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?

fly open, desperate. “Where is Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for him – he’s here, he has to be, I remember

dream,” Sinclair says hurriedly, “it was a dream, Ella

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

my own hands so that they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow, and search for him. And it’s hard, it’s

bond with my baby. I reach out to him, sending all the love I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling a little

feeling my whole body relax. I open my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected

one of my hands and lowering

for a long minute as tears start to slide down

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

there’s no where else I’d want to

I hear Roger murmur, and then his footsteps move to the door, heading

room.

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

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

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, not really knowing how

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

”

–

–

“you’re being ridiculous – you were dying – of course I gave it back to you I didn’t

mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from our mom – I worked so hard to get it here, the least

”

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

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

tears off of

—

Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen

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

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

just shrug. Sinclair stands stoically beside me, still holding my hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes,

the monitors. “Whatever it

back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to

looking at a small 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 my suspicions confirmed. My baby and I… we are going to make it. “Can I go home?” I ask quickly, hoping to heap more good news on

doctor scolds, turning towards me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have days yet in this hospital

want it enough, he’ll pick me 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