Page 4 of The Alpha's Stolen Mate

After the healer shined a light in Summer’s eyes and tested her reflexes, he asked her parents to come into the hallway so that he could go over aftercare instructions with them.

Summer’s mom and dad kissed her forehead, murmuring comforting words that were too quiet for me to hear.

Then, to my complete shock, they both came to a stop in front of me.

Summer’s dad laid a hand on my shoulder, his other arm around his wife.

“Gabriel, we just wanted to tell you how grateful we are to you for saving our daughter. She’s our…everything, and I don’t know what we would have done without her,” Summer’s dad said in a gruff voice.

Summer’s mom seemed to be beyond speech as silent tears ran down her cheeks, and she nodded in agreement.

“You’re going to make a great Alpha one day,” Summer’s father said.

“Thank you, sir,” I replied.

After the three adults were gone from the room, Summer let out a long breath.

“My arm is killing me,” she said to no one in particular.

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” I said, striding forward, battling with myself about whether I should take her hand or not.

But Axel beat me to it. My best friend took Summer’s hand in his and pressed it close to his chest. He stared down at her with an adoring look that I’d never seen on his face before.

I froze and my muscles tensed, like my body was preparing for an attack. My mind seemed to be going a million miles a second. But on the outside, I was like a statue. All I could do was watch what happened next.

“Summer, your attack made me realize that life is short, and I could have lost you today,” Axel said, his voice thick with emotion.

Really? I couldn’t believe he just said that.

Axel was as good as my brother, but he could be a little selfish sometimes. Summer just woke up from being attacked by a Rogue wolf. Why would she care about him having a cliché personal revelation?

“Honestly, I can’t imagine my life with you,” Axel continued, then paused.

Where is this going? Why is Axel doing this now? Why is he doing this at all?

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Axel asked Summer.

It seemed like I was falling down a deep, dark hole.

After that, all I was aware of was the room feeling too small for the three of us and Summer’s wide eyes meeting mine.

Chapter Two: Terms and Conditions

Gabriel POV

*Two years later*

The Alpha King shoved the marriage contract across the table with a sneer.

“This contract is bullshit,” King Ezekiel said bluntly. “Who wrote it?”

“Gabriel and I did, Your Majesty,” my father replied with pride in his tone. “He’s starting his own business after he graduates high school. I thought it would be good practice for him.” He clasped his hands together, something my dad only did when he was trying to stay calm.

“Well, your terms are a joke. If your pack wants to align with the royal family of the Whispborn Kingdom, you're going to have to offer me more than this.” King Ezekiel stared down at the contract like it had called him a crude word.

I shifted uneasily in my seat. This was the first meeting my father and I had had with the Alpha King and his daughter, Olivia. Before this, our sole communication had been through email. Only a few minutes into the meeting, I had to admit that I preferred email. At least the meeting was being held in our territory. The cream-colored walls, wood floors, and large windows of our pack’s meeting room were comfortingly familiar to me.

When I turned eighteen, my father proposed the idea of setting up an arranged marriage between Olivia and me. At first, I rejected the suggestion immediately. But my dad said that aligning with our king, who had access to our kingdom's most skilled army, was the only way to ensure protection for our pack against the Rogues. Ever since Summer was attacked two years ago, three of our pack members have passed away from Rogue wolf attacks. After our neighbor, Mrs. Atteberry, died from an attack a month ago, I agreed to my father’s idea.

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