Page 32 of Ellie 3

He glanced from the man on the ground wailing in pain back to me. “I believe that. Clearly, you were well trained.”

I nodded. “And you always found me in public. Human women weren’t trained like that back then. You had all of the advantagesthen.”

“Yes, and I will keep apologizing for how I acted. It was unforgivable.” His lips twitched. “But I hear your message loud and clear, Dr. Reed. Things have changed.”

“Yes, the biggest one being that we both care for your son, so we should never be on opposite sides of anything,” I reminded him before heading to speak with my president’s aides.

We had enough help from other hospitals that I didn’t have to jump in again as a doctor, but honestly saving the lives of the victims would have been less stressful than coordinating it all. Especially with too much pushback and not enough help.

And I’d thought no one could be worse than the head of that hospital in Asia that we’d dealt with.

No, I knew the truth and there was always someone worse.

I was beyond floored when the South American government doubled down on what that asshole aide had tried to pull. One of their most popular senators showed up in his place… Apparently, to try and put me in mine.

He never touched me, but he had several choice things to say about me including that it was disgusting I ran a UN hospital when my father was a gambling addict and criminal who stole money from the coven he ran. I let him go on and on and on, even letting the media that was there get soundbites that he was thrilled about.

Then it was my turn.

I asked for two doctors to join me and gave them a list of tests I wanted run on the senator. Focusing mostly on head injuries.

“Are you mad?” the senator bellowed after his shock kept his ranting mouth quiet for a few moments.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “I apologize for not having someone see to you sooner, but I didn’t realize you were involved in the catastrophe. You’re suffering from a head injury, right? You hit your head on the way out or—”

“I was nowhere near the sinkhole,” he snapped. “I live hundreds and hundreds of miles away.

“Oh, I assumed you got hurt when you went there to help and do somethingusefulinstead of harassing the person authorizing all of this to help the citizens of South America,” I replied sweetly, knowing the press was getting a good view of this. “It’s the only thing that made sense given how much you were mixed up in what you said.

“And you were confused where you were at and apparently whatyearit was to think any woman would be obedient. That you had any right to ream her forthinkingand not listening to her better—none of which I see here.” I gestured behind me when he opened his mouth to blast me. “I understand the situation is a lot, but you’re confused, Senator.

“This is All Supes Hospital, a privately-owned hospital, not a UN funded medical facility. I understand that we both agree that’s where the victims should have been taken first, certainlythe uninjured, but they weren’t and we’re still kindly helping them. Now, if you would be so kind as to shut the hell up of your idiocy and leave if you’re not going to help.”

He sputtered for a good full minute, my amusement growing as he couldn’t recover fast enough. “I am asenator. You have no right to—”

“She has every right,” one of our military officers said as he stormed over. “And since you apparently can’t do anything besides distract the woman in charge of all of this, unable to handle dealing with a beautiful woman like the rest of us, I asked to be authorized to send you back.Our presidentapproved it along with anyone else getting in the way of the help here.”

No one was surprised when he listened to the man with a penis instead of me with my boobs.

Dickhead.

But I did thank the officer later. I had way too much going on and piles more to handle.

He cleared his throat and was suddenly focused out at the chaos. “I apologize for being unprofessional. As sad as this all is, I was happy to have a chance to work with you again. Less happy now that I’ve heard you have a lover.”

I slowly blinked up at theridiculouslyhandsome man in uniform and felt my face flush so hot I was very sure my ears were also red.

“Oh boy, grab popcorn because when the jealous Alpha wolf hears about this, we’re going to get a good show,” one of the residents joked as she raced to help more people coming through the portal.

She wasn’t wrong.

I thanked the officer for his… I wasn’t sure, but I said it was flattering. However, I was very happy in my committed relationship.

But I wasn’t dead, and that man wasfineand wore a military uniform better than most. Like, for real it was made for him. Top one percent of best military booties for sure.

Damn.

Carla found me later and warned me that it was all over the hospital that a colonel was my knight in shining armor and asked me out. I didn’t even bother to tell her that wasn’t exactly what happened, simply pointing him out when she demanded to know who it had been.

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