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 little baby, wrapped in white swaddling,

“it was a dream, Ella – we met him in the

my attention to it, reminding

I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow, and search for him. And it’s hard, it’s distant, but…

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 pulse back. He hears me. He tells

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

of air, grasping one of my hands and lowering

minute as

a few minutes. To come flying back to reality after such a hard few weeks, after days of struggling

else I’d want to be.

I hear Roger murmur, and then his footsteps move to

room.

my side, letting us have our moment as I take her hand. “Are you all right?”

tears that are

at 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

her hair. “Yeah? I gave you back mom’s the Goddess’s – the gift,

sit up straighter in my bed. “Cora!” I scold.

”

–

–

were dying – of course I gave it back to you

I almost shout, frantic and frankly a little mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from our mom

”

me, and my eyes snap to him as I feel suddenly guilty and a little childish, arguing with my sister like 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

“Okay,” I repeat, raising a finger to point

these terms, wiping the tears off of her cheeks.

—

Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one of

scans my face, his expression worried. “I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps my wrist, feeling for a pulse and turning towards the

up at Sinclair. “Not precisely a medical intervention.”

from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor in his voice.

he says, turning back to the monitors. “Whatever it was it is a…remarkable recovery.”

the baby all right?” I ask quickly, working to sit up further and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to me, scenting me, clearly working to figure out

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 top of the pile.

me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have days

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