Ch. 351..360

Chapter 351

Roger gives a rough, sarcastic little laugh. “Jealousy? Jealousy? Cora, this has nothing to do with jealousy-

“Then what is it?” I ask, confused.” Honestly, Roger – if it’s not jealousy, then what else is your reason for not wanting Hank here to take over for me, and treat these men when I need to rest?” And Roger goes still, at a loss for words, because…

Ella starts to laugh suddenly, and then slaps a hand over her mouth. Roger growls and glares at her, but she just shakes her head in apology, still unable to help it.

“He’s not jealous,” I say to Ella defensively, choosing allegiance over truth and working hard to keep a smile off my face as I stand close to my man and slip an arm around his waist. Because I’m little pleased, honestly, to see Roger want me all to himself, to be protective enough that he doesn’t want Hank anywhere near me. “He’s just…” and I hesitate, smiling up at Roger, shaking my head because I don’t know what to say.

“What I am is done with the two of you,” Roger growls, peeling his arm from around my waist and glaring at the two of us. “Sisters,” he scoffs, and then points a finger between us. “I’ll stay up treating these men all damn night myself, if that’s what it takes,” he continues. “But no Hank in the bunker. Are we clear?”

“Yes, baby,” I murmur, moving close to him again and laughing a little as I wrap my arms around him again.” Whatever you say.”

“Damn right, whatever I say,” Roger mutters, his feathers still a little ruffled. And then, after a minute, he whispers to me again. “We’ll send them out,” he says, “as soon as Sinclair wakes up. The ones you want to have further treatment? I won’t stop them from getting it, just because I…don’t want him here.”

“Okay,” I whisper, resting my head against my mate’s chest and smiling softly. “That’s a good plan.”

Ella

We worked for hours more, to the point where I think that Cora was falling asleep on her feet. But I couldn’t leave her didn’t want to let the entire burden of healing all of the men who went on the mission on her shoulders.

We did send three out – Sinclair contacted Hank and arranged for the worst hurt to be transferred to the hospital once Cora got them stable enough to go, but there was still an incredible amount of work to do after that changing bandages, checking vitals, ensuring that everyone was fed and had water. We’re lucky, really, that Sinclair foresaw this as a possibility and had the bunker stocked and ready with a great deal of medical supplies.

Eventually, it was Roger and Sinclair who told us to stop. I was leaning over a sleeping patient, trying to see if he was healing, when suddenly I felt a warm hand on my hip. I didn’t jump – either because I had no more energy for it or because I knew who it was. I don’t know which.

“Enough, Ella,” came Sinclair’s rumbling voice, and I turned to look up into his face, and then peer down at our baby curled against his chest. Rafe was awake, blinking at me with his sweet eyes.

“Hey baby,” I murmured, reaching for my boy, and my mate passed Rafe to me easily before guiding me towards the door of the room. “But – ” I said, looking over my shoulder for Cora – not wanting to leave her – but I saw Roger having a small conversation with her, his hands on her shoulders, convincing her, too, that it’s time for bed.

“It’s all right,” I heard a voice call, and I turned, surprised, to see Henry at the door. “I’ll stay up.”

“But you’ve been up all day,” I murmured as Sinclair and I crossed to him.

“I’m an old man, Ella,” Henry said, smiling up at me and quirking his fingers so that I understood that he wanted like me to bend down so that he can see the baby. As I obliged him, Henry continued. “What time I have

left in this world, I’d like to spend awake anyway. I don’t want to miss anything.” He brushed Rafe’s cheek softly before smiling at me again. “Go to sleep – I’ll wake you if anything happens and we need you.”

“All right,” I said, standing up straight and heaving a huge yawn. We started to pass through the door but Henry called after us. “Sleep well,” he said, “but in the morning…we have to talk.”

I hesitate, wanting to go back, wanting to ask why, but Sinclair put a firm hand on my shoulder. “Talk tomorrow,” he says, exhausted. ” Tonight? Sleep.”

And I put my head on my poor wounded mate’s shoulder and let him lead me away to our room. Now, in the cold light of morning, I wake before Sinclair and take a moment to look him over while he’s sleeping. The burns on his body were restricted mostly to the skin that wasn’t covered by clothing, and I quickly look over his face, arms, and hands, pleased to see that while there are some tender pink spots, the skin shiny and taut, he looks much better than he did yesterday.

I heave a sigh of relief and swing my feet off the bed to turn to Rafe, who is just beginning to fuss in his makeshift crib.

“Hello, little boy,” I murmur, bending over his cradle. I lift Rafe up into my arms, joy blooming in me as I consider him. He really is a good baby – he still wakes up in the night when he needs me, of course, but in the mornings he has this remarkable tendency of waking up just moments after I do. ” Are you using your little wolf senses?” I whisper to him, carrying him over to the bed and adjusting my shirt a little so that I can feed him, “are you giving mommy a break?”

He doesn’t reply, of course, but as I sit down I feel Sinclair move his hand over a little to rest against my thigh, letting me know that he’s awake, but not yet up. I smile at him, pleased and understanding, letting him have his minute of silence, and then I feed my baby, savoring the slow start to the morning.

Because, I know, it is going to be a very busy day. And, considering Henry’s warning the night before, one in which we are going to get some news that we really don’t like.

The peace of the morning doesn’t last long. As I’m still feeding Rafe a knock comes at the door and, groaning, Sinclair gets up to answer it. A few hurried words there has him closing the door and crossing the room to our small bathroom, seeking a shower.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Fine for now,” he says, “but Hank sent some reports from the hospital regarding how our men made it through the night.”

“Are they okay?” I ask in a whisper, anxious.

“They’re stable,” Sinclair responds as he ducks into the bathroom, but I can tell by the tightness of his voice that it’s not all as good as it could be. And suddenly my heart plummets for him as I realize how difficult it must be, ordering men to go into situations where they put their lives on the line. I sigh and finish up with the baby, grabbing a burp cloth to toss over my shoulder before I lift Rafe to my chest and begin to pat him on the back while I move to the bathroom door to peer in after my mate.

I can’t help the little thrill that runs through me when I see Sinclair in the little glass and metal shower, the water running over his powerful, naked form. I know that it’s inappropriate to be turned on by my mate at this moment but…well, I can’t help it.

He turns, perhaps intuiting something – or maybe smelling my desire on the air- and smirks at me while he quickly runs the bar of soap over his body.

“You like what you see?” he asks.

“A little too much,” I respond, precisely at the same moment that Rafe gives a little burp and spits up on my shoulder. We both laugh at his timing. But then I turn my eyes seriously back to Sinclair. “You’ll tell me?” I ask, my voice soft. “How I can help you?”

And my mate meets my eyes seriously as he says, “I will. Thank you, Ella. For being so selfless. For always wanting to hello.”

I smile a little and give him a wink.” It’s not completely selfless,” I reply with a little shrug as I turn away. “I was promised six more babies, after all. Gotta keep you happy until I get the last one, and then I’ll be done with you.”

“Six!?” he calls after me as I saunter away, making me laugh. “I thought we agreed on four!”

“Now it’s eight!” I shout back, laying Rafe on his little changing table and starting to get him ready for the day, listening to Sinclair’s groan from the other room.

“Daddy doesn’t mean it,” I whisper to the baby as I begin to change his diaper. “If your siblings are all as cute as you, we’ll have twelve.”

Rafe coos and chuckles as we hear Sinclair’s shout from the bathroom.

“I heard that!”

 

Chapter 352

I’m the last one to the conference room – baby stuff but when I come through the door I’m very surprised to see that it’s just family gathering today.

“Where is everyone?” I ask, holding Rafe close to my chest so that he peers over my shoulder. He’s a very curious baby – he likes to look around, even though he can’t see much yet. I move over to the table where Cora, Roger, Henry, and Sinclair sit, all clearly waiting for me, all with faces which are … drawn. Concerned. And turned on me.

“What,” I breathe, freezing before I can sit down. “What’s wrong? What is it?” “Sit, Ella,” Henry says, waving to the open chair between him and Sinclair.

“No,” I say, shaking my head, the word falling out of my mouth before I can even think. “No way this looks… this looks like bad news.’

