Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 356 – Gone too Far

Ella

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

down at him. But Cora scoffs and turns away, angry that I am ignoring her point: that we

I really am! You know I like Hank I like him a lot! I was very team Hank for a minute there, and

holding the clipboard close against her. “Do you seriously think I have such a bad taste in men that I would honestly sleep with someone who was trying to kidnap

the wounded man in the bed closest to use flinch, his eyes going wide with awkward

just think that Henry has a point – that we need to double-check everything before we trust people! I mean, they wouldn’t even let me call you when we first got the anonymous note that someone was going to try to

from me but clearly seeing my point. “Well, that was bullshit

“But they checked anyway! Honestly, Cora,” I say, taking a deep breath and trying to bring all of our energy back down to a reasonable level, “what’s

quietly, looking into my face for the first time. ” I already hurt Hank – and he did nothing wrong. And now he has people hurling these accusations at him, which he totally doesn’t deserve! He’s my colleague, and my friend –

sister now, my heart hurting to see her feeling this way, to hear her voice

pulling her close. “I’m sorry, Cora. I won’t doubt you again. Okay?

just trying to protect your baby.” And

you’ve done now, baby!” I joke, trying to bring a little levity to the situation. “Your simple existence has inspired a war that has resulted in accusations that have hurt your auntie’s feelings! You apologize, now!” And then I hold Rafe up towards Cora, as if he could actually

her head, smiling now, and reaches for the baby, taking him from my hands. “Nooo, not my nephew,” she says, cradling him against her arm and smiling down at him. “Don’t listen

wrinkles his little face and sighs, honestly as if a grave injustice has been done to

looking up at me. “Thanks, Ella,” she whispers.