A good,omegadoctor.
If the licensing board isn’t smart enough to figure that out, then that says more about them then it does about me.
When I pull into the driveway, I notice an unfamiliar rental car parked behind Noah’s SUV. A sleek black Audi with out-of-state plates. My stomach clenches with unease.
I enter through the kitchen door, setting the box of my belongings from my locker at the clinic on the counter. Voices drift from the living room, one distinctly female, and I feel a twinge of unease. This isn’t my house, so I don’t have the right to restrict visitors, but I’m really not in the mood to make small talk with one of the women from town right now.
I take a deep breath, straighten my shoulders, and walk into the living room.
The conversation stops abruptly. Noah and Kai sit on the couch, looking uncomfortable. Grayson stands by the window, his posture tense. And there, perched on the edge of an armchair as if afraid to fully commit to sitting in it, is my mother.
Mei Chang looks exactly as she always does—impeccably dressed in a tailored pantsuit, not a hair out of place, her expression carefully controlled. Only someone who knows her well would notice the tightness around her eyes, the slight downturn of her mouth that indicates displeasure.
“Mom,” I say, the word coming out more like a question than a greeting. “What are you doing here?”
“Holly.” She rises, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her slacks. “Finally.”
My gaze shifts to Noah, hurt and confusion bubbling up. “Did you call her?”
Before he can answer, my mother interjects. “No one had to call me, Holly.” Her tone is clipped, efficient. “I have an alert set for any online mention of your name. I saw the medical boardcomplaint as soon as it was filed. Imagine my surprise when I caught the first plane out, drove all the way out to your cabin, only to be told by that lovely caretaker woman that you hadn’t been there in weeks. She very helpfully gave me directions to this house.”
The question underlying her clipped tone isn’t one I want to answer. There isn’t any explanation for why I’m living with three alphas that she is going to accept.
“That doesn’t explain why you’re here,” I say, crossing my arms defensively.
“I’m here to bring you home,” she replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “
The casual way she says it—as if I’m not a grown woman capable of handling my own affairs—ignites a spark of anger in my chest.
“I don’t want to leave,” I state firmly.
My mother’s expression doesn’t change, but her posture stiffens slightly. “You can’t practice medicine until this board case is resolved. There isn’t anything left for you here.”
I gesture to the men around me. “They’re here.”
Mei releases an impatient sigh. “There are plenty of men in New York, Holly. We can introduce you to someonenice.”
She means someone beta, even if she is polite enough not to come out and say it.
“Not when I’m already bonded.”
For a moment, my mother stands frozen, as if the very air around her has solidified. Her eyes widen almost imperceptibly as the word “bonded” processes in her brain. Then, like a dam breaking, her composure shatters.
“Bonded?” Her voice rises sharply. “What do you mean bonded?” Her gaze darts between the three men accusingly before settling back on me. When none of us immediatelyanswers, her face darkens with understanding. “Which one of you did this?”
She whirls toward Noah, jabbing a finger at his chest. “You! You’re supposed to be a doctor—a professional! You took advantage of my daughter when she was vulnerable!”
“That’s enough!” I step between her and my alphas. “If anyone was taken advantage of here, it’s them.”
My mother blinks, momentarily thrown off her tirade. “What?”
“I was in heat, Mom. They took care of me. They respected my boundaries. They gave me a place to stay when I couldn’t even go back to my own cabin.” I take a deep breath, knowing I need to own my part in this. “Noah didn’t bond me against my will. I’m the one who gave him a claiming bite without his consent.”
The admission hangs in the air between us. My mother looks at me like she’s seeing a stranger.
“You did it?” Her voice is barely above a whisper now, shock replacing anger.
“I did.” I lift my chin, refusing to feel ashamed. “And then I chose to stay. I chose them. All three of them. And they chose me back.”
