Accidental Surrogate

#Chapter 274 – Bonded

Ella

My head feels…so heavy. I groan, trying to move my hands up so I can press them against my temples, but I can’t move them.

“Easy,” I hear him say beside me and instinctually I turn towards his voice. Where –

“Easy, Ella,” he murmurs, his words thick with emotion. “It’s all right…”

I peel my eyelids apart, then, confused at the effort. It’s like I haven’t opened my eyes for weeks…

My vision comes back to me slowly, the room around me coming into focus with effort. I blink rapidly, looking around at Sinclair, and Cora, and Roger all standing around me, peering at me with worried faces. I feel very suddenly like Dorothy, when she wakes up from her trip to Oz.

“What?” I murmur, my voice thick and my throat scratchy. Suddenly anxious, I try to sit up, pushing at the bed beneath me but –

What the hell were all these wires, tied to my arms?

“Easy, trouble,” Sinclair whispers, pressing his hand to my shoulder, keeping me down. My body responds to his command, relaxing backwards as I look up at him. But…

“Where am I?” I ask, staring at him, and then I press my eyes closed. It’s all just too much.

“You’re in the hospital,” I hear my sister explain. “After the gift, at the temple…”

But her voice fades, almost as if I can’t hear it. I feel my heart start to pound, my breath ratchet up as my memories start to come back to me. Of being on the temple steps of Cora there, and what we learned about each other of Sinclair’s warm arms around me –

–

–

–

And then, nothing – and then clouds – and Sinclair again, and my baby –

Oh my god, where was my baby?

spinning towards Sinclair as my eyes fly open, desperate. “Where is Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for him – he’s

dream,” Sinclair says hurriedly, “it was a dream, Ella –

swell of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me that he’s here – of course he’s here, I haven’t

baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow,

to him, sending all the love I

feeling my whole body relax. I open my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected joy. I look up to Sinclair

a huge rush of air, grasping one of my hands and lowering his head so that our

a long minute as tears start to slide down my cheeks,

few minutes. To come flying back to reality after such a hard few

there’s no where else I’d want to

and then his footsteps move to the door,

room.

my eyes and reaching my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us have our moment as

tears

feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in me that feels… I frown, looking up at her. “Did you…do something to me?”

a little and running her hand through her hair. “Yeah? I gave you back mom’s the Goddess’s – the gift, I gave it back to you,” she stumbles, not really knowing how

straighter in my bed. “Cora!” I scold. “Why?! I gave

”

–

–

“you’re being ridiculous – you were dying – of course I gave it back to you

shout, frantic and frankly a little mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from

”

snap to him as I feel suddenly guilty and a little childish, arguing with my sister like this in front of him, especially when I’m clearly so sick. I look up at him, my eyes apologetic, and I see his face instantly soften. “Please,

to Cora. “Okay,” I repeat, raising a finger to point at her. “But as soon as

laughs, agreeing to these terms, wiping the tears off of her cheeks. “Whatever you say,

—

sister, holding my mate’s hand tight in my own, when the Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I

expression worried. “I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –”

I say, hesitating, looking up at Sinclair. “Not precisely a medical

and I just shrug. Sinclair stands stoically beside me, still holding my hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor in his voice. The doctor’s face screws up further with confusion but then he simply exhales quickly and shakes

the monitors. “Whatever

a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to me, scenting me, clearly

doctor says, looking at a small monitor tucked in amongst the larger ones. “He’s fine,” he mumbles, almost to himself. “Better, if anything, than he was the last time I was in here.” “Good,” I say, almost under my breath, pleased to have my suspicions confirmed. My baby and I… we are going to make it. “Can I go home?” I ask quickly, hoping to heap more good news on

towards me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You

him, if I want it enough, he’ll pick me up and carry me bodily out of this hospital right now. But he slowly shakes his head too, letting me know he agrees with the doctor. “I want you home as well, baby,” he murmurs, “both of you. But he’s been good,” Sinclair says, glancing at the doctor. “We go when he says we can, and not a moment sooner.”