Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 11

CHAPTER 10

Clara’s POV

The sound of steady and rhythmic beeping. That was the first thing I registered as consciousness slowly returned to me. The second was pain–a dull, throbbing ache that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

I tried to open my eyes, but a blinding light made me shut them immediately. Slowly, I tried again, allowing my vision to adjust bit by bit. White ceiling. Medical equipment. The antiseptic smell of a healing room.

I was alive. That realization hit me with surprising force.

“Ah, you’re awake,” a male voice said from somewhere to my right. “Good. I was beginning to worry.”

I turned my head carefully, wincing at the stiffness in my neck. A man in his forties stood beside my bed, checking one of the machines connected to me by wires and tubes. He wore the white coat typical of pack healers.

“Where am I?” My voice came out as a rasp, my throat dry and scratchy.

“Shadowfang Pack medical wing,” he replied, reaching for a cup of water and holding it to my lips. “I’m Samuel, the head healer here. You’ve been unconscious for three days.”

Three days? I took a small sip, the cool water soothing my parched throat.

“How bad?” I asked, not needing to elaborate.

Samuel’s expression grew serious. “Bad enough that most would have died. You lost a dangerous amount of blood. Four broken ribs. Torn shoulder muscles. Punctured lung. Deep lacerations across your chest, back, and sides.” He looked at me with professional curiosity. “You’re lucky Alpha Darius found you when he did.”

Lucky. That wasn’t the word I would have chosen.

“When can I leave?” I asked, trying to push myself into a sitting position. Pain immediately shot through my torso, making me gasp.

“Careful,” Samuel said, gently but firmly pressing me back down. “Your wounds are healing well, but they’re far from healed. As for leaving…” His expression became guarded. “That will need to be arranged with the Alpha.”

The way he said it told me everything I needed to know. I wasn’t a patient here. I was a

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prisoner. A valuable one, perhaps, but a prisoner nonetheless.

+25 Points

Samuel continued his examination, checking my bandages and the various monitors. He

seemed satisfied with what he found.

“You’re healing faster than expected,” he noted. “Your wolf must be quite strong to accelerate your recovery like this.”

I said nothing. My wolf had always been strong–too strong, according to Jaden. It was one of the many things I had tried to suppress to be his perfect Luna.

“I’ll inform Alpha Darius that you’re awake,” Samuel said, making a note on a tablet. “He’ll want to know. In the meantime, try to rest. Your body still has a lot of healing to do.”

With that, he left the room, the door closing quietly behind him.

Alone at last, I allowed myself to sink back into the pillows. My mind felt clearer now than it had in the forest, the desperate fog of pain and blood loss lifted. With clarity came memory- sharp, painful flashes of everything that had happened.

Jaden and Liana together. Her swollen belly. His cold eyes as he rejected our bond. The warriors sent to kill me. The chase through the forest. And finally, Alpha Darius with his

amber eyes and cryptic offer.

Shelter. Protection. Power. All in exchange for my loyalty. But loyalty to what end? What did he really want from me?

In my weakened state, facing death, I hadn’t questioned him enough. I had agreed to his terms without fully understanding them. Now, with the immediate danger passed, I needed

answers.

I looked down at my body, taking note. Bandages wrapped my torso and left shoulder. An IV line ran into my right arm. Monitors tracked my heartbeat and other vitals. I was wearing a simple white hospital gown, my blood–soaked clothes nowhere to be seen.

Carefully, I tried sitting up again, moving more slowly this time. Pain still radiated through me, but it was manageable. I needed to see Darius. Needed to understand what exactly I had agreed to.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, gritting my teeth against the discomfort. The room swayed slightly as I put weight on my feet, but I steadied myself against the edge of the bed until the dizziness passed.

One step at a time, I made my way to the door. Each movement pulled at my healing wounds, but my determination pushed me forward. I had survived worse. Much worse.

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+25 Points

I reached for the handle and pulled the door open, only to find myself face to face with a tall, muscular man. He stood in the hallway, arms crossed over his broad chest, clearly stationed there to watch my room.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” he said, his voice deep and gruff.

“I need to see Alpha Darius,” I replied, meeting his gaze steadily despite having to look up at

him.

To my surprise, he nodded. “The Alpha said to bring you to him when you were able to walk. He’s been waiting.”

That caught me off guard. Darius had been expecting me to come to him? It seemed he knew me better than I thought.

“Follow me,” the guard said, turning to lead the way. “Can you manage, or do you need

assistance?”

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