All Chapters of Ex-Mate Wants Me Back: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Mortimer's POVWatching Seraphina standing there, her voice as flat as a goddamn sidewalk, I felt a surge of pure powerlessness. It was like throwing a haymaker and hitting nothing but air. My absolute authority as an Alpha was being systematically dismantled by her flawless, unbreakable indifference.She didn't fight. She didn't explain.I tried a quiet move—releasing a subtle wave of mate pheromones. I nudged Barton, my wolf, to force a connection and crash into Lily's mind-link, trying to regain control through our primal bond.But Barton let out a frustrated growl in my head. It was a sound of defeat I'd never heard from him before. "She's locked her mind-link down. Lily... she's refusing to answer. She's actively repelling our touch."The fear of being completely "disconnected" from my fated mate made my heart skip a beat. I shoved the panic down and handed the ID badge back to her."Fine. Since you're so busy... how about dinner tonight?"I could hear the tension in my own voice.

Seraphina's POV"It's okay. We're just talking, like we did on the plane. You can tell me whatever's on your mind."Tabitha's voice was soft, like a warm spring breeze wrapping around me.Combined with her harmless, friendly face, I found myself finally starting to untension.I told her everything about the avalanche.I tried to keep my voice clinical, but a slight tremor betrayed me as I walked her through the moments the snow swallowed me.For a soul healer like Tabitha, dealing with PTSD was standard procedure.But I realized my problem had a much darker layer."So, you're saying that since the incident, every time you see your mate, you feel this instinctive repulsion? Even irritability?"I didn't hide anything. I gave her a heavy nod."I know something is wrong with my reaction, so...""No, it's actually perfectly normal."Tabitha cut me off. "Maybe you didn't notice, but your emotional spikes are relatively low when you talk about the actual avalanche. The thing triggering your s

Seraphina's POVI walked past him, opened my office door, and stepped inside.Mortimer followed close behind, his face a mask of cold fury.As he got closer, a thick, cloying wave of omega pheromones hit my nose. It was Vivian's scent—fresh and lingering. He'd obviously come straight from her. My wolf recoiled instantly, and I reflexively put some distance between us.He fixed those dark eyes on me, his voice low and heavy. "Why didn't you pick up your phone?"I gave him a look of genuine surprise. Honestly, I was confused. What was he even doing here? Hadn't he left to take Vivian home?"I called you half a dozen times. I even tried to reach you through the mind-link. You actually blocked the connection?"There was a trace of something in his voice—something that sounded almost like a bruised ego."Huh? Was there some kind of emergency?"I asked the question casually as I pulled my phone out of the desk drawer. "Sorry. I didn't have my phone on me. As for the mind-link? Yeah, I turned

Third Person's POVThe doors to the emergency OR shut quickly.Mortimer only caught a glimpse of Seraphina as she swapped into her surgical scrubs. Her face, devoid of any makeup, was set in a professional, expressionless mask. Before he could steal another look, the doors sealed shut."Morty!" Vivian's voice hitched with a sob, and a second later, she threw herself into his arms."Morty, I'm so scared. What am I going to do if something happens to Rolf?"Mortimer's body went rigid as she clung to him.The first thing that flashed through his mind wasn't comfort for Vivian, but Seraphina's detached face. Almost instinctively, he reached out and pushed Vivian away."Don't worry," he said, his voice stiff. "Sera is in there saving him. He'll be fine."Sera...Vivian's sobbing hit a snag.This was the first time she'd ever heard Morty use such an intimate nickname for Seraphina.Her eyes darkened for a fraction of a second, a sudden, sharp sense of crisis clawing at her heart."Morty, I'm

Mortimer's POVThe 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