Ch. 381..390

Chapter 391

My heart is pounding as I follow my mother into the chamber beyond, as Roger

shuts the door behind us. My mother crosses the room with ease almost

seeming to float. And then I blink in surprise as I realize that…she probably is

floating. I mean, she’s here – she’s corporeal – but it’s all a show, isn’t it? She

doesn’t need to walk on her feet if she doesn’t want to.

And something about that idea makes me laugh a little, easing my tension. My

mother turns when she hears the sound of my laugher and smiles at me, at both

of us, before sitting down before a tiny table with a tray of tea on it.

Roger and I cross the short room together, sitting down across from her.

Thoughtfully, Roger pours two cups of tea, which is hot and smells minty and

fresh. Then, hesitating at the sight of the third cup, he raises an eyebrow at

my mother. She laughs a little too, and I’m shocked to hear that her laugh

sounds just like my own – the same rhythm, the same cadence. Something

about that makes me smile.

“Yes, Roger,” she says, nodding towards it. “I can’t drink the tea – but it is nice to

have an offering of it.”

Nodding, Roger pours the cup of tea for the Goddess and slides it across the

table towards her. Then he places a sugar cube in my teacup – knowing I’ll want

it and sits back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.

“You’ve had a long journey, Cora,” my mother says, looking at me warmly. “In

more ways than one.”

“Yes,” I reply, smiling at the understatement in her words. And then I look down

at my stomach and place my hands on it, shaking my head. “A journey that has

raised…a lot of questions for us.’

“I understand,” she says. “It will bring me a great deal of joy to help you answer

those questions, if I can.”

“How much do you know?” I ask, looking back up at her, wondering if I need…

like, do I need to tell her that I’m pregnant? Or…

“I know everything,” she says, smiling at us. “Your lives are…open to me. As

well as your hearts. I’m very pleased that you have found each other, little

mates,” she says, and I grin to hear her use Roger’s pet term for me as if she’s

heard it before. Then she turns to smile at Roger, “though I’d have preferred to

see it happen sooner. I believe it would have saved you both a great deal of

pain.”

Roger, to his credit, blushes and looks down. “Cora’s the smart one,” he sighs,

glancing at me. “You should have sent her the vision.”

“She had other things to worry about,” the Goddess says easily. “You can’t leave

everything to your mate.”

I laugh at this and Roger’s blush deepens, but he looks up at both of us with a

determined look on his face, and we both know that he doesn’t mean to.

My mother turns to me then. “You wish to know?” she asks gently. “About the

child?”

“Yes,” I breathe, leaning forward, eager. “Do you know? Is it…um…”

“Your child is perfectly healthy, Cora,” my mother says, looking down at my

stomach. “I can hear the heartbeat now. Your child is strong.”

Roger and I both exhale in relief. I mean – we suspected that, but to hear it from

a Goddess’ lips… Roger beams a wide smile at me and reaches out to take my

hand. I slide my hand into his, palm to palm.

“Is – is my baby a wolf?” I ask, turning back to my mother, clutching Roger’s

hand hard. “Your baby is like you,” my mother says, turning her head to watch

me, curious.

And I bite my lip, glancing at Roger, who is unable to keep the crestfallen

expression from his face. And in my disappointment I realize that we were both

hoping very much that our child would be a wolf. Not that I would mind raising a

normal human baby- but for him, for the child’s place in our family….

My mother laughs again, snapping our attention back to her.

“No, my daughter,” she says, smiling and shaking her head. “You misunderstand

me. What I mean to say here is that…hmm,” she looks up at the ceiling as if

thinking it through. “It is difficult to put into words…I do not use them often.”

My heart starts to pound again as she sorts through her thoughts.

“I believe the word that you would use for it,” she continues, still looking up,

might be hybrid? Your baby is…both human and wolf?”

I gasp a little and Roger looks between us both, confused. “Really?” I ask,

dropping Roger’s hand as I lean forward in my curiosity. ” But you said – like

me…”

The Goddess draws her eyes back down again and focuses on my face. ”

Lovely Cora,” she says, a smile spreading across her face, “your child is a cross

between a human and a wolf, but it is not the first. You are.”

My mouth drops open suddenly as I stare at her, trying…trying to comprehend.

And something about my confusion makes her laugh – not in a cruel way, but in

the delighted way of a mother who watches her child discover a great new truth

about the world.

“Wha- what do you mean?” I ask, my voice hardly louder than a whisper in my

shock.

“You are human, Cora,” my mother says, leaning forward to make sure I

understand. “Your body is human – your father was a human. But your mother I

am the Goddess of the moon, , and of wolves, among other things.” She smiles

at me as I begin to understand. “Your soul is that of a wolf, Cora,” she says

quietly. “Can you not feel it?”

And I stare at her, shocked.

We’re all silent for a long moment before I stumble out my answer. “N-no,” I say,

looking down at myself, and then closing my eyes and searching….searching –

But it’s nowhere.

“No,” I say again, devastated as I open my eyes and looking at my mother

again. “Are you – are you sure? Is there some mistake?”

“I am sure,” she says gently, studying me. Then, she holds out one hand. ”

Come to me, Cora,” she says, and I stand, going to her, taking her hand,

gasping at the tickling, starlight feeling of her skin.

“Close your eyes,” she says softly, “let us see if we can coax your little wolf to

show her face.”

And – unbidden, but knowing it’s right – I close my eyes, and let my mother’s

energy rush gently through me, like a trickling stream, the sound of it in my mind

like a calling…a summoning, a welcoming…

And suddenly, to my complete shock, I feel a dark corner of my soul shyly uncurl

itself, opening one eye and looking hesitantly around, almost afraid to do so.

A little cry falls from my mouth as I recognize her instantly my sweet, quiet wolf,

who has been here all along – but who has hidden herself away, confused, not

knowing if she belongs, or where she belongs…

And I recognize her instantly, instantly as me as my own.

My little wolf raises her dark snout to the air at the continued sound of my

mother’s call, and then slowly, half- eager, half-scared, she starts to get to her

feet.

Hey, I say within my mind, calling to her, reaching out a mental hand for her, eager for her touch.

She quirks her ears at the sound of my voice, but I see an eagerness slowly come into her expression. Hi, she says to me, awkward but…but wanting it.

Wanting me. And slowly, I reach my mental hand closer to her, and run it slowly over the length of her soft brown fur.

I know you, she says, giving me a wolfish little smile. I like you. Can we run?

She lifts her head and presses into the touch of my hand, letting her mouth fall open in eager joy.

Yes, I whisper back, laughing a little with my own joy. Yes, we can.

 

Chapter 392

Cora

My eyes flash open as I gasp, fascinated and thrilled at the having finally, finally

met my wolf – who has been here all along –

My mother smiles warmly at me, but when I turn to Roger I only see shock on

his face as he stares at me with wide eyes.

“Can you – can you sense her?” I ask, thrilled and curious.

“Um, yeah, Cora,” he says, looking me up and down in fascinated shock. ” Can’t

you feel mine?”

And I feel my wolf turn then, looking for him, and suddenly – frankly, like a slap

in the face I feel Roger’s wolf standing right there on the other side of our bond,

which snaps instantly into place –

I gasp, and my knees go literally weak at the sudden intensity of it –

Roger’s up in an instant, catching me in his arms before I can fall to the ground

because… Because it feel like gravity shifts, suddenly, and what used to be

down is now sideways, and at the center of everything now….

…is Roger.

“Hey,” Roger says, anxious, looking down at me as I stare up into his face, as

my shy wolf comes forward to tap her nose hesitantly against his across our

mating bond.

Roger’s wolf gives a great bay of joy and leaps forward, making my wolf skitter

back a step. But he doesn’t stop, closing the distance instantly and nuzzling his

body against her, nipping playfully at her shoulder, burying his nose deep in her

fur –

My poor new wolf shies again for a moment – not from fear just…just because

it’s all so new – and I feel Roger’s wolf respond, prancing around her with joy

and letting her know with his body language that he’s thrilled she’s here –

And that he’s ready, whenever she is, to play. I can’t help the tears that pour

from my eyes at this, as Roger laughs and hugs me close, as I…adjust myself,

as best I can, to everything.

I give myself a few moments to cling to my mate my mate, my fated mate,

because I know it to be true now in a deep, physical way – before I remember,

of course, that my mother is here.

And that we’re being incredibly rude. Slowly, even though I don’t want to at all I

push Roger away from me just slightly and turn back from her.

“I’m sorry,” I say, wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand. “I’m

just -”

“It’s all right, daughter,” she says, smiling up at me from her place in her chair. “It

does me good to see you so happy.”

And then, holding Roger’s hand tightly as we move back to our chairs, I do my

very best to pull myself together.

“So,” I say, hesitating, “um, does this mean that I’ll be able to take Roger’s

mark?”

“Yes,” the Goddess says, nodding. “It may take your human body longer to heal

from it,” she adds, giving a little shrug, “but your sister can help with that. And it

will do you no harm.”

