Chapter 327 – Back to the Real World
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.
out of the room and pound down the stairs, looking anxiously into
take mine. I slip my
“Is
–
anything and I realize that he doesn’t know he came to get me
so, together, we both stride to the
–
relief, sinking against Sinclair as my knees
her – I can see Roger, turning towards her and saying
filling my eyes as I dash towards
giving me a big smile as I throw myself at her, 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 a little. “Don’t crush
—
the baby,”
“Where were you?” I demand, stepping back and wiping
it at all, of course – I made sure to hold
shrugging at me. “We
you didn’t have a charger?”
plan to
cord in
wasn’t one –”
cry, “at a gas station
into my
We were fine. – we are fine! We didn’t want to
way home, we just wanted to get here
–
you should have,” I say, sniffing a little and wiping my angry tears of relief away
lose you, Cora. I was worried
a warm arm around me. “I’m sorry,
slowly over to us. “You’re right we should have called, or texted, or sent a
–
were…” she hesitates here, but Roger finishes
me and sinking his
I ask, confused, looking between the two of them. “Distracted by
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
My mouth drops open.
motel. Just to weather
a little. “I’m sitting here, for hours, worried to death, and you’re out there having
try it sometime, Ella,” Roger quips, and when I turn to 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 to
awe.
together,” Roger says smoothly, ignoring my
Cora to take her
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!