Page 3 of The Alpha's Stolen Mate

My breath caught in my throat.

“What…happened?” Her voice was groggy, like she hadn't spoken in weeks.

“Summer, you’re in the hospital,” Healer Elijah said in a calming yet methodical voice. “I'm going to ask you some basic questions. Is that all right?”

Her bright blue eyes swung away from mine and focused on the healer.

“Um…yeah,” she said and cleared her throat. “Sure, that's fine.”

“What's your full name?”

“Summer Ray Golding,” she answered and blushed.

Once, she had told me that her name sounded too cheerful. She was afraid that after people heard her name, they would expect her to be happy all the time.

“Do you know who these people are?” Healer Elijah gestured to a middle-aged couple gripping onto each other with matching expressions of anxiety.

“Um, yeah.” She cleared her throat again. “They're my parents. I hope I’d recognize them.”

Summer's dad let out a shaky laugh and ran a hand through his black hair. It was the same color as his daughter's. Her mom gently patted Summer's knee. Her daughter had inherited her delicate features and tall, willowy build.

“What about these young men?” Healer Elijah pointed at Axel and then at me.

“Yeah, they’re my best friends, Axel and Gabriel. They're brothers,” Summer said, her eyes still on the healer.

Biologically, that wasn’t true. One could tell by just looking at Axel and I that we didn’t share any DNA. Physically, my best friend and I were complete opposites. I’d always been tall for my age, and Axel was on the shorter side for a male shifter. My skin was honey-colored, whereas Axel’s was pale. Axel was naturally skinny, and I had an athletic build.

But he was my brother.

He was five when his parents died, and my parents adopted him. His dad had been the Beta of the pack, so he was going to be my second-in-command when I became Alpha.

Healer Elijah smiled.

“You’re doing great, Summer. Now, for the hard question. Do you know why you’re in the hospital?” he asked.

She winced like something awful had just occurred to her. Then, she glanced down at her injured arm, staring at the large bandage covering the wound.

“I was…attacked,” Summer whispered, her eyes filled with horror, her face draining of the little color it had.

Summer’s mom let out a quiet sob.

“Um, I think it was a Rogue wolf,” Summer continued. “He bit my arm, and all I remember is feeling like someone had lit my arm on fire. It was the worst pain I’ve ever been in.” She swallowed, and a few tears fell down her cheek.

My fingers twitched involuntarily. I wanted to wipe her tears away. I wanted to take her pain away and make it my own.

“I thought, um, I thought he was going to kill me. But someone fought him off. That’s all I remember,” Summer finished.

“Yes,” Healer Elijah confirmed. “Gabriel happened to be in that area and fought off your attacker.”

Summer’s eyes shot to mine.

“Thank you for saving me,” she uttered.

My stomach flipped, and I put my hands in my jeans, not wanting anyone to see them trembling.

“Of course. I’m glad you're awake,” I answered.

“Gabriel carried you here. You lost a lot of blood, and you will always have a scar on your arm, but I think you’re going to be just fine. I’m going to run a few simple tests and keep you here overnight for observation, but after that, you can go home with your parents,” Healer Elijah informed Summer.

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