“Will other humans?” I ask curiously, thinking suddenly of the vision we had of

little baby Rafe, all grown up and finding his true love in a human girl. ” Could

they take a mark, if they wanted one?”

“They could,” my mother says with a smile, “though…they might not find the joy

in it, as wolves do. Your wolf, though, Cora, will crave it. She probably already

does.”

And inside me I feel the truth of it as wwolf steps closer to Roger’s tall my wolf’s

side, pressing herself against him and looking up into his face. I grin, knowing

that my mother is right, not needing to confirm.

Oh geeze, I think to myself, a little chagrined but unable to stop smiling. It is

going to be…quite a struggle, trying to convince Roger not to give me his mark

the moment we step out of this temple But, as much as I want it, I also want it to

be special. Knowing my mate, he’ll want to sink his teeth into me in the back of

that RV – if not before but…. no. I want something more than that.

Quite suddenly, though, another question crops up in my mind. “Does this

mean…um,” I hesitate, also trying to find the words. “Will I be able to shift? Into

my wolf?”

“I’m sorry, my darling,” my mother says quietly, shaking her head. “Your spirit is

that of a wolf, but your body is still human. It is incapable of the shift.”

A little shudder of disappointment runs through me, but it’s short lived. I’ve

already received so, so much more than I had hoped from this visit.

“What about the baby?” Roger asks, interrupting my train of thought with a very

important question. I perk up, curious, and am tickled to find that my wolf perks

up too, her emotions reflecting my own. “Will the baby be able to shift?”

Roger does his best to hide his anxiety on this point, but I can see it in him as I

look at his tense face. Roger wants, very badly, to be able to bond with his child

on this point – as he did with his own parents.

“As you are the father of Cora’s child, Roger,” my mother says, a phrasing which

I’m thrilled actually also answers questions for me that this is my child, and that

no dark god was involved in some kind of strange impregnation scenario, as I

had once feared “the child’s body is not entirely human, as Cora’s is. Your

children’s experiences with their bodies and their wolves may be unique, but

yes,” she says, beginning to smile, they will be able to transform, as you can.”

A huge sigh – almost a groan – of relief falls from Roger’s mouth as he hangs

his head, his shoulders shaking with the intensity of it. I smile widely at my mate

as he looks down at the floor with his eyes squeezed shut, trying to pull himself

together – I’m just so pleased that he’ll be able to have this connection with his

children, a connection he so deeply wants.

He looks up at me then, apology all over his face – “Cora,” he whispers, and I

can see that he feels guilty, “I know it seems – I mean, I will love our children no

matter what – but I just – ”

“It’s all right,” I say, reaching for his hand, which he gives me. “I get it,” I say,

nodding and smiling. My wolf nudges his with her nose playfully, happy. “I really

do.”

My mate exhales a sigh of relief and then we turn our attention back to my

mother, though…honestly, I’m so happy that I feel guilty asking her for more.

“You two have a beautiful future ahead of you,” she says quietly. “It will bring me

much joy to see it unfold.” And then, to my great sadness, she stands up. “My

time runs short. Is there anything else I can answer for you, before I go?”

“Please,” I say, leaning forward on my chair and hesitating because…well,

because it feels selfish. She smiles at me, though, inviting me to ask.

Still, I bite my lip. “Ella’s gift,” I say, the words coming out in a rush. “It can …it

can do such wonderful things in this world. I want to to do more of that, to heal

people, as she does. I know that she’s passed the gift to me before but – could

you possibly – could I…”

And then I run out of words because… it feels just so, so terrible to ask for such

an incredible gift, which should be freely given. I hang my head, ashamed.

But to my shock, my mother laughs, and suddenly I feel her fingertips under my

chin, turning my face up to hers.” You have your own gift, Cora,” she says

quietly, “already within you.”

 

Chapter 393

“What?” I ask, confused. I – I have a gift? I quickly search for it within myself

but….it’s not there. I mean, I know how Ella’s feels – she passed it to me before,

I carried it – but there is nothing in me now that feels anything like that…

“Yours is different from your sisters,” the Goddess explains. “Ella’s soul is that of

a healer, and so that is her gift. Yours,” she smiles lightly, “reflects you. You’ve

used it before,” she says, turning her head to glance at Roger with a little laugh.

“I’m surprised you did not notice it then.”

“What?” I ask again, still baffled. But she turns to go and I grab for her hand.

“Please,” I say, shaking my hand, “I don’t understand -”

“Perhaps you should ask your sister for help,” the Goddess says with a shrug.

“She can guide you to it, I think, as hers is already unlocked. But you already

have your gift, Cora.” She assures me. She hesitates then before laughing a

little, “as does your child.”

“What!?” I say for the third time, my mouth falling open now as I stare at her and

then glance down at my stomach before looking back up into her face. ” My

child -”

“All your children,” she says simply, as if it’s obvious, “will be gifted, as you are,

as Ella is. As you, my daughters, are gifts to me – it is my gift to you, and to all

of your children.”

“Whoa,” Roger says, sitting back in his chair and raising a hand to his head in

shock. “All…all are kids are going to be magic?”

The Goddess laughs a little. “Each will be gifted,” she says simply, turning back

to me. “And each gift will be unique, and will reflect each child’s unique spirit. As

yours does, as Ella’s does. They’ll all have pieces in common but -” she sighs

happily now, shaking her head as if it’s too complicated to explain. “You will see,

Cora. I need not explain it all. Your children will show you.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“I love you,” the Goddess says, raising her hand and brushing my cheek with

her fingertips. “Carry that knowledge your whole life. I will see you again,” she

promises, and I cling to that prophecy just a little, “but until then carry my love.”

And then, as Roger and I watch, my mother passes through a door in the back

of the room – a door that I swear was not there a moment ago –

stare at each other. And then, as I continue to stare at him, he starts to laugh – a

low, delighted sound – as he gets up and crosses the small room to me,

wrapping me tight in his arms and rocking me back and forth as he buries his

head against my neck.

“I knew it,” he murmurs, still holding me tight. “I knew it was all going to be good

news-”

“You did not,” I laugh, and finally as the shock leaves my system I feel myself

filling with a deep and resounding joy in its place. “You were as anxious as I

was!”

“Yeah,” he admits, his voice muffled against my skin, “but like… deep down. I

knew it was going to be all right. You know?”

“Sure, baby,” I say, patting his back, letting him think it. But despite all of it, I

can’t stop smiling. Inside me my wolf turns in a happy little circle, prancing

around and shaking out her fur, getting used to the feel of her body moving

freely.

Roger stands up a little straighter and grins down into my face. “This is so cool,”

he murmurs. “The baby is going to be a wolf, and you have a wolf, and we have

a mating bond -” he shakes his head, laughing, thrilled at it all.

“I know,” I murmur, smiling up at him and raising my hands to bury my fingers in

his hair. “I feel – I feel crazy different, like expanded – ” my whole body has-

“Should we do it now?” he asks, interrupting me and looking down at my neck,

raising his hand to start to tug at the collar of my shirt.

“Huh?” and then as I see him eyeing that soft place between my shoulder and

my neck I burst into laughter and swat him away. “Ew, Roger! No!”

“EW?!” He says, his mouth dropping open a little bit – but we’re both too happy

for him to actually be offended. We’re we’re just…so connected now 1- that the

mating bond has snapped together on both ends. It’s like he can intuit my

emotions and my meaning without even having to look at me, even listen to me.

“Why not?” He asks, and I can sense his mild disappointment.

“Because!” I say, slapping his shoulder playfully. “We’re in my mom’s house –

there are people that live here! We’re not just going to like, throw down here in

the back of the temple-

“Why the hell not?” he asks, looking at me like I’m crazy.

“Roger!” I gasp, “Absolutely not! I may be a wolf in spirit, but I was raised

human. I have a little more decency than that.” And then as he wraps his arms

around my waist and pulls me closer, looking hungrily down at me, I start to

laugh so hard that my whole body shakes. It takes him a moment but then he’s

laughing with me, and we pass our joy between ourselves down that bond, a

cycle of it that makes me so happy I can barely breathe.

“Fine,” he murmurs when we both calm down a little bit, after he presses his lips

warmly to my mouth and kisses me, soundly, warmly, so that the love sweeps

through me and makes me feel absolutely complete. “But as soon as we’re

alone – really alone, Cora…” he snaps his teeth at me, letting me know his

precise intentions.

And I nudge him with my nose, just as my wolf does to his in the precise same

moment. “You’d better,” I whisper, feeling an intense hunger for his mark that I

didn’t feel before.

Slowly, Roger exhales and loosens his arms, his eyes drifting down my body to

my stomach as he makes space between us. “So cool that the baby’s going to

have powers,” he murmurs. And Sinclair and Ella are going to flip when we tell

them that Rafe -”

But he freezes, suddenly, unable to finish his sentence. I feel his shock and awe

down the bond before he looks up and whispers my name. into my face-

“What?” I ask my eyes going wide. It’s not fear – nothing in his reaction tells me

I should be afraid. But still…what.

