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.
down the stairs,
bottom, a hand raised to take mine. I slip my
leaving his. “Is it “I
–
anything and I realize that he doesn’t know he
both stride to the front
–
against Sinclair as my knees weaken,
her – I can see Roger, turning towards her and saying a few words before they both open their doors
tears filling my eyes as I
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
—
baby,”
back, safe. “Where were you?” I demand, stepping back and
not meaning it at all, of course –
Cora says, shrugging at me. “We
have a
to stay
cord in
there wasn’t one –”
“at a gas station
my eyes with
so worried. We were fine. – we are fine! We didn’t want
wanted to get here quickly. I’m sorry I didn’t
–
and wiping my angry tears of relief away from
“I can’t lose you, Cora.
didn’t,” she says, putting a warm arm around me. “I’m sorry, Ella,” she says, as Roger
we should have called, or texted, or
–
It’s our fault. We were…” she hesitates here, but Roger finishes
he says, smirking smugly at me and
confused, looking between the two of them. “Distracted by
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
My mouth drops open.
– we stopped…at a little motel. Just to weather it out.”
shout, shoving her a little. “I’m sitting here, for hours, worried to death, and you’re out there having motel
Ella,” Roger quips, and when I turn to him I see that he’s smirking
I repeat, taking a step forward to shove Roger for his comment for good measure and then turning to Cora. “Does
awe.
says smoothly, ignoring my little shove and closing the distance
Cora to take
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