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.
room and pound down the
take mine. I slip my hand into his as
“Is it
–
I realize that he doesn’t know
together, we both stride to the front door, which Sinclair
–
moan of relief, sinking against Sinclair as my knees weaken, just a
can see Roger, turning towards her and saying a few words before they both
filling my
steadying steps backwards at the force of me, but wraps her arms around me nonetheless. “Easy, sis!” she says, still
—
baby,” I
back, safe. “Where were you?” I demand,
at all, of course – I made
Cora says, shrugging at me. “We were in the storm
a
didn’t plan to stay so
cord in the
wasn’t one –”
I cry, “at a
and looking into my eyes with her
We were fine. – we are fine! We didn’t want
home, we just wanted to get here quickly. I’m sorry I didn’t think
–
say, sniffing a little and wiping my angry tears
Cora. I was worried
around me. “I’m sorry, Ella,” she says,
“You’re right we should have called, or texted, or sent
–
fault. We were…” she hesitates here, but Roger finishes
smirking smugly at me and sinking his
I ask, confused, looking between the two of them. “Distracted by
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
My mouth drops open.
then Cora, a little chagrined but smiling a little at Roger, explains. “The storm was bad – we stopped…at a little motel. Just to weather it out.” She doesn’t
I shout, shoving her a little. “I’m sitting here, for hours, worried to death, and you’re out there
Ella,” Roger quips, and when I turn to him I see that he’s
god,” 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.
Roger says smoothly, ignoring my little shove
to take her
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!