Ch. 421..430

Chapter 421

I’m quite tired when evening approaches in the refugee camp and Cora comes to my side, placing a hand on my back and telling me that we should probably head home. I sigh, looking around, knowing that I can do more but…

“I get it, Ells,” she says, looking around with me. “But there’s only so much we can do. And you’re a queen and a mom as much as a healer now. You’ve got to find a balance.”

“Is it normal to feel guilty?” I ask my sister, who has been working to heal people for much longer than I have. ” When you prioritize yourself, and other things, even though you know you can help people who are suffering?”

“It is,” Cora says with a little sigh. ”

But you, my big-hearted sister, probably feel it more keenly than most.

“Yeah,” I say, glancing over at Hank. ” He, for instance, compartmentalizes well.”

“Don’t count Hank out,” she says softly, shaking her head. “He’s got a big heart too. Maybe just…hides it better.”

I turn my head a little, considering him, considering her point. And then my heart aches for him again as I think of how disappointed he was when Cora left him for her mate – because as much as he loved her, we know now that he never stood a chance. Cora and Roger were written in the stars.

But is there someone out there for Hank too?

I hope, quite desperately, that there is. He’s so good, and he deserves that, like the rest of us.

“Ready, Luna?” Conner asks, coming over and bringing my baby with him, who reaches for me with his little grasping hands.

“Sure am!” I say, taking my baby and cuddling him close. Cora laughs and leans in as well, fussing over Rafe and I can see thinking about her own little baby, who will be here so much sooner than she realizes. Together, we start to walk out of the tent, but as I turn I hear a little voice calling me back.

“Hey, wolf lady!” a little boy calls, and I turn and laugh to see little Benny running for me.

“Well hey,” I say, falling to one knee and wrapping him in a hug as he runs over. “How are you feeling, Bens?”

“It’s Benny,” he corrects with a little frown, making me smile as he adjusts a set of glasses on his nose. Then, he peers down at Rafe. “Is this your baby?”

“Yup,” I say, turning Rafe a little so Benny can see him better. “What do you think of him?”

“I think he’s fat,” Benny murmurs, reaching out a hand to poke Rafe’s belly. I burst out laughing at this, honestly charmed. “He’s not fat, he’s a baby! They’re supposed to be chubby so that they can grow big and strong.”

“Well,” Benny says, his eyes going wide as they’re still fastened on Rafe. ” This one’s gonna be real big and strong, then.”

I laugh again, harder this time as Cora crouches down next to us. “Who are you?” Benny asks, looking Cora up and down.

Cora introduces herself as my sister and Benny narrows his eyes at her. ” Oh,” he says. “Are you the human one?”

“Yes,” she replies, her eyebrows going up. “Does my reputation proceed me?”

“Um, I don’t know what that means,” Benny replies, blinking at her and making me laugh again, “but she told me she has a human sister,” he continues, nodding towards me. “So, you can’t turn into a wolf?”

“Unfortunately not,” she says, giving a little shrug. “But I’m going to have a baby soon,” she says, her hand settling on her stomach, “and he’s going to be able to do it.”

“Oh,” Benny says, his own eyebrows going up now. Then he takes a moment to think before speaking again. “Does that mean he’s going to be fat too?”

I burst into real laughter at this, falling back a little with the force of it so that Cora has to reach out a hand and steady me as she grins between us.

“I don’t know,” Cora says, grinning at Benny, as delighted as I am. “I guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

“Hey, Benny,” Isabel says, coming to stand by his side and offering her hand. “You know you’re not supposed to sneak out of bed – Dr. Hank said two more days of bed rest before you’re cleared to go to the children’s home.”

“Dr. Hank is fulla soup!” Benny says, crossing his arms and frowning up at Isabel. The sincere disbelief and frustration in this kid set me off laughing again and Benny turns to grin at me. He takes Isabel’s hand, though. ” I don’t feel sick at all, since the lady came yesterday!” he protests, pointing at me. “I should be allowed to go and find my mom!”

My laughter dies a little as he mentions his mother again, but I do my best not to let it show in my face.

“I know, kid,” Isabel says, grinning down at him and giving me a wink. ” Maybe we’ll have Dr. Hank come and look at you again, see if you can’t go tomorrow.”

Satisfied with this, Benny nods and consents to be led back to bed, calling his goodbyes to us over his shoulder.

I stand up with Cora, sighing and watching him go.

“He reminds me of you,” she says, and I look over at her in surprise to see a big grin on her face as she watches the little boy get tucked back into his bed.

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah,” she says, turning to me with a smile. “So full of life, ready to question everything even though the world has delt him a tough hand. He’s got Ella Reina vibes for sure.”

I purse my lips together, trying not to let my sincere pleasure show on my face at the compliment. Because even if Cora meant it as a compliment for Benny…well, he’s just so damn cute, and vivid, and determined that I can’t help but be pleased with the idea that I am anything like him.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

“Oh geeze,” Cora says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and turning Rafe and I towards the entrance to the tent.

“What!?” I protest, confused.

“Let’s get you out of here,” she murmurs. “Before you start adopting kids.”

And I laugh but…I don’t really protest.

Because, as a former orphan myself? I know how important it is for these children to find homes and families that love them. And I certainly have enough love in my heart to make that a reality for a kid like I used to be, a kid like Benny.

I just…wonder what Sinclair would think of the idea. Even just hypothetically. I’m still wondering on it when Cora nudges me with her elbow as we pass through the gates of the camp.

“Hmm?” I ask, inviting her to tell me what she’s thinking.

“I know we’ve kind of left it off the table for a bit, Ella,” she says, looking over at me seriously. “But…I wanted to talk to you about all of this wedding business.”

“Oh!” I say, my eyes going wide and eager. And then I laugh, shaking my head as Conner opens the back door of the car for me. I murmur my thanks to him and begin to strap Rafe into his car seat as Cora goes around to the other side. “Honestly, I’m glad you remembered, Cora – because I honestly keep forgetting to talk to you about it amongst everything else that’s been on our plates the past few days. But Sinclair is really excited about it! He thinks it’s important!”

Cora bites her lip a little as we close our doors and buckle ourselves in.

“Oh no,” I say, seeing her expression and reaching for her hand over top of Rafe’s carrier. “Oh, Cora, you don’t want to do it?”

“It’s not that I don’t see the importance of it, Ella,” she says, shaking her head a little as she takes my hand. “Or that I’m not grateful for you and Sinclair for offering this to us but…” she sighs and I hold her gaze as Conner begins to drive us home. ” Honestly, Ella, I know I’ve never talked about getting married before, and that this whole idea of a mating ceremony for me is incredibly new, but…it’s more important to me than I thought it would be.”

I nod, understanding, listening.

“And,” she continues, “I…I want something that really reflects me and Roger. That’s small, and intimate, and feels…special to us. Not…like a spectacle for the whole nation.”

“I understand,” I say, softly. Because as wonderful as my own big ceremony was for me, it really was just for me. And Cora, I know, has been waiting for just the right moment for Roger to give her his mark – she really wants it to be right.

“But I don’t want to disappoint you,” Cora says, looking up at me with worried eyes.

 

Chapter 422

“Cora,” I scold, frowning, “you know I don’t’ feel that way – ”

“Well I know you’d never say it,” she protests, sighing. “But I do get that this union between a wolf and a human that, symbolically, it’s important. And even if you’re not disappointed that it could be… disappointing.”

“I want you to have the mating ceremony you want, Cora,” I reply, steady in my truth here. “Especially in the case of something as important as this.” I give her hand a little squeeze before pulling mine away. “But if you’d like to consider a middle path…maybe you could let me show you what I was thinking?”

She turns her head to look up at me, surprised. “You’ve been…planning?”

“Just a little,” I say, unable to keep the eagerness out of my voice. “Just late at night when Sinclair is asleep and I can’t sleep, or I get up to feed Rafe – ”

“You’ve been loosing sleep over this!?”

“No!” I protest, but then I hesitate. ” Well, not much.”

“Ella!”

“Just – can I show you what I was thinking!?” I plead, “sister to sister!? And then, if you hate it, you can say no.” A wide grin comes to my face then. “But I think you’re going to like it.”

Cora gives a big sigh, leaning back into her seat and closing her eyes. ” Fine, Ella,” she says. “But this is not a yes.”

“I didn’t think it was!” I say, newly excited. Because honestly…it’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to show her my plans.

When I come sighing into our rooms that evening, Sinclair immediately looks up at me from his casual position on the bed – looking down at his tablet, still doing work, as usual – and immediately laughs.

“What?” I ask, frowning, my baby strapped sleeping to my chest. I put my hands on my hips. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” he says, gracefully unfolding his gigantic self and standing up from the bed. Then he slips his hands into his pockets and smirks as he looks me up and down. “I just didn’t realize I was mated to someone who spends their days toiling in the mines, is all.”