And then, as he looks down at my stomach again, he passes me something

down the bond – something I don’t understand, something that doesn’t have

words…

And suddenly, quite suddenly, I become aware of…a new little connection inside

of me. A link that has been there, but which I hadn’t been aware of before…

My wolf quirks her head, turning towards it, curious. And then, as we both

realize what it is, I gasp and she gambols forward in excitement. Our pup! She

shouts in my mind, her heart and my heart both leaping with joy to feel it.

“The baby,” I gasp – because now that my wolf is awake, I can feel the bond –

feel it in the same way Roger could. “Is it… is it more for you now?”

“Yes,” he murmurs, awestruck, looking back up in my face with wide eyes. “Yes,

I can feel it so much more now – I think…I think as much as Dominic did, with

Rafe…”

And I flush suddenly with joy to be able to give this to Roger, to be able to feel it

myself, this wonderful, miraculous new connection…

I bite my lip with happiness suddenly as I explore the bod, prod it, connecting

with my little baby and saying hello, and realizing…

“Do you know what I know?” I whisper, my face alight again with joy. A thrilled

grin bursts on Roger’s face.” Yes,” he says quietly, his voice almost shaking with

the joy of it. “I think I do.”

“A boy!” I shout, laughing, throwing my arms around his neck as Roger catches

me, and picks me up, and spins me around laughing and shouting with

happiness.

“A little boy,” he murmurs against my neck as I wrap my legs around his waist.

And then I take my mates face in my hands, and I beam down at him, and I kiss

his mouth for the joy of it. We stay like that for a long time, absolutely thrilled

and more connected to each other and to our child – than we’ve ever been.

“Are you happy?” I ask him when I pull away, just an inch. But I smile, already

knowing the answer.

“How could I not be, Cora?” he sighs in reply, looking up at me with such love in

his eyes that I can hardly bear it. “This is everything. Absolutely everything.”

And then he kisses me again, and I kiss him back, and with every passing

moment I send a message down the bond to him with every beat of my heart:

I love you, I love you, I love you.

And he sends it right back.

 

Chapter 394

I get tenser and tenser as the minutes pass, and I can feel Sinclair behind me

likewise desperate to know what’s going on behind that closed door. A priestess

comes by after a little while, offering us tea or seats, but we decline both

because we’re very aware that we’re definitely not going to be able to relax until

that door opens. Which it doesn’t do for a very, very long time.

“What are they even doing in there?” I ask, especially when I hear a little muffled

shout come through that makes me go quite still. Sinclair chuckles a little and I

spin to look up at him, not understanding what he means –

But then, when I see his raised eyebrow and the smirk on his face, I realize…

“Oh, EW!” I say, swatting at him with my free hand, the one that’s not holding the

sleeping baby. “They are so not-”

“Roger would,” he murmurs, smiling at me and still laughing lightly.

“Cora would not,” I say, vehement. “ This is mom’s house.”

“She didn’t seem to mind about such activities outside the RV, where dad could

have seen, were he to glance out the window.”

“Yeah, but that’s your dad,” I say, rolling my eyes and returning my focus to the

door. “It’s different.”

“The Goddess is all-seeing,” Sinclair says, and I can feel him shrug. “She’ll spy

if she wants to – what’s the difference between having s3x in her temple as

opposed to anywhere else -”

But I hiss at him to shut up, looking around anxiously to make sure he wasn’t

overhead. Chuckling, wrapping his arms around my waist again, Sinclair pulls

me back against him. “If the baby weren’t here,” he murmurs low into my ear,

pulling my hips back against him…

“Enough out of you,” I chide, though I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips.

Because…well, my mate is very difficult to resist. Even in an inappropriate

religious space dedicated to my mom.

Luckily, the door opens then, and Cora and Roger come striding out, wide

smiles stretching over both of their faces as they speak softly to each other,

holding hands, completely oblivious to our tense waiting.

“Cora!” I cry, thrilled and excited. Her head spins to me and her smile widens as

I dash over to her. But as I get within three feet of her I sense –

What is that? I stop dead in my tracks, raising my nose to sniff the air – but I

can’t –

Sinclair, coming up behind me, likewise goes stiff and then starts to laugh. “Well,

congratulations, sister-in -law,” he says, and I glance back to see a wide grin on

his face. “Looks like you’re a wolf after all.”

“WHAT!” I shout, completely shocked and throwing an arm around my sister,

tugging her to me and holding the baby to my side so that he doesn’t get

smushed. “Are you serious?! Are you?” And then I back off a little again, sniffing

around her and sensing –

Yes – yes –

I may not have been able to smell it months ago, before I was immersed in this

world – but my sister has a wolf, and it’s awake in her, and prowling around.

Cora laughs, thrilled. “Yes, Ella,” she says, nodding and stepping away from me

but holding my hand. “I have a wolf. Um, I’m still human, so I can’t shift? But

apparently,” she shrugs, shaking her head still in disbelief, “I have always had a

wolf soul, inherited from mom. I just…never knew. She helped me find it.”

“Wow,” I say, squeezing her hand and staring at her, baffled and thrilled. ” Cora,

that’s amazing – I mean, I think it’s amazing. Do you?”

Thrilled, my sister nods and then takes her hand from mine, stepping back with

her mate. “I do. We both do.” And then she puts a hand on her stomach, still

smiling at me. “The baby does too.”

“WHAT!” I shout again, laughing and stumbling forward, putting my hand on her

stomach as if I could feel the baby too. “You can feel the baby now?!”

“Yes,” she says, happy. “I can feel him through the bond.”

And then my eyes snap up to her and I feel my eyes instantly fill with tears as

her words echo in my mind. “Feel…feel him?”

Slowly, grinning, Cora begins to nod.” Him.”

“A baby boy!” I shout, estatic, and my mate wisely slips my own baby boy from

my arms before I hurl myself at my sister, wrapping her up as tight as I can as I

cry against her, so happy – so incredibly excited for her, and for me to have a

nephew, and for Rafe to have a best friend Because it’s not optional anymore Rafe and the baby are going to be best

friends –

“Ella!” Cora laughs, holding me tight and shaking her head. “It’s all right! You’re

choking me!”

But I have a hard time letting her go, so my sister just laughs and holds me as

we rock back and forth, united in our joy.

When I am able to pull back a little and wipe my tears from my face, I see my

own mate with his arm around his brother’s shoulder, beaming at him as Roger

looks down at Rafe in Sinclair’s arms, probably considering that he’s going to

have his own baby just like that in such a short amount of time.

“Do you know?” I ask, turning back to Cora. “How long the pregnancy will be?”

She pauses and then lets out a frustrated little groan, turning to Roger. “Roger,

we forgot to ask!”

“Ask what?” he asks, looking up at her. “How long the pregnancy will be for a

hybrid baby,” she answers, sighing, and I see Sinclair perk up at this, interested

in the confirmation that the baby will indeed be part wolf and part human.

“Well, whatever,” Roger says with a shrug. “The baby will tell us when he’s

ready, or whatever.”

“Or whatever,” Cora repeats, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “Easy for

you to say.”

“Yes,” Roger says, grinning smugly at her but also with a great deal of love. I

“Yes, it is.”

And then I laugh and loop my arm in my sister’s, tugging her with me as I head

for the temple’s door. “Come on, let’s go tell Henry,” I say, smiling at her.

“Okay,” Cora says, sighing with happiness as if she hasn’t got a care in the

world and I suppose she doesn’t 1 anymore, not after our mother answered so

many of her questions. We give our thanks and goodbyes at the door to the

priestess who let us in, who looks incredibly happy for us all, and then we start

down the long stone steps just as the sky starts to turn pink with dusk.

“We still have so much to tell you,” Cora says, holding my hand as we trot

excitedly down the steps.

“Really?” I ask, fascinated. What else is there to know?

“Yeah,” Roger says, smirking at his brother.

“Like what?” Sinclair says casually, clearly not really believing that there could

be much else beyond the amazing news we’ve all just received.

“Like, that Rafe’s got magic powers,” Roger says with a wide grin. Sinclair and I

both go dead still in our tracks, turning to our siblings. Then, as one, we both

say the same thing: “Wait, what?”

And Roger and Cora burst into laughter

 

Chapter 395

That night, again around the fire, Henry leans forward in his chair and rests his

elbows on his knees, smiling around at us.

“So, tell me if I’ve got this right,” he says, clearly tickled by it. “My two sons are

mated to two sisters, who each have the Goddess’ blood in their veins, which

means…” .” he pauses here, putting his thoughts together, “that all of my

grandchildren are going to have mystical powers?”

Cora shrugs, grinning at him. “That’s what she told us,” she says, laughing a

little bit.

“Well,” Henry says, pleased, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head in

disbelief. “This saves me a great deal of worry.”

Sinclair turns to him confused. ” What? Why?”

