Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Chapter 497- Bonded Power Ella

I give Ariel one last kiss for luck and exhale a deep breath, focusing my eyes on Henry as I lean back against my mate, who wraps a supportive arm around me.

“Actually, Ella,” Cora says, and my eyes dart to her. She smiles and me from across the couch, her arms wrapped around her baby on her lap. ” I’m the one who has news first.”

“Oh,” I say, my eyes going wide as I shift a little to direct my attention to her now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know – ”

She shakes her head, dismissing my apology as Roger comes to perch on the arm of the couch behind her. She reaches up a hand and he takes it, giving her a little squeeze.

“Um, we contacted mom this morning,” she says quietly, apology all over her face. “To…to ask about what the Dark God could have possibly been up to. I’m sorry we did it without you – I know you would have wanted to be there -”

“No,” I breathe, even though I am a little disappointed. “I mean, I wouldn’t have been able to see her anyway, right?”

“Yeah,” she says, cocking her head to the side. “Unless we go to the temple, it is sort of a…one-on-one experience, isn’t it?”

“But we can go,” Sinclair murmurs behind me, supportive, “if we don’t get the answers you need – ”

“It’s okay,” I say, nodding to everyone around the room. “I get it – you don’t need to be so gentle with me. I was completely knocked out from giving birth and we needed information fast. It’s okay. So…” I flick my fingers at my sister, smiling at her. “Please, divulge. I’m dying to know.”

“Well,” Cora says, laughing a little and glancing up at Roger. “Mom was not happy to hear that her boyfriend visited you.”

“Really?” I gasp, a little delighted at the immortal gossip.

“Really,” Cora confirms, her eyes going wide as a grin overtakes her face. “She figured that he knew about you, but she had no idea that he’d go so far as to bestow a gift on the baby behind her back.”

“Behind her back,” I repeat, shaking my head. “Wow. So? Did she say it was… dangerous?”

laughing and giving a little shrug. “Or, well, those weren’t her precise words – but that was the sentiment. That he’s just trying to get her attention and let her know that he’s pissed – but that

my arms, drowsy but idly kicking her little feet. “It really was

said she can’t make him take it back, Ells. That immortal

makes sense,” I sigh, hoisting my baby up

mean it’s good,” Sinclair grumbles behind me.

can. “The texts are old, but there are some that report on gifts given by both the Goddess and the Dark Lord. What is interesting is that they seem to be reliable – there is one text in particular that speaks of a Goddess-given gift of healing

“Well, that’s interesting. Would I be able

says nodding, “and sent to you as soon as

Dark God has given?” Sinclair asks, his voice heavy and dubious on the word ”

have always been more domestic, for lack of a better word. She deals with the heart and the home – assigning mates, healing the body, changing the weather to ensure good crops.” He nods to Cora and I as he lists our gifts and I turn my head, because he’s right – while Cora and I have used them in much different ways, they do seem to be

dark god?” Sinclair presses, his voice

magics. Not things that can or should be used

me at this and I find myself holding my breath as I look down at my

world?” Sinclair asks, going tense behind

the gift of eclipse, allowing him to hold the moon’s shadow before the sun for days on end, only relenting

silent and still at

is bold enough to break the

Ariel,” he breathes, leaning forward to stare at

then Henry start to laugh as well. I shake my head at my brother-in-law, so grateful for him and his strange sense of humor, which revealed itself so late

his hand through his hair, looking at his niece with wide eyes. “She’s the littlest of all

and trying to shake the tension out of my shoulders. “It could be… something

murmurs, and I grin as Cora turns to smack him for speaking such blasphemy about our mother and a deity. Roger just wrinkles

so she can look around at the family. “So, she is the Alpha now.” Ariel, betraying my confidence,

little pulse of pride and pleasure down my bond with

her brother and her cousin,” Roger says, looking between the boys – Rafe toddling around on the floor and Jesse in Cora’s arms. “Though …none of them are very impressive

gifts from mom, right? But will her being strong make the boys

tilting his head and

right? I mean, Cora and Ella are blessed with Goddess gifts, but Roger and I

shoulder. ” Excuse me, Dominic, but you