My Ex Turned My Clinic into His New Lover's Delivery Room

My ex-boyfriend was banished from his pack. He begged me to let him hide out at my neutral clinic for five days. We had been together for four years. For old times' sake, I gave him a temporary access code. The day I wrapped up an emergency house call for another pack and rushed back to the clinic overnight, I couldn't get the door open no matter what I tried. I rang the doorbell. Slippers shuffled inside, followed by a woman's impatient voice. "Who is it? Don't you know pregnant women need their rest at night?" The door cracked open, the chain lock still in place. A heavily pregnant stranger stood there wearing my white coat, glaring at me with undisguised contempt. "You must be Evelyn. "Ronan told me all about you. He already rejected you in front of everyone. How shameless can you be, chasing him all the way here to harass him?" Chapter 1 My brain short-circuited for a second. I'd come back to my own clinic, only to be blocked at the door by a pregnant woman wearing my white coat, accusing me of harassing the owner. I reached out and pushed the door. She immediately braced her shoulder against it. "What do you think you're doing? This is the Alpha's private territory. You want to force your way in?" "Move." Ronan's voice came from inside. "Ava, who is it?" He walked to the door and saw me. His steps faltered. "Why are you back so suddenly?" I stared him down. "I'm coming back to my own clinic. Do I need to notify you in advance?" Ava scoffed. "Yours? Ronan is the North District Alpha. The pack clinic obviously belongs to him. You're a rejected ex-mate. What, you think you can come take his territory?" I finally understood why she felt so entitled. "Ronan, is that really what you told her?" Ronan didn't answer. He just braced his shoulder against the door from the other side. "Ava's due any day now. I already moved your things to the storage room. Go find somewhere else to stay." Four years together, and I'd lent him a room out of kindness. Five days later, he stood in my clinic and threw me out. I looked at Ava. "Three months ago, the Northern District Elder Council revoked his Alpha seal and banished him from the pack. He can't even set foot in North District territory anymore. Where exactly is this 'pack clinic'?" Ava whipped her head around to look at him. But Ronan frowned first. "You'd make up something like that just to break us apart?" "Stop trying to cause trouble." Ava immediately stepped in front of him, shielding him. "If he weren't the Alpha, how could he have brought me in here? How would he have access to the security system?" She said it with such conviction that I was the one who looked like the liar. I pulled up last week's chat history and held my phone up through the crack in the door. Ronan's message was still on the screen. "I've been banished from the North District. I've got nowhere to go. Lend me a room for five days and I'll be out." Ava barely glanced at it before looking away. "A screenshot doesn't prove anything. Who knows if you faked it." Ronan jumped right in. "She's never been able to accept that we broke up." My hands were shaking with rage. "I only agreed to let you stay for five days! I didn't agree to let you change the security codes, and I sure as hell didn't agree to let you use my name to con people!" "Ava could go into labor any minute." Ronan looked annoyed. "If you had any professional ethics as a doctor, you wouldn't be standing here upsetting a pregnant woman." I craned my neck to see past them. The emergency room was piled with a bassinet, a hospital bag, and several large suitcases. The rooms I'd reserved for cross-pack patients reeked of Ava's scent. A disbelieving laugh escaped me, sharp with anger. Officer Caleb Marsh, the community patrol officer from next door, was drawn over by the commotion. I handed over my medical credentials. "I'm the resident physician here. I was away on a house call for five days, and they changed my security codes while I was gone." Officer Marsh could only verify that the location was listed as a neutral clinic. The system showed no ownership records. Nobody at the Medical Council was picking up the phone that night, either. And Ronan's name was indeed on the authorized personnel list. Ronan pointed at the screen. "See? It's right there. The system says it's me." Ava straightened up, belly thrust forward. "He's the Alpha, so the clinic is obviously his! She's just jealous that I'm carrying his child. She came here to cause trouble." "Being listed as temporary personnel doesn't make someone the owner," I said. "The only reason his name is on there is because I gave him a five-day clearance." But the original authorization documents were locked inside the clinic, and Ronan was blocking the door. Officer Marsh looked at Ava's belly, then finally told me to wait until morning for verification. "Go find somewhere nearby to stay tonight. If anything happens to the expectant mother in there, you'll have a hard time explaining yourself even if you're in the right." The door closed in my face. In that last glimpse, I saw Ava grab Ronan's arm and whisper, "She said you were banished. What does that mean?" Ronan pulled her close. "Don't listen to her." The elevator hadn't even arrived when my phone buzzed. A security notification showed that Ronan had upgraded his own clearance to administrator! Chapter 2 The next morning, dark circles under my eyes, I brought Mira Bennett, the local medical liaison, back to the clinic. Seeing me at the door, Ava's lip curled in displeasure. "Why are you here again?" I didn't bother with her and walked straight inside. My patients were what mattered right now. To my shock, there wasn't a single patient left in my clinic. The smell of disinfectant had all but vanished, replaced by something richer and more complex. Scented