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,
hand raised to take mine. I slip my hand into his
leaving his. “Is it
–
that he doesn’t know he
both stride to the front door, which
–
a little moan of relief, sinking against Sinclair as my knees weaken,
I can see Roger, turning towards her and saying a few words before they both open
cry, tears filling my eyes as
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
—
the baby,” I
all I care about is that I have my sister back, safe. “Where were you?” I demand, stepping back and wiping at
course – I
Cora says, shrugging at me. “We were
have a charger?” I
didn’t plan to stay
cord in the
wasn’t
I cry, “at a
forward and looking into my eyes with
were so worried. We were fine. – we are fine! We didn’t want to
the way home, we just wanted to get here quickly. I’m sorry
–
I say, sniffing a little and wiping my angry tears of relief away from
Cora.
warm arm around me. “I’m
come slowly over to us. “You’re right we should have called, or texted, or
–
our fault. We were…” she hesitates here, but Roger finishes for
smugly at me and sinking his
between the
Cora blushes –
Blushes?!
My mouth drops open.
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
a little. “I’m sitting here, for hours, worried to death, and you’re out there
Roger quips, and when I turn to him I see that he’s
step forward to shove Roger for his comment for good measure and then
awe.
my little
and Cora to take
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!