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“And our ancestors fell for it. They taught it to their daughters, and it’s a horrible tradition that has been passed down.

We’re not jealous like men and strive to do better—are motivated to do more.

No, we gossip and tear each other down. I constantly hear that I must be the plaything of the founder of ASH to have the position I do.

“Other women are the worst saying it as I pass them but never to my face like adults. They push that rumor for the sexist men who started it and don’t even understand that those same men laugh at them as well. Why not? They just did their dirty work because we’re raised to be petty .”

I stared out at the people there and stood proudly.

“I run ASH because I am the most qualified.

I am not in a sexual relationship with the founder and never have been.

I have been a healer for hundreds of years—long before women were even allowed or to have the title of doctor.

I am board-certified in eight fields and could be in more, but honestly keeping up the accreditation while running ASH is exhausting.

“I ran from my home as a teenager with what would be about ten thousand dollars today and no knowledge of the outside world. Yes, I was a vampire, but there were more supes than humans ever thought. I was trained to fight and educated better than others my age—men or women. I’m not taking away from what I had.

“But I cannot hide what I was lacking for my own ego. I needed saving a few times.” I let out a slow breath.

“And one of the people who saved me was Amanda Hope. Yes, she was a real woman. A—” My voice cracked and I quickly wiped my eyes.

“She was a vampire who knew the world was horrible for not just women, but female vampires in a way—she would be so sad.”

I chuckled darkly and wiped my eyes again.

“She had such hope hundreds of years ago that we would be so much further along,” I confessed.

“She used to say ‘Enlightenment for our kind is just around the corner, but until then, we will be the hope our sisters need.’” I let out a slow breath.

“She saved me once when I was out of money and almost fell into a trap.

“She saved me again—gave her life protecting me when a group of feral male vampires found me and wanted to rape a woman from a noble family— drink from her because they were so thirsty.

I fought. I screamed and killed—she came in like the angel she was, and even knowing she was no match, protected me while I was bleeding out.

“And died to save one of her little lambs.” I hurried to wipe the tears that fell and sniffled.

“I’m a poor substitute for Amanda, and I pray the gods forgive me for being the reason she’s gone when the world needed her.

I never had the faith she did in our people or the world getting better, but I always fought for it.

I started Amanda’s Hope because it was the least I should do in her honor. ”

I was shocked when people started clapping, flinching when the applause got louder. I wiped my eyes and gave a sad smile when I saw Ha-joon was standing and clapping the loudest.

Damn, I really did love that man.

How could I not?

I thanked everyone and let out a slow breath as the applause died down.

“The guilt of not telling the truth about Amanda has always eaten at me, but to explain who she was risked people finding out who I am.

And until recently, there was still always a looming threat over my head from my birth father and family.

“Mostly because I handled it like a scared girl too often instead of the woman who has saved hundreds.” I gave people a moment with that.

“So no, we never victim-blame. We understand that life is hard and complicated and terrifying for us.

But we do better. We get help and promise to do better by our daughters.

“We fight and save others. That’s what we do because we can.

And now you know that it all stemmed from one woman who truly did change the world.

I have no idea how many Amanda Hope saved, but I knew a dozen she was helping at the same time as me.

She was never idle and—I can never replace her, but I hope she smiles by the gods at her legacy. Thank you.”

The applause were thunderous as I quickly grabbed my notes and headed for the stairs. I did a double take when I saw someone waiting to escort me.

Ha-joon. He was standing there smiling proudly and clapping until I was close enough and then he offered me his hand.

Which of course I accepted.

“I rambled,” I mumbled as we headed to our table.

“No, you didn’t.”

“I was preachy.”

“People need that,” he countered. “It was inspiring.”

“It was—”

He turned me and gave me a soft kiss. “Ellie, shut up and take the win. You were magnificent.”

Okay then.

He booped my nose when I couldn’t hide my surprise he’d just done that in front of everyone. “And stop picking on the woman I love or I’m going to spank you when we get home.”

I smacked his chest with my free hand. “You say that when we’re headed to the table with your family? Are you having a laugh?” I felt better when he winced at least.

“You were lovely,” his mother, Soo-ah, praised as the applause died and we sat down. “And what you have built is amazing. All of it.”

“Thank you, and thank you for joining us tonight,” I replied, meeting his father’s gaze. “It sends an important message that you did.”

He dipped his head to me. “It’s one that’s long overdue, but knowing the right cause or foundation to support can be tricky. You know this yourself.”

I accepted that. I’d been a part of a few corrupt nonprofits, and even if you were completely blind to what was going on, the stink followed you for a long time. It made people hesitant to join anything.

Which was truly a shame because the world needed help and a lot of people wanted to help. We just didn’t want to constantly be criticized for trying to do something good.

Shocking.

Everyone was polite and well-behaved the first course while the first performer played. I saw a change in the aura of one of his sisters when people came and congratulated me during the break. Several were talking to Ha-joon and he was amazing handling it all.

And she was jealous. She was no one and did nothing with her own life and privilege like her other sisters.

I would have let it go if she’d kept quiet. I really would have, but when she opened her mouth with everything bad in her aura and gaze focused on Ha-joon… No.

“Byeol, I could end you before either of your parents have a chance of reacting, and if you ever mistreat Ha-joon in my presence, that will be the outcome,” I told her firmly, letting her see her death in my eyes when her glance cut to me.