“What?” I ask again, confused, and Sinclair, laughing, nods towards the bathroom. Both irritated and interested at once, I hurry in and gasp when I see myself in the mirror. “Oh my god,” I murmur, leaning in to get a good look at the very real layer of dusty dark brown grime that’s covering me from head to foot. “Honestly, why did they let me into the palace looking like this!?”

Sinclair, still laughing, comes to stand behind me. I groan when I see our contrast in the mirror – him the perfect Alpha King, clean-shaved and pressed – and me, a messy ball of dirt with crazy hair –

And then I gasp when my eyes light on little Rafe, who is likewise covered in a light layer of brown dust. “Oh my god!” I exclaim again, immediately beginning to ruffle his hair and moaning as a little puff of dust explodes into the air. “Ohhh, little baby! Mommy’s sorry!”

“A little dirt won’t hurt him,” Sinclair chuckles, reaching out to unstrap the baby from me. “Dirty in those camps, is it?”

“It’s bad, Dominic,” I murmur, helping him take the baby from my arms. “Honestly, if this is what we look like after just an afternoon, imagine how those people are living…”

“Well, we’ve diverted a lot of attention to it,” he replies, holding the baby away from him a little as he carries him over to his little baby bath. “Hopefully all of the people will be out of those terrible camps and in better situation in a month’s time, though of course some cases will take more.”

Rafe, waking a little now that he’s away from the warmth of my body, starts to cry a little in protest.

“Oh,” I say, my heart going out to him. I hesitate, wondering if I should just take him and let him sleep dirty honestly, I can’t stand to hear him cry like that –

“Keep going, Ella,” Sinclair murmurs, smirking at me and laying the baby down in his bath. “Let him cry a little for once he’s the happiest baby in the world, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.” Then, as I begin to strip out of my clothes, Sinclair takes off Rafe’s little outfit as well, tossing it into the hamper.

“You know,” I sigh, watching the little pieces of baby clothing disappear into the basket, “he’ll probably be too big to wear those by the time they’re clean. He grows like crazy.”

“Damn straight he does,” Sinclair says, tickling Rafe’s naked belly, proud, as he turns on the warm water and prepares to start bathing him. Rafe still fusses unhappily but reaches for his father’s finger, wanting to hold it.

My heart breaks with how damn cute it is, seeing them together, before I turn and start the water in the shower for myself. I continue talking to Sinclair as I climb into the hot stream, relishing the feel of it against my tired muscles.

“I talked to Cora about the wedding,” I call over my shoulder, starting to shampoo my hair. “I don’t think she’s into it, Dominic. I’m sorry.”

“That’s disappointing,” he replies. ” But yeah, Roger told me pretty much the same thing.”

“Are you mad?” I ask, turning to see his reaction, and Sinclair shoots me a little look of disbelief.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

“Of course I’m not mad, Ella – ”

I laugh a little, shaking my head and turning away to rinse the shampoo from my hair. “That’s not what I mean I know that you’d never be mad at them for wanting a different kind of mating ceremony. But… does it mess up your plans at all? For the coronation, and the coronation weekend?”

“It does a little,” he calls to me. As I soap my body, I smile to see him taking a washcloth and using it to gently clean the baby, making soft, warm noises to little Rafe as he does. Rafe, tired, lets his father know his protest, but my heart swells with the patience I see in my mate as he washes his baby, explaining softly to him that he’s sorry he has to take a bath so late at night, but mommy got him all filthy doing her humanitarian projects –

I laugh when I hear Sinclair’s commentary and flick a little water from the shower at him, which makes Sinclair turn to me with a grin.

“Will you be able to fill the time at the coronation?” I ask, soaping up my loofah and beginning to clean my body. “With some other activity, that might convince the humans and the wolves that we’re united?”

“Probably,” Sinclair says to me, giving Rafe a final rinse. “But…let’s see if she can’t be persuaded, Ella,” he says, reaching for a towel and then lifting the baby out of his tiny tub and wrapping him up and turning to me. “I have a feeling that when Cora sees what you’ve got planned for her, she’s going to be swept away.”

I grin at him as I, too, rinse myself off and warp a towel around my body. ” How do you know what I’ve got planned?”

“You’re not the only one up late at night,” he murmurs, carrying my warm, clean baby over to me. ” Sometimes I see what you do.”

“And sometimes,” I say, grinning up at him as I take Rafe from him, wanting him close again. Rafe immediately quiets when he’s in my arms again, which pleases me to no end. ”

Sometimes you just snore endlessly, keeping Rafe and I up for hours – ”

“Lies,” he snaps, smiling a little as he takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger and turns my face up to him.

“You like it when I snore. Reminds you that a strong, powerful Alpha is sleeping next to you, ready to rip your enemies to shreds – ”

I bite my lip a little, grinning up at him because…well, honestly, I do like that. I like that quite a bit.

“I’m not sure I need the snoring to remind me of that,” I murmur, stepping closer to him, feeling a little heat build in my core as I stare up into his beautiful, rugged face.

“And what would remind you of that,” he murmurs, his eyes flashing with hunger.

“Oh,” I whisper. “I have an idea. Or two. Or ten.”

 

 

Chapter 423

“Ella,” I sigh, turning to my sister, who is standing behind me with her hands clutched together, tears rimming her eyes, not breathing because she’s trying so hard not to burst into tears

“You look so beautiful!” she squeaks, and I can’t help but laugh because she looks like a little cartoon character, standing there, completely undone by the sight of me in a wedding gown.

“Ells!” I laugh, taking a few steps towards her and reaching out my hands. “You can’t do this for every new dress!”

“But you look so differently beautiful in each one!” she shouts, and then a sob breaks from her and she burries her face in her hands, letting loose. I burst into laughter at this, raising my own hands to my cheeks and taking a deep breath.

“I’m sorry! I can’t help it!” she cries and I just shake my head, pulling my hands away and smiling as I turn to look at myself in the mirror.

I mean, she’s not wrong – I look damn good in this sparkling white gown that hugs my body all the way to the floor and then spreads out behind me in a beautiful beaded train. But honestly – Ella is so much more sentimental than me. She has gotten choked up at every single one I’ve tried on so far – and they’re all beautiful but …I’m just not having the same reaction as she is.

“You don’t like it?” she gasps, scurrying to my side and meeting my eyes in the mirror. “But Cora – you look amazing – you look so romantic-

“I know, Ella!” I say, turning and putting a hand on her shoulder. “But I think the problem is that I’m not I’m not very romantic! You are, for sure, but-”

“Ohhh,” she says, frowning and swatting my hand away, “you are too romantic. You confessed your love for Roger in a rain storm! He swept you off your feet and carried you inside! You – ”

“Okay,” I say, raising my hands as I give in, “I will admit that that part of our story is romantic – ”

“And you conceived your little baby that very night!”

“Okay! I’m a romance novel heroine! You’ve got me!” I laugh, “But Ella! I never craved any of that – I’ve never, ever been the girl who thinks about her wedding day, or what her first dance would be. This just…means less to me, than it does you.”

“But then why do you care if we do it?” she asks, wiping away her tears. ” Why don’t you just throw you a wedding, if it doesn’t matter?”

“Because the mating does matter,” I murmur, turning back to smile at myself in the mirror. My wolf raises her sleepy head inside me and gives a little yip of confirmation, making my smile deepen. I run a mental hand over her fur, letting her know not to worry that I’m not giving in.

“Okay,” Ella sighs, standing close to me and putting her head on my shoulder as we both stare at me in the mirror. “But you should keep this dress anyway. Roger is going to flip when he sees you in it.”

“I know, right?” I murmur, turning and admiring the way the dress hugs my curves.

My sister squeals a little, throwing her arms around my shoulders. “See! You do like it!”

I laugh with her. “I always liked it,” I shrug. “I just…”

“I get it,” she says, nodding. “But let’s keep the dress. Just in case. And… maybe the ballgown too?” She gives me a big grin in the mirror, because I know that one was her favorite, even if this one is mine.

“Whatever you want,” I say with a sigh and a shrug. “It’s on the Sinclair dime anyway.”

“Yeah, let’s bankrupt ’em” Ella says, grinning and hopping away from me to move towards one of the poor stylists in the corner who has had to put up with her new queen’s hysterics while watching me try on twenty gowns. But while Ella speaks quietly with the stylists, probably purchasing four or five of the gowns just to have options, I turn to shake my head at myself in the mirror.

Because this…this just isn’t right.

And suddenly, quite suddenly, I know precisely what I want to do. Before Ella can come back, I slip behind the little dressing screen and take off the dress, folding it carefully and putting on the outfit that I came in. When I come out one of the stylists comes over to take the gown from me.

“Um,” I say softly, glancing over at Ella, who is still consulting. “Can you have this one sent to me, at my house? And…not tell her?”

“Uh,” the woman says, hesitant, because she knows it’s Ella paying not me.

“I promise she won’t be mad,” I say, assuring her. “And if she gives you any heat about it, you can tell her it was me. I promise it will be all right, but…could you please do this? Just between you and me?”