And some part of me knows that I’m being ridiculous – that it won’t be good news miraculously if I don’t hear it but still. Fear stripes through me – I really, really can’t handle more bad news now, not after the few days we’ve had. And not if it, apparently, all focuses on me.

“Ella, please,” Sinclair says, looking at me with gentle eyes and pulling the empty chair out. “I promise it’s not as bad as you think.”

“Do you all know?” I ask, going rigid.

“Henry told us before you came in,” Cora replies, leaning forward towards me across the table, Roger’s hand on her back. “He just wanted us to be prepared, so that the focus could be on you when we told you.’

“Oh my god,” I whisper, slowly moving to the chair and sitting down.” Is it me?” I ask. “Did I did I do something?”

“Not at all,” Henry says, shaking his head at me. “I’m sorry, Ella – – I may have gone about this in the wrong way. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I just – it was convenient that you were last, so I told them first so that the focus could be on you now, as I believe that this news will affect you most.”

“And where ” I ask, looking around again for the members of the team who went on the mission yesterday. Some of them, I know, would be well enough to attend now, if they were wanted. ” Where are the other researchers?” I ask, knowing that Henry has been working all day and night with his own team.

“This is…” Henry continues, hesitating, “a family matter, Ella. Those who don’t know will be briefed soon. But I wanted to talk about this together, with the main parties involved.” Henry’s eyes drift, now, to Rafe in my arms, and I go tense.

“Okay,” I say, drawing my lips together in a thin line. “Let’s get on with it then. What’s wrong?”

Henry looks towards Rafe now, nodding to him, apparently giving him permission to talk in some kind of pre- arranged pattern. This, contrary to what they wanted, somehow makes me more nervous, that they’ve rehearsed how to tell me this news.

Is this some kind of intervention or something? What did I do? Feeling my tension, the baby starts to fuss, and Sinclair takes him from me tucking Rafe into the crook of one elbow before draping his other arm warmly over my shoulders. I feel at once calmer, and start to wonder – ridiculously if Sinclair isn’t just the baby whisperer, but the Ella whisperer as well.

“Ella,” Roger starts, and I turn my entire focus to him. “Yesterday, when we were fighting the priest, he said something…strange.”

I don’t say anything, just clench my teeth and stare at him, willing him to continue Fast.

“We had him pinned – he only got to whatever…I don’t know, whatever magical powder allowed him to really fire bomb us, by accident, and when he realized that he was going to be able to use it – I think he slipped.”

“Slipped?” I ask, confused. “Like on ice?”

“No,” Roger replies, sighing a little at his inability to be clear. “I mean, slipped on his words. Messed up. Because he said: ‘the master will have his boy.”

“The master will have his boy,” I repeat, glancing down at Rafe sitting contentedly curled in the crook of Sinclair’s arm. He’s gotten a hand free of his swaddle and is clenching it and opening it, apparently fascinated by the movement of his fingers. “Do you are we assuming that the boy is Rafe?”

“We are,” Henry confirms, drawing my eyes towards him.

“But the master,” I say – and as I talk, I know I should just shut up and listen, but I can’t help myself. “Did he mean – did the priest mean the God of Darkness?”

“That’s where it gets complicated,” Henry says carefully, speaking slowly and calmly and watching my face to make sure I’m following along. I’m grateful for it because even though I’m not stupid, I’m panicked enough now that my mind feels like it’s in three different places at once.

“You see,” Henry continues, “I had my team working all night trying to parse this phrase, trying to figure it out. And we’ve done a great deal of research, so far, on this Monastic Cult of the God of Darkness. And never, in any of our materials both from centuries ago and today – have we ever seen any of the priests or acolytes ever refer to the God himself as ‘master.” Instead, he is always God, Father, Dark Majesty things like that.”

“Oh,” I say, my eyes going wide. I understand but I mean, I don’t get it. Not yet. Not in the same way that the rest of them do, apparently, judging by the worried looks on their faces as I look around the table. “What what does that mean?”

“It means,” Sinclair says, picking up the thread, and I turn my head to look sharply up at him. “That… there is someone else ordering all of this to happen. That they haven’t done this merely to serve their god, or at his orders but that, instead, there seems – to be someone else, a mortal to whom they are responding.”

“What?” I breathe, and then I groan, closing my eyes and leaning my head back. It was so much simpler when I thought it was just a situation like that between the Goddess and my birth mother Reina, just a person-to-diety contract that really involved the two of them the God and his priests. But now finding out that there’s someone else involved, who a powerful priest is calling master? Someone who is directing all of this fighting, who planned the insemination?

My family gives me a moment to process this and they’re all waiting for me when I sigh and open my eyes, looking around at them again. “Well?” I ask. “Do we know who it is?”

“We have…a lead,” Henry says quietly, and I turn my attention back to him. I keep my mouth shut now, though, exhausted by this already – just wanting to hear the news. “I’ve had some of our more clever men working through the dark web, trying to find any trace of the members of the modern cult. And while they were unable to trace precisely who was doing the talking, they were able to discover a sort of…hub. For the communications. A location to and from which a great number of the messages were being transported.”

“Oh?” I ask, encouraged. “Where?”

“It went to…” Henry hesitates here, taking a deep breath, as if he doesn’t know how to say it.

“Just tell her, dad,” Sinclair snaps, his voice irritated, probably because he can feel my tension coming to its breaking point down the bond.

“It is difficult for me,” Henry says, irritated himself now and shooting his son a little glare. “As I am not…

detached from this development.” But he shifts his eyes to me, then. “Ella,” he continues, “the team did a great deal of reconnaissance on this location and I have to admit that I was shocked when they told me what they discovered. That the man living in the residence… I had long assumed that he was dead. Or at least, so separate from the world of influence and politics that he may as well have been. It is my fault,” he sighs, hanging his head, “for overlooking him.”

“Who?” I breathe, my whole body locked with tension, my breath coming short. “Who lives there?”

“His name is Xander,” Henry tells me, his voice grim. “He was…a Duke, when his brother – your father, Xavier – was King on the throne.”

 

Chapter 353

“D-duke?” I stutter out, completely overwhelmed by the information, my eyes going wide. “There are dukes? And I had I have an uncle!?”

“I’m sorry,” Henry says, and I can see the guilt written all over his face. “I overlooked this – honestly, no one has heard from him in years – and, considering what we think he was actually getting up to, it makes a great deal of sense that he wanted everyone to believe that.”

“Who,” I say, frantic now, looking between Henry, and Sinclair, and Roger – Cora, I see, looking at me with worried eyes, but I know she doesn’t have any answers – “who is he?”

“Relax, Ella,” Sinclair murmurs to me, leaning close. “It’s all right -”

“It is absolutely not all right -“I snap, not wanting to be mean but completely panicked right now. “My father is dead but I have an uncle? Seriously? And no one told me?”

Henry continues to hang his head, shaking a little, and I instantly feel guilty. It’s not his fault – it’s so complicated, the politics, and why would he tell me about an uncle if he hadn’t spoken to the man in 30 years had genuinely assumed he was dead –

“I’m sorry, Henry,” I say quickly, leaning forward to put a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry – I’m behaving so poorly – ”

“No, Ella,” Henry says, moving his attention back up to me. “Your reaction is absolutely correct. I have failed you in this.” His eyes shift to Sinclair now. And you, son.”

“We have to stop this,” Sinclair says, shaking his head. “Honestly, the blame game does no one any good. No one blames you, dad and Ella, you don’t have anything to apologize for. We all know this is a

lot. So, can we please?” he says, pausing now to look around the table. “Can we continue? There is… more…”

I groan a little and give Henry’s arm a little squeeze to let him know I don’t blame him for any of it, and that I love him dearly and am grateful for him every day. At least, I hope he gets all that from a squeeze, but the little smile he sends me suggests that he understood at least part of that. And I feel instant relief.

“Xander was your father’s older brother, Ella,” Sinclair informs me briskly, I think a little irritated at the disruption and wanting all of the information on the table now so that we can decide to do something, instead of just talking about it. I smile at him a little, loving my all-action Alpha mate who is ready to go even though he almost got burned to a crisp yesterday.

