The Rejected Wolf and Her Three WereMates

Chapter 8 : Healing

HARPER

~~~

By afternoon, the agonizing burn in my back had subsided into a dull, manageable itch. I got off the clinic bed, carefully rolling my shoulders, and moved towards the mirror to examine my back.

To my surprise, the angry, red whip marks were fading into faint pink lines right before my eyes. Dr. Alistair was right. I was healing at a faster rate than any other shifter.

The door clicked open, and Dr. Alistair walked in, reviewing a digital chart. I quickly lowered my shirt and slowly turned around.

He looked up, his eyes widening slightly as he saw me awake.

"How are you feeling, Harper?" he asked. "Any discomfort?"

I shook my head and managed a small smile. "None. And you were right, about my strange healing abilities. The scars are almost gone."

He slipped on a pair of latex gloves and gestured to me. "May I?"

Without another word, I turned and lifted my shirt. He examined my back for a long time, his gloved hand brushing over the spot where the scars had been.

"Incredible," he muttered. "You're all healed up. I guess you can be discharged by dusk."

He straightened and turned away, but a surge of questions suddenly heightened my curiosity.

"Dr. Alistair," I called out tentatively. "The things you said earlier, about my blood, about me not being an ordinary shifter. What did you mean?"

He sighed, pulling up an armchair and sitting across from me. His expression was one of exhaustion. I wondered when he last slept.

"I don't have all the answers, Harper. I've run your blood work three times. Your cellular regeneration isn't driven by your inner wolf. It's an internal, radiant energy. Yes, you aren't an ordinary shifter, but I can't classify what you are. The only people who could truly explain this to you would be your parents, or any close relatives."

A cold weight settled in my stomach. "My mother passed away recently."

"Oh, I'm deeply sorry," he murmured. "My condolences, Harper. But what about your father? Or aunts and uncles?"

I shook my head, a bitter taste in my mouth. I had no idea who my father was. My mom told me he abandoned her the moment she got pregnant. If I saw him now, I wouldn't recognize him because I had no idea what he looked like. I didn't even know his name.

As for aunts and uncles, that was worse. My mother was an incredibly private person. She kept to herself, stayed away from family, and raised me in complete isolation.

"There's no one else I can ask," I answered finally.

"I see," Alistair murmured, his tone empathetic. "Well, whatever is waking up in your system, it's protective, so you don't have to worry about it hurting you. It's actually keeping you safe. Maybe when the time is right, the answers will reveal themselves."

That didn't make me feel better, but it was better than nothing. So I nodded. "Okay."

He smiled and rose from his seat. "Rest a little, okay? I'll come back to run one last checkup before you're discharged."

"Thank you," I whispered.

After he left, I lay back on the bed and curled into a tight ball, feeling exhausted and longing for the normal, boring life I once had, before I had to return to Black Pine.

Minutes after Alistair left, a young shifter nurse entered the room. I could smell the earthy, forest scent that usually clung to all bear shifters.

She held a massive silver tray, and the rich, mouth-watering aroma of roasted honey-glazed chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted root vegetables instantly filled the room. My favorite food.

"Who sent this?" I asked, my stomach letting out a traitorous rumble.

The nurse smiled warmly. "The Alphas, ma'am. They left orders to get you some food the moment you woke up."

My chest tightened. A warm, dangerous crack formed in the defensive wall I had built around my heart. They remembered my favorite meal. After everything, they still remembered.

For a split second, my resolve melted, and I started to smile. But I caught myself, mentally slamming the bricks back into place. No! I won't fall so easily for their charm a second time.

"Thank you," I said to the nurse and waited until she left before yanking the tray towards me.

I ate every bite, moaning from satisfaction as the chicken melted in my mouth. I didn't realize just how hungry I was.

I emptied the tray, feeling much better, and sat with my back against the pillows. My mind started to wander.

Did Mason mean it when he said they would offer me Ruby's high-ranking position? Would it be a bad idea to accept it? To become their mate again?

I still didn't believe their story about Ruby. Just a distraction? A release of tension? It sounded like a convenient excuse.

I dozed off, the heavy meal and my body's rapid healing pulling me into a deep sleep.

When I finally blinked my eyes open around dusk, the shadows in the room had lengthened. The air felt thick, charged with a sudden, intoxicating heat.

"Hey," a soft voice murmured near my ear.

I gasped, flinching back against the pillows. Crouched right beside the mattress, his face inches from mine, was Dallas. He wasn't wearing his usual rigid, calculating mask.

Instead, a rare smile played on his lips, his golden eyes glowing warmly in the twilight.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs.

"We're here to pick you up," he whispered. "Alistair told us you would be discharged by dusk."

He reached out, his large, warm hand cupping my cheek. His thumb stroked over my cheekbone, and a fierce, electric jolt of desire sparked through my skin.

My body traitorously leaned into his touch, my core tightening as his intoxicating scent filled my senses. I tried to hide my reaction, pulling my face back, but his gaze darkened with possessive satisfaction. He knew exactly what he did to me.

"Come on," he murmured softly, sliding a massive arm around my waist to help me sit up. The heat of his palm seared right through my shirt, making my breath hitch.

He kept his arm securely locked around my waist as he guided me out of the clinic and into the cool evening air. The moment we stepped onto the gravel driveway, the peaceful atmosphere shattered.

Mason and Ryder were leaning against a luxurious, black SUV. The second they saw Dallas's arm wrapped tightly around my waist, their postures turned rigid, their alpha bear auras flaring wildly.

"Take your hand off her, Dallas," Ryder growled, his lip curling to reveal his fangs.

"I'm just assisting her," Dallas replied calmly, but his grip on my waist tightened defiantly.

Mason didn't bother arguing. In a flash of terrifying, broad-shouldered speed, he closed the distance. His large hand clamped onto my arm, and with a possessive jerk, he pulled me clean out of Dallas's grip and flush against his own solid chest.

"She doesn't need your assistance," he hissed.

Before Dallas could retaliate, Ryder stepped in on my other side, his massive hands reaching out to yank me away from Mason.

"She doesn't need yours either!"

"Stop it!" I yelled and forcefully wrenched myself free from all three of them. I stood trembling in the gravel, glaring at the three massive, brooding men. "Are you kidding me right now? You're all acting like a bunch of sulking, territorial teenagers! I can walk perfectly fine on my own!"

They actually looked startled at my outburst, their matching gold eyes blinking in unison as I stormed past them.

I yanked open the door of the SUV, marched straight past the middle row, and climbed into the very back corner of the back seat. I needed space. I didn't understand why all three of them were suddenly acting like I was a piece of meat they needed to hoard.

The three of them exchanged silent, frustrated looks before climbing in. Mason took the driver's seat, Dallas sat in the passenger side, and Ryder occupied the middle row, turning his massive frame around just to stare at me.

"Are you comfortable?" he murmured.

"I'm fine. Just drive."

The tension in the car was radioactive as Mason threw the SUV into gear and tore down the mountain road, driving away from the clinic.

I stared out the window into the dark pine forest, trying to ignore the magnetic pull of the three bear shifters in front of me.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "This isn't the way to the lodge."

Mason caught my eyes in the rearview mirror, his expression turning serious.

"We aren't going to the lodge, Harper," he stated curtly. "We're taking you to the pack house. Ruby owes you an apology on her knees."