candles, warm milk, some kind of expensive wood furniture polish. It all hung thick in the air. Four strangers occupied the emergency ward. A middle-aged couple didn't even look up when I walked in. Judging by their features, they had to be Ava's parents. The other two wore white coats and bustled around organizing luggage. They were clearly guards hired by Ava's family. It wasn't just the emergency ward. The observation rooms and the on-call suite had all been converted into a private maternity wing. Ava's still-dripping laundry was draped across the examination equipment I'd spent over three hundred thousand dollars on. The medications and folding cots I'd prepared for neutral-status patients had been shoved into a storage closet. Further down the hall, someone had even taped a sign to the on-call room door reading "Private Security Station." My personal belongings were dumped in a careless pile. Muddy footprints stamped across patient files. My medical field kit had been repurposed as a coffee table, covered in coffee rings and grease stains. I thought I'd lose my mind. "Who gave you permission to touch my clinic?! Where are my patients?" Ava's mother, Carmen Castillo, was in the middle of draping the Castillo family crest over mine on the wall. The shouting finally got her attention. "The patients have been sent away. My daughter is about to give birth. You expect her to share a ward with all sorts of strangers? What if something went wrong? "I have to think about my daughter's safety." As she spoke, she reached up and took down the plaque from my clinic wall, the one that read "Werewolf Council Neutral Clinic." Panic shot through me as I thought of my patients. Mira stepped forward. "Ma'am, this clinic's mandate covers cross-pack and unaffiliated werewolves. It can't be commandeered by a single family." Ava's father, Marco Castillo, rose from his seat with an unhurried air and lifted the folder in his hand. I snatched it from him. Inside was a purchase invoice for medical equipment and supplies. The date was yesterday. The name on the order was Ronan's. Something about this invoice looked off. It was different from the ones I usually filed. Before I could think it through, Marco spoke up. "Ronan is the Alpha of the North District. This clinic has always been his. From now on, we'll only be treating patients from packs we approve." "What gives him the right to take over? This is my clinic!" Marco smiled. "Little lady, have some self-respect. Carrying on like this over a man who doesn't want you? No man is going to like that. "You say this clinic is yours, but Ronan's badge has a Council registration number on it." He tilted his head, jerking his chin toward the stairway. Ronan was coming down the stairs, and pinned to his chest was the Council-issued Cross-Pack Physician badge that belonged to me. The silver insignia gleamed in the sunlight. He turned the badge over slightly, showing the registration number on the back to Marco, Carmen, and Mira. "The Council has transferred the clinic to me. I'm the one in charge here now." I'd polished that badge more times than I could count. The number engraved on its back was MD-NA-0742, issued by the Council the year I graduated from medical school. That was where my dream began. The thing I'd devoted my entire life to. My fingertips went numb. I pointed at Ronan, my eyes burning red. "Take it off. Now." Chapter 3 Ronan instinctively covered the badge with his hand, terrified I'd snatch it away. Chin raised, he doubled down. "This is an insignia given to the clinic's new head. After you left, I submitted a management qualification review. The Council decided I was better suited to handle daily operations." I stared at the badge in his hand. "That is my badge!" Ronan let out a derisive snort. "Prove it." "The registration number is MD-NA-0742. It was issued five years ago on November seventeenth. At the Northern District Council Medical Department headquarters. "The person who presented it was Eileen Soto, the head of the Medical Department at the time." The words poured out of me as if I'd recited them a thousand times. "Enough." Ronan tried to cut me off, but I didn't stop. "Since you claim to be the person in charge of this clinic, do you have a medical license?" Ronan's fingers stiffened. He said nothing. "Mira," my voice trembled, "please contact the Council Central Archives for verification!" Mira nodded and stepped into a corner with her phone. Ava glanced at Ronan's rigid expression, rested a hand on her belly, and stood. "The Council values his management skills. He ran the logistics dispatch hub for our district. He has way more operational experience than you. "A medical license only proves you can prescribe drugs and do surgeries. It doesn't mean you can run a clinic." Ronan nodded vigorously, thrilled by his partner's endorsement. His hand went to the badge again. His fingertips were visibly grimy, and dirty smudges immediately marred the insignia. I couldn't take it anymore. On impulse, I lunged forward and reached for the badge. But I was no match for Ronan's strength. He seized my wrist. "That's enough." Carmen charged over at the same moment, clamping both hands on my shoulders and yanking me backward. Caught off guard, I lost my balance. The small of my back slammed into the edge of the triage counter behind me. An uncapped medicine bottle on the counter toppled over. Glass shards scattered, and one sliced across the outside of my right forearm. Blood immediately ran down my arm and dripped onto the floor. Mira rushed over, hanging up her call, and steadied me. I drew a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm. Ava screamed at the sight of blood, as though she were the one injured. Ronan pulled her into his arms, murmuring reassurances, and then had the nerve to call Officer Marsh first. "Someone