“He was much older,” Henry says, ” and there were always…rumors about whether or not his father was his biological father. Either way, Xander was recognized, but he was never the favored son. That is why Xavier – stronger, faster, smarter, better-liked – took the throne instead of Xander.”

“A stance which I actually think is quite clever,” Roger quips, and I’m shocked to find a smile on my mouth as he delicately raises his brows, looking up at the ceiling. “I mean, some of us think that the better-looking brother should always take the throne – ”

And while Sinclair growls and Cora elbows Roger not-too-gently in the stomach to get him to stop, I grin at my brother-in-law, grateful for the laugh which has drained some of my tension away. He gives me a little wink in response.

“Anyway,” Sinclair continues, glaring at his brother, “Xander was never a popular figure in politics – he was always fringe, always very much the King’s sullen brother rather than a real player. When Xavier died, Xander…he wasn’t even considered for the throne. No one said his name, not even him, as a potential heir.”

“Which,” Henry adds, “was perhaps… the mistake. That started all of this.”

“Started what?” I ask, confused again.

“Ella,” Henry says, taking my hand. ” Nothing is for sure. But our best guess, at this point, is that…well, that Xander put this in motion. That he knew he was never a contender for the throne when his brother died but he coveted it anyway 1 that Xander wanted it, perhaps his whole life, and certainly after his brother died, but when no one mentioned him as a potential heir he started to devise a new plan to get what he wanted.”

“A longer plan,” I whisper, sitting back against my chair. “To – to reclaim the throne. To keep it…in his family’s line.”

And my eyes drift back to Rafe now, cooing gently in his father’s arms. My baby, the grandson of a King. The nephew of a Duke that, perhaps, always wanted to be in charge.

“It makes sense,” Roger says softly. ” Honestly, it makes so much sense that we were fools not to consider it before now. Who benefits from Rafe being born? The man who intends to kidnap him and put him on the throne as a puppet, acting as regent for eighteen years before Rafe is old enough to rule himself.”

“I don’t think we’re fools to have overlooked Xander,” Sinclair rumbles beside me. “I haven’t heard Xander’s name since I was a child – I, too, thought he died in quiet obscurity. He’s taken great pains, I think, to ensure that everyone assumed that he did. He is playing the long game – we’re not total idiots for falling into the traps he’s taken twenty years to lay. We’re simply outplayed.”

“So,” I interrupt, still wanting more details. “Can you – I mean -” I exhale quickly, closing my eyes and gathering my thoughts, “is the assumption that we’re making here that Xander wanted Rafe to be born so that he would be a legitimate heir to Xavier’s throne? Is that it?”

“Yes,” Sinclair says, confirming what I’ve pieced together. “We know that Reina told Xavier about you on his deathbed he must have found a way, somehow, to communicate your existence to his brother before, or directly after, his death – I don’t know. A note, a letter perhaps.”

“So why didn’t he come for me?” I ask, brisk. “To be the heir?”

Sinclair and Roger hesitate, looking at each other. “Well,” Sinclair says carefully, “your mother did a very good job hiding you at the orphanage, which actually emphasizes the story. She could have had you raised by a well- known human family, but she chose an orphanage to disguise you.”

“But no,” I say, looking at Cora. ” They knew they knew we were there. Yes? The dark priests – if they were the ones who are looking to Xander for some reason as their master – they knew that Cora and I were in the orphanage. They followed us our whole lives! So…”

I draw my brows together, trying to figure it out. If Xander wanted an heir… why didn’t he just come to get me?

“Ella,” Sinclair says, tightening his arm around my shoulders. “Xavier and Xander they were deeply old- school Alphas. They come from a world where .” he hesitates again, looking down at the floor. My eyes flash as I figure out what he’s not saying.

“Seriously?” I breathe. “Seriously, my uncle my blood family – left me in the orphanage because I was a girl? Because he didn’t see me as a legitimate heir to the throne?”

Sinclair looks up at me with sad That’s our best guess eyes. for Ella,” he now, says softly, shaking his head slowly at me. “That he contracted the priests – or perhaps was always aligned with them, and called to them to watch over you. But that he had no real interest in you as a person. Merely in…” he hesitates, his eyes drifting to my stomach.

“Oh,” I say, my heart sinking – though I don’t know why. I just – just can’t imagine someone being so callous to a child, especially their niece… “I was always just…a broodmare to him…” I murmur, looking over at my baby.

“Rafe, a male heir, was always the goal,” Sinclair agrees. “We think Xander bided his time, and then – when all of his pieces were in place – he …arranged it all.”

“But why,” I ask, suddenly confused. ” Why did he pick you as the father?”

 

Chapter 354

“Um, excuse me,” Roger says, and Sinclair and I – mutually surprised snap our attention to him. ” Obviously,” he says, pointing a slow hand between the air between him and his brother, “the question of why the Sinclair blood was desired is the only one with the clear answer – ”

“Oh my god, Roger,” Sinclair murmurs, leaning back in his chair and raising a hand to cover his face, exhausted.

“The quality of these genetics,” Roger continues, grinning, “I mean, who wouldn’t want these babies -”

“Not me, anymore,” Cora quips, folding her arms over her chest and smirking at Roger with a raised brow.” Baby for sale! Highest bidder!”

“You’re worth millions,” Roger whispers towards Cora’s stomach, leaning his head low to pretend to speak to the baby. “Don’t let them undersell you -”

“Enough,” Sinclair snaps, though he does it half-heartedly. I can’t help but laugh a little, and honestly, when I consider it, I can’t disagree. I look at the proof still curled up in Sinclair’s arms.

“We did make a stone-cold cutie,” I say, leaning over to run a fond finger down my baby’s belly. “If mean Uncle Xandy was going for good looks, he certainly picked the right stud.”

Sinclair pulls his hand away from his face and shakes his head a little at me, as if he can’t believe that I, too, am making jokes at this time. But I smile up at him and shrug one shoulder. If we can’t laugh, what the hell are we doing in this life? And then I send a little pulse of love down the bond, letting Sinclair know that I appreciate him and. am taking it seriously.

I just also need…well, a little bit of lightness, sometimes, to balance all of the horrible things that have happened on the way to bringing our wonderful baby into the world. Sinclair nods, understanding, and

sends me his own pulse of love right back.

“Our best guess,” Henry says, softly bringing this conversation back on track, “is that Xander…he never meant for Dominic to ever know that you were pregnant, Ella. It was by chance that Dominic was in the clinic that day – that he sensed the child in you. A wonderful mistake for us, considering the result, but very bad luck for him.”

“God,” I breathe, looking over at my mate and my baby. “I can’t imagine….if I had just gone through this thinking I was a human, giving birth to a twelve- pound baby before six months had passed…and then, so soon after that, someone coming to steal him away…”

“I would have found you,” Sinclair promises me, reaching out to brush his knuckles against my cheek. “There’s no way I wouldn’t have. This was meant to be. The Goddess had her hand in it as well.”

“I know,” I say, believing him. “But… if that was Xander’s plan…”

“Yes,” he agrees. “It would have been …awful.”

“But really,” Cora says, sitting forward. “Beyond the desire for genetically blessed, gorgeous kids,” she says, smirking at her mate, “what is the rationale for choosing a powerful werewolf like Sinclair?” she asks. “I mean, why not any other wolf? Why not,” she hesitates, looking to the man at her side, “well, why not Roger? Same genetic package…”

“I think,” Henry says, interrupting Roger, who opens his mouth to say something smart but closes it when his father sends a little look his way, “that Xander was working towards a dual claim to the throne. That Xander was betting that Dominic would beat Damon and take the throne next, and that if Xander were able to kidnap and raise a child who had not only Xavier’s blood, but Dominic’s as well…”

“It would be very hard to contest,” I finish, fascinated by the depths to which my uncle had – apparently – thought this through. “A child of two thrones, uniting them…”

“Indeed,” Henry agrees, nodding his head a little. He then looks at Sinclair, a little apologetic. “I wouldn’t be surprised, Dominic, if he even had a hand in your inability to have children with Lydia. I don’t know quite how he would have managed that, but clearly you are capable of fathering children…” he shrugs, sighing a little at the mystery of it. “It would have fallen quite neatly into his plans for you to take the throne without any biological heirs of your own.”

