Page 29 of The Alpha's Stolen Mate

“This is it,” Aunt Mia said as she pulled the car up to a polished building with sharp angles and large windows. There was a sleek acrylic sign out front that said “Compound Hospital” in large black letters.

“Can you give us a second, guys?” I asked my mom and aunt.

“Of course,” answered my mom and reached back to squeeze my hand and pat Grayson's leg.

Once we were alone, I turned to my son.

“Seeing Grandpa like this is going to be hard,” I said. The back of my eyes pricked, but I tried to stay strong for my boy. “He's going to be hooked up to a bunch of machines and wires, but those are to help him get better. He's also going to be sleeping, and he won't be able to open his eyes no matter how much you try to wake him up.”

I wasn't sure if I said that last sentence for Grayson or myself.

“Is he going to be asleep forever?” Grayson asked in his sweet little voice.

I tightly closed my eyes and tried to fight back my tears, not wanting to upset Grayson.

“I'm not sure, honey,” I admitted, not wanting to lie to my son.

I had to prepare us both for the worst.

We got out of the car and I grabbed Grayson’s hand as we crossed the empty parking lot. My mom put her arm around my shoulder and my aunt held Grayson’s other hand.

For a moment, we were all connected. Even though we were terrified, at least we had each other to lean on.

The inside of the hospital was as elegant as the outside. The walls were the same cream color as the comfortable-looking chairs. When I glanced up, my mouth dropped. There was a crystal chandelier shimmering expensively in the middle of the ceiling. If I were to sell that, I could feed the town of Shadow Pass for a year.

My father's head healer, Nia, met us at the reception desk. Immediately, she brought us into her office. A helpful assistant healer watched Grayson while Healer Nia explained that there were no changes to my dad's condition. His brain activity was sluggish, and he didn't show any signs of waking up. They planned to keep him here to monitor him. At this point, it would be dangerous to move him. She had a no-nonsense way of delivering news that I appreciated. In a situation like this, I just wanted the cold, hard facts.

“Would you like to see him?” Healer Nia asked, rising from behind her mahogany desk.

The three of us nodded.

A knock sounded from the door at the same time Healer Nia swung it open.

I froze.

Gabriel was standing in the doorway. Even though I knew that I would see him here, the sight of him stunned me. He had grown a few inches in the last six years, making him tower over my five feet and eleven inch frame. Gabriel's shoulders were broader and his waist was more toned. When he was eighteen he kept his face clean shaven, but now he had a trimmed, light-brown beard.

Damn it.

The handsome boy who had rejected me had turned into an even better-looking man.

“Healer Nia, I just wanted…” Gabriel's words died in his throat when his eyes met mine.

My heart stuttered to a stop.

For a moment, the world paused. There was only Gabriel and I, staring at each other in a way that made my hands shake. His face was full of emotions I couldn't read. He stepped toward me at the same time that I took a step back.

The spell between us broke when an angelic voice floated down the hallway.

“Mom, can we go see Grandpa now?” Grayson asked as he stopped behind his father in the doorway, holding hands with the assistant healer.

Gabriel spun around, looked at Grayson's tawny hair and freckles, and then back at me.

My motherly instincts kicked in, and I grabbed Gabriel's hand, dragging him down the hallway before he could say anything in front of our son.

I stopped when we were far enough away and faced him.

Gabriel kept opening and closing his mouth, but no sound was coming out. His face was as white as a sheet of paper.

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