The woman hesitates but then lets out a sharp breath and smiles at me, nodding. “Sure,” she says. “I… I can do that.”

And then, with a new spring in my step and an idea in my head, I go to give my sister a kiss goodbye. Because I’ve got work to do.

Roger exhales with exhaustion when he comes through the door that night. He hangs his head as he presses the door shut and takes a deep breath, clearly transitioning from work to home life and having trouble clearing his mind.

I suddenly feel very, very guilty and take a step back, trying to like…melt into the shadows or something. I don’t know.

But Roger – with his wolf hearing – instantly snaps his head to me.

“Cora?” he asks, cocking his head to the side as he sees me standing in the living room, fully dressed with my shoes on, standing next to two tiny suit cases and a certain white box wrapped in a silver bow. “What…what are you doing?”

“Um…” I say, hesitating and trying to come up with an excuse. Because he’s so tired we don’t have to do this tonight, we can just wait until tomorrow

God, I’m so dumb, I should have texted him before – I should have checked to see if he was up for it – Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

“Can’t a girl just…stand in her living room?” I finish lamely, tucking my hands behind my back and giving him a too-innocent smile?

“No,” he says, smirking and advancing slowly towards me, his shoulders rolling back like the predator he is. “She can’t, when she’s you, and you’re always tucked up in bed watching Greys Anatomy at this hour. And when you’ve packed two suitcases.”

“Those are just decorative,” I say dismissively, raising my chin but unable to resist smiling too. God, he’s just so good looking. “I’m trying something new. But what I’m getting from you is that it’s not working as a style concept, suitcases in the living room. Notes taken! I’ll fix it in the morning.”

“Cora,” he growls, coming close enough to snatch me by the waist and pull me tight against him. I laugh as he does, loving it-loving him. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I murmur, smiling as I look down and place my hands on his chest. “It doesn’t matter – you’re so tired – ”

“Hey,” he says, putting a finger under my chin and lifting my face so he looks into my eyes. “I want to know.”

“Well,” I say, biting my lip and looking up at my gorgeous mate, who I love so, so dearly. And I tap the little bond inside of us, the one that’s just between his heart and mine. And I let him see my love, and my excitement, and that I’m…I’m ready.

I see his face change in a minute as he begins to understand.

“Well, Roger?” I say, grinning up at him. “What would you say if I asked you to elope with me tonight?”

He stares at me for a moment, shocked and thrilled, and then he gives a whoop of happiness as he moves faster than I can see, sweeping my legs out from under me and making me laugh recklessly as he spins me in a circle.

“Hell yes, Cora,” he whispers down to me after we’ve turned three times, his face bright with his smile. “Absolutely. Let’s go. Right now.”

 

Chapter 424

As Roger drives down the dark highway, I type out a quick message to Ella on my phone: Hey! I’m going to be MIA for a couple of days. Roger and I are taking some time to ourselves. I’m sorry to leave you hanging with all the work we have to do at the camps will you forgive me?

I bite my lip anxiously when I press send and stare at my phone, waiting for the reply.

“Quit that,” Roger says, glancing at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Worrying about it,” he says, giving a little shrug. “She’s not your boss, Cora.”

“Yeah well, Dominic is your boss,” I point out, raising my eyebrows. “Did you even text him?”

“Nah,” he says, grinning broadly. I’ll let Ella break it to him and just face his wrath when we come back.”

“If we come back,” I say, sufficiently relaxed by his encouragement and leaning back against my chair. “Who knows. Maybe we’ll like eloping so much that we just…stay.”

“I encourage this,” Roger says, laughing. “Thoroughly. We can probably assume new identities, just completely abandon our lives and our responsibilities.”

I laugh at the idea and look at the window, the thrill and excitement of elopement still rushing through me. ” Yeah, but then we won’t get to see Rafe grow up. And little no-name here won’t have his best friend.” I run my hand passively over my stomach, sending a little pulse of happy down the bond to the

baby so that he can feel my excitement along with me. But he doesn’t send anything back – probably asleep. Or whatever.

Who knows, with these magical mystery babies Ella and I have. “About that,” Roger says, glancing at me again. “Do you have ideas? For names, for the baby?”

I turn to him, surprised. “Do you know? I actually…don’t.”

Roger laughs at me, shaking his head. “Let me guess. Ella had her names picked out from childhood, and you never thought about it once.”

“Hit the nail on the head, Sinclair,” I say, winking at him, making him laugh. “It’s almost like you’ve met us or something…uncanny.”

He laughs again and then we let the moment sit for a while before he speaks again. “Well, I have some thoughts,” he says quietly.

“Really?” I say, sitting up straight and looking at him eagerly. “You have ideas?”

“I’m not stone, Cora,” he says, smirking and tossing me a little glare. ” I think about our child, and his future, and what I’d prefer to call him. Or not to call him.”

“Okay,” I say, grinning. “What names are off the list, then?”

“Edgar,” he says, immediate, and I burst into laughter.

“Why Edgar?”

“Because,” he says, serious. “Any name with ‘gar’ in it is mean to a little kid. And I knew someone named Edgar growing up and he was…a dick.”

I laugh harder at this, agreeing. “All right, Edgar’s off the list. What’s on it?”

He hesitates for a second and I reach out, shoving his shoulder a little. “Tell me!”

“No,” he says, sitting back and putting on his most stubborn expression. “You’ll accuse me of being sentimental. I want this to be a discussion, so you have to come up with some too. And then we’ll decide together.”

“Roger,” I say, rolling my eyes but unable to keep myself from smiling at my secretly-sweet mate. “That’s the most sentimental idea I’ve ever heard so much more sentimental than just telling me the names you like.”

“Well then give this discussion to me as a mating gift,” he says, nodding. “I get to make that request at least, don’t I ?

“Oh, sure,” I say, sighing happily. ” Whatever the groom wants on his wedding day – that’s what they say, isn’t it?”

He glares at me a little, making me laugh, and then we continue our journey into the night. Roger reaches out and takes my hand as we drive quickly towards the coast, giving my palm a squeeze and passing his excitement to me along the bond.

And I pass it back to him, letting him know that I’m just teasing – and that I’m all worked up about this too, feeling sentimental and excited and thrilled. Even if I haven’t been looking forward to this evening for my whole life? I can’t wait for it now.

“What do you think?” I whisper as Roger and I step out of the car and look at the tiny little beach cottage sitting before us. It’s lit from within by warm yellow light – I had the owner come and open it up for us so that it would be cozy when we got here. The whole house is probably as big as our living room and kitchen put together, but when I saw it online it was just so adorable that…

Well. I knew it was perfect.

“It’s perfect,” Roger says, turning to grin at me over the roof of the car. I smile right back at him, so pleased that he feels precisely as I do.

Then, without another word, we both spring into action – Roger going to the trunk to get our bags and me moving to the door of the little bungalow with the white box under my arm, punching in the code to unlock it. When Roger joins me at the threshold, I push the door open and we step inside.

“Oh,” I say, my hands going immediately to my mouth as I stare into the prettiest, tiniest little beach house that I’ve ever seen. There’s a little kitchen space off to our left, and a sofa off to the right, but the majority of the house is the bedroom directly ahead.

“Wow,” Roger says, and I look up to see him blinking in surprise. I grin and follow his gaze to the beautiful bed decked out with white linens and beyond it the wall of windows that looks directly out onto the beach, and beyond that, the ocean. “Wow, Cora,” he says again, and I look up to see him smiling down at me.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” he murmurs, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Do you know what it reminds me of?”

“Yes,” I say, laughing a little.

He lowers his face to mine, nudging my nose with his, urging me to say it.

“My dreamscape,” I whisper, my face breaking into a big smile. Because even though that bed was directly on the beach with no house or facilities around it…well. We’re corporeal now, and we need a kitchen and a bathroom and a roof.

But everything else? I knew it the moment I saw the pictures. It’s so precisely like I dreamed it would be that you’d think I’d created it myself.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For

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“Come on,” Roger says, leading me into the house so we can have a better look around. He peeks into all the corners his Alpha training of course immediately going into protection mode, making sure we’re safe – as I go directly to the back wall and press the windows open. To my delight, they turn out to be not windows but doors that fold completely open so that the whole wall opens directly onto the beach.

Eager, I press them all back and then lean against the wall, looking out over the sand at the ocean stretching out before us.

A few moments later my mate comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me back against him, lowering his face to my hair and inhaling my scent. I reach one arm up behind me and wrap my hand around the back of his neck, feeling the softness of his skin against my palms, loving the way the short hairs at the base of his head brush against my fingertips.

“So, is it everything you were looking for, Mrs. Sinclair?” he murmurs to me and I smile, a little shiver going through me to hear the name. My name.

“It’s everything I never knew I wanted,” I whisper back, feeling so happy and complete that I can hardly bear it. And then I turn in my mate’s arms, and tilt my head back to look at him, and I smile.

