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?”

well, those weren’t her precise words – but that was the sentiment. That he’s

down at little Ariel who lays cuddled in my arms, drowsy but idly kicking her little feet.

she… she said she can’t make him take it back, Ells. That immortal gifts they’re not like…presents you can

my baby up closer. “Well, at least we

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

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

a little. “Well, that’s interesting.

“and sent to

were some of the ‘gifts’ the Dark God has given?” Sinclair asks, his voice heavy and dubious on the word ”

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 gifts that could be used to build a family

god?” Sinclair presses, his voice

now, “prefers…more sweeping magics. Not things that can or should be used every

and I find myself holding my breath as I

the world?” Sinclair asks, going tense behind

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

all go silent and

bold enough to

he breathes, leaning forward

this, and I shake my head as Cora and Sinclair and then Henry start to laugh as well. I shake my

at his niece with wide eyes. “She’s the littlest of all of us but it sounds

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

smack him for speaking such blasphemy about our mother and a deity. Roger just wrinkles his nose at Cora as he

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

and I feel a little pulse of pride and pleasure down

her brother and her cousin,” Roger says, looking between the boys – Rafe toddling around on the

the group. “Does it…I mean, they all have gifts from mom, right? But will her being strong make the

know,” Henry says, tilting his

not how bonds work, right? I mean, Cora and

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