“And I have blanket immunity in several countries given I run ASH, including yours . Do not test me. Ever.”

Her family was eerily quiet for several beats as they digested and processed what I’d said.

“Do you really?” one of Ha-joon’s brothers asked quietly.

Ha-joon snorted. “She has all of the presidents’ personal numbers, and their people know to immediately put her through. The President of North America would give her…” He shook his head. “Yes. Ellie doesn’t bluff.”

I kept Byeol’s gaze and smirked. “No, no, I do not.”

“You promised, Byeol,” Soo-ah bit out.

Byeol flinched and then cleared her throat. “Old habits die hard. I apologize.”

Oh, that was the wrong thing to say, and her mother quietly let her have it in Korean. Whatever was said seemed to touch and amuse Ha-joon. He winked at me so I knew we were being backed up, but hopefully he would fill me in later.

“This event is truly lovely,” Ha-yun praised once their mother was done chewing on Byeol. “Did I hear right and your stepmother had a hand in it?”

I saw the hesitation in her aura, understanding she wasn’t trying to be mean or step in anything.

I nodded and thanked the server as the next course was handed out.

“Yes, she was known for hosting some of the best parties—our coven was after she was forced to mate my birth father. She needed some help being updated, but—no one pays attention to detail like Aurora.”

“Good on her for wanting to and using what she was taught to her advantage,” Ha-yun praised, waiting for me to look at her.

“And good on you for allowing it. You’re a stronger woman than I am because I hurt for you.

I’m sure Amanda Hope was an angel as you’ve said, but your grit inspires a lot of us, Dr. Reed. Never forget that.”

All of her family slowly looked at her like they’d never seen her before, and I felt bad when her aura started to squirm under the scrutiny.

“Thank you, truly,” I accepted, wanting to move things along for her. “I heard you’ve taken on your own challenge mentoring the daughter of Atlanta’s pack.”

She let out a huff. “Her father is truly…” She shook her head.

“I thought I’d seen the worst level of sexism given how old our pack is and Mum’s in Korea.

But his mindset is—I don’t think progress will ever be made until a female wolf truly puts him in his place and he sees it.

I hate to stoop to making things physical—”

“But it is the way of wolves,” Seo-yeon sighed. “ But we are more than our wolves. It’s complicated because yes, they’re half of us and we need certain allowances, weak people put the blame on their wolves for everything. It makes it difficult to ever really flush out the truth.”

“Or if it’s some combo of the truth and exaggeration for their purposes,” Ha-joon agreed.

“You mean there are difficult shifters? I’m shocked ,” I teased. “Absolutely astounded. I would have been more surprised if you told me the sky was green.”

“Funny,” Ha-joon grumbled as his family politely chuckled. “Funny, funny woman.”

I might have said more back, but my phone chirped. It was on silent, so that only happened if the program for ASH overrode the phone’s settings. I apologized and quickly checked it, frowning at what I was reading.

“Is it a crisis?” Ha-joon asked, checking his phone. “I’m not getting anything—”

“No, the hospital is fine,” I promised.

“Then who is using the hospital system to contact you?” he asked, an edge to his tone.

“Gerald,” I answered but hurried on when I felt how pissed he got fast. “He needed to make sure I saw this and knew my phone would be turned off. It’s—” It was quicker to hand over my phone so he could read it even if it was private information.

“Shit,” he hissed when he did. “Are they having a fucking laugh? This—”

“Hugo,” his father cut in. “We’re at an event. Her event.”

“Right, sorry,” he accepted and handed my phone back, adjusting his neck. “I need a minute.” He threw down his napkin as he stood and quickly left the room.

I blinked at his empty chair and then after him. “You would think he got the bad news?” I glanced at his mother as if asking what I was missing.

Surprisingly, it was his father who explained. “He’s an Alpha wolf. It’s ingrained in us to fix problems and protect people, Ellie. If he can’t or something was taken out of his hands—it’s what we struggle with most. And as Ha-joon sees you as his future mate, if you’ve been wronged…”

“Are you okay?” Soo-ah worried.

I sighed, mentally promising myself to spank Ha-joon later for making the issue bigger so his family had to be told.

“Kenneth Reed learned more about my financial situation than he should have been able to. It was clear he got the information unethically. The former head of the hospital’s legal department I fired and my financial advisor were the main suspects. ”

“They found the answer?” Ha-yun surmised, nodding to my phone.

“Weeks ago while interrogating Kenneth,” I answered.

“My financial advisor, and apparently he was stealing from me. I learned that weeks ago too. The hospital’s attorney did me a favor and worked with the forensic accountants to figure out from where and how much.

” I sighed heavily. “They have the final number, but there’s a problem. ”

“A dirty man has more dirt that he is involved in,” Soo-ah surmised.

I tapped my nose and pointed at her. “Apparently, he’s willing to make a deal and is insisting everything stolen is included in the deal, so it’s waiting for him after he’s released from prison. He’s never committed a capital crime, so there’s no chance for a death sentence.”

“So the government is asking you to just give up your money for their justice?” Ha-yun asked with wide eyes. “Well, how generous of them to consider screwing you over as the victim of his crimes.”

I snorted. She had no idea when I’d saved the damn president’s life as a child. I would never regret it when his mother was such a wonderful woman, but sometimes I wished I’d smacked him more when I’d had the chance. Seriously, he asked way too much of me at times.