And my mate bends down a little, shifting his arms so that they move from my waist to just below my rear, and then he tightens his arms and stands up straight, taking me with him. I laugh then, running my hands through his hair and kissing him. After a long moment, he pulls back, just half an inch. “To bed?”

But slyly, I shake my head and wiggle. “Put me down. I want to…do something.”

Curious, Roger puts me on the ground and I grab the white box off the bed, grinning. Then, I point to the little iron fireplace next to the bed. “Will you light that?” I ask.

He nods to me, just once, and then watches me as I disappear with the box into the bathroom.

Because I might be a wolf in my soul, but…I want one part of this to be human. So as Roger lights a fire I untie the silver ribbon on the box.

And lift out my wedding dress.

 

Chapter 425

“Well that’s weird,” I murmur, looking through my phone as my mate sits shirtless beside me, finishing up the last of his paperwork before bed.

“What’s weird,” he asks, though I can tell he’s only half paying attention. But I frown, looking at the message from Cora. “Cora says she’s going away with Roger for a few days.”

“What?” he asks, his head swiveling to me, his voice instantly more alert. Then he snatches his own phone off the bedside table. “That can’t be right,” he says, flicking through his messages. Roger didn’t say anything to me.”

“Well, whatever,” I say, giving a little shrug. “They can take some time for themselves –

“Ella,” Sinclair sighs, and I look over at him in surprise. “We’re planning a coronation and trying to run a country. I’m depending on him to be here!”

I frown at him and shake my head a little. “Don’t be so unromantic, Dominic,” I scold. “They’re in love, they’re going to have a baby. Plus, Cora looked amazing in the wedding dresses today – I think I’m going to be able to talk her into that wedding. If they do that for us, why wouldn’t we let them have a few days away?”

“Did she say that she was going to do it?” he asks, raising his eyebrows at me.

“Nope!” I say, smiling as I start to type a reply on my phone. “She said to forget about it.”

“What!?”

“Don’t stress,” I say, laughing and glancing at him again. “I know her! I think she’s gonna say yes. We should move forward with the plans.”

Sinclair just groans and shakes his head, typing his own message out probably to his brother. I concentrate on my own.

That’s fine, Cora! Take whatever time you need. Don’t worry about the camps Isabel, Hank, and I can hold it down. Will fill you in whenever you get back хохо.

That done, I look quickly over at the baby to make sure that he’s still sleeping – and I smile to see that he is before curling up next to my mate, resting my head against his chest and giving him a little kiss there as he finishes his message to Roger and presses send.

“Did you yell at him?” I ask.

“Yup,” he replies before tossing his phone aside and wrapping his arm around me. “Okay well don’t yell at Cora,” I murmur, getting sleepy. “That’s my job.”

“You got it,” he replies.

We’re silent for a long moment before Sinclair clears his throat. I open my eyes, surprised, before looking up at him. “What is it?” I ask. Because I know him – I know that he’s exhausted, and that we both need to catch what sleep we can.

So, if Sinclair is clearing his throat, wanting to talk about one last thing before bed?

Something’s up.

“Ella…” he says, hesitating. “I want you to trust me when I tell you what I have to say.” I sit up fully now, frowning down at him.

“Tell me,” I demand, getting suddenly anxious. “Right now.”

“Come back down here,” he says, pulling at my shoulder. But I just shake my head at him, frowning, my anxiety getting worse.

“Not until you tell me.”

“Ella,” he says, his voice low with warning.

“Dominic!”

He just glares at me for a long moment before he realizes that I’m not going to give in, and then he closes his eyes for a second, steeling himself. ” Ella, we got word from the Atalaxians today. They… they want to send a delegation to the coronation.”

“What!?” I gasp, appalled.

“All the other neighboring nations are coming,” he says quickly, “sending a delegation if not their royals themselves. It would be an incredible insult not to invite the Atalaxians as well.”

“Wait,” I say, putting out a finger to stop him. “Am I hearing you right? Not only are they coming, but you invited those bigots!? Into our HOME!?”

“Ella,” he growls, snapping his eyes open and swiping at my finger, knocking it away. “We had to extend the invitation – it would have been such an obvious act of aggression if we didn’t – ”

I scoff, thinking that perhaps the Atalaxians need a little aggression in their lives, and start to move away from Sinclair, kicking away the blankets. But before I can get far, I hear him snarl and then feel him wrap his arm around my waist and tug me, hard, back to him.

I let out a little yelp of surprise as Sinclair levers himself over me, swiftly gathering both of my wrists in one of his hands and lifting them over my head before using his body to pin me to the mattress.

“What!” I gasp, and then I frown up at him, angry. “What are you doing!? Get off of me, Dominic!”

“Not a chance, little queen,” he murmurs, glaring down at me, a little darkness in his eyes. “I’m starting to think that you need a little reminder of who is the Alpha in this relationship, and the King in this nation,” he says, firm.

I glare up at him, wriggling a little beneath him, but he holds firm. “I’m allowed to have my opinions!” I snap, starting to get pissed. “I don’t have to agree with everything you say and do!”

“You do not have to agree with it,” he growls, bringing his face close to mine. “But you do have to support it, little mate. We need to present a united front.”

I open my mouth to protest but he silences me with a look. Bitter, I close my mouth.

“There,” he says, slow, satisfied. “I listen to you, Ella,” he continues softly. “I appreciate your input, but this is serious. I cannot have you second- guessing my decisions. I am doing what I know right for both of us – for our family. And you need to trust me.”Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

I clench my jaw as I stare up at him for a second, but then something in me gives. I turn my attention to my wolf then, seeing her pressing herself close to the ground even as a little grumble rolls in her chest – because even if she doesn’t like it, she respects our mate’s dominance.

And she trusts him. Trusts that he will fight for us, and care for us, and never make a decision that will put us in jeopardy.

And as I see her submit, I know that it’s right. I lift my chin, staring directly into my mate’s eyes, letting him feel my submission down the bond even as my face tells him that I’m not happy about it.

Just the corner of Sinclair’s mouth pulls into a tiny smile as he lowers his face and brushes his lips briefly against mine. And then he takes his other hand, the one not pinning my wrists above my head, and runs it down the length of my flank, dipping down to grip my ass in his palm.

“See? When you do as I say…there are rewards.”

I can’t help it then when my eyes flutter shut when I feel him squeeze my ass, taking control of my body. My head falls back a little bit, baring my neck to him. Sinclair takes immediate advantage of this, pressing his mouth eagerly to my pulse, licking my skin, letting his teeth rasp sharp against my flesh. And I moan as he lets his body press closer against me, letting me feel the weight of him pinning me down.

He growls at the sound of me moaning, hungry for it, loving it. And I I love it too – because as stubborn as I can be, there is something so good about it – something perhaps biological about submitting to my Alpha that makes me want to cede him complete control.

“Say it,” he growls, moving his hand slowly up the length of my body, over my breast and across my neck until he takes my face in his hand and turns it towards him so that I can feel his breath against my lips.

“I submit,” I groan, feeling pleasure shudder through me as I feel the length of him straining against the fabric of his underwear, pressing hard and insistent against my entrance. “I trust you, Dominic – I – I know you’re doing this for us. For all of us.”

And he growls has assent before slipping his free hand down his own body, pressing his boxer briefs down so that he can free himself. Then, when I’m panting for want of him, he presses himself into me, filling me so completely that a moan breaks from my throat when I feel him slide against all of the aching parts inside of me that want all of him, more of him, all the time.

“Good girl,” he murmurs before pressing his mouth to mine and claiming me – claiming all of me as his before we lose ourselves to each other. And I give myself willingly, trusting him completely, as I know he does me. My Alpha, my mate.

 

Chapter 426

After I dress, I surprise myself by feeling a little shy as I reach for the door to the bathroom to go back to the tiny bedroom where Roger’s waiting or me.

Because, I mean, it’s no secret why we’re here. And Roger’s not stupid – he probably figured out what I was doing when I went into the bathroom with a big white box.

But still – it’s always something, isn’t it? Anticipating what it might be like when the man you love sees you in your wedding dress for the first time. And as I think it, quite suddenly, I can’t wait.

I pull the bathroom door open and step back into the bedroom, my eyes instantly going to Roger, standing by the open doors to the beach, the ocean air lifting his hair lightly in the breeze.

And, as I knew they would be, his eyes are already on me. Because he was waiting. And my face bursts into a grin as his expression goes slack.

I feel it all down the bond, which is open to me right now. His awe, and his pride – his love, his desire, the overwhelming swell of pleasure that comes from seeing how beautiful he thinks I look right now on this night – in this dress

“Cora,” he says, the sound of my name rough as it works its way from his tight throat. But it’s the only word he can manage, lifting a hand to cover his mouth and shaking his head at me, just staring.

I turn a little so that I’m facing him completely, still smiling so hard my face might start aching if I keep this up for much longer.

