Chapter 121
Trigger Warning: This chapter contains experiences of abuse and s3xual assaultnothing explicit, but please take care reading..
Sinclair
Ella’s small body is completely stiff in my arms, even though we’re in her favorite
place. I’ve only bathed with her once before, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to
figure out how much she loves a bubble bath. She takes at least four a week, and
when she’s upset I’ve known her to have a bath even after showering. Until I spoke
with Cora about Ella’s self-care practices, I didn’t understand the connection to her
childhood experience of neglect, but now that I know I’m determined never to deprive
her of the comfort even if my water bills go through the roof and the city goes into a
drought.
“Are you ready to talk this out, trouble?” I inquire, resting my hands on her round
tummy and feeling a pulse of stress from the baby. A fresh spark of worry assails me,
and I know that Rafe is channeling his mother’s fraught emotions. Ella doesn’t
respond to my question, and I press on, realizing that the poor little wolf isn’t going to
relax until she knows l’m not going to reject her”
Sweetheart, it never even crossed my mind to end things. I love you
Ella’s muscles tighten further, though I didn’t think such a thing was possible.
“But..She stammers, twisting around to look at me, “but you left!”
Im sorry that I walked out.”I reply gently, grazing my knuckles over her cheek. “But it
wasn’t because I ever had doubts about us.”I share, wondering about my sweet
mate’s reaction. I know some survivors of child abuse view any confrontation as a
disaster or threat, but Ella has weathered my anger in the past without any signs of a
trauma response. “I was angry that you thought you don’t contribute anything to our
and my wolf lost it when you suggested you
of losing you pushed me over the edge, and I needed to calm down
continuing.”
brow furrows, and I can see her grappling with her emotions. “Dominic,
things.” She whispers,
you’d come back.. think.. I think maybe I
And Mike’s betrayal and learning
them into
me, and I gently flip her
completely, I snuggle her to my chest, lowering my
she can
kissing her head
left you when you were already upset, I just don’t trust myself not to
that angry. The same way I would never make a
in the height of a fury. I think taking some space in the heat
maybe we can find some way to
physical distance.” I suggest. “But even
far I go or how long I stay away, I will always come back
you, Ella.”
her arms tighten around
I said I couldn’t be your Luna, but you
here. This isn’t the
for you and failed.”
order, sliding my finger under her chin
“First of all you take care of me
keep
l’m being an ogre You stand up to bullies
want you to. Moreover, I need to
to nurture and protect.
I
I didn’t let you. I
sigh, recalling the terror that came over her beautiful
tying her up. I’ve growled
overpowered her
her wolf responds to my bossiness like
both know this didn’t happen
didn’t I?”
holding Ella’s chin, but her eyes look anywhere but at me. Slight
slight nod, and then her wide gaze
so vulnerable that my heart aches. “Do we have to
wish I could tell her no, promise that she won’t ever have to
help anything. “We’re in a s3xual
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