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?

all around me, searching for him – he’s here, he has to be, I remember him, my little baby, wrapped in white swaddling,

dream, Ella – we

hand on the swell of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me that he’s here – of course he’s here, I haven’t

rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back

I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling a little pulse back. He hears me. He tells me he knows. He’s

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

air, grasping one of my hands and lowering

touch. We stay like that for a long minute as tears start

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

else I’d

the doctor,” I hear Roger murmur, and then his

room.

my side, letting us have our moment as I take her hand.

tears that are falling down

so?” I feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in me that feels… I frown,

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

bed. “Cora!” I scold. “Why?! I gave it to you –

”

–

–

chides, “you’re being ridiculous – you were dying – of course I gave it back

a gift from a Goddess – from our mom

”

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 so

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

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

—

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

say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps

hesitating, looking up at Sinclair. “Not precisely a

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

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

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

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.

scolds, turning towards me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You

up at Sinclair then, my eyes pleading. I know that if I ask him, if I 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 you. But he’s been good,”