“Because,” Henry says, shrugging, trying to hold back his grin. “Imagine if just

one of you were mated to a Goddess -born wolf, and only half of my

grandchildren had magical powers. At least this way, I don’t have to pretend that

I like the non-magical ones as much as the others.”

We all laugh at this, but I shake my head at Henry’s streak of dark humor.

Because, beneath it, we all know that it’s not true. He was always going to love

all of the grandchildren equally, no matter what.

“I wonder what your gift will be, little baby,” I say to Rafe, who is awake and

sitting up in my lap, holding my fingers in his little fists and looking interestedly

around at our group. I was very intrigued when Cora told me that all of their gifts

would vary according to their personalities – I, like her, had assumed that they

would be the same. We still haven’t figured out Cora’s gift yet, though we’ve all

be thinking.

“Rafe’s will probably be shooting lasers from his eyes,” Roger murmurs, leaning

forward to study my son. I shoot a little glare at Roger and he grins at me.

“No, he’s going to be a healer, like mommy,” I say, kissing Rafe’s head and

making him look up at me with a little baby smile. I smile back at him, unable to

help it.

“Nah, Rafe’s got a warrior’s soul,” Sinclair says at my side, leaning back in his

chair and proudly considering son. It will be something to do with that.”

“Nooo,” I say in denial, glaring at my mate now. “Rafe is gentle. His powers will

be for peace.”

“What about ours?” Roger asks, turning to Cora. “Are you getting any hints

down the bond?”

“No,” she replies, sighing a little. “I can’t even figure out what mine is, let alone

the baby.” She frowns a little in frustration, even though we’re all aware that

nothing is going to wipe out her joy today. Everything for her – for all of us – is

coming up roses.

“That’s all right Cora,” I say with my own contented sigh, leaning back in my

chair. “We’ll figure it out.”

“It would be convenient,” she says, putting her chin in her hand and scowling at

me a bit, “if my gift had been healing too. Considering that I’m a doctor.”

“Yes,” I say with a mock haughtiness, grinning at her, “that would be convenient,

but not everyone can be as gentle, and loving, and restorative as me, Cora – it’s

in my personality -”

And even as she gives me a little false glare, and I laugh, Sinclair nods as if it’s

a fair point. But then Cora cocks her head to the side, clearly considering

something.

Then, she sits up straight and looks around. “Actually,” she says to the men,

“would you mind if Ella and I had a minute out here alone?”

Henry and Sinclair immediately agree and start to stand up but Roger frowns

just a little. “Why?” he asks.

“Something mom said,” Cora says, turning to him, “about Ella…being able to

help. Do you mind? A little sister time, to see if we can sort through it?”

Roger twists his mouth a little and I laugh a little when I see that he does mind,

just a bit – but I forgive him, because I know he doesn’t want to be separated

from her for a single moment right now not with everything they’ve just

discovered. But still, when she gives him a little shove, he sighs and stands up

“Come on, new papa,” Sinclair says, wrapping an arm around Roger’s shoulders

after taking Rafe from my arms so that Cora and I can concentrate on each

other. “I’ll teach you how to change a diaper.”

Roger groans but Cora and I laugh as the men help Henry onto the platform lift

and then head inside the RV.

“So, what are you thinking?” I ask eagerly, moving my chair closer to my sister’s

so that we can better see each other in the dim light of the fire.

“Something mom said,” Cora sighs, looking down at her hands and clearly

thinking it through as she goes. “She said that you could help me figure it out.”

Cora looks up at me now, her mouth twisted to the side as she tries to work

through it. “Do you think I’m like broken, or something?”

I immediately open my mouth to deny that, but she puts up a hand to stop me.

“No, I mean like, do I need to be healed? With your powers? So that I can

access the gift?”

“Oh,” I say, curious and sitting up straight. “I mean, that would make sense – I

had to go out into the desert to get the gift from mom – or at least to access it.

Maybe…maybe we need to like, do something to get it going. Some sort of

ceremony like that.”

“Worth a try,” she says, shrugging.” Do you want to…give it a shot?”

“Sure,” I say, reaching for her hands. And then, quite quickly, I run my power

through and over her body. Her wolf raises her nose to the gift as it passes her,

giving it a warm little nudge, and I smile as I sense her. Such a pretty wolf – her

fur a thousand shades of brown, from the lightest tawny to nearly black..

But as I scan Cora, seeking any places that she’s hurt or tied up or anything…I

come up with nothing.

“Sorry, Cora,” I sigh, dropping her hands and sinking back onto the chair. “You’re

totally fine, as far as my gift can sense.”

“Boo,” she says, likewise sinking back in the chair and gnawing at her lip. I

watch her as she moves on to the next option. “Um,” she says, “do you think I

could try healing you?”

“What?” I ask, my face twisting with confusion.

“Well, mom also said all the gifts were linked. Maybe I can…heal a little? And

maybe doing that will allow me to like, access my full ability?”

“Okay,” I say, and I hold my hand out to her. “I cut my finger this morning on a

bottle cap, T say with a sigh, realizing that I’ve been meaning to heal it all day

and just got distracted. ” My gift could fix this up in a cinch can you do it?”

Cora shrugs and takes my hand in hers, closing her eyes and pushing herself to

fall into the meditative state I use when I access my gift. I do my very best to

stay very still and, importantly, not to fall into that same meditative state and

heal it myself.

After a few minutes, I gasp a little when I do feel a very slight tingling at my

fingertip where the cut is. I see Cora push and concentrate, but then, five

minutes later, when she opens her eyes and peers down at it, she scowls and

pushes my hand away.

“Still there,” she says, scowling.

“I know,” I sigh, holding it up to look at my hand. “I did feel a little tingling though.

And it does feel better.”

“Really?” she asks, interested. “Yeah,” I say, smiling at her. “It’s interesting that

they’re linked. Maybe we can all do like, a little bit of each other’s stuff. But I do

think that it’s fair to say that healing is not your gift.”

“Well then what is it -” she sighs, scowling and starting to get frustrated. I tuck

my feet beneath me and smile at my sister, who has always been a little more

hot-headed than me.

“Do you think it makes sense that I’m a healer?” I ask quietly. “Mom said that

our gifts match our personalities.”

“Well duh, Ella,” Cora says, rolling her eyes at me a little bit. “You’re the most

maternal person I’ve ever met – all you want to do is take care of everyone,

especially babies, and fix things-

“True,” I say, cocking my head to the side, pleased at the idea. “I’d heal the

whole world if I could.”

“But that doesn’t help me,” Cora says, starting to lose her temper a little bit. I

look up at the sky, where in the distance I hear a tiny bit of thunder roll. I

wonder, passively, if we’re going to move our little think tank inside.

“Well, what’s your key personality trait?” I ask, curious. Cora glares at me a little.

“I don’t know,” she answers in a huff. “Being frustrated? Stubborn? Closed off to

everything? I mean, I didn’t let Roger even get close to me for months – and

he’s my mate -”

“That’s not true, Cora,” I say, leaning forward and frowning at her. “You’re… well,

you’re stubborn, but you close yourself off because you feel things so intensely

-”

“Well, what the hell is the good of that,” she snaps, glaring at me a little, even

though I can tell she doesn’t mean it and instantly feels bad about it.

I glance upwards at the sky as the breeze picks up, blowing in storm clouds

faster than I thought they could move. And my lips part, just a little bit…

“Cora…” I whisper.

“No seriously, Ella!” She says, throwing a hand up and heaving a big sigh as

she glares into the fire. “What kind of stupid gift matches someone like me –

what, can I like, turn things to rock? Can I halt trains in their tracks with sheer

will? Can I…can I like freeze people in place, just by glaring at them?” She

scowls as she crosses her arms across her chest, “that’s what my previous

dating history would suggest, at least,” she grumbles.

And, precisely in time with that grumble, thunder rumbles through the sky. But

Cora doesn’t notice.

“Cora,” I say again, a grin spreading over my face.

“Seriously, Ella,” she says, snapping her gaze to me. “What kind of gift matches up with someone who is so headstrong, so constantly agitated, so But put out a hand towards her, interrupting her. “So… tempestuous?” I say, a smile spreading wide across my face. Cora goes still when she sees my expression. “What?” she says, frowning at me. “What is it? What did you figure out?”

But I say nothing, just laughing and holding up my hands as the rain starts to patter all around us. And Cora’s jaw drops open.

 

Chapter 396

Cora glares at Roger, her arms crossed, as he almost literally rolls with laughter inside of the RV, doubling over so hard he has to lay back on the white leather cushions of the kitchenette. “I still don’t see what’s so funny about this,” Cora snaps. I wrap my arm around Sinclair’s waist, grinning widely and listening to the furious sound of the rain pouring on the RV.

I can feel my mate chuckle a little, likewise enjoying the scene. “It’s just too good, Cora!” Roger says between laughs as his father shakes his head, also smiling, and rolls away into the living area with Rafe in his lap, clearly not wanting his daughter-in-law to see the amusement on his face. “What!” Cora snaps, and I have to cover my mouth to hide my own laughter when I see how pissed she’s getting. The rain hits harder, now including little bits of hail.

