Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Chapter 317 – Difficult Memories

Cora

“Um, should we go get Ella?” I ask, hesitant. Because while I do just want to spill everything right

here, right now, while I feel so safe with Roger, I do know that Ella will want to hear this. And

quite frankly, I don’t want to tell it twice.

Roger stays still for a moment but then he starts to move. “Sure, Cora,” he says, taking his arm from around my shoulders and climbing off the bed. “I’ll go get them now –“:

I see him walking towards the door and instantly miss his warmth beside me. Suddenly, I very much don’t want to be alone in this room. “I’ll come with you,” I say in a hurry, scootching off the bed and moving to his side.

“All right,” he says, smiling down at me as he opens the door. Then, we both move through it together, me just a step behind so that Roger can lead the way. I glance at the grandfather clock down the wall – still a little askew, I realize, from one of Ella’s wheelchair adventures – and see

that it’s early – probably too early to wake them, when they’ve gotten so little sleep.

“Should we,” I say, hesitating as we arrive at their bedroom door, but Roger just shakes his head at me. “They’ll want to know,” he says, twisting the knob and pushing the door open just a crack so

we can peek inside.

We’re met with an instant snarl as Sinclair sits up in bed, hearing the door open and reacting instantly against a potential threat. I gasp, falling back a step, but Roger’s hand is instantly on my

back, holding me steady.

“It’s all right, Dominic,” Roger calls out, pushing the door open fully so Sinclair and Ella can see us. I see, then, that the pair of them were already mostly awake – Ella nursing Rafe quietly in bed

while Sinclair dozed next to her. The instinctual fear that kindled in me at the sound of Sinclair’s

snarl begins to fade as I see the actual sweet reality of the scene before me.

“Cora!” Ella, cries, working to stand up, but I move into the bedroom before she can.

“No,” I say, crossing the room to her bedside. “Stay down – you’re busy, obviously

“Are you all right?” she asks, worried, reaching out a hand to take mine.

11

“Um,” I say, looking between her and Sinclair, blushing a little to see that Sinclair is mostly naked. Roger, at my side again, doesn’t blush at all even though he can see most of Ella’s breast as she

mothers all the time – but the casual way that wolves accept the naked body…I’m not sure I’ll ever

to it.

–

reminded, quite suddenly, of Hank’s awkwardness when confronted with

with their bodies and their sexuality – he’s

think

god,

–

haven’t contacted him all since I’ve been here at Ella’s house, he’s probably

I haven’t even thought of him, and suddenly

that last night we…

my pockets for my phone, but it’s not there

Roger asks, looking down at me with concern and maybe a little

suspicion.

and folding my hands neatly in front of me. I’ll contact Hank later. Now, we’ve got more important things to do. “Ella,” I say, looking at

again. “I…I remember things. Important things. I think you should

wide and genuine,

ready.”

Ella

my bed, exhaling a deep, shaky breath. I look up at Roger curiously for a second, but his eyes are trained on my sister, watching, listening. I adjust my hold on Rafe, who is still happily eating, and lean back against Sinclair, who wraps his arms around me for physical and emotional support.

and shaking her head. “It’s like a nightmare you forget about it in the morning when you wake up, but then something reminds

whisper, wanting to let her go at her own pace but also

says, looking up and meeting my gaze. “Don’t you remember him, Ella?”

didn’t see him, Cora,” I say, shaking my head.

if I did – I’d have the same

whole lives,” Cora whispers, looking down at her

again and my heart wrenches

spoke to us. But I would see

there. Standing across the school yard, watching us. At the end of the

And then, once, at the foot of my bed in the orphanage – I

watching me sleep

to her neck, closing her eyes

–

–

saw him – I’d forget him, until I saw him

remember –”

leaning forward towards her. “That’s so

raising her eyes and shaking her head at me. “He’s the one who