Ella
I’m sitting anxiously by Rafe’s basinet, watching him sleep, while my mind wanders impatiently
elsewhere. It’s been twenty–four hours since we heard from Cora and Roger and I feel, just a tiny
little bit, that every passing minute is a knife in my heart.
Where is my sister? I wonder to myself, sighing as I look down at my baby and honestly barely
seeing him. 1
It’s okay, my wolf says to me, rubbing her body warmly against my poor aching heart, nuzzling
me with her snout. Roger will take care of her – I know it. He can’t not.
But what if he couldn’t, I think anxiously, my mind turning inevitably to that freak storm that
they hit – the storm which separated them from their guards, which seemed….just, too precise.
Too convenient. To perfect to be coincidence. What if the cult trapped them? And hurt them both?
I wail, inwardly, my wolf giving in a little and sitting back on her haunches to raise her nose to the
sky and howl a little along with me. She still believes, but she’s overwhelmed, a little, by my
despair, even though inwardly she keeps the faith.
“Ella!” I hear Sinclair shout from downstairs. I jump a little, turning towards the door, but I freeze,
not allowing myself to hope. If it was bad news – he wouldn’t be shouting from downstairs –
But something very urgent could be happening so he can’t come up –
“Ella!” he calls again. “Come down! There’s a car in the drive!”
I gasp, leaning down to quickly scoop Rafe up into my arms. He gives a little half–hearted cry of
protest and I know that I should leave him here to sleep more – but damn it, with the cult out
there looking for him, there’s no way I’m leaving him out of one of his parents‘ sight for an instant.
Not until I know he’s safe.
I dash out of the room and pound down the stairs, looking anxiously into my mate’s face as he
stands at the bottom, a hand raised to take mine. I slip my hand into his as I reach him, my eyes
“Is
–
doesn’t know
both stride to the front
–
relief, sinking against Sinclair as my knees
her and saying a
cry, tears filling my eyes as
tossing my arm around her neck. Cora takes too steadying steps backwards at the force of me, but wraps her arms around me nonetheless. “Easy, sis!” she says, still laughing
—
baby,” I
as I hugged my sister, but well, in this moment, all I care about is that I have my sister back, safe. “Where were you?” I
at all, of course – I made
phones died,” Cora says, shrugging at me. “We were in the storm
didn’t have a charger?” I ask, exasperated.
plan to stay so long
cord in
wasn’t one
cry, “at a gas station to
my eyes with her own wide with shock.
worried. We were fine. –
to get here quickly. I’m
–
you should have,” I say, sniffing a little and
lose you, Cora. I was worried
around me. “I’m sorry,
right we should have called, or texted,
–
hesitates here, but Roger finishes
me and sinking
I ask, confused, looking between the two of them. “Distracted
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
drops open.
“The storm was bad – we stopped…at a little motel. Just to weather it out.” She doesn’t say anything else but the big smile that creeps across her face then says everything I need to know.
ew!” I shout, shoving her a little. “I’m sitting here, for hours, worried to death, and you’re out there having motel
him I see that he’s smirking at me again.
realizing the implications of this. “Oh my god,” I repeat, taking a step forward to shove Roger for his comment for good measure and then turning to Cora. “Does this mean – are you two –” I’m unable
awe.
Roger says smoothly, ignoring my little
to take her hand.
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