“So, you like it?” I ask, twisting a little so that he can see more of the dress, see how the beadwork catches the light of the fire and makes the dress look incandescent in the glowing dark of this little bedroom.

He just stares at me for a moment before a little growl rumbles in his chest, his only answer. And I burst out laughing and cross the room to him, holding my hands out.

Roger takes my hands as I come around the bed, using them to pull me closer so that he can slide his hands over my body, feeling the intricacies of the dress for himself, as well as the contrast it presents to the bare skin of my back, my arms. He lowers his face to mine, kissing me softly as he traces his fingertips down the length of my spine, sending shivers all through me.

Then, slowly, he pulls away and takes a step back. “I don’t know what I want I can’t pick – do I want you close, so I can keep my hands on you? Or far away, so I can see again how beautiful you look? God, Cora – this dress was made for you – ”

I wrinkle my nose and smile up at him, terribly pleased. “I’m glad you like it,” I murmur, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I liked it too. Ella made me try on like, a thousand. But this was the one I liked best.”

“Well, it’s perfect,” he sighs. “It’s just a shame that I’m going to have to rip it to shreds when I tear if off your body in like, thirty seconds…”

I gasp and pull away, my hands defensively clutching the dress at my chest. “Roger! Don’t you dare!”

“I don’t know, Cora,” he murmurs, shaking his head at me and closing the distance between us again, hungry. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to help it. How did you even get this thing on, anyway? I’m never going to have the patience for like, a thousand tiny pearl buttons – ”

“There is one zipper,” I say, swatting at him. “And you will respect the dress! It is precious to me! I -”

And then I hesitate, blushing, because I myself now am on the verge of saying something very sentimental.

“What,” Roger says, his mouth quirking up as he senses it. “Tell me.”

“No,” I say, laughing and looking down, shaking my head.

“Cora,” he says, a warning and a command in his voice. And, while those don’t usually do anything for me I have no real intention of letting Roger be the boss of our lives, like Ella and Sinclair – his gentle fingers under my chin, turning my face up to him, persuade more completely. “Please. I want to know.”

“Well,” I say, quiet, staring up at my gorgeous mate, “I never had a mom with a wedding dress to hand down to me. And if we ever have a daughter…”

A tiny, strangled little groan escapes his throat then – not of frustration, or of annoyance, or anything like that. But simply because he can’t help it, because he, too, is a little undone at the sweetness of the idea.

A daughter, one day, getting married, in a dress like this. And suddenly, as I look up at him, I know that we’re both thinking the same thought: that we have so much life ahead of us, and so much joy, and neither of us can wait a single second longer to get started.

Roger takes my face in his hands and he kisses me, slowly, sweetly, but with the full force of his commitment to me, to us, and to our future. It sweeps though me and I press myself close against him, my hands wrapped in the fabric of his shirt, tugging him close.

Roger begins to move backwards then, slowly guiding me to the bed, but as I realize the direction of his intentions I pull away, glancing towards the doors.

“No?” he asks, a little confused.

“Um,” I say, realizing a conviction that I didn’t know I had within me until this very moment. And then I look back up into his eyes. “I think we have to go outside for this.”

“What?” he asks, confused. “Cora, there’s nothing that says – ”

“No,” I say, shaking my head, utterly convinced. “Please – I…I’m sure of it.”

And then he laughs a little, not really understanding but not caring much. He gives a quick shrug and then turns to the bed, yanking the duvet off the top and wrapping it into a ball. Then, he passes it to me. Confused, I take it, but as soon as I do Roger dips down, wrapping one arm around my back and using the other to scoop me up beneath my knees, lifting me up into his arms in one swift motion.

I’m laughing too now, enjoying every minute of it, and I nod towards the beach, and the sea, and the sky – knowing, for some reason, that we have to do this out there.

“All right, little demigoddess,” Roger murmurs, his lips close to my ear now. “Under your mother’s moonlight, as you will it.” And then he carries me out into the sand, which as he says well-lit by the full moon above. isBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

“Oh,” I say, looking up into the sky. ” Do you think that’s it? Because something is…calling me, if that’s the right way to say it. Not even a tug, just an instinct.”

“I think mating ceremonies happened under the moon a lot in years past,” he says, stopping when we’re surrounded by sand on all sides, much closer now to the sea than to the little house, which shines like a happy beacon in the distance. “But, considering who your mom is…I think maybe she wants to see it.”

I smile at him as he puts me down on my feet, my toes singing a bit to touch the sand. I love the beach – always have.

“Well, that’s very romantic,” I say, looking up at the moon. “Plus, we need a witness.”

“Nah,” Roger says, shaking his head and taking the blanket from my hands, shaking it out and spreading it out in a crisp rectangle on the sand. “Mating ceremonies – they don’t need witnesses, unless you want them. They speak for themselves. Once you have my mark it is…just known, I guess.”

A little shiver runs through me at the thought of it, my wolf beginning to pant eagerly in anticipation. She’s been wanting this for a long time, I know, and frustrated me for continuing to put it off.

But…I was right. Because this moment? It’s so perfect that I wouldn’t have wanted his mark in any other place, any other time, any other way.

Roger holds out a hand to me, and I smile and take it, and then we step forward onto the blanket, moving to the center.

And then, to my surprise, Roger goes to his knees. I don’t ask questions though, instead simply following suit, turning so that I face him, our hands loosely clasped between us, our knees touching.

I smile up at my mate, who looks so incredibly gorgeous in the moonlight, with the night air blowing between us. And he smiles right back at me, shaking his head a little in wonder. Then he sets his shoulders, his face turning serious.

“I take you, Cora,” he says, his voice low and soft. “As my love and my mate, for the rest of our lives and whatever comes next. I promise you the protection of my body and the warmth of my spirit. I will hold you close on dark nights and bright days. I love you, quite simply, forever. I am yours and you are mine.”

Something burns warm in me at that, a bright and golden thing wrapping itself around that bond that already exists between us – his promise, made true, strengthening it.

Roger smiles at me, gentle. “Your turn,” he whispers.

 

Chapter 427

I smile up at my mate, but I shake my head a little bit, not…not knowing what to do next. “Do I…,” I say, laughing a little, “just say what you said?”

“You can,” he replies, shrugging one shoulder and smiling back at me. I can feel his happiness vibrating down our bond. “Or, you can say what you want. There are no wrong answers, Cora.”

“Okay,” I say softly, and then I take a moment to consider, sitting up straight and squaring my shoulders.

“I take you, Roger,” I say softly, gazing into his perfect face. “Even though…I never expected you. I take you because you challenge me, and you hold space for me, and because…” I hesitate now, trying to find words for it. But he waits, patient, listening.

“Because you make me feel like the world is a rich and wonderful place worth exploring. And I want to do that I want to see it all, experience it all, at your side. I love you, Roger,” I continue, my eyes starting to line with tears, “because you make me brave.” My voice starts to crack now with my emotion, and he falters a bit, leaning forward, taking my cheek in his palm. I laugh a little, leaning into it but I shake my head, because I’m not finished.

“So, I promise to love you through all of it – through our whole lives, and whatever comes. But with you? I have… just so much faith that it will all be good. I love you, Roger – I am yours, and you are mine, and I think – I think it’s been that way for a long time. It just took us a little longer to figure out.”

He laughs then, and nods to me, and I feel that same golden warmth again, doubled this time, as my own promise wraps around our bond and becomes true, real, solid.

I can feel it now, singing between us, our fated mating bond ringing with our very real acceptance of it. And now the only thing that’s left is the mark.

My wolf turns an eager circle in me, lifting her face to the sky with a deep and eager howl. And Roger’s – I can feel his wolf prowl forward.

He claims me then, my mate reaching across the distance between us like he can’t wait a moment longer to have his body against me. Roger pulls me to him, his arms around me in the instant that his mouth meets mine, kissing me with a rough determination that I very much want, and need.

I again fist my hands in his shirt, turning to pull him on top of me as I lay myself down on the blanket, chills running all through my body as my mouth opens fully to him, as his tongue dips in to press against mine

Roger’s hands are intent now, one pressing me close to him as his breath sharpens, the other sliding to the center of my dress at the back, finding the top of the zipper and dragging it slowly down. His mouth follows the direction of his hand, moving from my lips to my jaw, my neck, and then further down as he presses the wedding gown down away from my body so that it settles on my hips.

“Come back,” I breathe, panting, wanting him again, and my mate complies, bringing his face back to mine and kissing me again as his hand pushes the dress further. I lift my hips, allowing it to slide completely off, to rest in a heap at the edge of the blanket.

A little frantic now with wanting him, my hands shake as they work at the buttons of his shirt. But he just growls and takes his face from mine for a second, tugging the shirt up over his shoulders and tossing it away.

The wind picks up around us, the breeze stiffening as my mate pulls me against the warm skin of his chest, his hand drifting down the naked expanse of my back to take a firm grip on my ass. He groans then, his head turning away almost as if he can’t help it, his whole body clenching with want.

