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
