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“Because you don’t do the same for your baby brother,” I seethed. “He’s done nothing wrong other than being born special. That’s not his fault and not something he rubs in anyone’s face. At most he didn’t understand it as a child and said stupid shit.

“As someone who made the same mistakes—it’s not our fault. If we’re supported the right way, it should never hurt anyone besides the lazy or jealous. You’re not completely lazy to have worked hard and found your path, but clearly you are in other areas and—”

“I’m not lazy at all, nor—” she tried to argue.

“You had a supportive family,” I cut in.

“I ran for my life with nothing. Yes, I’m older, but look in that folder and see what real drive is, Ms. Clark.

I am the Alpha you could have been instead of resenting someone like Ha-joon because he could take power from your eldest brother but doesn’t want it.

You want it but don’t have the nerve to take it! ”

“You are amazing; I’m looking at the proof,” she said easily, gesturing to what was in front of her.

“I would have known that even if I hadn’t seen this.

Everyone with a brain knows that, Dr. Reed.

You are ASH and—not all of us can be as bold as you.

Even if I could truly take on my brother, what would become of my family if I did? ”

“That’s fair, and I’ve never had a family I’ve loved enough to care, but you also don’t protect your family you love enough,” I said firmly but easing back my tone.

I nodded when she seemed confused. “Ha-joon told me about your name. You could have changed it, Ha-yun. That was my first thought—that I was disappointed in you that you didn’t and stood up for your mother. ”

“It seemed a slap in the face when it was a decision she allowed,” she muttered. “Petty over something so—”

“Do not say trivial,” I interrupted. “And petty is your grandfather. I can even understand your stance if you ever brought it up to your mother and told her that it bothers you that you were named to be passive. That she wasn’t given the option to name you.

” I saw in her aura that she hadn’t—the colors of shame telling me the truth.

“I don’t like that Ha-joon shared this with you, but I hear your words and stance,” she muttered.

“I told her that I thought my starting a problem with Grandfather was part of why you didn’t like me,” he mumbled.

“That I didn’t understand the history there, or…

I was actually defending you and how often I stepped in things that weren’t mine to step in or because I was so much younger and from a different generation that I brought the disdain on myself. ”

Hope filled me when I saw the guilty look she shot him.

“No, I was jealous that you were so bold to speak up to him so young and the consequences be damned,” she admitted. She let out a shaky breath and met his gaze. “I was so angry at you that you stood up for Mum and me on the topic and I never could.”

“Good on you for finally admitting that, hon,” I praised her.

“Stop letting that past hold you back. Stop blaming him for what others in that family have done to you or the confines a prestigious pack like London holds you to. He’s not the problem.

” I tapped the other folders I had. “He’s willing to be part of the solution.

If you let him. If you be the sister he needs. ”

She nodded that she heard me but kept his gaze.

“No matter our issue or past, Byeol went way over the line and I will handle this. Mum and Da have always, always made it clear that none of us will be backed into a corner and pushed into a mating. For one of us to try that shit and—I’m disgusted.

I will handle her and smooth it over with the Alpha. ”

Ha-joon snorted. “He’s lucky I didn’t take his head.

He fucking knew I was clueless and announced it to his pack to try and trap me.

He’s a sexist fuck who’s pissed that his eldest daughter is more powerful than he is.

I did my homework today and she is beloved .

He’s jealous and wanted to mate her off.

He was ready to brag that she snagged a good mate who would—”

“I will handle it and maybe take her under my wing,” Ha-yun promised.

“Take that as my penance for not helping you on more.” She cleared her throat and cut a quick glance at his friends before focusing back on me.

“Now, enough with the personal laundry on display for a business meeting. I assume you’re adding to the agenda if you’re attending. Your threats were received.”

I was impressed when she sent back the folder with my portfolio. I liked her. If she could pull her head out of her ass and truly treat Ha-joon as she should, we might even become friends.

Maybe. I wasn’t sure given how much damage she’d done to him.

“Yes, and while expanding too much is idiotic, you have all of the pieces here that can make the expansion I’m proposing go well with the steps,” I said firmly as I slid folders over to each of them.

“It’s now out that I own several buildings of condos around Atlanta.

What many at ASH have figured out is those who work in health care receive perks. ”

“I heard it was more than that,” Ha-yun purred.

“You’re right, which is why the president has been pushing me to expand, but as I’ve repeatedly told him, I’m basically the mayor of Atlanta running ASH.

He knows that, but he reminds me that I’ve got more staff than he does.

We go back and forth because I had a useless board that hurt us more than helped until recently.