“It’s just,” Roger says, working hard to sit up and wiping a tear of mirth from his eye, “we had no idea you could control theweather -” another burst of laughter”- but you wanted meso badthat you created ahurricane-” he roars with it again “- justto trap me in a motel, so you could get me in bed

“Oh mygod!” Cora snaps, blushing beet red and striding forward a few steps to smack him on the arm, which just makes him laugh harder.

I have to turn my face in Sinclair’s shoulder now – because as much as I want to support my sister, Roger is totally right. And it’shilarious. Sinclair wraps an arm around me, holding me tight, openly laughing himself and watching with glee as the scene unfolds before us.

“It’s true!” Roger continues as the wind howls around us, shaking the RV a little bit with Cora’s embarrassed rage. “For heaven’s sake, Cora – you didn’t have to nearlydrownus to get me in bed, a little light rain would have done it – you could have just given us a flat tire – ”

Growling a little and still blushing hard, Cora climbs onto the little kitchen bench seat, reaching out to smack Roger again, though he scoots away from her.

“Shut up!” she mutters, “or I’ll strike you with lightening next!”

“Do we evenneedthat kind of foreplay, Cora? You’re already knocked up -”

Cora emits an enraged, embarrassed little shriek and begins to swat at Roger, which has us all howling with laughter. My whole body shakes against Sinclair’s as I give up pretending and laugh so hard that my sides hurt. Because, as much as Cora hates it, Roger’s reading of her is perfectly accurate – she was so pent up emotionally, and loved him so much, that something about it must have activated her gift that day. The storm wasn’t sent by some dark force – it was just Cora’s own dramatic way of creating a space where she and Roger could be alone together, where they had to face their truth.

The wind and the rain abates a little as Roger pulls Cora into his lap and holds her tight, pinning her arms to her side so she can’t hit him anymore, even though I’m sure he didn’t feel any pain. He talks to her softly, still laughing and teasing her in the way she needs to be teased but likewise letting her know that he thinks she’s amazing, and marvelous, and that if he’d had the same power he’d have done the exact same thing weeks before.

“Precisely right,” Cora growls, pressing herself close to him and nudging hischeek with her nose in a particularly wolfish way. “You’re just jealous of my powers.” “Yes, little demigoddess,” he murmurs, kissing her forehead but still grinning with his glee. “I’d have frozen you away in a little igloo jail made entirely of ice until you gave into me – “”Do you think I can do that?” she asks suddenly, lifting her head and looking at him eagerly.

“I mean, rain I can obviously do but do you think I can do ice as well?” “Well you just made it hail,” he says with a shrug. “I did?” she gasps, eager, looking up at the ceiling. “I, for one,” I say, pitching my voice a bit loud to remind them thatthey’re not the only ones in the room, especially as I see Roger’s hand slipping a bit lower on Cora’s waist than he’d usually venture in mixed company.

Cora and Roger turn to me, curious, and I smile widely at them, still excited that my sister has figured out her gift. “Well?” Cora asks, grinning at me.

“I think that you probablycando ice,” I continue, cocking my head. “Do you remember when, that awful night, the faux priestess froze me to the floor? Well, when mom unlocked my gift, I was able to melt the ice. And that hasnothingto do with healing powers, so,” I give a little shrug, looking up at Sinclair, seeing what he thinks. ” Maybe it’s… the crossover that mom was talking about? How all of our gifts are connected, but we can only do a little of what each other can do?”

“Interesting,” Cora murmurs, looking down at her hands as if she can read the magic there. Then she holds her hands out towards Roger, her fingers splayed wide. “What are you doing?” he asks quietly. “Trying to freeze you,” she murmurs, concentrating. “What!” he gasps, smacking her hands away, which just makes her laugh. “Well, I would have stopped,” she says, rolling her eyes,

“before I gave you frostbite. Or killed you or whatever.”

“Let’s…not experiment,” he murmurs, looking at her like she’s a little crazy, “with that too much.” “Don’t laugh at me so much,” she says, leaning closer and giving him a wicked grin. “And I won’t be tempted to.” Roger snarls a little and grabs her by the chin, planting a solid kiss on her mouth, and Sinclair sighs and turns me away. “Do you think,” my mate murmurs in my ear,” that we can sneak in and steal the bedroom while they’re distract-”

“Not a chance!” Roger shouts from behind us. I laugh and then groan as Roger scoops Cora up in his arms and carries her to the back of the RV, both of them cackling victoriously the whole way. Sighing, I lean back against my mate and glare at little at the couch which shifts into a queen-sized bed which is neither big enough for both of us nor very comfortable. “Guess you’re stuck out here with me,” Henry says, wheeling over and grinning up at us.

“Oh, we don’t mind that,” I say, smiling warmly at him and hoping he didn’t take it that way. “After all, youcan wake up with little Mr. Fuss,” I coo, leaning down to smile at my baby, “when he gets up at 2 am! For absolutely no reason!”

“More than happy to,” Henry agrees with a smile, tickling Rafe’s belly with his fingertips and making our little boy laugh. “Any time.” And I bite my lip a little as I take Sinclair’s hand, loving how much Henry and Rafe are already connected. Family, after all, is everything to me now that I’ve got it. I’m so, so incredibly grateful that Cora and I have been so embraced by people who love us so much. “Come on, trouble,” Sinclair sighs, starting to turn out the beds. The wind picks up outside the RV and lightning strikes close by. We all ignore it, not allowing ourselves to consider, really, what it means. “We’ve got a long road tomorrow.”

And I sigh as I help him, because I know it’s true. And I amnotlooking forward to the return of the highway and everything that awaits us at home.

 

Chapter 397

The Long Road Home Ella “No more road trips,” I grumble under my breath, trying to rock my little baby in my arms and distract him from the rumbling of the road, “ever again.”” Don’t be so sore about it,” Cora says, moving one of her checkers forward a space.

“At least we got the information we were coming for.” “WellthatI will never begrudge,” I say, turning my head and smiling at her.” But next time?” She grins, anticipating what I’m going to say next.

“We’re taking a private jet.” Cora laughs, shaking her head at me and sitting back against the backrest of her seat in the kitchenette.” That would be a waste of resources, and it’s probably too short of a flight or something to mom’s temple,” she sighs.

“Well thenoneof our children,” I huff, leaning forward to study the board, “is going to have to learn to bend time and space, because I amnotsuffering through this agai-” But before I can even finish my sentence, Roger at the driver’s seat hits a huge bump and the game board goes flying in the air, pieces scattering despite their magnetic bond.

I groan and sit back against my own seat as Cora sighs and picks up the pieces, putting them back in the box.

We both know that particular distraction is over.

“Sorry!” Roger calls over his shoulder.

“Won’t happen again!” “He just knew I was beathing you,” I grumble as Sinclair comes and sits next to me.” Why did you let him drive, anyway? You’re better at it than he is.” “Oh, no he’s not,” Cora murmurs, defending her mate, but Sinclair and I ignore her.

“He insisted,” Sinclair tells me with a shrug, reaching for the baby.

“And youknowhow he gets when he feels like he’s not getting his turn with the toy.” I laugh a little, handing the baby over to my mate who smiles down at his grumpy son.

“I agree though,” Sinclair says, smiling at me now and reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Next time? All luxury.

We’ll get you all drunk at the airport so you don’t even remember the flight, and then we’ll spend the rest of our time luxuriating.” “This had better be a promise,” I murmur, leaning against him and closing my eyes.

“You got it, baby,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head.

“Hey, so,” Cora says, and I open my eyes to see her leaning across the table, her attention focused mostly on Sinclair.

“Where are we going, anyway?” “Um, home?” he says, frowning at her.

“Yeah,” she says, cocking her head to the side, “but…like, bunker home? Horribly uncomfortable clinic home? Your home, the house of a thousand corpses?” Sinclair laughs a little.

“Those are gone now,” he says, waving a hand and smiling.

“We have a very… particular service which helps us with those kinds of needs.” “Ohweird,” I say, sitting up and looking at him with curiosity.

“What isthatjob interview like?” “Information above your pay grade,” he says, smiling and patting my knee.

” So, we’re going to the house?” Cora asks, interested.

“Is that…safe?” ” Well,” Sinclair considers seriously, we’re pretty damn sure that the Cult itself doesn’t have any particular problem with us – that they were merely serving Xander, probably because he supplied them with a great deal of money and resources.

But now that we’ve put a serious dent in the Cult’s resources and manpower, and Xander has fled,” he shrugs, “we don’t see any reason not to go back to the city.

We’re keeping a close eye on it, but I think it’s time to start our lives again.” “It has to be more complicated than that,” I say, shaking my head and frowning at him.

“Xander isn’t going to rest -” “No, he’s not,” Sinclair agrees, looking at me seriously.

“But we aren’t without resources, love.

