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“Yes,” Ellie choked out. “The pieces fit of things he was doing behind the scenes. He’d lost his grip on everything and—I think he was already losing money too fast then and my mating was supposed to repay the debts, but then he wanted me to take over—it all spun out on him.

I packed that night, and my stepmother clearly believed him too because she gave me gold. ”

“She helped you escape?” Gerald asked.

Ellie met his gaze, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, and she made it clear to say she never did. I gave my word. She did not help me that night.”

Pride filled me when my wolf sensed that Ellie was lying. Her stepmother had helped her that night, and all these years later she kept her word.

She really was an amazing woman.

Ellie went over the other times her father had found her and tried to force her to mate to benefit him.

Even after he’d lost the coven and been kicked out.

Her sister had found her once and demanded everything for stealing her life and Ellie had let her have it that she’d had to run, so what life?

Plus, she’d spared Theresa’s life, and that was a greater kindness than she deserved.

I wholeheartedly agreed.

Ellie looked so lost when she gathered her things to leave. She wouldn’t meet my gaze when I moved over by her. “I’m fine. You have patients and—”

“Dr. James is covering for me,” I promised her.

“You still have the little girl and…” She let out a long breath. “I’d like some space to settle with this. I’ll be fine.”

I swallowed loudly, pain slicing my heart that she was pushing me away at such a time. But it wasn’t about me. “Whatever you need. Do you want me to bring dinner or just let me know if you need anything?”

The latter. That was what she wasn’t willing to say.

“Clark, I’ll take Ellie home,” Dr. Carpenter called over.

“No, you both need to get to the police station with me,” Gerald corrected, looking at his phone again. “Or if you have that pressing patient to check on first, but then we have to go. They also need the security footage of the brawl to figure out how to book people with what.”

I sighed. That was fair, but also I would have thought just hitting them all with battery and disturbing the peace or some shit. Clearly , I was well-versed in that kind of thing.

Or some had their fangs out and tried to bite. That was a different crime over a punch.

“I will drive Ellie home,” Dr. Bass said. “I already told my attendings to handle my day. I want to check on my daughter and the situation.”

“Good, let us know how she is,” Dr. Carpenter accepted.

And that was it. Ellie was gone before I could even get a kiss goodbye or check with her again that this was what she wanted. It felt like whiplash from her practically on my lap and holding onto me for dear life not minutes ago.

The girl was doing well in surgery when we checked in. I promised to be on call just in case but let them know that I had a pressing issue so to please let me know the moment I was off the hook. To say they all gave me weird looks was an understatement.

But when I quietly explained to Dr. Carpenter that I would try to get Ellie to have some funny brownie if she let me, he fully understood. I wanted to basically clock out with her and be whatever she needed me to be.

And if that was a high buddy with munchies and binge-watching anything to take her mind off what happened, all the better.

The police station was a madhouse, and vampires all over lost their minds when we showed up. Some were threatening to kill us if we didn’t drop the charges, and others were accusing us of unplugging their family member in retaliation.

“Shut it!” Gerald roared, showing he was a lion shifter for sure. “Dr. Clark and Dr. Carpenter are not in charge of his care, nor have they been near his room. Nor in contact with his doctors. I checked.”

“I don’t even know who you people are,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared them down.

“Bad move,” Dr. Carpenter sighed, and Gerald had about the same reaction.

But I thought it was smart because they blew up all over again, pissed that I didn’t. It showed this was all about their egos and being pompous assholes, not us. I met the gaze of the officer who screamed he was in charge, and he gave me a slight nod that he was on the same page as me.

Lovely.

I did a double take when Mum walked in, having thought she’d gone back to London.

“This is a situation with a patient’s family misunderstanding a situation and attacking a doctor, but if you want a problem with your family and the Clark pack of London, you have it,” she said loudly, authority in her voice.

“I can be here to check on my son who was hurt or as the Alpha Mate of London. Your choice .”

People slowly went silent. Unlike wealthy, old-school vampire families, being the mate of a powerful shifter meant something.

Something big.

And more importantly, they obviously believed Mum from the way the eldest of the family fell in line. They realized they couldn’t use their money and privilege because someone had a bigger card to play on that than they did.

She seemed content and nodded to Dr. Carpenter and Gerald. “I apologize for interjecting, but I realized a bit more here could alleviate stress on your day. Let me play nice with the head office and I will get out of your way.”

“‘Out of our way?’” Gerald chuckled. “I’m about to construct a shrine to you, Alpha Mate. This isn’t my field of law, so I appreciate the backup.”

“It is ours,” the woman I’d seen with Ellie a few times said.

Alexis? Yes, Alexis Gomez who was the head attorney for Amanda’s Hope.

She dipped her head to Mum before focusing on Gerald.

“Ellie asked me to tag in since I handle these sorts of things better and it all centers on her anyways. She said you could handle billing since—”

Understanding immediately filled his eyes. “Of course. The hospital will pay the tab so it doesn’t cut into the non-profit funds.”

I snorted. “I’ll throw in some funds as well. The hospital probably would want most of this dismissed and not raise a fuss.”

“On the contrary, Clark,” Dr. Carpenter cut in. “We make a stink about these sorts of things more than any other hospital. And because of that we have less staff hurt over any other hospital.” He waited until I met his gaze. “If you excuse bad behavior, you set the precedent for more of it.