My hands move again, almost of their own accord as Roger brings his mouth again to my neck, his teeth bared now, running over my skin in a way that makes me shudder, hard – because I know – I know how badly he wants to sink those teeth in there, just there now-

I fumble at his belt, at the button at the top of his pants, but I’m so distracted-

“Fuck, Cora,” he breathes, and suddenly I’m surprised to feel myself lifted, twisting against him as he sits flat on his ass with my knees on either side of his hips, my stomach pressed almost against his face as he moves one hand to his clothing, hastily breaking the button and the zipper of his pants as he forces them down. Roger turns his face to look up at me as he kicks the pants off, shaking his head a little. ” Please,” he begs, desperate, “I can’t – I can’t wait any longer – ”

I breathe his name and bring my mouth again to his as I let my body slide down against his, as I feel him position the hard mass of himself at the apex of my thighs and then, slow, insistent, press inside of me as I lower myself down onto him.

I moan, hard, into Roger’s mouth as I feel him fill me – as I feel my inner walls stretch against him, squeezing him, wanting him. My eyes press shut as my back curves unbidden, as my hips begin to pulse against him.

Roger’s own groan as he slowly seats himself fully in me has me shuddering with the pleasure of it, with how perfectly he fits me, with how – how deep he goes-

Roger begins to pulse with me now, each steady thrust of his hips sending his hard cock deeper, pressing against that building intensity within me.

Roger goes slow, indulging, letting it build in me as the minutes pass. And then, when I know that I’m close, and I can feel him shaking beneath me, wanting his release as much as I want mine, I moan, my whole body shuddering now as I concentrate everything on that point, on him my mate. I lean myself forward, tucking my head next to his, baring my throat to him.

“There, little mate,” he growls, wrapping his fingers in the hair at the base of my neck and pulling – not harshly, but no, not gentle so that my neck and shoulder stretch open before him. He presses a kiss there as our hips continue to work together, bringing me closer closer

And then he licks the spot between my shoulder and neck, the place of his intent and I moan, and shudder, my whole body starting to shake as I –

As I come so close, as I start to want it to badly I could scream –

“Ask me for it,” he murmurs, pressing his sharp teeth just to the edge of my flesh.

“Please,” I beg, hardly able to form the words – “give me your mark, Roger I want it -”

Another low growl as he thrusts, hard, up into me and then, a moment later, sinks his teeth into my skin. Everything, everything seems to explode within me – around me.

The air whips around us suddenly and the earth – I swear it shifts and shakes in time with the sharp gasp and the steady moans that pulse from me.

It intensifies, the shaking below us, the wind around us, as I feel Roger’s body go rigid and clench as he finds his own end

And there’s pain too, mixing with it, sharpening the waves of bliss and satisfaction that run through me, a sharp and salty edge that intensifies the pleasure as my head falls back, as I feel the warm rush of Roger’s seed spreading inside of me –

As I feel his teeth lift from his bite, his mark-Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

And then the gentle press of his tongue against it, tenderly licking the blood that swells there. He holds me then, tight, for a few long moments as the wind dies down around us, catching his own ragged breath as I continue to shake and shudder against him.

As he comes back to himself, Roger begins to murmur soft things to me, pressing me against him and slowly laying backwards, turning his body so that mine comes to rest against the blanket, his stomach and chest pressed tight to mine

And I honestly don’t know when I realize that I’m crying – sobbing, a little, with the intensity of it – with the joy, and the pleasure, and the completeness that I feel

“Cora,” he murmurs, his face close to mine, stroking my hair. “Are you are you all right?”

And I open my eyes, confused

And then laugh because – because his face is so worried “I’m fine, Roger,” I murmur, pulling him close and kissing him about a dozen times – “it was just really intense – well, you were there – ”

“It was incredible,” he murmurs against my lips, but then he pulls away again. “Does it are you hurt?”

I bite my lip a little, twisting to try to look at it but I can’t quite see he marked me high, closer to my neck. than my shoulder – “it does hurt,” I say, telling him the truth. “But – not in a bad way, if that makes sense.”

He murmurs something in affirmation, the rumbling pleasure in his chest letting me know he understands as he nuzzles his face against mine.

I let my body collapse a bit now, exhausted after everything – after all of it – and Roger lays himself half on top of me, his head tucked close to mine. I kiss his forehead, catching my breath, and then turn my face up to the sky, opening my eyes.

And then, utterly shocked, I gasp.

 

Chapter 428

“What?” Roger asks, going suddenly rigid and raising his head, his alpha instincts probably anticipating an attack of some kind “No,” I say, gaping up at the sky. ” Roger, look -”

And he turns to follow my gaze, his own mouth falling open as he sees. What looks like a thousand shooting stars cross the sky in a blink, one after the other, chasing each other across the blackness above the sea.

“Oh my god,” he murmurs, his head falling back as he stares upwards. Instinctually, I close the slight distance between us so that my body is pressed seamlessly against his, and I take his hand, and we both stare.

His body, like mine, is still thrumming with the joy of it – of the promises, the s3x, the marking, all of it – but this – the awe we both feel We’re both silent for a long time as we stare up at the sky, marveling.

“Cora,” Roger says after a long moment, turning his head to me a little but unable to tear his eyes away from the meteors that flash across the sky. ” Did you…do this?”

“What?” I ask, shocked.

“I mean,” he says slowly, “I’m pretty sure that you did the wind, and the earthquake –

“The what?” I gasp.

He turns to me for real now, a wide smile breaking out on his face as his eyes meet mine. “I mean, I know I’m good Cora, but you had to have noticed-

“An earthquake?”

“The ground shook, Cora! What did you think it was?”

“I thought it was just a – a little shake! Not an earthquake.”

“Well, yes, just a little one,” he replies, still laughing, giving me a tiny shrug. “I mean, I don’t think you levelled any cities – though, I mean, I can try harder next time – ”

It’s my turn to growl now, smacking him on the chest. “You don’t get to take credit for my gift, mate – ”

“I mean,” he growls, turning towards me and grabbing me by the waist, pulling me flush against him again, stomach to stomach, “I get some credit

I laugh again, kissing him, joy rippling through me as he kisses me back. But then he pulls away a bit, staring into my eyes for a long moment before glancing up at the sky again. “But seriously,” he says, “do you think you did it?”

“I honestly don’t know,” I say, looking up again at the sky, where the meteors continue to streak, leaving behind their long tails of golden light. They’re slower now, more patient, less a frantic rush of stars. Now they seem to take their time, wanting to put on a show. “I mean…that,” I say, pointing up to them, “sort of matches how I feel. So,” I shrug, “…maybe.”

“Wind, rain, hail…now earthquake and meteor?” He raises his eyebrows, impressed, and I grin to see it. ” Nobody’d better piss you off, Cora,” he says, considering. “Or we’ll get an asteroid and another species-ending event, like the dinosaurs.”

“Yeah,” I say, giving him a playful shove. “So, keep that in mind, sir.”

He laughs, turning to me again and nudging his nose against mine. “Oh, I intend to piss you off every day,” he murmurs, grinning. “I like taking you to bed when you’re angry.”

I snap my teeth at him then, making him laugh, inviting it. Because honestly, he doesn’t piss me off – not really.

Roger not everyone gets him, but with me he walks a very fine line of teasing, bringing me right to the edge of my limits but never pushing too far. And me? Too-serious me? I need that in my life.

And he’s right. It makes us great in bed.

“All right, little mate,” I murmur, laughing and turning my head away so he can study his handywork on my neck. “What’s it look like? Did you do good, or did you mess up and give me a sloppy mark?”

“Hmm,” he says, raising his head to study it. “Nah, it’s real pretty Cora. You’ll like it. And I put it high, where everyone can see -”

I laugh at him then, spinning my head back, grinning. “Jealous,” I accuse, narrowing my eyes playfully at him.

“Mmm, yes,” he murmurs, dipping his head now to press a kiss to my collar bone. “I want everyone to know you’re mine. Can you just start wearing a t-shirt that says ‘hands off’?”

“Oh sure,” I say, laughing harder now. “I’m sure that will go over really well with the humans we’re trying to convince that we truly believe human and wolf kind are equals – for the only human in our little wolf family to start walking around in a t-shirt that says ‘ Property of Roger Sinclair.”

“Ohhh, I like this new wording,” he says, sitting up a little and grinning down at me. “I can get you one for each day of the week -”

I’m laughing harder now, shaking my head at him. “Only if you wear a matching one,” I reply, “pink, ‘ Property of Cora,’ emblazoned on the front and the back.”

“It would be helpful, honestly,” he says, his voice full of mischief as he brings his face again close to mine. “I already have to beat the women off with a stick – this will cut my job in half -”

I shriek then, smacking at him with my hand, “you shut up! You so do not have to turn women away – ”

“I do!” he insists, laughing harder now. “Seriously, every five minutes! Sorry, I’m a mated man sincere apologies, I know, it is a loss for womankind, to have a specimen like me off the dating market – ”

I growl then, even as I laugh, grabbing him tight and pulling him against me, letting my nails sink a bit into his skin. “You’re a liar,” I murmur, bringing my lips to his, “but if you push it, I really will make you wear the shirt. Because you’re mine, Roger Sinclair. And I’m not sharing.”

