Accidental Surrogate

#Chapter 273 – Cora’s Gift

3(rd) Person

Cora almost skids to a stop as she flies into Ella’s hospital room. “What,” she gasps. “What is it – is she –”

But Sinclair is just standing at the side of Ella’s bed, his hands pressed deep into his pockets, staring at the door as if he was waiting for her. Cora bites her words back, knowing that if Ella had …well, Sinclair wouldn’t just be standing still. He’d be tearing the world to pieces.

Cora lets out a deep breath, her eyes trailing down to her sister in the bed. God, she looks so fail just laying there, wired up to all of those machines. Her passionate sister, so full of life, looks like a little bird crumpled up in that bed…

“She’s fine,” Sinclair snaps, bringing Cora’s eyes back to him. Roger comes into the room then as well and Sinclair’s eyes flick to him, a little surprised. After all, he hadn’t called for Roger, he’d called for Cora. Apparently, they’d been together.

Sinclair didn’t let himself think about why. He didn’t care. His attention returns to Cora alone. “Give it back to her,” Sinclair demands, his voice even and controlled.

“What?” Cora asks, standing up straight. “Give what back? I didn’t take anything -”

“What’s going on, Dominic?” Roger asks, stepping in front of Cora, realizing that his brother is worked up about something. “Tell us. We need to understand.”

Frustrated at not being immediately obeyed, Sinclair takes a deep breath and steels himself, trying to will patience into his body, even though he’s run completely out of it. He just wants this done. Wants her back.

“I met her,” Sinclair snaps, working to summarize the past few hours as quickly as possible. “In the dream state. She was there with…with Rafe.” Cora’s face lights up with this news and she opens her mouth to ask a thousand questions, but Sinclair keeps going. “Ella is strong in her spirit, but the doctor says her body is too weak. That she would need a gift from the Goddess to heal her now.” His eyes move to Cora’s, angry. “Which you took from her.”

his accusation and a hand flies to her breast. “Sinclair,” she breathes,” I would never – she gave it to me – I had to

–”

don’t care,” he interrupts, his voice raising now. “You took it, and now you have to give it back.” He takes

to his brother. “Easy, Dominic. We

her under their dual stare. Her breath comes faster as she quickly sorts through her thoughts. Is this her fault? Did she

“What

”

together. “I don’t know? I didn’t mean…I didn’t mean to? But

she collapsed…”

like he’s walking in a minefield that could explode at any minute. “Can you give

–

the brothers. “But will that be good for her? She couldn’t she couldn’t hold

–

begins to growl then and Cora shrinks

let her help, if she can.” Sinclair visibly fights his instincts to force Cora to do his bidding, to save his mate. But Roger is right – terrifying the girl isn’t helping, so he forces himself to

off. She looks between the brothers, hesitating. “Are you sure you want me to try this? Even if it could…hurt her?”

–

at the open door. “Do

This is between us. Between… the two of you.” It kills him to say it, to admit – however tacitly that

eyes are filled with hope. “I think he’s right, Cora. It makes sense. And it’s a gift – I don’t think it can hurt her.” Cora’s lip begins to tremble then as she thinks about it – the horrible, awful consequences that

bed, taking her sister’s hand. “Um,” she says, looking around.

her legs up beneath her so that she’s seated cross–legged, as she was that night in the

Goddess’s gift and start to glow with it.