Page 49 of Alpha Fate

“Oh, you mean you came to me for help?” she smirks. “You’re really not very bright, are you? Figures. The hot ones normally aren’t.”

“Um…thanks?” I shake my head. She’s right. Casey’s staunchly single. I’m an idiot if I thought she’d have any useful advice.

She eyeballs me briefly and then softens. “Okay, you wanna know what I’d do?”

“What?”

“I’d go after the girl. Give it all I got. Fight for her until she knew I was the best option. The only option, really.”

“You would do that?” I cock my head and raise an eyebrow.

“Not actually me, you fucktard. I mean, you go after her. I’m not into girls.” She’s starting to stand.

“You’re not?” That almost surprises me.

“Of course not. What would give you that idea?” Throwing her sweat towel over her shoulder, she runs an eye around the room.

“Dunno.” I frown. “I never gave it much thought.” It’s not like Casey’s not a knockout – lustrous auburn hair, golden skin, toned yet curvy. But she’s always just been…Stone. One of the guys.

“Well, don’t start now. Anyhow, I’m done with you. Gonna find someone else to beat on.” She’s already singling out Barrett on the other side of the gym. “Don’t forget what I said,” she throws over her shoulder as she leaves me.

I stare after her.

Fight for her until she knows that I’m the best option.

Sure. I can do that. No problem.

Chapter 17

Savannah

“Are you still out here, honey?” Dr. Bea looks concerned as she sees me huddled on one of the chairs in her little waiting room.

“Yep. How’s he doing?” It’s been a couple of hours since she shooed me away. I don’t know why I stuck around for so long. Just felt like the right thing to do. Besides, I’ve grown used to spending long periods doing absolutely nothing.

The doctor’s expression grows grim. “Not good, I’m afraid.” I realize that the front of her smock is blood-stained. “I’ve done all I can with what I have here. The rest is up to him.”

I chew on my lip. “Can I go in and see him?”

Her brow creases. “Well, you’re not going to get any response from him. He’s completely out of it. Though frankly, considering his injuries, it’s probably a good thing he hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

I stand and start heading to the door of the little room that seems to serve as an emergency bay as well as the examination room. The clinic is well-appointed, but I guess there’s a limit to how extensive their facilities can be. From my fuzzy recollection, there were no doctors at all where I came from. A healer, maybe? But wolves rarely need a lot of medical attention. It troubles me that Edirn is so badly hurt that his healing is a challenge even for a qualified doctor.

“I’ll go in with you,” she says from behind me, stepping past to push the door open. It’s dim inside; the blinds are shut, and the overhead light is off. That’s probably a blessing because the figure on the bed is like something out of a nightmare.

I suck in a gasp at the sight of him. “Oh, my God. What did they do to you?” His face is battered beyond recognition, eyes swollen shut, lip split. From the shape of his cheekbone, it’s been shattered. And as for his jaw, I’m sure it’s broken, too.

“He took a pretty good beating from the looks of it.” Dr. Bea is at my shoulder. “You don’t even want to see the rest of him. I think what finally took him down was a ruptured spleen; a broken rib may have punctured it…unless they just kicked it in. He’s been slowly bleeding out.”

I swallow hard. “Is he going to die?” I can’t imagine how he could survive this.

“Can’t say for sure right now.” The doctor straightens the covers over his chest and checks a tube attached to the back of his hand. I’ve never seen any of this kind of stuff. Not for wolves, anyhow.

“Don’t die, Edirn,” I whisper, knowing he probably can’t hear me but saying it, anyway. Impulsively, I reach for his hand and squeeze it. “You’re going to be okay.” Maybe he won’t, but if my words are sinking in, I want them to be positive. It’s what he did for me, after all.

“I’d like to think he’ll make it, hon.” Dr. Bea pats my shoulder. “He’s a tough one, alright. Just look at that.” She points to his throat. I see the scar I’d noticed on him previously when we were still in the cells. It seems even more brutal set against all the bruising. “Looks like this isn’t his first brush with death.”

I stare at it, wondering what might have caused it. “How long do you think he’s going to be like this?”

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