up food, texting her when it would be ready at my condo… And the code. We were ready for that—or at least I was ready to let her have it and access to me as she wanted.

She responded to let me know she was starving and when she was even pulling in.

I acted like it was no big deal, but I was all over the place inside. There had been so much with my parents and being an idiot—I should have been nervous.

She walked in hesitantly, calling out to check where I was. She set her things down on the kitchen island while I was getting plates. The moment I set them down and looked at her, she was on me.

But not in the way I’d hoped.

Or not expected?

She’d hopped up on the counter, grabbed my head, and sank her fangs in my neck. I groaned and held onto her as she fed from me, my wolf howling happily inside of me. It felt amazing and a connection like… It was as intense as sex but different.

Really different but also not? Hopefully, it was like that because we were intimate and having sex. I couldn’t think vampires felt this always feeding.

She licked the bite closed and kissed my neck when she was done. We were both affected in different ways. I went to kiss her, but she had already turned away and slid off the counter.

She smirked at me as she grabbed one of the bags of takeout. “Thanks for dinner.”

I frowned and felt like I’d been kicked in the nuts. I moved faster than she would have expected and blocked her from leaving the kitchen. “Come on, I’ve never disrespected you. I’m not food.”

Her eyes instantly flashed regret as she met my gaze. “No, never. Sorry, I wanted to give you sass back after your display earlier. I didn’t mean—I would never—”

I leaned down to kiss her, giving her a chance to stop it. I could understand a joke or teasing going wrong. I even understood how vampires didn’t see feeding the same way other species did. It was needed for them and desensitized them from it. I’d heard that again and again.

Ellie met me the rest of the way and gave me a soft kiss that she picked up the heat for.

I shivered when her tongue slid against my lips and I let her in.

It snapped my patience and I lifted her up under her lush ass and put her back on the counter.

I cupped her face and devoured her mouth the way she liked.

She pulled away after a few minutes. “Forgiven?”

“Is that the only reason you kissed me?” I checked, chuckling when she sighed. “I wasn’t the one who stepped in it, and I do a good job apologizing. Don’t you want the same for me?”

“Yes,” she hissed and gave me a quick peck. “No, I didn’t kiss you so I was forgiven. The thought interrupted my fun of the kiss, so I wanted to know.”

I hugged her and nuzzled her neck, taking a long sniff of her scent. “You’re staying for dinner, right? Not just feed and leave? I could forgive you then.”

“Deal.” She hugged me back. “I really was just trying to be sassy back. Clearly, that’s not my strong suit. I’ll leave it to you and just be…”

“Fabulous and sexy. You’re always fabulous and sexy,” I promised her. That seemed to do the trick.

It was so funny how she was sort of pouting that her attempt at being sassy failed when I was the one who got hurt from it. But at least the Middle Eastern place was legit. We both agreed that it was fabulous and definitely needed to get on the rotation of places we ate from.

“I think you’re right about Gerald,” she said quietly when we were finishing up.

“Are you saying that to make me jealous and I have a green light to have you?” I asked, genuinely not sure why she brought it up.

I cleared my throat when she shot me an unamused look.

“I’d prefer to be honest and ask instead of misunderstandings.

Clearly, I miss the mark too. So where is your head at? ”

She huffed and covered the leftovers. “I was—I thought I’d been dismissive. I was validating you. I wasn’t—I don’t play jealousy games. I was saying I trusted your judgment and paid attention. I think you’re right.”