Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 210 – Reunited

Sinclair

It had all happened very slowly.

I heard the deafening noise, felt the excruciating heat of the blast, but when the explosion struck my body was thrown from the car. I remember sailing through the air, feeling as though I was traveling through water as flames and entropy eviscerated the vehicle where I had just been sitting. I hit the ground hard, my head slamming into the earth and stealing my consciousness.

When I woke, I was lying at least ten meters from the blast radius. My head ringing, acid churning in my stomach, I stumbled back towards the burning cars in a daze. I don’t know how much time had passed, but my men were little more than charred husks, and the vehicles nothing more than tangled knots of molten steel.

I vomited onto the ground, emptying my stomach and trying not to let the horror consume me. I’d loved my men like brothers, but if I stopped to process their losses, my own life might be forfeit too. I did not know if the danger still lingered – or even from whence it had come, though I could certainly guess.

I quickly checked myself for injuries, noting the way every breath rattled and tore against my aching ribs, and the blood that seeped through my torn clothes. I shifted, and abandoned all thought of going on to the Storm Forest pack. For all I knew, my would-be assassin was waiting there in case their bomb failed. My phone was lost in the wreckage, and I was in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles from any being I knew and trusted. So I took off into the wilderness, letting the sun and moon guide me back towards Gabriel’s city, not allowing myself to stop or rest even once.

I was terrified that this was not an isolated threat, that perhaps similar nightmares had befallen my family… my mate. I needed answers, but I needed to get back to them faster. I thought about seeking Ella in my dreams, but I was afraid that if I let myself sleep I might not wake for hours, and the people I love would be vulnerable without me for that much longer. So I forced myself to carry on, until at last the crystalline lake and gleaming outline of the capital came into view.

I started calling to Ella then, and though my heart pulsed and skipped gloriously when she responded, by that time I was so diminished that I couldn’t think of any intelligible thoughts other than her name. I tore into the city at top speed, ignoring the gasps and shouts of the shifters I passed. And when I finally saw my beautiful mate, fighting tooth and nail to escape her guards, I shifted back into my human form.

felt like I was on the verge of collapse, but I unleashed the remaining reserves of power I’d been holding back,

body. His grip goes slack, and Ella takes full advantage, scrambling free and running

can cradle her against my chest as she buries her face in my neck, breathing in my scent. “I knew you weren’t dead! No one believed me but I knew!” She sobs, pulling back only

sighs in my

pain, sadness and fear. Ella takes it all with utter generosity and pure passion, letting me drown her in my feelings and yielding her soft mouth for my feral exploration.

missed you, trouble.” I purr, wishing I had a free hand to explore her round tummy, and instead sending my love for my son through

Ella insists, stroking my jaw

too horrible to bear- not

reverie, and for the first time, I remember we aren’t alone. I look up to see Dad wheeling towards us, tears and amazement

boy again as he kisses my

thickly, his face twisted into a grimace as he

own eyes as I feel the grief he’d been battling over the past few days, a

didn’t listen to your mate.” Dad replies, relinquishing his hold on me so he can reach for Ella. Her warm little body snuggles in beside us, and

she was right.” Gabriel informs me, though there is

and Philippe, and then Roger is charging out of the palace gates wearing an expression I’ve never seen before. “You bastard!” My brother is all aggression, and he lashes out as he draws near, pushing me in the chest and forcing me

punch. I duck Roger’s next attack, and throw my arms around him, restraining his arms and forcing him to settle as he tries to fight me. He gradually softens, clutching my