Alpha's Lust: Marked as his mate

“West-Field Hospital is the home of surgical legends. I swear, man, I nearly screamed when I matched here.”

Reece gave a distracted nod, barely listening to the chatter in the locker room.

“I’m Maxwell Finn, but you can call me Max.” The guy beside him extended a hand, grinning like they’d known each other forever.

“Reece Lionel,” he replied, shaking it briefly before retreating into his thoughts.

Five minutes later, they were herded into the skills lab like anxious freshmen. The Chief of Surgery addressed them with a stern efficiency that left no room for admiration, but Max kept whispering like they were back in high school.

“They say the Chief once brought a guy back from the dead… with just a scalpel.”

Reece didn’t respond. He didn’t care much for rumors, especially when his chest already felt tight.

The Residency Director stepped forward, reading out names and departments.

“Reece Lionel, Neurology.”

Reece exhaled quietly, glad for the assignment. Neurology was his goal. His escape.

“Maxwell Finn, Neurology.”

He barely stopped himself from groaning.

Ten minutes later, all the interns had met their mentors—except the ones in neurology.

“Hi, I’m Liana Jones. Neuro too. Weird no one’s showed up yet,” she said, brushing a braid behind her ear.

A directive came for them to resume working, sooner or later they were bound to meet their mentor, by afternoon, they were bombarded with work and only got few minutes break to grab a meal. Reece hissed, slightly irritated at the noise and then a sense of dread suddenly hit him; Room 2089 was where he had just been…with Sophie, he jumped to his feet and hurried to the room, his heart raced against his chest cavity as he raced through the corridors, arriving just in time.

His heart sank as he watched the doctors and nurses frantically working to resuscitate Sophie.

“What medication did she take?” One of the doctor asked, angrily.

“Lozenges.” A nurse responded.

“Which crazy maniac gave it to her!”

“I did.” Reece confessed, panicking. The doctor yelled at him and resumed saving the patient, two minutes later, she was stabilized.

His voice was drowned out by Reece’s thoughts, the beeping of machines, urgent voices that filled the air and the patient’s helplessness replayed in his head. The doctor got annoyed, mistaking this for Reece not being remorseful.

“How dare you-“ The doctor roared, raising his hand to hit him.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on him!"

All heads were turned to see Ryan's imposing figure stride into the room, he halted in front of the doctor and briefly glanced at Reece who looked pale.He stood like he owned the ground beneath his feet—tall, sharply dressed in navy scrubs, with golden eyes that seemed to glow under the fluorescent light.

“Is there a reason you’re trying to hit my intern, Doctor Pierce?” Ryan asked, cynically.

“He almost killed my patient!” Doctor Pierce accused.

Ryan looked at Reece, hoping for a denial.

“It was a mistake…I’m sorry.” Reece stuttered, a wave of regret and fear gripping him, his head hung low.

Ryan scoffed, his face darkened. Tension hung in the atmosphere, it was no secret that Ryan despised incompetence.

“Doctor Lionel is my intern and as such I hope in the future you refrain from insulting or trying to hit him, are we clear?” Ryan calmly stated, shocking everyone.

Doctor Pierce pursed his lips, taken aback by Ryan’s protectiveness, it was a part of him no one had ever seen. “If anything happens to my patient-“

“Ensure nothing does, I’m done here.” Ryan interjected and without waiting for a response, began to walk away while Reece trailed behind him, he felt a strange sense of familiarity with his savior but he was too distracted to get a good look at him.

Halfway to his office, Ryan halted and stood face-to-face with Reece.

“Thank you for helping-“

“I don’t care about your mistakes, no one have the right to scold, only I do.” Ryan announced, catching Reece unaware. He leaned in and looked straight in his eyes. “You’re mine.” He growled thenstraightened up, away from him.

Reece opened his mouth to ask who he was, the familiarity was uncanny but all the other interns rushed over there, a voice—cold and magnetic—sliced through the room.

“I am the Head of Neuro.”

They froze.

Reece’s breath caught. “No way,” he whispered.

Years had passed, but that face… That voice… Ryan. Or now—Doctor Alan.

He hadn’t changed. Still carved from marble and shadow, still the man who haunted Reece’s memories and dreams, still the one kiss Reece couldn’t forget, no matter how hard he’d tried.

It was at a little cozy party he attended, he had watched a man from across the room as his eyes scanned the crowded area, his piercing green eye and chiseled features coupled with the intriguing aura around him made Reece’s heart race with excitement.

The man noticed someone’s stare bore into him and as his eyes momentarily locked with Reece’s, he smiled and politely excused himself, walking up to Reece.

“Hi, I’m Ryan.” He introduced himself.

As Reece shook his hand, how felt electrifying waves course though him and his libido increased.

“Reece, Lionel.” He managed to mutter back.

“Wanna go somewhere quiet?” Ryan asked, hintingly.

Reece concurred and they stepped away from the party, barely had they gotten to a private corner when Ryan pinned him into the wall and roughly kissed him, their lips locked in a passionate fierce kiss.

Reece’s hands instinctively rose to frame Ryan’s face, deepening the kiss. The spark ignited into a flame as they both panted, hunger for air but desperate for the other’s touch, a…..

“Call me Doctor Alan,” Ryan said, pulling Reece out of the memory lane, his eyes scanning the room but pausing—too long—on Reece. “I have five rules. Memorize them or don’t bother showing up tomorrow.”

The interns straightened, the air taut with awe and fear.

“Rule one: you follow me. Everywhere.” He began walking, forcing the group to shuffle quickly behind.

Reece trailed after, pulse skittering like a warning drum. Was this fate? A cruel joke?

“Rule two: don’t wake me unless a patient is dying. And they’d better still be dying when I get there. Not dead. Not stable. Dying.”

“Rule three: I’m your Resident, not your friend. Don’t try to win me over. I hate ass-kissers.”

“Rule four: don’t be stupid. Don’t be lazy.”

He stopped abruptly, and they nearly collided into each other.

“Rule five…” Ryan turned, his eyes locking on Reece. Then he stepped in—too close—and lifted Reece’s chin with his thumb.

“Don’t fall in love with your coworkers.”

Reece’s breath hitched. Ryan’s fingers were warm. Familiar. Dangerous.

Then Ryan let go

.

“You look distracted. Fix it. Or your first day will be your last.”

He walked away without another word.

The group slowly dispersed, murmuring in disbelief. But Reece stood rooted, staring after him.

He hadn’t seen Ryan in four years. And yet, the moment their eyes met, everything came flooding back. The kiss. The heat. The unresolved ache.

He thought he’d buried those feelings.

Apparently not.