“But as your brother can tell you we’re looking to change up and expand.

” I realized she and his friends had no idea.

“He was the rockstar of the presentations the department heads heard. He was the only one who came in with four and all were stellar that we’re going to implement.

One was an idea I’d long since been fighting for, so technically we’re accepting three. ”

“Well done, mate,” his friend praised, the others reaching over and patting him on the back.

“The head of my department was a big help freshening them up and adjusting what would work for ASH,” Ha-joon muttered. “Da told me it was the right time to push them since the board was out.”

“He’s genuine in being humble and spreading around the praise,” I told Ha-yun after catching her aura. “You’ve been assessing him wrong because of your own biases.”

“So I’m learning. I’m able to accept my faults and being wrong, but I ask you not rub my nose in it.”

“That’s not my intent, especially if we’re going into business together. I simply want his family to stop hurting him. I might not be able to ever change my own, but—you know where I stand.”

“Yes, clearly with strong feelings for my brother,” she stated firmly, but moved on so I didn’t have a chance to counter her. “You also give discounts to first responders. You’ve gotten some flak for vampire discounts because you are one. You want to alleviate that because we’re wolves.”

“No, I could care less that people bitch that I’m a vampire giving vampire discounts,” I told her honestly.

“I give them to EMS, law enforcement, and military because they get shit on the most like health care workers. What I can’t do is manage growth to the proposed level and not drop balls that are too important to drop.

“And I don’t manage the properties. I don’t have time to hire people and oversee them.

It’s not even my field. It works as-is because it’s Atlanta and people know not to fuck with me in Atlanta.

The same will not be true in other areas where people—hospitals and more—are begging me to do this. You do have the experience.”

And then I pointed in turn to the finance guy, the attorney, and his other mates to show the experience everyone else brought to the table.

“I feel like you just said I didn’t bring anything useful,” Ha-joon admitted… With an adorable pout.

I snickered but then realized he was serious.

“Oh, darling, you’re the scary ass Alpha that will make people shake in their boots.

You had people at ASH behaving better, and I know that wasn’t all of your power.

You’re not egotistical and weren’t flexing.

Now you’re going to do a bit of it and help. ”

“I can be muscle as long as you think I’m hot muscle.”

Oddly enough his sister was the one who burst out laughing first.

“Talk turkey to us about numbers and how this works, love,” Russ, the money guy, pushed. He apologized when Ha-joon cleared his throat, making it clear that he wasn’t trying to steal me.

So I did. I knew the areas better, but once they were up to speed on the real estate markets and more, I would take input.

I had the first six laid out in Boston where housing was desperately needed.

So while they were making their moves in Florida with what their tip had already been, this would be the next step.

Because it was new construction which was what I knew.

Mostly because I also owned a construction company that no one knew about. It was vampires and a big one. The one we used for ASH and any improvements.

There would be two buildings built at the same time.

I would pay for everything completely. When they were done, Ha-yun would take over.

She would hire the managers and handle the part she knew.

Once people started buying the condos, I would make my money back, but I would always retain one-third ownership. We would each get equal parts.

Well, I would, Ha-jun would, and the group of men would who formed their corporation. Each piece of the puzzle would have a third. Now, between them, they could figure out more because the attorney would clearly put in more time than Ha-joon would. That was up to them.

I was fronting all of the money and handling the construction side. Yes, I kept a third forever. They all brought something to the table though while Ha-joon really brought us all together.

Still, I knew he would be invested more than that and help.

He’d figure out something and do some sort of outreach at hospitals and more—probably try to set up some sort of financing with banks for doctors or nurses to get special loans for the buildings.

He wouldn’t just ride out and make money off our work.

He wasn’t the type. The man who came in with four ideas to make ASH better and didn’t care about the glory or credit wouldn’t abuse this sort of deal. Not in a million years.

Which was why I was willing to do this.

“Hurt your brother over this or screw him in any way and I will leave parts of you littered all over London in warning that someone truly protects him now no matter how much I like your mother,” I warned Ha-yun under my breath as I let her feel some of my power.

“And you handle Byeol or I will, and she might not survive it which is what she deserves.”

She studied my eyes for a moment. “I believe you. I believe you love my brother and will absolutely kill for him.”

“Let’s not be romantic about this or go that far. I’m loyal and he deserves it. I also have a soft spot for people who have been fucked over by family, and no matter your background check on me, you don’t know the half of it to understand why.”

And I was very, very sure that was the moment I jinxed myself. I involved myself in something I really shouldn’t have and my own ugly, ugly past came back from the caustic darkness to come for me.

Though honestly, it was only a matter of time.