“God,” I say, slumping back in my chair, shaking my head in wonder. “He really thought of everything, didn’t he?”

Around the table my family nods in confirmation, but Henry holds out a hesitant hand. “It is important,” he says, moving his gaze to each of us in turn, “that we all realize that this is a theoretical explanation. We only have a very little bit of evidence that Xander is himself involved. And while I admit that the story that we can spin out from these details is compelling…”

“It’s just a story,” I finish for him, nodding, understanding. I look around. “Do you think we’ll be able to get more evidence for it?”

“We’ll try,” Sinclair says with a little shrug. “Especially now that we know where Xander is located, we can refocus our attacks from his priests to him, under the theory that he is, indeed, the master that the priest spoke of.”

My stomach twists a little at this. “I imagine,” I say softly, “that the master would be…well guarded.”

“Yes,” Roger confirms, steadily holding my gaze. “We need to be better prepared. But unfortunately, we also need to move fast.”

“Why?” I ask, suddenly tense. The last thing I want – in all of the world – is for Roger and Sinclair to go darting out of the bunker again, getting themselves killed.

“Not immediately, Ella,” Sinclair says, working hard to put me at ease. We have a few days. But in order to find this information…” he shifts his eyes to his father now, letting him take. over.

“In order to find traces of information on the dark web, Ella,” Henry explains, “one must, unfortunately, leave their own traces. We were careful, our tracks were faint but,” he shrugs, “there is every possibility that Xander could himself discover that we know where he is. And that he may be involved. And if he does…” Henry shrugs.

“We lose any advantage,” Sinclair finishes. “He could disappear, and regroup elsewhere.”

I sigh, turning my head and focusing on my child, letting Rafe center me and root me to the world. He, after all, is the most important thing here, in my whole life. “All right,” I say softly, reaching out a hand to softly brush my son’s dark hair. “Please, just tell me how I can help.”

“We can’t do anything,” Cora says, her voice firm, “until we get your men back into shape. And that will take a few days. Ella,” she says, and I turn to her, surprised. “I could use your help. You were a wonderful nurse yesterday. And Hank will be sending our soldiers back at some point – we’ll need to be able to continue their care here.”

“Of course,” I say, agreeing without thinking. If Cora needs me by her side, then that’s where I’ll be. She nods firmly at me and I smile, glad that I can be of assistance.

“Good,” Henry says, nodding and pressing his hands together, forming a triangle with his fingers. “While you’re doing that, we will come up with a plan regarding our next steps.”

I nod, starting to stand up, getting ready to move on when Henry puts out a hand to stop me. Confused, I settle back into my chair, looking towards him.

“Before we break up,” Henry says quietly, “there is one last issue which we must discuss.”

We’re all silent before Cora, unable to help it, breaks the silence. “What is it?” she asks, worried and confused. Henry turns his gaze sternly, but not without apology, to her. “We have to discuss the problem…that is Dr. Hank.”

 

Chapter 355

Cora blinks rapidly in disbelief and my own mouth falls open. I see Roger go tense in his chair and feel Sinclair do the same beside me.

“Wha- what?” Cora asks, aghast, leaning forward to stare more closely at Henry. “The problem that is HankJ; FJA

Hank? What the hell kind of problem is Hank?”

I grimace a little when I see her get defensive and dart my eyes to Roger, seeing him rankle at it, just a little bit. Roger, I know, is jealous of Hank – not very jealous, not in a bad way. Just…as much as he doesn’t blame Cora for her previous hesitations, or hold them against her…

…well, he’s not going to be thrilled about Cora’s ex’s continued presence in our lives, is he? Especially when he sees Cora defend Hank like that..

“Please, Cora,” Henry says, putting a peaceful hand out towards her. “Just… hear me out.”

“What is wrong with Hank,” she insists, continuing to be angry, which just upsets Roger more. I glance at Sinclair, worried. His face is a mirror of my own.

“Please “Henry says again, leaning forward and staring at Cora only at Cora intensely. “I mean no insult. I just want to…discuss.”

Slowly, not giving in yet, Cora leans back against her chair and crosses her arms over her chest again, not happy about it but willing to listen.

“I am just concerned,” Henry continues, “about this man’s continued connection to this family.”

“Damn straight,” Roger mutters, his face turned down towards the table. Cora shoots Roger a dirty look he pretends he doesn’t see.

“Why?” I ask, confused. “He’s he’s our doctor – he did such a good job caring for Rafe -”

“Yes,” Henry says, turning to me and holding my eyes. “He did a very good job taking care of Rafe. He was at your beck and call. He was very conveniently available when you were hurt after the temple and worked incredibly hard to keep you and Rafe alive beyond the point when other doctors would have given up.”

Henry stops there, staring at me, letting me figure it out. “No,” Cora says, breaking in and shaking her head vehemently. “Henry, you’re wrong-”

“Oh my god,” I whisper, a frightened hand going to my mouth. “Do you seriously think…”

“This is ridiculous!” Cora cries, but Henry speaks as if he didn’t hear her.

“We know that the Cult is incredibly good at infiltrating lives,” Henry says to me and to Sinclair. “We also know that they tend to place their people in high-powered positions – lawyers, bankers, doctors. We also know that Xander, if he is behind this, is very content to play the long game.”

“Christ,” Sinclair mutters, and I turn to see him again covering his face with his hand. “How did we not see this coming-”

“Because it didn’t happen!” Cora cries, standing up now. “Hank is not part of this – he – he’s my colleague! We work together!”

“At a clinic that we built, Cora,” Roger points out, clearly working hard to keep his temper even. “At a clinic that we pay for. This man is…very suddenly very involved in our lives. Dad has a good point

“You’re all ridiculous,” Cora growls, shaking her head around at all of us.” Hank is a good person who has only done wonderful things for this family. I know him. I know that he only has good things in his

heart, and wants to help, and to bring wolf and human culture together.” She pauses, furious, glaring around at all of us. “And now you all owe him an apology for doubting him for a single second.”

I nod, understanding, and feeling sorry because Cora has a point. Henry does too we need to be careful, especially because we know that the Cult has a history of deploying sleeper agents. But Hank himself? He hasn’t given us a single reason to doubt him.

But Henry, Sinclair, and Roger don’t nod along with me. Instead, they just quietly look away from Cora, not saying the words that echo in the back of my mind as well.

That Cora…she might just not want to believe bad things about Hank because she got so close to him. That if he tricked all of us, then he tricked her the most. And that would be a horrible thing to realize.

“You’re all ridiculous,” Cora growls, and when I look up at her I see that she intuits what we’re all thinking. Without another word Cora seals her mouth shut and strides from the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Roger gets to his feet to follow but I hold up a hand.

“Let her go,” I advise, sighing. “Just… let her cool off. It’s…harder for her to hear than for us. All right?”

“Why does she even care,” he growls, and I can almost feel the jealousy radiating from him.

“He’s her ex, Roger,” I say softly, “but …they didn’t have a bad breakup like I did with Mike. If anything, she’s the bad guy in this situation who cheated on him and got knocked up.” I slowly shake my head at my brother-in-law as I watch his jaw drop when he considers the situation from Hank’s side. “Cora doesn’t hate him,” I say softly. “And you can’t ask her to.”

I see Roger clench his jaw as he processes my words, and then turns away from us with a sigh, raising both hands to twist his fingers frustratedly in his hair.

“I’ll handle it,” Sinclair says softly to me, gently offering Rafe to me so that he can stand and go to his brother. I take the baby and watch my mate slowly walk over to Roger to say a few words, or talk it through, or just be there with him while Roger processes his emotions. And I’m suddenly very glad, again, for my steady mate who cares so deeply for those he loves.

“Are you all right, Ella?” Henry asks softly beside me.

“I am,” I say, turning to him and heaving a big sigh. “I…it was a lot of news, wasn’t it?” I ask and Henry raises his eyebrows as he nods, communicating that he thinks that’s a bit of an understatement. “But I’ll get through it,” I say, sure of it. “We all will, because we have each other.”

“That’s the spirit,” Henry says, reaching out to pat my hand. And then he leans forward further to look at little Rafe. “See the trouble you’ve caused, grandson?” he says to the baby, teasing him. Rafe lets out a little squeal that sounds like a protest, making us both laugh.

