Page 38 of Ellie 3

11

Ha-joon

The line of patients to help felt never-ending even with all the extra doctors and staff we had aiding us. I barely closed my eyes the first twenty-four hours, but then I had to crash for a bit. I wasn’t the only one and it was hard to find an empty bed.

And my bitterness at the South American government grew. They weren’t doing enough when this happened in their area to their people.

But there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it, so I let exhaustion take me. It was for only a couple of hours because they needed more hands. I took a quick shower to help wake up and then wondered if I was dreaming when I found Da there with our chefs.

He looked relieved to see me. “Everyone keeps focusing on the people injured or in range of the danger. Your mum is worried about you and your colleagues. The staff is making extra quick-to-eat food.”

“Thanks, Da,” I said, accepting a breakfast sandwich. I wasn’t even sure… No, it was lunch? Almost dinner?

Whatever. It was fucking grand and exactly what my body needed. Well, maybe a dozen more, but it was a start.

“Can we talk while you eat?” Da asked hesitantly.

“We need you in ten for another surgery,” the ED attending said as he snagged his own sandwich. “And some shifters were injured in the rescue op. They’re coming in, so if you can check they’re stable, that would be a big help.”

“On it,” I accepted, waving Da to come with as I grabbed a few more sandwiches. “Everyone okay?”

“No, and we shouldn’t be,” Da said quietly. “I was blind to too much, but I finally made it clear I had no intention of Myung taking over. I’d had my doubts for a while, and it was most of my stress.” He was silent as we got on the elevator with others but spoke once they were gone. “You have no intention of taking over the pack, do you?”

“Glad you finally figured it out,” I drawled. “It was to get him to pull his head out of his arse but now…” There was no nice way to say I didn’t think there was any hope for my brother. “I hope you do the right thing and see you have an amazing option right in front of you.”

“There’s never been a female Alpha of a pack as large as London,” he worried, not playing games or denying it.

“And isn’t that fucking pathetic in this day and age?”

“Iagree, Ha-joon, but she will be the target of everyone going first. It’s not sexism that stops every Alpha, everyfather. If I make that decision and it gets her killed…”

He would never recover.

“Da, it’s her choice and you need to respect that. It also won’t happen tomorrow. You could have twenty years to get the world ready for it. More. If you focus on your health better, and you could if Myung wasn’t such a worry for you.”

He snorted. “You’ll all still always be my biggest worry because I love you so much. And it would be new worries for your sister.”

“True, but… I see it being much better. She’s smart. She could run that pack better than you do maybe. Her only ‘flaw’ isher damn sex. Fight for her and let others fight. I would. Others in the pack would just for the statement of having the first female Alpha. I see it going better than you could hope.”

He nodded. “Myung spiraled after what you said. He was telling people it wasn’t true and I promised him that it was a done deal. He was flat-out lying and signing checks for me that now we’ll take a hit not cashing.”

“Change the reason. Get him tested, and while people don’t need to know the official diagnosis, make it clear it’s a medical reason. That it’s to protect the pack and to keep everyone safe that you would make such a horrible call,” I told him in between stuffing another breakfast sandwich into my mouth.

“That could undermine your sister if she does take over.”

That was a good point, but I reminded him nothing was perfect. Also, to talk to Ha-yun given it could hurt her in the long run. Don’t sign checks for her either.

That seemed to really help and he gave me a grateful look.

He grabbed my arm. “I did as I promised. I really did, Ha-joon. I will get him tested, and—he wasn’t lying when he told me that he knew he couldn’t go through with killing you. I swear to you that I always believed that.”

I let out a slow breath. “It might be harder to read him if he really has the condition. It might be because of the crazy that day and your own wolf being conflicted. There could be many reasons.” He waited until I nodded. “But there was no guilt from him when I found out. He wasannoyed, Da. Like someone pointing out a failure, not his shame.”

“I know,” he rasped. “I sensed it that time too. I also heard he was telling people that you and Ha-yun were throwing childish fits for attention and it was all horseshit. Not only does that undermine me as the Alpha and ourlawsabout becoming Alpha, but…” Da shook his head.

Yeah, there wasn’t much else to say.

“Glad you called him on it,” I muttered, not sure what else I could add.

---