We only went to the bunker because we didn’t know what we were up against.

But now that our enemy is on the run, it is a good a time as any to regroup and focus on the interrupted task: ensuring this country is united under a single King.” “And that’s you, right?” Cora asks, looking at him curiously.

“Well, we hope so,” he says, grinning at her.

“Do you have any objections?” “Are the people of this nation aware,” she says, “that theirKingeatsallthe chips? And does not bother to consider whether his sister-in-law wanted any?” Sinclair grins and leans forward.

“Are they likewise aware, that said sister-inlaw ateallof the chocolate chip cookies Cora gasps, appalled.

“Unfair!” she says.

“This sister-in-law is pregnant!” “Enough!” I groan, especially as Rafe starts to fuss more in Sinclair’s arms.

I raise my hands to my temples and rub them gently as my mate and my sister fall silent, grinning at each other.

“I cannot take argument on top of traveling in a sardine can.

Also, it is smelly in here.” “Truce, then,” Cora sighs.

“So, house?” I say, likewise curious as I look up at my mate.

” House,” he says with a nod.

“… for now.” I frown at him, intrigued, but he sends a little pulse down the bond which shushes me, letting me know he wants to have a private conversation instead of one with Cora.

I nod and give him a little kiss on the shoulder before resting my head in the same spot.

“So, what do you think,” Cora asks, looking down at her hands again and opening and closing them as if she can see her gift sparking there.

“Am I going to be able to shoot lightening bolts at people? Or not?” “You can do anything you put your mind to,” I say placatingly to my sister, grinning, imagining how very much she’d like to zap everyone who got on her nerves.

“I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about that,” Sinclair says.

“Really?” she asks, her eyes going wide with curiosity.” Sure,” he says, giving a little shrug and leaning forward to engage her more completely.

“Considering that I’m likely to become the King of a nation that’s going to have a lot of military concerns, I wonder if you’d be willing to consider experimenting with your gift and seeing how it could be used… well, as a kind of weapon.” “Really!?” she says again, more eager now.

“I never thought of it like that -” “Cora!” I scold, sitting up straight and frowning between my mate and my sister.

“You’re a doctor! You shouldnotbe thinking about hurting people with your gift!” “Chill out, Ella,” she murmurs, leaning back in her seat and frowning at me.

“I’m not actuallygoing to strike people down with lightning bolts, but Sinclair is right – this could be strategically useful.” “Creating a hurricane in the face of an advancing Navy,” Sinclair offers, turning to me with a shrug.

“Or even, on the day of a battle, ensuring that the other troops are rained on while ours stay dry this could turn the tide in any war.” I go a little pale thinking about it, looking down at my baby.

I’ve had enough of war, and I certainly don’t want him raised in a world filled with it.

“Do you really think we’re headed for situations like that?” I ask, my voice soft.

Sinclair lifts a hand and softly strokes my hair, sympathy clear on his face.

“I’m sorry to say it, love,” he gently replies, “but I think so.

We’re not coming to power in a time of peace.

We can fight for that but…we have to fight.” I sigh, looking down at the table, worried all over again.

“But at least they’ve got us,” Cora says, leaning over the table and offering her hand.

I look up at her, not really understanding what she means.

She shrugs.

“You and I want peace.

So do these three,” she says, nodding her head to indicate the Sinclair men.

“Put together, we’re…kind of a force to be reckoned with.

I’d rather be fighting for peace than letting others decide for us.” “I get it,” I mumble, sinking back in my chair with another sigh.

“I just… want more for our children than that.” “We’ll give it to them,” Sinclair promises, and I look up into his eyes, wanting to believe him very much.

” Together, we’ll make this world what it should be for their sake, as well as everyone else’s.” Slowly, I nod, agreeing to the plan.

I take my sister’s offered hand and give it a squeeze.

And the RV continues to rumble down the road, driving us back to the city where this all started.

The city, and that nation, and the world that is ours to shape if we’re willing to fight for it.

 

Chapter 398

A New Home Ella A few days later, after Sinclair and I have had some time to dwell and consult and decide, we invite Roger and Cora over to our little house early one morning.

We’re both standing out front waiting for them, Rafe all dressed up in blue and white in my arms.

I grin down at my baby, so pleased to finally be back home, to be able todresshim in all of the clothes I ordered for him during my long weeks of bedrest.

This kid has an amazing wardrobe already, but of course he wasn’t able to wear it – and heartbreakingly grew out of some of it during our time away in the bunker.

“He’s getting really big,” I murmur to Sinclair, shifting my baby higher in my arm.

“Theyouin him is starting to come out.” Sinclair grins and looks down at the baby.

“He’ll be six feet in no time.

My little linebacker.” “Better not be,” I grumble, but I’m unable to help from smiling down at my little cutie.

“He needs to stay my little beachball baby for awhile yet.

At least another sixteen years.

” “Don’t count on it,” Sinclair sighs.

“I got my growth spurt early.

He’ll be taller than you by fourth grade.” “No,” I gasp, spinning to look up at him in horror.

My mate just shrugs, laughing at me and implying that it’s inevitable, but then he lifts his chin towards the driveway where Roger’s car is pulling in.

I take a deep breath as I turn to watch them, and then I consider something out loud.

” Do you know,” I say, “I’ve never actually seen Roger’s apartment.” They’ve been staying there for the past few days, Cora happy to abandon her own rather bland apartment.

“You’re better off,” Sinclair replies, raising his eyebrows.

“Bachelor city.” “Neon signs?” I ask, wrinkling my nose.

( Collection of commemorative beer glasses?” “Everything you’re imagining,” Sinclair sighs, sinking his hands into his pockets as Cora and Roger park and climb out of their car, and worse.” “Barf,” I murmur, and then I look back down at my baby again.

“Don’t worry, Rafey.

We’ll never let you live like that.” “Hi!” Cora says cheerfully, coming over to us and kissing me on the cheek before snatching Rafe out of my arms, cooing to her godson and saying hello.

“What, nothing for me?” Sinclair says, grinning – while he’s clearly pleased that she, like us, loves the baby so much, he’s not turning away the opportunity to tease her.

Cora just waves a dismissive hand at Sinclair while Roger likewise kisses me on the cheek and gives his brother a hug.

“Is there breakfast?” Roger asks.

“Cora can’t cook.

I’m starving – haven’t eaten for days.” “My skills lay elsewhere!” Cora calls over her shoulder, dancing away a little to show Rafe some of the little flowers that are starting to sprout up in the garden.

” Sure,” Sinclair says, laughing and nodding towards the open door behind us.

“Come on in.

We made some changes we’re curious to see what you think.” “Really?” Roger asks as the three of us troupe in together, Cora following behind with the baby.

“You weren’t satisfied with the blood-and- horror theme that you’d gone with in your bedroom?” But his mouth falls open, his saucy attitude leaving him as he looks around the living room at the entrance of our house, which has been completely redecorated in shades of blue and grey with luxurious brown leather furniture.

“Wow,” he says, his eyes going wide.

“You guys you really worked fast with some changes,” “Do you like them?” I ask eagerly, winding my arm tightly around Sinclair’s as Cora comes to my side.

“Iloveit,” she says, looking around at the antique Audubon bird prints that we’ve used to decorate the walls.

“It’s so…simple, and chic.

But also warm.” She looks at me with both love and jealousy in her eyes.

“You’re so good at this stuff, Ella,” she sighs.

“I wish I could do this.” “It’s a gift,” I say, laughing as I throw my hair over my shoulder.

“Come look upstairs!” And then I grab her hand and pull her and the baby after me.

I can hear Roger and Sinclair following behind us.

“I see that you’ve kept the stair lift,” Cora murmurs, laughing a little.

“Well, that’s useful for Henry,” I say as we reach the top of the steps, tossing a grin over my shoulder.

“Plus, very fun.” Then I pull her into the bedroom, which has likewise been totally redone in a thousand shades of white, beige, and blush.

Cora gasps when she sees the gigantic bed with its too-plush comforter, the cozy white fur rug, even the electric fireplace that we’ve had installed on one wall.

“Oh my god,” she sighs, stepping into the room and turning around.

Then, she sees the closet, which we’ve had.

completely refitted to better accommodate two people’s clothing.

“This is incredible,” Roger agrees, stepping into the room and looking around with what I can only think of as jealousy in his own eyes.

I clap a little, jumping up at down as I see them admire the space.

“Though I have to admit,” he says, turning back to his brother.

“This doesn’t feel asyouas the last room did.” Sinclair just shrugs, a little smirk on his lips.

“We decided it was time for a change.” “Ella,” Cora says, frowning as she peeks into the closet – which now has a chandelier, a station for jewelry, and a full-length mirror…but no clothing in it, not a single piece.

“Why… why is this empty?” She turns back to the room as well.

“And where is all of Rafe’s stuff? His changing table – his bassinet -” And I squeal a little bit as I see her figuring out our surprise.

“We decided,” Sinclair repeats, “that it was time for a ratherbigchange.” Cora stares at us confused.

