Surrogate For Alpha Dom

#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?

desperate. “Where is Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for

says hurriedly, “it was a dream, Ella

it, reminding me that he’s here – of course

I breathe, moving my own hands so that they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the

I have in my heart down our bond,

my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected joy. I look

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

long minute as tears start to slide down

but unstoppable. It’s all just…it’s a lot to take in in just a few minutes. To come flying back to reality after such a hard few weeks, after days of struggling in the dream state to get here. It is hard

else I’d want to

and then his footsteps move to

room.

my eyes and reaching my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us have our moment as I take her hand. “Are you all right?”

laughing through the tears that are falling down her own cheeks.

I feel

back mom’s the Goddess’s – the gift, I gave it back to you,” she stumbles,

my bed. “Cora!” I scold.

”

–

–

dying – of course I gave it back to you I didn’t even

a Goddess – from our mom

”

so sick. I look up at him, my eyes apologetic, and I see his face instantly soften. “Please, Ella,” he begs.” You’re so weak

turning to Cora. “Okay,” I repeat, raising a finger to

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

—

own, when the Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one of my normal doctors – but he certainly

quickly, coming to my side, almost running into Cora in his hurry to get to me. He quickly scans my face, his expression worried. “I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps my

up at Sinclair. “Not

then, looking towards us confused, 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

back to the monitors. “Whatever it was it is a…remarkable

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

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

frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have days yet in

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