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.
and pound down the stairs, looking anxiously
take mine. I slip
his. “Is it
–
doesn’t say anything and I realize that he doesn’t know he came to get me before
so, together, we both stride to the
–
relief, sinking against Sinclair as
can see Roger, turning towards her and saying a few words before they both open
my eyes
myself at her, tossing my arm around her neck. Cora takes too steadying steps
—
baby,” I mutter,
this moment, all I care about is that I have my sister back, safe. “Where were you?” I
not meaning it at all, of course – I made
Cora says, shrugging at me. “We were in the storm for a long
didn’t have a
plan to stay so
cord
there wasn’t
stopped,” I cry, “at a gas station
and looking into my
didn’t know you were so worried. We were fine.
way home, we just wanted to get here quickly. I’m sorry
–
should have,” I say, sniffing a little and wiping
lose you, Cora. I was
says, putting a warm arm around me.
to us. “You’re right we should have called, or texted, or
–
It’s our fault. We were…” she hesitates here, but Roger finishes for
smirking smugly at me and sinking
looking between the two
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
My mouth drops open.
little motel. Just to weather it out.” She doesn’t say anything else but the big smile that creeps across her face then says
here, for hours,
and when I turn to him I see that he’s smirking at me
I say, suddenly 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
awe.
smoothly, ignoring my little shove and closing the distance
to take
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!