“Good, Cora Sinclair,” he murmurs before he kisses me, a long and sweeping kiss. “And neither am I.”

“Good,” I reply, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, relaxing, bliss still running through me – deep and true.

Just then, I feel…a curious little tapping along my second bond and burst into a smile. Roger laughs again, glancing down towards my belly, and I know that he feels it too.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates…

“Baby’s up,” I murmur.

“Probably the earthquake,” he replies, “hard to sleep through.”

I laugh again and send my own little feeling along the bond to the baby. Happy? Happy! Comes the response, making us both laugh.

“I wonder if this means that he’ll be a happy kid,” Roger murmurs, smiling with a deep content that I also feel, “or if he just…doesn’t have a very wide emotional range.”

“He’s just like, a tiny little thing right now!” I protest, putting a hand on my stomach. “He’s like, the size of a marble. He doesn’t have room for any emotions beside happy. And it’s not even like he knows the word – he’s just telling us he’s content.”

“Well let’s see what else we can make him do,” Roger says, shifting himself lower so that his face is closer to my belly now.

I laugh at him, shaking my head but playing along. “He’s not a Labrador, Roger,” I murmur, “he doesn’t do tricks.” But my mate ignores me.

“Baby,” he says, pitching his voice loud, which makes me laugh harder, because I know that this isn’t how it works. The baby – he probably won’t be able to hear anything outside my body until much further along in the pregnancy. But still, Roger is making me laugh, so I indulge him.

“Baby,” Roger says, sending me a happy little glance, “I’m going to say some names, and I want you to tell me which one you like.”

Giggling, I wait, but no response comes.

“I don’t think he wants to play,” I say, grinning down at my mate.

“Sure he does,” Roger says, grinning up at me and then focusing on my stomach again. “Baby, what do you think of Edgar?”

We both wait, but nothing happens. I reach out my hand and Roger gives me his, his eyes still on my belly.

“Let’s try it this way,” I murmur. And then I close my eyes, and send the word along the bond, so that the baby and Roger can both hear it. Edgar?

There’s a long pause…and nothing.

“Knew the kid had taste,” Roger murmurs, proud.

“Okay, well, try one you actually like,” I urge.

“Are you going to do it too?” he says, flashing his eyes up to me.

“I will,” I say, squeezing his hand. “I promise. But mine are really good, so I’ll give you first try so you feel like you had some say in it.”

Roger laughs and then dips his head to kiss my stomach before passing another name along the line.

 

Chapter 429

o the baby and I grip his hand, and we both wait… But nothing.

“The baby doesn’t like the name Matthew,” I whisper, laughing a little. “Well, it was just a starter,” Roger murmurs, grinning at me again. “You try one.” “All right,” I say, leaning my head back and taking a deep breath. And then I pass a name down, trying… Oliver.

“Oliver!?” Roger bursts out in disgust and I gasp, glaring at him.

“You are biasing our son!” I accuse, sitting up to smack him. “I said nothing when you said stupid Matthew!” “Matty is a cute name “he protests, laughing and blocking my blow. “Oliver is the name of a sickly Victorian child who wants more gruel -” I growl and lay back, taking a deep breath and gathering myself. “Well, let’s see what the baby thinks,” I murmur, sending Roger another glare. And then I try again, whispering Oliver? down the bond. But nothing comes back.

“Good baby,” Roger murmurs, kissing my stomach again and making me laugh.

“Don’t let her call you that. It’s terrible.” “Okay okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try one more.” “I’ll pick it?” Roger asks.

“Sure,” I reply, relaxing. “But this time, pick one you really, really like. One that you’d actually want him to be called – your favorite.” “Okay,” he murmurs.

And then Roger passes another name down the bond, and I smile, because… Because I love it.

And we wait… And then both Roger and I gasp at the same time as we feel the baby respond.

Happy!

“Oh my god,” I say, laughing and sitting up as Roger snatches me to him, pulling me fast into his lap.

“Did we did we just -” he stares at me, thrilled. Laughing, elated, I take his face in my hands and kiss him, and kiss him, and kiss him.

Because…I think we just named the baby.

Roger and I stayed on that beach almost until the sun came up, and then we gathered up all of our sandy clothes and the blanket and trooped back to the house, where we closed the doors and slept for hours and ignored the whole world.

We woke up in the early afternoon to the owner of the bungalow tapping on the door, bringing us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger went to get it while I curled further up in bed, deciding that I was never, ever getting up.

Of course, I had to, eventually, because Roger wouldn’t let me eat all my meals in bed, instead insisting that I come and sit with him on the couch for the elaborate dinner he made. Well, elaborate for Roger, who never learned to cook. But the spread of sandwiches and warmed soup and crackers he made was delicious, and certainly hit the spot.

We spent two more days like that, surviving on whatever the landlord brought us every day in baskets and otherwise laying in bed talking, making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when he was awake to see what he’d do.

And honestly, the baby never did much, but it made us laugh to do it.

And sex, obviously a great deal of that as well. But honestly, it blurred in with everything else we did, a usual part of the day as we napped, and went swim and laid out in the sun. The entire time it was just… so natural, and so easy. Just Roger and I simply together, away from the world.

And it was wonderful. But after the second day, we knew we had to get back – because as much as we like each other, we like our lives too.

“We’ll do this again, yes?” Roger murmurs, pulling me close outside the little bungalow after we’ve packed and locked up. “Next week?” I laugh and let him kiss me, let it sweep through me. “Maybe not next week. But soon.” He nods, giving me another little peck, before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe the owner will let us buy it,” Roger murmurs, looking fondly at the bungalow.

“That’s sweet, baby,” I sigh, but then I put a hand on my stomach. “But, considering that this little guy is coming along? We’re going to want more space.” “True” Roger says, his eyebrows raising. “And considering what the goddess said that night on the boat?…” I break into a grin. “You’re thinking more?” “I’m thinking a bunch more,” he nods, eager. “And I’m going to enjoy the process very much, Cora – ” “Oh, sure,” I say, laughing and rolling my eyes, shoving him away a little bit. ” You just make the babies, I’ll grow them, and carry them, and then raise them He laughs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we head for the car. ” Nah, I’m going to be a very involved dad. You’ll see. You’ll barely have to lift a finger.” “Good,” I say, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek as he opens my car door for me. “Or, we can just pass them all off on Ella,” I say, giving a shrug.

“She’d be into that?” Roger asks, loading our tiny luggage into the trunk before crossing to the driver’s side.

“It would be her dream,” I say, rolling my eyes and sitting down in the car, closing my door behind me as Roger climbs into his seat. “Ella, loaded up with four of her own kids and as many nieces and nephews as we can pass over to her to raise? She’d be in heaven.” “Sounds like a deal,” he says, half serious and grinning at me as he buckles his belt and starts the car.

“I know,” I say, smiling down at him and stroking my belly fondly. “We’re lucky.

We’ve got a good family.” “Good family,” he agrees, “and only getting bigger and better.” And then Roger kisses me on the cheek before we pull away from our cozy little dream bungalow and head home. As we pull closer to the city, though, I grimace a little, glancing between Roger and my phone.

“What is it?” he asks, noticing even my subtle movements.

“Um!” I reply, grimacing a little. ” Have you…checked your phone at all? In the past two days?” “No,” he says, frowning at me. “I knew that Dominic was just going to swamp me with a bunch of stuff I don’t want to think about, and that Ella would text you if anything bad happened. Why?” I laugh a little, raising my eyebrows at him. “Well, apparently he’s pissed,” I say, grinning.

“Oh god,” Roger sighs, digging his phone out of the center console of the car where he apparently left it for the entire time we were gone. He hands it to me so I can assess while he drives, but when I tap the screen and press the buttons, nothing happens.

“You let it die!?” I ask, appalled.

“Well, it’s not like we can’t resuscitate it,” he murmurs, gesturing towards the chord coiled neatly in the little well beneath the dashboard. Laughing, I grab the chord and plug it in, waiting until the phone comes on. When it does, my eyes go wide.

“Ohhhh boy,” I say, flicking through the messages.

“That bad?” he asks, grimacing.

“Well, I think you should reroute the GPS,” I murmur, flicking through the dozens of messages. “Nothing like truly horrible happened or anything but …yeah. He wants to see you. Now.” “Well,” Roger sighs, glancing at me and switching lanes so that we can head to the palace instead of the house. “It was nice being mated to you, Cora.” “Three days of bliss,” I say, pressing my lips together and pretending to be sad as I pat his knee.

