Page 54 of The Alpha's Stolen Mate

“Have you heard of the boxing maneuver?” I asked Gabriel as I paced around his office.

“No, I haven't. It sounds interesting. What is it?” he asked, his fingers poised over his keyboard, ready to take notes.

“Essentially, it's used to ‘box’ your opponent in. We need to surround them from all sides,” I said.

“That's a great idea,” Gabriel said, his fingers flying over his keyboard as he typed. “If the ‘box’ is tight enough, there will be no way for them to escape, and we can pick them off one by one.”

“Yes!” I snapped my fingers and pointed at him. “Exactly.”

We shared a quick smile.

It was eleven at night, and after Gabriel and I put Grayson to bed, he had asked me if I wanted to help him prepare for his battle strategy meeting tomorrow morning. After he explained his brilliant plan to defeat the Rogue army, we'd been brainstorming for three hours, and time had flown. My military studies degree and growing up with a dad who was in charge of WaterLock's safety had come in handy.

And I had to admit, Gabriel and I worked well together. He listened to every idea I had and expanded upon it.

“I think I'm ready for my meeting tomorrow, Summer. Thank you so much for your help.”

He stood from his office chair and stretched his arms above his head. His black shirt rode up and showcased his tanned, toned stomach. The black shorts he had on hung low on his hips, and I noticed a smattering of light-brown hair that traveled below his shorts.

My hands shook with such an intense need to touch him that it scared me.

I still held bitterness for the man before me. But seeing him with Grayson today…it cracked the wall I’d put around my heart just a little.

Was it safe to allow my former Mate back into my heart? What if he just broke it again? If he did it a second time, how would it ever beat again? I’d barely survived the first time.

Gabriel yawned and came around his desk to stand in front of me.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said and leaned against his desk, crossing one of his ankles over the other. “What if you joined me at the meeting tomorrow morning? I’m sure your aunt or mom would watch Grayson for you.”

My eyes widened, and I clasped my hands together in excitement.

“Really?”

The fact that he trusted my opinion enough to want me to join a meeting with other Alpha inheritors and Alphasmade happiness flow through me.

“Of course, you’ve been such a big help tonight, and your military degree will be really useful. I’d love to have you contribute even more ideas to help defeat the Rogues. And you have the right to be there after what happened to you and your father,” Gabriel said.

The wall in my heart cracked directly down the middle, like it had never been there in the first place.

I threw my arms around Gabriel’s shoulders, hugging him, my head pressed against his strong chest. I could hear his heart beating.

Gabriel pulled me closer and buried his face in my hair, letting out a low chuckle.

“If it makes you this happy, you can join every single meeting I have for the rest of my life,” he said.

I pulled back to look at him and quietly gasped.

The urgent look in his green eyes gave me pause.

My stomach churned, and I couldn’t tell if I was scared or excited—probably both.

I grabbed onto the back of Gabriel’s soft shirt because I needed something to hold onto.

“Summer, there’s something I need to say. Something I should have said the moment I saw you again after all these years.” His voice was much deeper than it had been a moment ago.

I nodded for him to continue.

“I am so deeply sorry for breaking our bond. It is the biggest regret of my life. Not only because it lost me time with Grayson, but it kills me that it lost me time with you. You are the only woman I’ve ever loved, who I will ever love. Every single day you were away, I thought about you. When you left, you took my heart with you, and you still have it, even now, even after everything.”

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