Ella

The next day, Cora and Roger come over early. Roger and Sinclair head out, their faces solemn, to speak with their aids and their advisors regarding how to respond to the news we know is inevitably coming. Our reconnaissance teams told us that the Atalaxian delegation did indeed return home last night and were apparently in council until dawn.

Which suggests that at any moment now, they’ll declare war.

Sinclair, I know, is spending a great deal of time deciding how to publicly respond. I think that he and Roger right now are recording a message that will go out to the nation as soon as the war is declared. But Cora and I?

Well.

We’re just…being moms.

“Ella,” she says, sighing and holding Rafe out towards me in my closet, wrinkling her nose. “I think you precious future King needs to be changed.”

I sigh, my sweater only half over my head. “So? Go change him.”

When I pull my sweater down and settle it neatly over my stomach, I see her grinning at me, my baby still outstretched in her arms. “Nope,” she says, shaking her head. “Your baby, your diaper.”

“You’re going to regret that policy,” I say, taking Rafe from her with raised brows, “in juuuuust about three and a half months, Cora.”

“And for three and a half months, I will be diaper free!” she calls after me with a laugh as I carry my smelly baby over to his changing table in the bedroom.

Rafe grins at me, looking honestly a little proud of himself, and I can’t help but laugh as I lay him down and quickly change him. “Little Rafe,” I coo, smiling down into his perfect face and tickling his belly, “getting so big! Do you want to try an apple today? Or some avocado?”

As I finish changing Rafe, Cora comes out of the closet, changed into a comfortable set of my clothes. She came to the palace today in more formal clothing, but as soon as Sinclair let her know that she probably wouldn’t be required to appear or speak she immediately expressed her intention to change.

to where her little baby bump is clearly evident under

her eyes and laughing as she comes over to me. ” I’m

I say, laughing as we together move into the living area through the next door and settle onto the couch. “Trust me, you’ll know you’re

tucks them up beneath her on the couch, her hands going to either side of her belly. “It just goes so fast, these wolf pregnancies,” she says, shaking her head. “Human moms get nine months to adjust; it’s kind of crazy that

say, raising my eyebrows. “I didn’t even

long mine will be,” she murmurs, still studying her belly, smiling down at her little baby-to-be.” No way of knowing, with this

couch and holding my baby close to my chest, turning him a little so he can look at his auntie. Rafe giggles a little,

and I laugh at her

this family?” I

he’s going to be in the midst of it all?” she shakes her head. “Forgive me, Ella, if I lean into

opens and Roger and Sinclair come through, their hands shockingly empty of tablets, phones, paperwork – any of the usual accoutrements of running the

my mate as he comes

do,” he murmurs. “Budge

over the side of the armchair on which

Sinclair, finding

few buttons, turning on the television that hangs on the far wall. The channel immediately turns to a news venue, and words stretch across

WAR DECARED

his arms more tightly around me. I sigh, pressing myself against him, and then I dip

tried so hard to avoid it,”

hand,” “Sinclair replies, and I can feel him shake his head, feel his disappointment down the bond. “It’s a gamble – but if they win? The rewards will be worth it. Moon

hard to take it,”

looking down at the top of Rafe’s

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