Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate by Caroline Above Story

Chapter 121 – Ella’s Past

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains experiences of abuse and S**ual a*sault – nothing explicit, but please take care reading!

Sinclair

Ella’s small body is completely stiff in my arms, even though we’re in her favorite place. I’ve only bathed with her once before, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how much she loves a bubble bath. She takes at least four a week, and when she’s upset I’ve known her to have a bath even after showering. Until I spoke with Cora about Ella’s self-care practices, I didn’t understand the connection to her childhood experience of neglect, but now that I know I’m determined never to deprive her of the comfort – even if my water bills go through the roof and the city goes into a drought.

“Are you ready to talk this out, trouble?” I inquire, resting my hands on her round tummy and feeling a pulse of stress from the baby. A fresh spark of worry a*sails me, and I know that Rafe is channeling his mother’s fraught emotions. Ella doesn’t respond to my question, and I press on, realizing that the poor little wolf isn’t going to relax until she knows I’m not going to reject her. “Sweetheart, it never even crossed my mind to end things. I love you.”

Ella’s muscles tighten further, though I didn’t think such a thing was possible. “But…” She stammers, twisting around to look at me, “but you left!”

some survivors of child abuse view any confrontation as a disaster or threat, but Ella has weathered my anger in the past without any signs of a trauma response. “I was

come back… I think… I think maybe I have some abandonment issues I wasn’t completely aware of. And Mike’s betrayal and

I snuggle her to my chest, lowering my knees so that she can straddle my lap. “I”m so sorry, baby.” I profess, kissing her head and stroking her spine. “I shouldn’t have left you when you were already upset, I just don’t trust myself not to say things I don’t mean when I’m that angry. The same way I would never make a pack ruling or deliver a punishment in the height of a fury. I think taking some space in the heat of the moment can be healthy, but maybe we can find some way to take

be your Luna, but you

a moment.” I order, sliding my finger under her chin and pulling her eyes up to mine. “First of all – you take care of me all the time. You saved my campaign. You keep me calm when I’m being an ogre. You stand up to bullies like the Prince and Lydia, and you share my burdens even when I don’t want you to. Moreover, I need to dominate my mate. It’s in an Alpha’s DNA to nurture and protect. If you didn’t let me comfort and take care

“But I didn’t let you. I

tying her up. I’ve growled and grumbled at Ella a thousand times. I’ve put her over my knee and overpowered her countless times without any issue. In fact most of the time her wolf responds to my bossiness like a bee to honey. “I think we both

but her eyes look anywhere but at me. Slight pressure nudges my fingers as Ella gives a slight nod, and then her wide gaze

won’t ever have to relive her painful memories, but I know that wouldn’t help anything. “We’re in a S**ual relationship,

my mate to cry for the upteenth time today. “Do we have to talk about

think so.” I resolve gravely. “It’s never going to hurt any less, and the sooner you tell me, the

we would move up accordingly. Cora is a year older than me, but when she turned eleven and was going to be moved into a dorm with the older girls we both panicked a bit. We’d always been together and didn’t want to be separated, and she also used to crawl into my bed at night when she had nightmares – which was most nights. She was afraid that the older girls would make fun of her, and I didn’t want to leave her without a friend when monsters visited her dreams. Long story short, I pitched a fit so they would allow me to move with

me for some time. I didn’t understand what she meant, but she always gave me a really uneasy feeling. In hindsight I think that might have been part of why I was so determined to stay with Cora… I think my instincts were warning me that