“The fact UPS prosecutes people who clock delivery drivers and hospitals don’t do the same to those who hurt their emergency department staff is sickening.

In pain or not , people are responsible for their actions.

Being drunk doesn’t forgive someone tearing up a bar and it shouldn’t an ED.

Medication interactions are the only ones we let go with an agreement of treatment. ”

Wow, that was much, much better than any hospital I’d ever worked for.

Or heard of. It was just expected we accepted it as part of the job and I wasn’t even in the emergency department. But I’d helped out in between patients for more than my fair share of staff with bloody noses or beaten faces.

Glad there was at least one place that protected their staff.

I thanked Mum again and again, glad when the ranking officer was polite and thanked her as well before she headed out. I promised to update her and that I was fine.

But was she?

No. It was very clear that she wasn’t.

Which was why I walked her out.

“Mum, I don’t want to ever downplay how important you are to all of us or… You gave us life; you aren’t responsible for what we’ve done with that,” I told her gently. “They’ve made their choices and decisions. It’s not on you. Dad’s emotions and words aren’t on you either.”

“I know. If my heart could now understand that, it would be wonderful,” she accepted.

“But I also struggle with the way I have failed you, my youngest. I should have been better and not forgiven him so much. You were valid and I’m forever sorry.

” She reached up and cupped my cheek. “I never picked him over you. I saw his remorse and fear. I thought…”

What she was trying to say hit me hard. “You thought you stopped him just before he would stop himself.”

“Yes. Yes , I swear it to you. I smelled the regret and—details will haunt you more than knowing who it was but…” She shook her head.

“I realize I’m not an accurate witness to that night.

I was so traumatized by it. I was sleep-deprived since you were still breastfeeding and needing more because you were so strong.

I… I don’t know anything anymore it seems.”

I gave her a hug and let her leave, understanding that before being our mum she was just a person and struggled too.

I could let go of my anger and resentment at not handling things better when it came to her. My da was a different story though.

Maybe one day. I thought I had, but I wasn’t perfect either.

The police station took hours and hours. I gave Dr. Capenter an annoyed look when he was done much sooner. He teased me that he’d had less altercations because he wasn’t as good of a fighter as I was.

Security from the hospital showed up after their shifts to give their statements as well.

One was kind and gave me a message from the surgeon working on the young female shifter.

She was out of danger and I wasn’t needed.

I spent the time getting to know the security well, impressed with them and how loyal they were to Ellie.

Then I realized they were mostly “misfits.” They were people who’d left bad circumstances or shitty families like her. She’s found them—or vice versa—and now they protected others like she did.

“Hey, you can’t influence the police like this,” one of the vampires bitched when the pizzas I ordered arrived.

I gave the duffer the look he deserved. “They don’t handle if the charges stick or not. Even I know that about your justice system and I’m from London. The DA and others will manage your plea deals. Let them get some damn fuel for all the extra writing, typing, and dealing with your stupid arses.”

“Dr. Clark, thank you, but I think we’re done with you,” one of the higher-ranked officers cut in before their family members exploded again.

I gave him an apologetic look, but he was understanding. It was clear that I was on my last leg of energy and wiped as well.

Plus, they’d all seen the footage of how many vamps I’d seriously laid out.

Still, I was thrilled I got to leave and took the man at his word… Or before someone changed their mind or needed me for anything else. Yeah, I got the fuck out of there.

Nothing surprised me more than finding Ellie sitting in my condo and with tons of food. She seemed unable to think of what to say and simply stared at me.

“I’m starving,” I offered. “I was in the mood for the pizzas I ordered for the police, but I thought it smarter to leave when they said I could. Dr. James said he had my patients and to just go home.”

She nodded and gestured to the food. “I can reheat whatever. Please, help yourself.” It wasn’t until I’d made a plate that she finally managed to get out what was going on with her… And loudly. “I’m sorry!”

It had been a couple minutes of silence, so it startled me and I almost dropped my plate but managed to set it by the seat next to her. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“No, I do, and I’m really sorry,” she rasped.

She’d changed and was in casual clothes.

Pulling her knee to her chest, her foot was on my chair and she hugged her leg, unable to look at me.

“It was automatic to push you away, but I regretted it the moment I said it. I wanted to take it back and be selfish and ask you to stay and comfort me.”

“But you didn’t know how?” I pushed when she seemed lost again.

“But I didn’t know how,” she confirmed. “To accept the comfort, ask for what I really wanted, or take it back. I got home and realized I didn’t want space. I realized I didn’t even want to be there. That I wanted to be here with you. So I’m sorry that I just used the code and let myself in.”

“It’s fine. That’s why I gave it to you. Use it whenever,” I told her, reaching over and rubbing her back. “I’m thrilled you’re here.”

“Yeah?” she whispered.

I decided to be a bit cheeky. “Yeah, there’s tons of food now. I’m a wolf and—” I chuckled when she reached over and smacked me. I grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips. “You found comfort in my den, Ellie. Come here whenever you need it. Always. You are always welcome here or wherever I am.”

She swallowed loudly. “I’ve never found always to really mean that. I loved my stepmother so, so much and it was all just ripped away by her lies.” She let out a shaky breath. “Amanda saved me and I loved her too. Then she was gone.”

“Dr. Carpenter’s love for you is real. I’ve seen it. He hasn’t left you. Not everyone will leave,” I told her firmly.