“He’s no trouble,” I coo, smiling at my baby and wrinkling my nose at him as well. “That’s everyone else’s job. Rafe is just here to be our perfect little prince,” I sigh.

“Truer words,” Henry says softly, shaking his head a little as he watches his grandchild. “A prince he is. And some day, a king.”

“Goddess willing,” I murmur, shaking my head at the idea. Rafe’s future – on days like this, it feels so far away, like there are so many obstacles ahead of him. But I steel myself, knowing that it’s my job to work through those for him.

Because my little boy deserves the world, and I will give it to him. And anyone who stands in my way had better watch the hell out.

 

Chapter 356

I find Cora, a little later, in the long room thoat we’ve turned into a hospital, working hard probably to distract herself. I grimace, a little, when I see that her bedside manner has certainly suffered in the wake of her frustration she’s snapping at patients, glaring at them when they take too long to answer, and stalking from bed to bed. As I come into the room the men look towards me with desperate eyes.

I hold up my free hand – Rafe bundled in my other arm – to the men, letting them know that I’ll handle it, and then I walk calmly over to my sister’s side.

“Hey Cora,” I say casually, looking down at the clipboard in her hand on which she’s writing in her messy doctor’s scrawl. Cora doesn’t respond, just glares at me and turns her attention back to the clipboard.

I scoff a little at her and bump my shoulder against hers, a little pissed off now. “Why don’t we try that again, Cora,” I say, through my teeth a little. ” Hello, Cora. How are you?”

“I’m not speaking to you, Ella,” Cora snaps, shaking her head and continuing to write. “Or my stupid mate, or yours. Or their dad.”

“What about Rafe,” I ask, adjusting the baby so that she can see him more clearly.

Cora flicks her eyes to Rafe, who looks up at her with his big sweet eyes, and she hesitates a little. “Rafe is fine,” she mutters, “he did not betray me. Unlike the rest of you.”

“Plus he’s cute,” I say, grinning down at him. But Cora scoffs and turns away, angry that I am ignoring her point: that we betrayed her by accusing Hank.

“Cora!” I sigh, calling after her and then hurrying to keep up. “Listen, I’m sorry I really am! You know I like Hank I like him a lot! I was very team Hank for a minute there, and I was the only one! But we have

to be vigilant about this, and you know that Henry had some good points!”

She whirls on me then. “You think that he could seriously fool me, Ella?” she asks, folding her arms across her chest, holding the clipboard close against her. “Do you seriously think I have such a bad taste in men that I would honestly sleep with someone who was trying to kidnap my nephew?”

Out of the corner of my eye I see the wounded man in the bed closest to use flinch, his eyes going wide with awkward surprise. But I do my best to ignore him and keep this between me and my sister.

“No, Cora,” I say, reaching out and putting a hand on her arm to assure her but also to keep her from running away from me again. “Seriously I don’t think that Hank did anything! I just think that Henry has a point – that we need to double-check everything before we trust people! I mean, they wouldn’t even let me call you when we first got the anonymous note that someone was going to try to take Rafe!

They’re just being vigilant!” Cora scowls, looking away from me but clearly seeing my point. “Well, that was bullshit too,” she murmurs.

“Which I told them!” I say, taking my hand away and beginning to bounce Rafe a little bit, who is getting agitated now, probably because of my frustration. “But they checked anyway! Honestly, Cora,” I say, taking a deep breath and trying to bring all of our energy back down to a reasonable level, “what’s the harm in letting them be careful, in letting them check? Hank is going to come out of it clean. So, what does it hurt?”

“It hurts me, Ella,” Cora says quietly, looking into my face for the first time. ” I already hurt Hank – and he did nothing wrong. And now he has people hurling these accusations at him, which he totally doesn’t deserve! He’s my colleague, and my friend – and a good person! And I’m vouching for him, and nobody believes me!”

I step closer to my sister now, my heart hurting to see her feeling this way, to hear her voice get all squeaky with emotion.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to her, putting my arm around my sister and pulling her close. “I’m sorry, Cora. I won’t doubt you again. Okay? Forgive me.’

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she sighs, giving me a squeeze and then pulling away as she wipes at her eyes. You’re just – just trying to protect your baby.” And I see her unconsciously move the clipboard lower on her body, her hand moving to her stomach.

“That’s right,” I say, turning my head to look down at the baby. “He’s been very troublesome since he’s been born. Look what you’ve done now, baby!” I joke, trying to bring a little levity to the situation. “Your simple existence has inspired a war that has resulted in accusations that have hurt your auntie’s feelings! You apologize, now!” And then I hold Rafe up towards Cora, as if he could actually utter a formal apology.

Rafe, suddenly surprised at the change in his position, lets out a little squeak of surprise, which makes Cora laugh. She shakes her head, smiling now, and reaches for the baby, taking him from my hands. “Nooo, not my nephew,” she says, cradling him against her arm and smiling down at him. “Don’t listen to her, Rafe, it’s not your fault.”

And I grin as my baby wrinkles his little face and sighs, honestly as if a grave injustice has been done to him, and we both laugh again.

“Okay,” Cora says, sighing and looking up at me. “Thanks, Ella,” she whispers. “I think…I think you snapped me out of it a bit.”

“Good,” I say, reaching to take the baby back. “Roger will be glad to hear it. And so will all of your poor patients.” “What?” she asks, and then she looks around the room to see that all of them are staring at us and have been listening to every word we said. “Oh my god,” she mutters, putting her head in her hand and laughing.

“It’s okay,” I say, grinning and putting a hand on her back. “Now that they’re fairly sure you won’t murder them for taking too long reporting their symptoms, I think we’ll make good progress!”

Cora gives me a little glare but she moves on from it, lifting the clipboard again and looking over its contents. “I have so much to do,” she murmurs, flipping through some of the papers. They need a lot of care -”

“Can I help?” I ask, eager to pitch in. Cora looks up at me and blinks. “You want to play nurse again?”

“Sure!” I say, a little excited. “Just give me a minute to give Rafe to Sinclair, all right? Then you will have my full attention.”

Cora smiles at me then and nods. “It would be a big help, Ella,” she replies. If you can spare the time.”

“For you, sister?” I say, giving her a wink as I turn away. “I’ll make the time.”

 

Chapter 357

Cora wasn’t kidding when she said that there was a lot to do for the wounded men. Honestly, I underestimated her – or she’s a much faster and better worker for me, because I fall into bed at the end of each day totally wiped, asleep before Sinclair can even say goodnight to me.

The boys are busy too and I feel a little sorry for Cora and Roger, honestly. They should be living in a newly-mated newly-pregnant love bubble right now, and instead she’s spending all day healing while he’s trapped in a boardroom with his brother and his father, trying to figure out how to defeat my estranged uncle.

“How can you feel sorry for them,” Sinclair says to me when I take a break to feed Rafe. He comes to spend these little stolen moments with me, knowing that they’re some of the only moments I’ll be able to sit and concentrate on something else for a few minutes. “It’s not like you and I got to enjoy any kind of love bubble.”

“Yes we did,” I say, frowning at him. ” Dominic, we had so much sex in those first few months when we discovered I was pregnant -”

“Sure,” he says, a little sarcastic as he draws his brows together. “Between me accusing you of stealing my sperm, and then the constant attacks, and then having to flee the country – yeah, totally had a peaceful little love bubble somewhere in there.”

I laugh as I consider it, shaking my head and looking down at my sweet hungry baby. “I don’t know,” I say, giving a little shrug. “It was all wonderful to me. But maybe I just forget all the horrible parts as some side effect of pregnancy – like how mothers have to forget the pain of birth, or else they’d never do it again.”

Sinclair moves closer to me, putting an arm around me to let me and Rafe lean close against his broad, muscled chest. “Or,” he murmurs, “it could be that the pleasure was just so good that it completely overshadowed the pain

“Oh yes,” I murmur back, smirking a little. “Clearly, Dominic, the sex is so good that I barely remember my nearly -fatal injuries

He laughs now, shaking his head, and we both shrug it off, knowing that it doesn’t matter. That we wouldn’t trade any of what we went through for something different. Because it’s worth it all of it is worth it.