“Remember me to the child,” he murmurs, taking the exit. “Tell him I was a good man.” “Don’t make me lie to the baby, Roger,” I sigh, tucking his phone away and picking up mine so that I can text Ella and

tell her we’re on our way. “I’ll tell him you were adequate, at best.” Roger just laughs, as I knew he would, and takes my hand, giving it a little squeeze.

 

Chapter 430

Breaking the News Ella I shriek when I hear the tap on the door, jumping up from the bed and dashing towards it, so excited to see my sister that I can’t even think about moving slowly.

Behind me, I hear Sinclair stand up and give a little growl. Without even looking, I know he’s standing with his arms across his chest, his feet wide apart, glaring at the door. But! That’s Roger’s problem. Not mine.

I fling the door open and immediately throw myself into my sister’s arms. ” Cora!” I shout, laughing. “I missed you!” “It was two days, Ella!” she laughs, shaking her head and hugging me back.

“Three!” I insist, frowning at her.

“Well, whatever,” she says, rolling my eyes. “We’ve spent longer apart than that.” “Yes well,” I say, pulling back and grinning at her. “I missed you. Don’t go away again. It was boring without you.” “I can’t believe that,” Cora says, frowning at me as we move into the room.

“Didn’t you go to the camps and work? That’s never – ” But I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth as soon as I see it.

Cora, surprised, turns to me with wide eyes and then starts to look around for whatever is wrong as Roger comes into the room as well, shutting the door behind him. Figuring it out first, Roger starts to laugh.

“What!?” Cora asks, looks between her mate and me.

“Cora!” I gasp, stepping forward and grabbing at the neck of her shirt, yanking it back so I can see – Her mating mark – right there! High on her shoulder, almost on her neck!

“Oh,” she says, laughing and blushing a little, reaching up to run her fingers over it and then sending a little glare Roger’s way. “Yes, he decided to put it in a very noticeable place, didn’t he?” “Damn right I

did,” Roger murmurs, ducking down to give me a kiss on the cheek before moving over to Sinclair.

I ignore them – and whatever boy fight is going to immediately ensue as I throw my arms around my sister, shrieking again with happiness. ” Cora!” I shout, rocking her back and forth in my arms, “I’m so happy for you!

Congratulations! What – what happened! Tell me everything!” “Wait,” she says, unable to keep from beaming with happiness herself, but she pulls away from me and shakes her head. “You’re – you’re not mad? That we we eloped, instead of doing the wedding you planned!” “Cora,” I say, my shoulders falling in my disappointment, “I never cared about that – and even if I was disappointed, I’d never let it overshadow my happiness for you! This,” I say, gesturing again towards her mark, “is such a wonderful thing and you two waited so long and were so patient – ” Unable to help myself, I cry out again and wrap my sister in another hug.

“Well thanks, Ella,” she says, hugging me tightly back. “We’re really happy. It was…a really special couple of days.” “I want to hear everything,” I say, pulling back. I open my mouth to ask for more details, but we both turn- distracted when we hear Roger and Sinclair raising their voices at each other.

“You should have been here, Roger,” Sinclair says, his whole body tense, glaring daggers at his brother.

“You didn’t need me, Dom,” Roger says, throwing out a dismissive hand. ” Cora and I needed to do this -” “Um,” I say, stepping closer to Cora. ” What do you say we steal the baby and go…somewhere else?” “You don’t want to watch the fireworks?” Cora says, turning her head to the side and grinning at me.

“I want to concentrate on you,” I say, nudging her with my elbow and grinning.

“Besides, they need…a minute to work this out. Come on.” Then, quickly, I cross the room again as quietly as I can, reaching for the baby, who is laying in his pack-and-play, messing with some toys. He

gives a little happy squeak when I pick him up, which makes me smile.

I turn to Cora then, nodding to a door on this side of the room. Frowning, because she’s never been through it before, she follows me with curiosity. I watch her face as I open the door and we pass through. I’m gratified when I see her expression move from curiosity to wonder as we enter a perfect little living room.

“Oh,” she says, looking around with raised eyebrows. “Oh wow, I had no idea this was here…” “We just had it fixed up,” I say, closing the door behind me. “Damon’s taste was…” I grimace and shake my head. “But through here!” I continue, walking to the center of the room and pointing towards another door, “there are more bedrooms, for the kids! So, we have like, our own little family suite here, which I think is really nice.” “I love it!” Cora says, laughing and sinking down onto the sofa, curling up her legs beneath her in a way that makes me smile, because she looks so cozy, and that’s precisely what I want. I know that we live in a palace and that there’s a sense of refinement to the entire place, but I really wanted to create a space within it where my family and I could feel comfortable, at home.

And Cora’s immediate reaction, curling up against the pillows? It confirms that I did well in my design.

“So,” I say, turning Rafe around so he can see his auntie as I sit down on the couch myself. “Tell me everything!” She does, then. Well, I can tell that she skips over some details that are more personal – just between her and Roger but my eyes predictably well up as soon as she starts telling me about how they went onto the beach, and the promises they made to each other, and the meteor shower.

“Oh geeze, Ells,” Cora says, laughing and shaking her head at me. “I’m going to stop telling you about my life if all it does is make you cry.” “You’d better not,” I cry out, sniffing hard and wiping my face with the heel of my hand.

“Here,” Cora says, sighing and leaning forward to take the baby from me so that I can blow my nose and pull myself together. I smile as I watch her settle the baby on her lap, grinning down at him and

giving him a little baby talk that makes him laugh and reach for her.

I bite my lip, loving the sight of Cora with the baby, and then I lean against the pillows, not asking for him back. Not just yet.

“So, is that all?” I ask, curious, my eyes all dried up. “The whole story?” “Umm,” she says, looking away.

“What!” I laugh, kicking out a foot to shove her on the knee. “Tell me!” “You’re just going to go to pieces, Ells,” she says, rolling her eyes and hugging Rafe close against her.

“Well, that just makes me want to know more,” I say, laughing and leaning forward eagerly.

“Okay, well,” she says, grinning – and I know she can’t wait to tell me either. ” We…kind of named the baby.” I gasp, a long and deep inhale of breath as I sit up straight, clasping my hands to my chest. “You did!?” Laughing, Cora nods. “I remembered what you said about…how you named Rafe? How you tried out different names, and he really responded when you said Rafe?” My eyes instantly fill with tears at the memory and dart to my son, my little baby.

And I laugh, and nod, “he kicked,” I say, biting my lip. “And he did it again and again when we repeated it.” “Well,” she says, giving a little shrug. “We were playing with the bond, and the baby kept telling us he was happy, and so we tried…asking him names. And he didn’t like Matthew or Oliver – ” I wrinkle my nose now, because I don’t really like either of them myself – they’re not bad names, just not for this baby “But he did like…” And then she grins a little wickedly at me as I hold my breath, waiting, desperate to know – “…the name we picked out.” “Cora!” I shout, leaning forward to smack her hard on the leg, making her shriek and then laugh as she holds Rafe tight in her arms. “You’d better tell me right now!” I raise my hand to smack her again and as I do the door to the room opens, Roger and Sinclair coming in, their eyebrows raised. They both flinch as my hand lands on Cora’s thigh with a

satisfying smack, making her laugh harder and kick her leg at me again. Even Rafe gets in on it, laughing a little in Cora’s arms.

“Um, if you could please stop abusing my mate,” Roger says, putting a hand out and stepping forward.

“Dominic!” I protest, looking desperately towards my mate, who smiles around the room. “They named the baby and she won’t tell me what it is!” Sinclair laughs and raises his eyebrows at Cora. “That’s cold, Cora,” he says, “you know that baby names are her catnip. This is gonna kill her.” “Yeah well,” Cora says, grinning as Roger moves to sit on the rolled arm of the couch behind her, putting a steady hand on her shoulder. “I figure if I hold out, she’ll give me something shiny as a bribe.” “You can have my crown!” I cry, meaning it. “Just tell me!” “Ella,” Sinclair scolds, coming to the couch, where she scoots forward so he can sit behind her and she can lean back against him. “Not even yours to give.” “Which is why we can get it back,” I hiss, glancing at him over my shoulder.

Cora and Roger laugh at us then, but they keep their lips sealed.

“We just want to have it between the three of us, just for a little bit,” Roger says, smiling down at his mate, and a rushing warm feeling runs through me when I see him looking at her like that with all the love in his heart plain on his face.

“Actually,” Cora says, glancing at me with teasing eyes. “I think I’ll tell Rafe. He should be the first to know his bestie’s name, after all.” My mouth falls open in protest as Cora leans forward and whispers something in Rafe’s little tiny ear. To my surprise, he seems to listen to the word, and then he bursts into a smile looking up at Cora.

“That’s right!” Cora says, laughing and grinning down at her nephew, ” that’s your cousin’s name!” “Come back to mommy, baby,” I murmur, reaching for my baby and taking him back before leaning against Sinclair again, who wraps his arms around me in moral support. “Tell me auntie’s secret, right

now!” Rafe looks up at me with his big innocent green eyes, a bubble on his lip. And I can’t do anything but laugh.