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?

around me, searching for him – he’s here, he has to be, I remember him, my

“it was a dream, Ella – we

of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me that he’s

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

I reach out to him, sending all the love I have in my heart down our bond, and

I open my eyes again, feeling a rush of

rush of air, grasping one of my

like that for a long minute

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

there’s no where else I’d

and then his footsteps move to

room.

my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting

huffs, laughing through the tears that are falling down her

her, unable to help myself, and then glance down at my poor beat up little body. “Um, I think so?” I feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in me that feels… I frown, looking up

she says, laughing 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,

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

”

–

–

you were dying – of course I gave

– from our mom – I worked so hard to

”

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, Ella,” he begs.” You’re so weak – and she saved you with it – it can’t

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

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

—

on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one of my normal doctors – but he certainly seems to

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

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

hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor

says, turning back to the monitors. “Whatever

quickly, working to sit up further and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts

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

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

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.”