And I keep that idea in my heart as I spend hour after hour trailing behind Cora, tending to the poor men who were willing to sacrifice their health in the effort to save my little boy. The hours feel endless – changing bandages, administering medicine, checking in with the men to see how they’re recovering –

Honestly, I’m shocked by it, a little bit – especially the idea that Cora deemed three men too far beyond her ability to care for and sent them away. Because, honestly, some of these men seem to be doing pretty poorly – it baffles me to consider that there are some who were even worse.

“Should we send some of these men to Hank, Cora?” I ask late one afternoon, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Can we – can we really handle this?”

“We should keep them here, Ella,” Cora says quietly, “unless they need critical care. Hank – and all the other hospitals – they’re totally overwhelmed as it is with the aftermath of the war. These men- they’re on the mend, if not slowly. And Roger and Sinclair brought in enough medicine to keep us going. I know it looks bad but,” she sighs, looking around the room at all the men we’re helping. “They’ll get through it.”

“Should it be taking this long?” I whisper, concerned. “Roger and Sinclair…”

She nods, biting her lip, understanding me. “I don’t know. I’m used to our mates’ fast healing too but Ella, they’re both pretty remarkable, powerful specimens.”

“I heal fast too, though,” I murmur.

“Yah,” she says, rolling her eyes at me a little. “Probably the goddess blood in you,” “Your blood too,” I murmur, poking her in the shoulder.

She nods, letting it pass, but she does look over the men with some concern. It does seem to be taking longer than I’d expect it to as well…” she sighs, looking down at her battered clipboard as if it holds the answers. “Maybe there was something in the spell designed to inhibit the healing…”

“If only we all had a little bit of the goddess blood,” I murmur, looking around. “It seems unfair.’ Cora looks up suddenly and blinks, turning to me.

“What?” I ask, turning to her as well.

“Actually,” she says, cocking her head a bit. “Well, can you, Ella?”

“Huh?” I ask again, totally confused.

“It goes back to something Hank said once,” Cora says, suddenly excited. ” On the night when he came over to my -” she hesitates for a moment, place – and blushes a little, and I suddenly know precisely the night she means. I grin at her and she swats a hand at me, moving on.

“Seriously – he asked me if I thought that you might want to go into the medical field. So that you could, maybe, use our mom’s gift to heal people – ”

“Oh,” I say, my eyebrows raising in surprise. And then I look down at myself, a little ridiculously, as if I could see the gift floating around in my chest or something. Then I frown, wondering.

“Do you think you could do it?” Cora asks, excited and a little breathless. “I don’t know,” I say, snapping my head up to look at her. “I mean, I’ve only used it to heal myself. Do you think it can go…outward?”

“Well, we know it can go outward- you gave it to me, and then I used it to to do whatever I did. I don’t know. communicate to everyone.”

“Yeah,” I say, frowning a little, “but was that a healing?” Cora just shrugs, staring at me, and then we both laugh because we both feel a little stupid trying to figure this out.

“Honestly,” I murmur, “mom could have given us like, a little instructions pamphlet, couldn’t she?”

“Not her style,” Cora sighs, shaking her head. “But Ella…what do you think? Does it feel like you could?”

“I don’t know,” I wonder, my hands pressing to my chest where I can feel the constant, steady, warm glow of it – so familiar that I frequently forget it’s there. “But maybe we should try?”

“Okay!” Cora says, excited, and then she starts flipping through her paperwork, trying to think through which of the injured men might be the best candidate to get to work on. But as Cora begins to narrow down our selection, I feel my wolf nudge me a little with her nose, trying to get my attention.

What? I ask, curious, but feeling a little of her anxiety and suspicion start to bleed through into my own feelings. What’s wrong?

Not right, not right, she says, narrowing her eyes a little and turning in a tight circle around the gift, protective and wary. Why is that man asking questions about our gift? It’s our gift. It’s not his gift. He can’t have it.

I blink in surprise at the thought, but suddenly I’m wondering it myself. What was Hank doing asking Cora questions about my gift when they were on a date?

Was he just being a good medical health professional and identifying an incredible power that could be harnessed for the good of many, instead of being hogged by me?

Or was he asking for…other reasons? And is my wolf only suspicious now because Henry put the idea in our heads that we should be wary of Hank? Or is the act of asking suspicious in itself?

Cora whips her head up then, grinning at me with excitement as she points towards one of the men across the room. “This one is perfect,” she breathes, and then hurries off towards his bed, signaling me to follow.

I hurry after her, eager to help – and suddenly a wave of guilt runs through me. Didn’t I just promise Cora that I’d trust her instincts about Hank?

But still, my little wolf continues to prowl, and I honestly don’t know where this suspicion comes from. Is it just me being paranoid, and turning that paranoia on a good man?

Or is Hank asking weird questions to the woman he knew was least likely to suspect him of getting up to anything strange?

 

Chapter 358

I push my suspicions aside as I come to Cora’s side as she explains to Conner – the bright, red-haired young man who noticed that the men who attacked me didn’t transform into their wolves – our plan.

“Sure,” ,” he says, blinking up at both of us when Cora asks if he’d be willing to let me try to heal him with the Goddess power. “Um,” he says next, hesitating a little, “does it hurt?”

“Um,” I reply, rubbing an anxious hand up and down my arm, “I don’t think so? But then again, I’ve only tried it on myself?” I look over at Cora to see if she has any ideas, but she just shrugs.

“Consider it a very experimental treatment,” Cora says, turning back to Conner. “But I think Ella is right – it never seemed to hurt her before, when she used it. Or that one time I used it. But if it works!” she gives him a big smile now, “I think you will be a very happy little guinea pig!”

“Guinea pig?” he asks, confused. “Will I is this going to transform me into a guinea pig!?”

“No,” I say, laughing and sitting down on the edge of his bed, reaching for his arm, which he pulls away from me in sudden anxiety. “Seriously!” I say, laughing still. “That’s just a common phrase – you don’t know it? Maybe it’s a human phrase. For like, a creature who gets experimented on first.”

“Oh,” Conner says, relaxing a little but still looking at us warily. But then he nods, letting us know that he’s on board. “Just a lot of strange….magic, I guess, these days. Magic that I don’t think we’ve had a lot of exposure to before.”

“You’re telling me,” Cora murmurs, checking some final details as she runs a hand over her stomach, which is hosting what we can best describe as the first human-wolf hybrid pup ever conceived.

Conner doesn’t get it, but I do, and I give her a bright grin, which she returns. “Okay!” she says. “Conner, can we try it on the burn on your arm?” she asks, pointing to the gauze on his right forearm. “I

think that’s a minor enough wound that it could be a good place to experiment.”

“Okay,” he says, moving to unwrap it. I lean eagerly forward, but regret it immediately when he pulls the gauze away, wincing as he reveals an angry, wet red wound. I sit back again, grimacing at it, reminded again of why I didn’t become a nurse. But then I steel myself and sit closer, looking up at Cora. “How do I start?”

She just shrugs at me, as lost as I am. “I don’t know, Ella,” she says, waving a vague hand at me. “Do your… meditation thing. Access the gift. Or whatever.”

“Okay,” I agree with a little shrug. And then because it feels strange not to be doing anything to engage with the wound, I reach out and hover my hands over Conner’s arm as I close my eyes.

It’s easier to fall into the state than it has been before – maybe because I’m not wounded, or growing a child, or stressed in any real way. This time, the relaxation comes almost immediately and I find myself sinking quite deeply into that space where the light behind my eyes turns a light lavender.

“You’ve got it, Ella,” Cora whispers next to me, and I can tell that she’s excited but working hard not to distract me too much. “You’re glowing. Now, do you feel like you can direct it?”

I take another deep breath and, when I exhale, I begin to seek for pain. I feel the gift move then, as it’s done before – it sweeps through me first, seeking to heal anything, but when it doesn’t find anything it…pulses a little, curious, almost wondering why I’ve called on it.

And so I give it a little push, asking it to look…further than me. To go outside. And it feels, a very little bit, like the time that I passed it to Cora – though it’s hard to compare, because I had been so weak at that time.

