Ex-Mate Wants Me Back (Seraphina and Mortimer) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Third Person’s POV

Mortimer stood there, listening to the healer drone on about Rolf’s vitals, but his mind was miles away.

Inside his head, Barton was pacing, claws scratching at the floor of his consciousness. The wolf was hunting for that familiar scent of pine and snow, but all he got was the sterte, stinging stench of bleach and hospital-grade floor cleaner.

“The patient is stable. If things stay quiet, we’ll move him to a regular room by morning,” the healer said, flipping through the

chart.

“But look, an aortic repair is a major hit to the system. Post-op care is everything. One tiny infection and he’s done. Here are the protocols. If you’re clear on the risks, sign here.”

Mortimer gave a distracted grunt and scrawled his name on the line.

As he handed back the folder, he tried to sound like he was just making small talk. “Where’s Seraphina?”

The healer blinked, looking confused. “Dr. Seraphina handled the surgery. The ICU is a different team. If you’ve got questions. about the procedure, you’d have to check her office.”

He checked his watch. “But she pulled an all-nighter. She was off the clock hours ago. She’s been home for a while now.”

A nurse called the healer away before he could say another word.

Mortimer didn’t move. His face went dark, a shadow crossing his features.

He’d pushed back his morning meetings, lingering in the living room at the compound, waiting for her to walk through the door.

When she didn’t show, he’d used Rolf as an excuse to hunt her down here, only to find some random rotation doc instead of his

mate.

She’d been

and he was the last to know.

ew, a cold, jagged pulse of Alpha energy leaking from him. It was enough to make the staff walking past feel a prained chill down their spines.

ony, if she’s not on duty, we shouldn’t bother her. She needs her rest.”

Vivian’s voice cut through his thoughts. The second he’d said that name, her stomach had done a slow, nauseous roll.

That feeling the one where Mortimer felt like he was slipping through her fingers-was back, clawing at her throat.

She was terrified. She’d spent years playing the long game, carefully setting her traps, and now she was watching his heart follow that goddamn mating bond right back to that she-wolf.

Mortimer didn’t even look at her. He just gave a flat, distracted “Yeah.”

“I’m done here. I’m heading to the office. The driver will take you home. The center will call if anything changes.”

He started walking toward the elevators.

He was vibrating with an anxious, jagged energy. His aura was so unstable that Vivian felt a wave of primitive fear hit her. Her knees went weak, her wolf demanding she submit to the predator in front of her.

No matter how much she hated Seraphina, right now she had to play the part, keeping her head down and her breathing shallow so she didn’t set him off.

Inside the elevator, Mortimer yanked at his tie. He felt like he was suffocating.

1/3

Chapter 22

+15 Bonus

When he went to hit the button for the lobby, his finger hovered ovet ‘2’ for a long, agonizing beat.

Level 2. Seraphina’s office.

Vivian caught the movement.

She watched his finger tremble near the button, and her own heart started hammering against her ribs-a mix of pure jealousy and cold panic.

“Why the hell is he stopping there?”

In all the years she’d known him, he’d never given a damn where Seraphina was. He’d barely even used her name.

What the hell was changing?

She watched his profile, the hard, icy line of his jaw, and the dread in her gut grew.

She knew the truth: as long as Seraphina was the ‘Luna,’ as long as that woman’s scent was still stamped on Mortimer’s territory, Vivian would always just be an outsider looking in.

Finally, Mortimer hit ‘1.’

In the parking lot, he gestured for the driver to take Vivian first.

“Morty? What about you?”

“Work,” he snapped, not looking back as he walked out of the garage.

“Morty! Mortimer!” Vivian called after him, but he didn’t even flinch,

“Miss Davis, just get in the car,” George, the driver, muttered. “Alpha Mortimer is going to have to hail a cab just so you could have the car to yourself. Let’s move,”

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