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?”

– but that was the sentiment. That he’s just trying

lays cuddled in my arms, drowsy

him take

hoisting my baby up closer. “Well,

doesn’t mean it’s good,” Sinclair grumbles behind me. Clearly, he wanted better

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 that sounds quite

perking up a little. “Well, that’s interesting. Would I be able to

nodding, “and sent

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

does – her interests 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

voice a little annoyed in

“prefers…more sweeping magics. Not things

and I find myself holding my breath as I look down at my little

Sinclair asks,

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

all go silent and still at

moment, only Roger is bold enough

the hell, Ariel,” he breathes, leaning forward to stare at

me from this, and I shake my head as Cora and Sinclair and then Henry start to laugh as well. I shake my head at my brother-in-law, so grateful for him and his

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

something like that,” I sigh, rolling my eyes and trying to shake the tension out of my shoulders. “It could be… something smaller.

speaking such blasphemy about our mother and a deity. Roger just wrinkles his nose at Cora as he grins and grabs his arm where she hit him, pretending that the blow stung when it clearly

is clearly the most powerful wolf amongst us,” I say with a sigh, propping her up a little in my arms so she can look around at the family. “So, she is

feel a little pulse of pride and pleasure

it means she’ll be able to stand up to 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

have gifts from

Henry says, tilting his head

talks, “that’s not how bonds work, right? I mean, Cora and Ella are blessed with Goddess gifts, but Roger and I aren’t

at my mate over my shoulder. ” Excuse me, Dominic, but you have benefited