But now, when I’m strong, I feel like I have so much more control – like I don’t have to shove the entire gift into someone’s hands before I collapse under the weight of it. But instead, like I can just take a

piece of it, and move it forward to where –

To where I can begin to feel a very real pain in front of me, radiating up towards my hands. And so I give it a little nudge, and push the gift towards it, and I feel it flowing from my hands.

Next to me, I hear Cora gasp, and Conner inhale sharply, but I do my very best to not let myself be drawn away, to continue with my steady little push until I feel…

Until I feel the pain beneath my hands cool, and ebb, and steady. Until I can’t feel it at all. And then I pull my hands back, and lay them in my lap, and take a few deep breaths as I allow the lavender light to fade behind my eyes. And then I open my eyes and look around.

And Cora and Conner are staring at me, their jaws wide open. “Did it work?” I breathe, curious. And neither say a word, so I dart my eyes downward at Conner’s arm-

And my own mouth falls open.

His wound it’s…

It’s gone. I blink, shocked, and lean forward, grabbing his arm – which makes poor Conner jump – so that I can bring it closer to my eyes. And as I study it I realize that the wound is not gone it’s just…fixed. The skin has closed over what was a few moments before a pussy, bloody burn. And it’s not as if the magic has unmade the wound and returned the arm to its former state –

It really, honestly looks as if it just healed it. On Conner’s arm is a new patch of flesh, still tender and pink and hairless, without any of the freckles that cover the rest of his arm.

“Oh my god,” I breathe, staring at it, and then up at Cora, and then over at Conner.

And when I see the bright smile on his face, the tears in his eyes, I burst into joyful laughter myself, hardly able to believe it. And then Cora lets out a shriek of joy and throws herself on top of me in a

crazy hug, knocking me back against the bed and poor Conner’s legs as she, too, laughs with joy.

“It’s a miracle!” she shouts, so excited she stumbles over the words. “It’s incredible! Ella! Think of what you could do!”

“I know!” I yell, giddy with excitement for it and hugging my sister close to me. Then men in the room are all turned towards us now, even those at the far side of the room who probably had no idea what we were trying –

And, as they figure it out- that they could start feeling better so soon if I’m able to keep doing this smiles spread across their own faces.

“Are you okay?” I ask Conner when Cora lets me sit up straighter, our arms still wrapped excitedly around each other. “Did it hurt – does it hurt?”

“It’s fine,” he says, holding his arm up in front of his face and marveling at it. ” It didn’t hurt at all – I mean, it was tingly – and a little cold – but it’s amazing – it’s totally fixed!”

“Ahh!” I yell, excited, and I squeeze Cora closer in my excitement.

“Thank you,” Conner breathes, and my heart squeezes when I see tears start to streak down his face. “Thank you so much, Luna,” he says, shaking his head. at me in wonder.

“I’m so glad,” I say, reaching out and squeezing his hand. “So glad, Conner.”

And I bite my lip and smile at him, and he smiles back, and then suddenly I’m jumping to my feet almost spilling 1 Cora to the floor –

“What!” Cora shouts, laughing. “Ella, what are you -”

“I’m going to tell Sinclair!” I shout, dashing towards the door. “I’ll be back!” I call over my shoulder to her, to all of them. “I’ll be right back!”

And I can barely contain my excitement as I sprint down the hall towards the conference room, where I know the boys are working hard, trying to come up with a plan.

 

Chapter 359

Everyone’s head snaps up and towards the door as we hear the footsteps pounding down the hall towards the closed door of the conference room. I can feel the aggression fill the air – almost smell it, even as all around me hackles raise and teeth are bared at the sudden noise at what sounds like an assailant –

Next to me, Roger begins to raise from his seat, his eyes fixed on the door, ready to attack whatever comes through –

But instantly I grab his collar, shoving him back down into his seat. “Down!” I order, my voice ringing out with Alpha command, and heads instantly turn to me, obedient but confused-

But I just shake my head a little bit, my eyes fixed on the door. Because I know those footsteps, know their cadence. Only Ella would barrel heedlessly towards a room of wary male wolves who can’t see or smell their attacker –

But I barely have time to heave half a sigh before she bursts through the door, shouting “Dominic!”

Everyone in the room jumps to the feet, but I’m already halfway across the room to her, grabbing her out of the air as she leaps up at me, catching her in my arms and turning to snarl at my men, warning them to contain themselves –

But Ella, true to form, doesn’t even notice the fact that she scared the hell out of all of us that she almost got herself torn to ribbons –

Instead, she barrels heedlessly forth in her excitement. “Dominic!” she says again, laughing, grabbing my face in her hands and turning it towards her. “It’s a miracle! I did it! You have to come and see! I’m going to do it again! I’m going to fix them all!”

“Ella,” I growl, patting down my own Alpha instincts and trying, simultaneously, to listen to her and look towards my men to ensure that no one is doing anything stupid in their panic –

“Come on!” she says, wiggling wildly in her struggle to get out of my arms. You have to come and see! Bring the baby! We’ll show him too!”

“What?” I ask, turning my attention back to her once I’ve assessed that my men are not on the edge of an attack, despite her heedless burst into the room. “What are you talking about?”

“Put me down!” she orders, laughing and still struggling in my arms. I blink, trying to process what’s happening, but I obey, putting her back down on her feet. She instantly dashes away to where Rafe is sleeping in his carrier on the floor, grabbing it by the handle and then running back to me, snatching up my hand and working to pull me along with her.

“Come on!” she calls again, her glee and energy infectious despite the fact that she hadn’t even looked around the room to see if she’s disturbed us, let alone figured out how much –

I glance at Roger and my dad to see them laughing a little and shaking their heads, and then I sigh and let Ella pull me from the room, figuring that the risk is gone and she is clearly not going to let whatever this is rest until she tells me what she’s discovered-

“Ella,” I say as she pulls me out of the room, leaning back a little to put my weight in my heels to slow her. “Where are we going what happened?”

“I did it!” she says, looking over her shoulder at me gleefully and pulling harder at my hand. “You have to come and see! It’s amazing!”

“Ella!” I say again, harsher now, stopping completely but not letting go of her hand so that she’s obliged, against her will, to turn back and frown at me. “Slow down for a second! Just explain! Please!”

And, seeing my real confusion, Ella shakes her head, laughs again, and then turns fully to me to explain. “Cora had an idea!” she says. “Actually, Hank did! But that’s not important!”

I frown, suddenly, at the mention of his name. But she barrels onward and I let her. “I used my mother’s gift and I healed someone, Dominic!” she says, beaming up at me. “It was so easy! I just …accessed the gift! And nudged it towards his wound! And he’s fixed! And I can do it again, and again, and I can fix all of them!”

My mouth drops open as I listen and I figure out what she’s saying. “What?” I gasp, my eyes going wide. “Are you are you serious, Ella?” I ask, looking sharply down the hall towards the little makeshift medical center we set up. If she’s serious – if she can use the Goddess’ gift to heal the men – it could change everything –

“Yes!” she says, laughing again and coming close to me, pressing herself against me and looking up warmly into my face. “I did it!”

“Miracle,” I murmur, shaking my head as I look down at her, marveling at my little mate. “You’re a miracle, trouble.”

“I know,” she says, wrinkling her nose at me and then laughing. But suddenly she’s moving again, tugging me down the hall. “Come on! I want you to see it!”

The next few minutes are as amazing as she suggested that they would be. Some of what Ella does is familiar – I’ve seen her access the gift before, after all, and heal herself. But seeing the glow spread from her body to another’s? Seeing a terrible, disfiguring wound knit itself together before my eyes in mere moments?

I’m breathless with amazement by the time she opens her eyes again and grins at me.

“See?” she whispers up at me. “Isn’t it cool?” I stare at her a little, amazed again by her powers of understatement, but all I can do is shake my head in wonder.

“The possibilities,” Cora says, eagerly flipping through her papers and looking around at the men to decide who should be next. “They’re

remarkable – I mean, clearly you can do this with fresh wounds, Ella, but can you do it with disease? Could you seek and destroy cancerous cells? Could you

Ella gasps with excitement and anticipation at the possibilities, jumping up to talk more with her sister, but I go pale when I consider the extent of this.

