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?

spinning towards Sinclair as my eyes 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 him, my

a dream, Ella – we met

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

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

there. I can feel him, my ties to him. My bond with my baby. I reach out to him, sending all the love I have in my heart

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

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

long minute as tears start to slide down

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

no where else I’d want to

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

room.

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

the tears that

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

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

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

”

–

–

you were dying – of course I

didn’t want it?!” I almost shout, frantic and frankly a little mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from our mom –

”

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

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

tears off of her cheeks.

—

holding my mate’s hand tight in my own, when the Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one

he says 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 wrist, feeling for a pulse and turning towards the monitors behind them, scanning them for new information. “It shouldn’t be possible…” he

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

“An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor in his voice. The doctor’s face screws up further with confusion but then he simply exhales quickly

turning back to the monitors. “Whatever it was

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 what’s wrong

doctor says, 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.

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

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