But Roger gasps, putting it all together faster than his mate.

“Oh, my god,” he moans, stumbling back a step and looking around at the room again.

He focuses, in particular, on the painting that we placed above the fireplace.

It’s subtle still in light colors to match the rest of the room – but clearly portrays a summer storm above a forest.

“No, guys – you didn’t -” ” What?” Cora asks again, coming to my side, and I take her hand.

“We’re moving into the palace, Cora,” I say softly, beaming at her.

“We want…we did all of this for you.” “What!?” she gasps, apparently unable to think of any other words as she raises a shaky hand to her mouth.

“What are you what do you…” And then she turns in the room, looking around at everything – all of the things I picked out just for her.

And I feel a thrill of joy radiate out from my heart as I watch my sister’s eyes fill with tears.

“We’ll get you all the baby stuff,” I say quietly, “a little later.

But we thought…for now, you might want to just settle in the two of you…” “It’s too much,” Roger says, sitting down hard on the bed as he continues to stare around the room, shaking his head.

“Dominic – we can’t -” “You have to,” Sinclair says with a shrug.

“Paperwork’s all finished.

It’s out of my hands now – your problem.” He smacks his hands together as if dusting them off, proving his point as he smiles at his brother.

“Ella,” Cora says, a little sob hitching in her throat as she steps close to me and lets me wrap my arms around her.

“I’m so happy to be able to give you a home, Cora,” I whisper to her.

“What we always wanted as kids.

What webothhave now.

At that, she really does burst into sobbing tears, and I laugh and hold her close, feeling a couple slip down my cheeks as well.

I look over at Roger, feeling a little undone to see him wiping at his own eyes.

“Thanks, Dominic,” he says, and I grin at the fact that the brother we usually can’t get to shut up has nothing left to say.

“This was…this was so nice.” “We love you, brother,” Dominic says, patting his back and looking down at him.

“You do have to name the kid after me, though.” “No way!” Cora protests through her sobs, not letting that slide.

“Middle name,” Roger murmurs, smiling up at his brother.

“For sure.” And Dominic laughs, and so do I.

Our eyes meet and I don’t even need to pass an emotion down the bond to know that he feels exactly the same as me: so grateful for our siblings, so excited for them, and so, sohappy to be able to give them their first home in which to raise their child.

“Thanks for getting me out of that apartment,” Cora murmurs into my neck, making me laugh.

“It was so bad.” “Which one?” I ask, grinning.

” Yours or his?” “Both,” she sighs.

“Does this mean you two are moving into the palace?” Roger asks, finding his feet again and taking a steadying breath.” Yup,” Sinclair replies, wrapping an arm around his brother’s shoulders, “Right after breakfast.” “Oh, so there really is food,” Cora says, lifting her head and looking a little eagerly towards the door.

“You two,” I say, shaking my head and walking with her over to it.” You’re going to have to learn how to feed yourselves.

And the baby.” “We’ll play it by ear,” she concedes, grinning, and then we all head down the steps for our final meal in our house.

Or, I think, smiling to myself, the first of many in Roger and Cora’s.

 

Chapter 399

King and Queen Ella “I’m glad we did that,” I say later that afternoon as Sinclair pulls our car around to the front entrance of the palace.

“I couldn’t stand to say goodbye to that house if it was to a stranger.

Too many memories there.” ” I agree,” Sinclair says, parking directly out front in what feels…well, feels too informal for the future King’s first entrance to the palace, his new home.

” Doesn’t this place have like, a garage?” I murmur, looking into the back seat to check on little Rafe, who is happily chewing on the sleeve of his little baby hoodie and staring at himself in a mirror attached to his car seat.

“I… think so…” Sinclair says, and I look up in surprise to see him grimacing at me a little.

“I’ve only really been here for state occasions,” he says, shrugging.” And the birth of our child,” I point out.

“Well for that,” he says, “wealsojust parked out front.” “True true,” I say, turning away to my door.

“I guess we’ll figure it all out.

Yes, we will,” he murmurs, getting out of the car and opening the back seat to lift out Rafe’s carrier.

While I wait for them to come around to my side, I stare up at the gorgeous palace in front of me.

“I can’t believe this is going to be my home,” I murmur.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a King,” he sighs.

I look up at him, studying the lines of his handsome face.

“Yeah,” I agree.

“Me neither.” Sinclair laughs and shakes his head down at me.

“Well, I would hope thatyouwould try to chuff me up a little bit there.” I laugh and take his arm, squeezing it.

“Well, you know I think you cando it,” I say, grinning, “and that I don’t think anyone else could do it any better.

I just,” I consider it for a moment, shaking my head.

“I don’t know.

I’m not going to be able to get used to people calling you King.” “Will you be able to get used to people calling you Queen?” he asks, brow arched.

I laugh up into his face at the ridiculousness of it.

“Absolutely not,” I reply.

“They’ll all just have to call me Ella, or I’ll walk right past them without realizing that they’re talking to me.” “You don’t do so poorly responding to Luna,” he says, pulling his arm from my grip and wrapping it around my shoulder to pull me close.

Yes, but that feels more real,” I say quietly.

“I…know what a Luna’s supposed to do.

I want to protect my pack, help them in all things.” “I imagine Queen is much the same,” he says softly.

“You’ll get used to it.

And you’ll be great.” “Do I get a crown?” I ask grinning up at him, but then my face falls slack with shock when he slowly begins to nod.

“Wait, seriously?” I say, my eyes going wide.

“I get acrown?” “It’s technically not yours,” he replies, laughing.

“It belongs to the nation to be passed from Queen to Queen.

But, for as long as you’re alive and we’re on the throne,” he grins widely at me, seeing the excitement on my face, “you get a crown.” “Well then let’s go!” I shout, bursting forward and heading up the steps.

“What the hell are we waiting for!” To my extreme disappointment, Sinclair does not take me immediately to the vault with the crown jewels and let me wear my tiara while I unpack all of our moving boxes.

“Not until the official coronation, my ass,” I murmur angrily as I use a box cutter to cut the tape on probably my fortieth box and start to unload all of Rafe’s baby clothes.

A few feet away from me in his little playpen, Rafe lets out a little squeal that I choose to interpret as support.

“Thank you, Prince Rafe,” I call to him.

“I agree.

He’s being cruel.” “I am not,” Sinclair laughs, coming into the room with a little tray of food for our lunch.

“I’m just following the.

rules.

It’s not really a Kingdom precisely anymore the jewels belong to everyone.

It’s not right to wear them until the people have officially given them to us.

And then,” he says, putting the tray down on the bed, “onlyon state occasions.” “Again,” I sigh, pausing to look up at him, “this is a rule that I will choose, in my wisdom as Queen, not to follow.” And then I send him a mental image down the bond of when, precisely, I plan to be wearing that crown.

And just how good I’ll look wearing that crown, and only that crown.

Sinclair blinks and then huffs a laugh, grinning at me.

“Fine,” he says.

“One exception can be made.

One.” “One to start,” I say primly, turning back to my task at hand.

“Come and eat,” he says, taking the fancy lids off of our plates of sandwiches, like we’re in some kind of hotel.

I was pleased to hear that Sinclair, in starting to hire people to refill the palace with workers and get it back to fully functioning, hired a head chef.

Still, I don’t even know where the kitchens are and it feels strange already to be waited on like this.

What am I going to do when I’m pregnant again? Just… wander the halls, starving, searching for the kitchens? “I’m not hungry yet,” I say to Sinclair, laying out Rafe’s clothes on the floor in neat piles and then disassembling the box.

“I want to get us moved in.” I do take a moment, though, to look around the main bedchamber.

“Remember the last time we were here?” I ask quietly, taking in the tall windows, the gorgeous floors.

We’ve had much of the furniture replaced with that which suits our taste a bit better, but still…I’ll never forget the day we brought our baby into the world.

“Vividly,” Sinclair murmurs, biting into his sandwich and watching me.

“Are you sure you still want us to be our bedroom? We have options.” ” Yes,” I say with a little sigh, looking around.

“I’m sure.

It’s… fitting.” I smile at him.

“This is a King’s bedroom for sure – and you are a King!” “Not yet, he says, shaking his head.

“You keep saying that,” I reply, frowning at him.

” Is there something wrong? Are you… doubting the fact that the coronation will go through or something?” “No,” he replies, cocking his head to the side.

“I just…want everything to be right.

Damon and his father…” he shakes his head, a little angry, “they took liberties with the privileges of this position that they shouldn’t have.

It wasn’t right.” ” I know,” I say quietly, watching my whole-hearted mate struggle with his new responsibilities.

“But you’ll be better.” “I hope I can be,” he sighs.

And then he looks over at the baby.

And I hope I can convince him to be as well, when his turn comes.” “Rafe?” I say, turning to my baby in surprise.

But then my face bursts into a smile.

“No, he’ll be a great Prince! And a wonderful King!” And then I laugh, crawling over to his little playpen and peeking over the edge, grinning at my little boy.