broke into my clinic, impersonating the person in charge and trying to steal Council property. My pregnant wife is scared out of her mind... Yes, there's blood at the scene." It was my clinic. I was the one hurt. And yet the way he told it, everything was my fault. I pulled out my phone, photographed my wound and the scene, then called my lawyer, Nora. "Seventh Avenue Neutral Clinic, North District. Illegal occupation, unauthorized access code changes, stolen Council-issued badge. Assault on the premises resulting in injury. There are security cameras and photos. I need you to bring the authorization certificate. Yes, including five years of house call records and annual credentials. Digital and hard copies." Ronan's phone call went quiet. Ten minutes later, Officer Marsh arrived. The same one from last night. Ronan jumped in eagerly. "This woman is not a clinic employee. She has no authorization whatsoever. "Today she barged in and tried to steal Council-issued property. She upset my pregnant wife so badly she started having contractions. "My mother-in-law tried to stop her, and she threw herself into the triage counter." Ava sniffled and backed up Ronan between sobs. "My husband is the one in charge here. This woman is a bitter ex who keeps finding excuses to harass us." I clenched my jaw and decided to stop engaging with these two. I opened the email I'd just received on my phone and turned the screen toward Officer Marsh. It was a forwarded message from Mira. An automated receipt from the Central Archives confirming they'd received the authorization verification request. Estimated response time: two hours. But the more important one was underneath. A message from my lawyer, Nora. "On my way. Bringing copies of the authorization certificate and five years of electronic credentials. One hour out." With blood still on my fingers, I tapped the clock on my phone. "Officer Marsh, my documentation is on the way. "In the meantime, I'm requesting physical preservation of the scene, including the glass fragments from the triage counter, the bloodstains on the floor tiles, and the access log." I paused, then turned to look at Ronan. "And that badge. Please don't let it get any dirtier." Chapter 4 Ava pursed her lips. "Yesterday you said you'd have proof today. Now you're saying two more hours. Sounds like you're just stalling. "Officer, please get this woman out of here. She's seriously disrupting my rest. "If a pregnant woman doesn't get proper rest and something happens, who's responsible for that?" She motioned for her two guards to throw me out. My mind raced. "The clinic's original charter, the Council medical seal, physician authorization records, and patient intake logs. They're all in the records room. That can prove my identity too." I started toward the records room, but the moment I took a step, Ronan had the guards block the door. "There... there are private patient records in there now. You're not authorized. Going in there would be... illegal access to medical records." Carmen followed right behind. "My daughter is having her baby here. We need to ensure proper medical conditions. And security. "You're an outsider. You think you can just walk in wherever you please?" Officer Marsh frowned. "Mr. Cortez, please cooperate with the verification." "I'm not doing this for myself. This is about the clinic's reputation. "If this goes all the way to the Werewolf Council, I won't be the only one facing consequences." The threat in his voice was unmistakable. Officer Marsh lowered his head and pressed his lips together. Ronan seized the moment and slid a sheet of paper across the table toward me. "Voluntary Relinquishment of Clinic Management Rights." I read it line by line, my alarm growing with every word. "I, Evelyn Grey, hereby confirm that effective the date of this declaration, I shall no longer enter the Seventh Avenue Neutral Clinic in the North District in any capacity, and I relinquish all management rights, usage rights, and records access pertaining to the medical facility therein." "Addendum: I further undertake not to pursue any claims against Mr. Ronan Cortez or Ms. Ava Castillo regarding access code management, unauthorized occupation, the Council-issued badge, or the medical seal." The nerve of this man. He didn't just want my clinic. He wanted me to promise not to hold him accountable. I looked at this man I'd dated for four years and felt a wave of revulsion. I'd always thought we just split up because we were incompatible. Now I understood why he'd rejected me, the mate the Moon Goddess had chosen for him. He wanted to use me, then take my place. Marco glanced at the document. "Just sign it. My daughter's pregnant. She doesn't need this kind of stress." Ava sat on the couch, watching it all in silent approval. I let out a cold laugh, snatched the paper, and tore it to shreds on the spot. "You? A traitor banished from his own pack, and you think you can threaten me?" The reason he'd been hiding at my clinic in the first place was that he'd been caught secretly negotiating a merger with a larger pack. His own people had signed a collective petition to have him expelled. And here he was, still conning people with the Alpha title. The moment I brought up his past, Ronan exploded. The next second, he rushed up to me, clamped one hand around my injured hand, and held out a fresh copy of the document with the other. "Surprise. I made a backup. No signature needed. A fingerprint will do just fine." The wound tore open again. Blood flowed fresh. "Look at that. Saves me the trouble of ink." In the struggle, my finger edged closer to the signature line until it was barely an inch away. Every last shred of fight was draining out of me. I was on the verge of giving up. Then the clinic door was shoved open from outside. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her!"