Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

chapter 490 – Time Grows Short

Five and a Half Months Later

Ella

There’s a strange atmosphere in the palace today and I admit that I don’t quite no how to feel, because everything is half dread and half excited anticipation.

At least, that’s how it is for everyone else.

For me? For me it’s just a great deal of discomfort.

“Ella,” Cora scolds as I try to bend over and pick up one of Rafe’s socks from the floor. “Let me do that – ”

“I can do it!” I gasp, reaching for it –

But then I stumble and almost fall over, and Cora catches me by the shoulders.

“Enough!” she snaps, shaking her head at me. “Back to the nest! Stop getting out of it! You’re six full months pregnant, Ella – full term! For heaven’s sake, if you fall over I’m scared you’ll split like a watermelon and just spill the baby out.”

“That might be better,” I mutter, glaring at the errant sock and doing as my sister says, heading back for my bed. “This baby is big, and I’m not precisely looking forward to pushing her out.”

“Well, what did you expect,” Cora says, flipping the sock into a hamper and walking behind me to the bed. ” You decided to have babies with the most gigantic man I’ve ever seen.”

“First,” I say, holding up one finger as I sink down on to my bed and start to tuck my legs under the covers, “I did not choose to have children with that gigantic man, I chose a nice slim sperm donor for my first child -”

“Yeah well, you chose to have the second baby,” Cora reminds me, raising an eyebrow at me as she sits down on the edge of the bed.

“And second,” I say, choosing to ignore her logic, “Rafe was a little baby. It’s not my fault that this one is very content to stay in for as long as she possibly can.” I sigh, resting my head back against my pillows and putting my hands on either side of my belly.

“Poor sister,” Cora coos, reaching out to stroke my stomach as well. “She’ll be here soon enough.”

What Cora says is true I’ve been in pre-labor for a couple of hours now. I’m having mild, irregular contractions which Cora says is unlikely to be Braxton Hicks at this late stage. So, baby girl is coming soon, even if she’s taking her time about this as well.

“Remember how crazy it was?” I say softly, my mind turning to the past. ” When Rafe was born?”

she replies. “Do

a bit. “Do I miss almost dying and fearing for my life, having to stop and give

shrugs. “Well,

shaking my head. “It was all very exciting. Poor baby

her hand comfortingly across my stomach. “Besides, two months from now we get to have her baptism, and then it’s

“Honestly, it

she says, grinning at me, ” covered in

know,” I say, sitting up on my elbows and glaring at her, “you don’t

Ella,” Cora says, rolling her eyes and laughing. “Like you

have plenty of friends – -“I protest, my mouth falling open, but our completely unserious fight ends abruptly

when he sees me. ” Mama!” he calls, raising his

they’re about halfway across the room, Sinclair puts Rafe on his feet and

giggles, reaching for me, and Cora obliges him by lifting him up so

so big?” Cora

me,” I say with a sigh, tugging my little boy close and giving him a big kiss on the head. He’s one now. I cried the entire day of his

off,” Roger says, his voice a little bitter as he sits down next to Cora with Jesse in his lap. Sinclair moves to the other side of the bed so he can sit in his spot next

just jealous,” he says, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. ” Because Rafe is

old,” Cora says, rolling her eyes at

faster for six months,” Sinclair says dryly, trying to hold

Roger says fondly to his son, softly petting the silky brown hair that’s

burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of my family, shaking my head at all of them. “I can’t believe you’re debating which kid is going to win a footrace,”

says, waving a dismissive hand, “not yet

forward to

is that everything’s wrapped up for now Roger and I have cleared our calendars, so

quips. “When Cora was in labor, there were drinks –

her mate, shaking her head at him. He flinches and then falls back on the mattress in pretend

laugh at them but turn to put my head on Sinclair’s shoulder. “How’s it going out there?”

for you to worry about,”

watching him closely. “Doesn’t mean I

sad little smile and presses his forehead to mine. Then he passes a bunch of information down our bond at once, letting me see and feel that the Atalaxians have been pressing their advantage. They’re aware that our military is rapidly getting itself together and the Atalaxians losing