#Chapter 376 – Rolls Reversed Ella
The gift burns through me and the ice strips away from my body faster than I thought possible, water sliding to the floor as I push myself out, as I free my legs and start to run.
I have to grab the door frame as I fly into the hall, using it to pivot around the corner and keep running towards the lobby where scared humans and wolves are pressed against the walls, staring around in hushed voices as nurses begin to treat those who were worst wounded by the rogue priestess who came through apparently willing to hurt anyone in her path –
I ignore them though I can’t give them any of my attention right now. I’m focused, instead, on finding my son. I tear through the lobby, hurling the door open at the front of the clinic and bolting through it. I’m already running, my head swiveling, looking for any sign of the Priestess when I hear my name.
“Ella!” I spin, looking everywhere, and finally see Hank on the ground, his hand pressed against his head, his jaw looking painfully swollen. Before I can say anything though, he shoots a hand to his right, pointing off into the distance.
“That way!” Hank shouts. “Roger – Sinclair – ”
I gasp in relief – but then fear chases it as I realize that I have no real idea what Hank means when he indicates that they’re here –
I start off at a sprint, using all of my senses, needing to find them –
It’s not long, though, before I see Roger stumbling towards me, covered in blood a little blue bundle in his arms-
A cry rips from my throat as I put on an extra spurt of speed to get to his side, reaching for my baby boy, tears bursting from my eyes and streaming from my face as Roger comes stumbling to a halt, holding him out to me.
“Is he “I gasp, grabbing my baby, simultaneously trying to hold him close and look him over –
“He’s fine, Ella -” Roger says, taking me by the shoulders. But I don’t look up at him, instead sobbing down at my little boy, who wails like a banshee in unhappiness and fright. I scan him through my tears but it looks like – I can’t see anything wrong-
I close my eyes, seeking my bond with my child – hoping it can tell me more But I can’t reach it, because Roger shakes me again.
“Ella!” Roger shouts, his hands still hard on my shoulders. “I’m serious, Ella! Rafe, I think, is okay but… Dominic” He looks back over his shoulder and back towards the clearing behind the clinic.
I snap my head up to look at Roger’s face when he says my mate’s name. And when I see how grave his expression is…how worried…
The blood feels like it drains from me. Like I’m frozen, again, in the ice.
And I turn to look, to follow his gaze, and I see two dark forms laying there, so close to each other in the darkness. One covered in the folds of a priestess’ robes, the other…
I set off again in an instant, as fast as I can go – but I can’t run now – I can’t, with the baby in my arms
I feel someone tug at Rafe and my instincts kick in, making me snap towards whoever it is with a terrible snarl, my teeth fully bared, already elongating in my mouth
Roger opens his eyes wide in shock and puts up his hands, showing me that he means no harm. But he speaks fast. “Ella, the gift – you have to get to him now – please, give me the baby -”
And it breaks every part of my poor motherly heart to hand Rafe over to his uncle, every molecule within me screaming to hold him close, to never let him go again…
But one more glance towards those forms in the darkness has me decided, and I hastily hand my crying child to his godfather. Roger will take care of him, I know. And without a word I take off, sprinting towards my fallen mate.
Sinclair
I blink my eyes open in the forest and wince as the bright white light stings my eyes. Fuck, I think, covering the top half of my face with my hands. Is it already morning?
But then I realize, quite suddenly….
That I don’t remember going to bed.
I sit up, wary, trying to understand…
But I’m not even in my bed. Or…
Inside at all…
Confused, I look all around the bright forest and down at the soft bed on which I sit, running my hands over the crisp white linens. Where the hell am I?
“Hey, handsome,” a soft voice says, and I whip my head up to look at her the beautiful woman standing in front of me. I blink, trying to clear my wide eyes
Because she’s so beautiful. She’s got to be she can’t be anything but…
“Are you an angel?” I ask, my voice low with awe. But she doesn’t answer my question with the soft smile I expect, instead bursting into laughter.
“No, Dominic,” she says, shaking her head and coming close to me, taking my face in her hands and smiling down into my face. “You’ve been asleep for a while. You’re confused. Think about it – you know me.”
“Am I…am I dead?”
She smiles down at me, slowly shaking her head. “No, baby,” she murmurs. “And I’d be worried about these questions, except Dr. Hank says your brain scan is fine. You’re just really, really exhausted.”
“What?” I ask, frowning up at her. But she just smiles at me again and steps closer before sitting herself in my lap. My arms wrap around her instinctually, as if that’s where they belong. As if I’ve done it a thousand times before.
“I’ve been trying for a long time,” she says, ignoring my question, “to get you to meet me here.”
I laugh a little myself. “I can’t come up with a reason why I would protest,” I murmur, looking down at her as she rests her head against my chest and starts to idly drag her fingers up and down the fabric of my shirt. She’s just… so beautiful…
“You weren’t ready,” she sighs. “We were really worried about you, Dominic. The baby especially.”
“The baby?” I ask, confused, and she lifts her head to frown up at me.
“Rafe,” she replies.
I just stare at her, confused, and she starts to shake her head at me, raising her hand to my cheek again. “You need to come back to me, Dominic,” she murmurs. “To both of us.”
“I – I’m not…trying not to…” I protest, horrified to disappoint her – but I don’t know what to do –
“It’s okay,” she sighs, cocking her head a little as she considers me. Maybe you just need more…time.”
“More time?” I ask, starting to get frustrated. I look around the space where we’re sitting, starting to get worried. Where the hell am I? Am I…am I dead? Imprisoned? What on earth is happening –
“Calm down, Dominic,” she murmurs, sitting up and adjusting herself in my lap so that her legs are straddled wide across my own, so that her hands are linked behind my neck. When I turn to look her way – to protest that I can’t calm down – I don’t have any idea what’s going on – I find her face close to mine, her eyes warm and kind.
“It’s okay, baby,” she murmurs, nudging me a little with her nose. “You just need to…remember who you are. So that you can come back to me.”
And then she leans closer, and presses her mouth to mine, and I feel everything I am collapse at the touch of her mouth against my own. And then, as her lips part, and my arms tighten around her, holding her tight…
I feel myself begin to reform.
And my identity snaps into place.
