Ex-Mate Wants Me Back (Seraphina and Mortimer) novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Mortimer’s POV

The thought of Seraphina being off her game-or worse, actually compromised-made my gut twist. I could feel my pheromones thickening, turning heavy and dark.

Beside me, Vivian must have smelled the shift. She shot a look toward the OR, a fleeting, nasty little smirk touching her lips before she turned back to me with a face full of “tragic concern.

“Morty, it’s not that I don’t trust her. I’m just… I’m terrified she’s not in the right headspace for something this intense.”

She flicked her gaze to Dr. Greenwood, who looked like he was reading a very unpleasant book. “Dr. Greenwood, how long does this usually take?”

“An aortic repair? Anywhere from four to eight hours,” he said flatly. “Depends on the mess inside and how fast the healer works.”

The second he said ‘four hours,’ Vivian went into a tailspin.

She grabbed my arm, her voice hitting that familiar, shaky pitch. “Morty, did you hear that? At least four hours! In the middle of the night! If Seraphina’s brain fogs up for even a second, my brother is a dead man. It’ll be on her!”

She gripped my sleeve, pleading. “Can we just swap her out? Please? Dr. Greenwood is right here. He’s a pro too, right? Probably better. Have him take over.”

Dr. Greenwood looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

He shot me a quick, wary glance. “That’s… not how this works. I’m not the lead on this case. Swapping surgeons mid-op is a death sentence for the patient. You don’t just ‘tag in’ during an aortic rupture.”

I caught the ice in his voice. He was done with her.

Seeing me watch him, he added one last defense: “Miss, trust me, If Seraphina took this case, she knows exactly what she’s doing.”

“No, Morty-”

“Enough,” I barked, my patience hitting zero.

I let out a pulse of Alpha aura-just enough to make Vivian’s wolf sit down and shut up.

I kept my eyes locked on the OR, my voice turning like stone. “You aren’t a doctor. If you’re staying, shutup and listen to the people who are. Now sit down and wait for Rolf to come out.”

Vivian saw the wall in my eyes. She bit her lip, looking like she wanted to scream, but she knew better than to push an Alpha who’d reached his limit.

Her eyes went red as she whispered, “I get it, Morty. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted her.”

Seeing her look so small, I finally let the edge off. I patted her shoulder-a quick, dismissive comfort.

“This is going to take all night. I’m staying. Want the driver to take you home?”

She shook her head, sniffing back a sob. “My brother is fighting for his life. I can’t sleep. I’m staying with you.”

I nodded. I didn’t care either way.

The frantic dance inside the OR didn’t slow down.

If it hadn’t been for Rolf’s accident, I never would have realized the absolute grind of Seraphina’s world.

1/3

Chapter

+15 Bonus

Standing for hours, no food, no water, total focus. Just another Tuesday for her.

My head was a mess of things I couldn’t name.

Barton, the wolf inside me, had dropped the ego. He was curled up in the back of my mind, letting out a low, pained whimper.

And in my own chest, there was this dull, persistent ache.

“Alpha Mortimer, this is a long haul,” Dr. Greenwood suggested. “Why don’t you and the lady head to the lounge? I’ll send someone when they’re done.”

“No. I’m staying right here.”

1

I shut him down without thinking.

Initially, I’d called the department head out of a weird curiosity-I wanted to see Seraphina “in the zone.”

K

But now that I was seeing it, even with the glass between us, I felt this primitive need to stand guard.

Like if I just stayed there, I was somehow watching her back.

It made no sense, but my gut told me that walking away wasn’t an option.

“Graft to aortic root-done.”

“Off bypass.”

“Reconstructing the arch.”

“Checking the branches…”

Seraphina’s voice kept ghosting through the speakers.

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