Because if Ella’s access to her mother’s gift makes her able to heal not only wounds, but other things as well? And people find out about it?

I grit my teeth and narrow my eyes at all of the people who I know, already, would see her as a valuable target.

While my sweet, generous mate can only see this newly-discovered power for the possibilities it offers to bring life and happiness to suffering people….

I know that the world is filled with people far worse than she. Who will see to take her, and keep her, and use her for their own ends.

And as I consider this consider how I’d rip them all to shreds – my eyes drift to my baby boy, still sleeping in his carrier despite the racket his mother is making. I can’t help but smirk a little at him, realizing that he has perhaps already learned to simply cope with some of his mother’s extremes rather than objecting to them.

But beyond that joy my child gives me, beyond the love I feel for him, the worry of what his life holds twists in me. Because the Goddess’s blood runs through his veins as well. What if he has access to this kind of power? To even half of it?

If he does, people are going to come for him too. They’ve already started – but more will come. And I will protect them both until the end of me – but will it be enough?

 

Chapter 360

I heal for hours that afternoon, long into the night. I stop and take breaks of course for dinner, to feed and spend a little time with Rafe, to consult with Cora about our next steps – but then I’m back to it. Talking to the men to see what hurts worst, accessing the gift, holding out my hands to fix them.

It’s incredible how much I get done, how much healing I perform as the day passes. By the time Sinclair puts his hands on my shoulders, proud but stern, I feel as if half of the room of terribly wounded men has been healed completely and the others are well on their way.

“Enough, trouble,” Sinclair murmurs to me and I gasp and twist to look up at him. “What?” I ask, confused. “But there’s so much more ”

“Enough,” he says, shaking his head at me. “It’s ten o’clock – ”

“What?” I gasp, truly surprised. I had no idea that the time had passed so quickly. I honestly thought it was earlier –

“Please,” he says softly, low enough so that only I can hear. “Stop now, Ella. They’ll all survive the night. They’ll make it till morning, when you can start again.”

I stop, trying to listen to him, but as I look around the room I feel so guilty. How can I let these men to go sleep in pain? How can I possibly curl up in my own bed, comfortable with my mate and my baby, knowing they won’t be able to sleep because they got hurt trying to protect my son? When if I just pushed a little further I could heal them –

“That’s it,” Sinclair snaps, perhaps sensing my guilt and anxiety, and before I can protest further he scoops me up in his arms, shaking his head down at me.

“Dominic!” I protest, frowning up at him. “Put me down! I’m not even tired yet! I can-

“Ella,” he says, his voice still stern, you have done enough for one day. And you don’t know what toll this gift takes on your body or if it takes a toll on = itself. Does it need to regenerate? Do you need to sleep for three days to build back your strength?”

I hesitate now, realizing that he has a point. We have no idea how this works, if there will be a cost to me. Honestly, considering that, I’m surprised he let me work as long as I did.

“Moderation, little mate,” he murmurs to me, turning me towards the door where Cora waits with little Rafe curled up in her arms.

“We’ll start again tomorrow,” Cora says, smiling at me and handing me my baby even though I’m still held lightly in Sinclair’s arms. “You did amazing today, Ella!” And I grin at her, happy to see that her own face reflects my excitement. The things we could do with this power

But Sinclair just nods to Cora and carries me from the room, even as I call goodbyes and goodnights to the men still laying in their beds. He doesn’t put me down, in fact, until we get to our little metal bedroom door – and then I think he only does so because neither of us have a free hand to turn the doorknob.

“In,” he urges once the door is open, pressing a hand to the small of my back and ushering me inside. I do as he says, cooing down to Rafe, who burbles sleepily in my arms. As soon as I get the baby ready for bed and down in his cradle, Sinclair takes my hand and directs me again, this time towards the bathroom.

“So bossy tonight,” I laugh, letting him guide me, and he shoots me a little glaring smile over his shoulder as he brings me into the bathroom. He doesn’t turn the lights on and I’m glad he doesn’t the bathroom only has horrible florescent light bulbs. Instead, Sinclair just turns on the shower in the dark and begins to strip himself down. And then, once he’s finished, he peels off my clothes piece by piece and nudges me towards the shower.

I take his suggestion silently, stepping into the steaming water and taking a deep breath. Sinclair follows, wrapping his arms around me and letting me rest against him as I let the hot water do its work, letting it relax me, letting me realize how tired I really am.

“How do you feel?” Sinclair murmurs, his voice barely audible above the pounding of the water.

“Tired,” I sigh in reply, winding my arms around him, enjoying the press of his wet skin against mine. “You were right. I – I’m more tired than I thought I was.”

“Is it bad?” he asks, going a little tense beside me. “Do we need to -”

“No,” I interrupt, shaking my head. ” It’s a good tired – like after a busy day. But you’re right – my adrenaline was running me. It’s it’s good. To take a minute.”

Sinclair murmurs his affirmation, which rumbles warm in his chest, and then moves away from me for a minute to get some supplies. And then, to my delight and surprise, my mate begins to soap my body down, his movements soft but efficient.

“It’s incredible what you can do, Ella,” Sinclair says as he works the soap over my back. “But we have to be careful with it. Both for any tolls it takes on your body and…”

I open my eyes now, turning towards him. “And?” I ask, confused. “And what?”

“Ella,” he sighs, looking down at me. I’m worried that…well, that if people find out what you can do…”

“Oh,” I say, my eyes going wide. And I look towards the door, to where our baby is asleep in the next room. I want, quite suddenly, to have my eyes on him again. “You think that…”

“I think that if everyone knew what you could do,” Sinclair confirms gently, that people would want to direct you to use the gift how they see fit. By force, if necessary.”

My face falls, then, as I realize that he’s right. At the disappointment that I feel, that some would see this gift as a point of control instead of for the ways that it could help. My heart sinks, suddenly – with exhaustion, with disappointment, with wanting, terribly, for things to just be better – for things to be right –

“It’s all right,” Sinclair whispers, pulling me against him again, and I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to believe him. “It will be all right.”

“So, we’ll keep it a secret,” I say quietly after a few moments. “Not forever, though, yes?” I ask, looking up at him. “Sinclair – I can’t I can’t keep this to – myself forever, not if it can help people. I can’t live like that.”

“I know, love,” he murmurs to me, looking down into my face in the dim light. “But until we have more control…”

I nod, agreeing. “Until we have more control.” Sinclair watches me carefully when we get up the next morning, as I change and feed Rafe and get the day started.

“I feel fine!” I say to him, smiling and laughing, knowing that he’s waiting for me to collapse or something.

“And the gift?” he asks as he stands from the bed, still wary. “Does it feel…I don’t know. Intact?”

I take a moment to pause, closing my eyes and checking in on myself. “It feels,” I say, considering, truly trying to assess. Then I open my eyes and shrug at him. “Honestly, Dominic, it feels like it always has. I don’t feel like any of it has been lost in the effort to heal the men, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t think it works like that.”

“How do you think it works?” Sinclair asks, moving to the little table that holds our clothes and starting to get dressed for the day.

“I think the gift is an expression of the Goddess’ love,” I say, picking Rafe up from the little table we’ve designated as his changing table once he’s ready to go. “I think it’s limitless.”

“Interesting,” Sinclair murmurs, pulling a shirt over his head. He opens his mouth to say more, but suddenly there’s a knock at the door. Frowning a little, Sinclair moves over to it and pulls it open, revealing Henry there, his face serious.

“Hello, Henry,” I call, moving over and turning Rafe in my arms so that grandfather and grandson can say good morning. Henry can’t help the smile that comes to his face when he sees Rafe, but it’s short lived.

“Good morning, Ella, Dominic,” he says. “Would you be so kind as to come to the conference room? We have much to discuss.”

“Oh,” I say, looking up at Sinclair. “I was going to go to the medical room – ”

“I understand that you are doing important work there, Ella,” Henry says, leaning forward to catch my attention again. “I won’t keep you for long. But please – it is important. Roger and Cora are already there.”

“We’ll be there,” Sinclair says, nodding quickly to his dad. “Just a minute, to finish getting dressed. All right?”

Henry nods and rolls his chair away, heading back to the conference room, as I look up at Sinclair in wonder.

What on earth could be happening now?