” How could he not be, he’s so sweet!” Sinclair smiles at me but then shrugs.

” Every tyrant was once a well-loved little baby whose mother thought they were too cute to do anything wrong.” Yes,” I sigh, standing and reaching down to pick up my baby and carry him over to his poor worried father.

“But we’ll raise him right.” I kiss my baby on his head, sending a little love down the bond to him that makes him smile and wiggle with happiness.

“We’ll do our very best, Rafe,” Sinclair says to our boy, smiling at him.

“We can promise you that.” “So,” I say, after a moment as I raise my baby to my shoulder and hold him close.

“What’s next for us? We’re in the palace.

We’re awaiting some kind of coronation.

What do we have to…do?” “Well,” my mate says, looking up at me with serious eyes.

“I’ve got a bunch of politics and meetings to attend, as well as a palace and a nation to get going.

But you…well, Ella, I want you to do what you please.” “What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

“I don’t just want to sit around relaxing and watching movies all day – I had enough of that during bed rest, it was terrible.

I want to help you -” “I know,” he says, laughing and reaching for my hand, which I give him.

“But I don’t want to…giveyou tasks, or tell me how to help me.

I want you to pick your own projects.

Your instincts are excellent, Ella.

I have my own ideas about how to help the people of this nation, both human and wolf alike.

But I know you do too.” I bite my lip.

“I’m not sure I do just.

yet.” Honestly, it probably makes me a bad Queen but…I haven’t given it as much thought as I should.

“Well, you will,” he says, nodding to me.

“And when you do, I want you to follow them.

But in the meantime, if you’d like a suggestion…” I nod eagerly, excited for a project and curious about what he has in mind.

“What do you think about planning a wedding? A big one, very public.” I wrinkle my nose at him, confused.

Then I lean forward.

“Sinclair,” I say, shaking my head a little.

“We alreadydidthat.

I mean I know a mating ceremony is a little different but we – ” “No,” he says, laughing up at me, and I can’t help but smile down into my mate’s handsome face.

Sometimes he’s still so beautiful when he laughs that it takes my breath away.

“I’m not talking about us.” “Then who?” I ask.

“Roger and Cora,” he says quietly.

“I think it could be good for the nation to see a wolf marry a human.

Even if she’s …notpreciselyas human as we thought she was.

What do you think?” And a huge smile breaks out on my face that, by his laugh, tells himpreciselywhat I think.

“I love it,” I whisper.

And then I squeal in excitement, spinning fast in a circle and laughing with joy.

“A wedding! A wedding for Roger and Cora!” I absolutely cannot wait.

 

 

Chapter 400

Bringing Aid Ella Our first night in the palace is so strange for me.

My two boys are sleeping soundly on either side of me – Sinclair sprawled out over our supersized bed (it’s much bigger than a King – I don’t even know if they have a name for it anymore; we had to make a custom order) and Rafe’s bassinet is pulled up close on my other side.

I look first at my mate and then at my little baby, smiling at each of them, marveling at how much they already resemble each other with their dark hair and their wide-set eyes, each framed with dark lashes.

My smile deepens as I look between them.

I mean, Sinclair is of course lacking Rafe’s pudgy cheeks, but the resemblance is still uncanny.

It’s very, veryclear who this baby’s daddy is.

“Rude of you, little baby,” I whisper, rolling over on my side and peeking into the bassinet, “to not bother looking like me at all.” He sighs a little in his sleep and wiggles, getting more comfortable.

It’s so cute that I think my heart might burst at the sight of it.

But the sight of my super-cute little baby can only do so much to distract me from all of the thoughts racing through my mind right now.

I roll onto my back and stare at the distant ceiling, turning them over one-by-one.

Half of them pertain to the wedding, which I really am excited about.

And I do think it’s a good idea – half of the trouble of bringing this nation together is suggesting to humans and wolves alike that this nation respects both kinds of persons – and that we’re allequal.

A marriage between them – especially as publicized as Sinclair thinks it should be will go far with both populations in suggesting that the Royal family, at least, truly embraces this idea.

I wrinkle my nose and laugh a little at the thought of myself as part of aroyal family- I’m nowhere near fancy enough for such a title – but then I sigh again, distracted.

Because Sinclair’s other point is still valid – I know, in my heart, that I want to help our citizens, helpeveryone.

And I have this incredible healing power that I could use in our nation’s hospitals to actually physically help people… But is that what I really want to do? Is that the best use of my gifts? Then, quite suddenly, I remember someone who might be able to help.

As quietly as I can, I turn over and slide open the drawer by my bedside table, pulling out the cellphone that I haven’t had for weeks since we’ve been away in the bunker.

I flick it on and then quickly pull up a familiar name in my contacts and send off a text: Isabel! I’ve been a bad friend – but we’re back now, from where we had to go.

Do you have a minute tomorrow? To talk? Biting my lip – because I really do feel bad about neglecting my friendship, especially after I asked her to stay here instead of going home – I send off my message and hope that my friend can forgive me.

But, considering how good and kind she is if not a bit sharp-edged at times, I think, smiling – I think, and hope, that she’ll forgive me.

Then, feeling a little better at having gotten started on a plan, I finally drift off to sleep.

When Sinclair’s alarm rings the next morning, he groans as he rolls over to turn it off, and then he flops back in his spot and reaches out an arm for me.

But he opens his eyes in surprise when his hand meets…nothing.

Because as soon as I heard the alarm, I gasped and rolled away, reaching for my phone, desperate to see if Isabel replied.

Yesss,” I whisper, excited to see that I have a message waiting.

“What?” Sinclair asks, groggy.

“What’s happening?” “Nothing,” I murmur, quickly flicking my messages open.

Go back to sleep.” Ignoring him, I eagerly click open Isabel’s reply.

Ella! Where the hell have you been!? We’ve all been so worried! Please come and see me – I want to hug you myself and assure myself that you’re all right.

I’m at the Refugee Center – come by any time after 8, someone will lead you to me.

I eagerly start to type out my reply but, before I get far, I hear a snarl behind me and feel a gigantic arm wrap tight around my waist.

I gasp and then shriek in shock as Sinclair pulls me, laughing, across the bed to settle tightly against his chest.

“What the hell is this,” he growls in my ear, pretending to be angry.” Mymate? Neglectingme in the morning?” “Ohh, poor big scary Alpha,” I tease, turning in his arms so that my stomach is pressed against his, pouting mockingly up into his face.

“Did you need your morning kiss and snuggle, or else you can’t start your day?” “Damn right I can’t,” he growls, baring his teeth at me – an act that would probably make some men quail but which only makes me laugh.” We’re going to have to introduce some discipline in this house – you haveduties,

little Queen -” “Ohhhh, little Queen,” I say, pressing myself tighter against him and wrapping my arms around his neck so that my whole body is flush against his.

“I like this new nickname.

Very elegant.” “Do you,” he murmurs, dropping his head to drag kisses along my neck and down across his shoulder, the tickly stubble of his beard making me shiver.

“I could think of a few other things to call you.” “Oh really,” I sigh,” rolling one shoulder back so that Sinclair can continue his path down across my collar bone and lower, until his lips press against the skin just above my breasts.

“Like what?” “Bad girl,” he offers, glaring up at me.

“For snatching up your phone first thing in the morning.

Making me jealous of whoever it is you’re talking to.” And then he drops his gaze, continuing his path.

I shudder a little at the feel of his lips against my skin, burying my fingers in his silky black hair and letting my head tilt back a little at the pleasure of it.

“No reason to be jealous,” I murmur.

“It’s just Isabel.

I’m going to visit her at the Refugee Center today.” “What?” he asks, snapping his head up, all the play gone from his voice.

I go still, frowning at him, wondering what went wrong.

What is it?” “You’re going to the Refugee Center?” I turn my head to the side.

“Is that…bad?” “It’s very dangerous, Ella,” Sinclair says, staring hard at me.

“Those people are desperate – they will doanythingto better their situations, they could seek to take advantage of you -” “Baby,” I murmur, putting a hand on his cheek and frowning deeper while I search his face.

“That’s precisely why I should go.

They need help – I can help them -” He sighs and hangs his head for a moment, thinking it through.

I wait, trying to be patient but unable to help feeling a little frustrated.

Just yesterday he told me to find my own path, and today he’s trying to tell me that my chosen path is too dangerous? “I just…want you to be safe,” he says, lifting his head and looking me in the eyes.

My frustration flees instantly because I understand – I really do.” We’ll be safe,” I whisper, running a hand over the stubble of his cheek.

” Isabel goes every day – and she wouldn’t put me in a situation if she thought that I -” “Wait, we?” Sinclair says, sitting up fully now and looking at me sternly.

“Who is ‘we’?” “Rafe and I,” I say, sitting up on my elbows and looking up at my gigantic mate towering above me.

He laughs, derisive, and looks You arenotbringing the baby.” away.

I laugh right back.

“Just try to stop me!”