Chapter 471

War Ella The next day, Cora and Roger come over early. Roger and Sinclair head out, their faces

solemn, to speak with their aids and their advisors regarding how to respond to the news we know is

inevitably coming. Our reconnaissance teams told us that the Atalaxian delegation did indeed return

home last night and were apparently in council until dawn.

Which suggests that at any moment now, they’ll declare war.

Sinclair, I know, is spending a great deal of time deciding how to publicly respond. I think that he and

Roger right now are recording a message that will go out to the nation as soon as the war is declared.

But Cora and I?

Well.

We’re just…being moms.

“Ella,” she says, sighing and holding Rafe out towards me in my closet, wrinkling her nose. “I think you

precious future King needs to be changed.” I sigh, my sweater only half over my head. “So? Go change

him.” When I pull my sweater down and settle it neatly over my stomach, I see her grinning at me, my

baby still outstretched in her arms. “Nope,” she says, shaking her head. “Your baby, your diaper.”

“You’re going to regret that policy,” I say, taking Rafe from her with raised brows, “in juuuuust about

three and a half months, Cora.” “And for three and a half months, I will be diaper free!” she calls after

me with a laugh as I carry my smelly baby over to his changing table in the bedroom.

Rafe grins at me, looking honestly a little proud of himself, and I can’t help but laugh as I lay him down

and quickly change him. “Little Rafe,” I coo, smiling down into his perfect face and tickling his belly,

“getting so big! Do you want to try an apple today? Or some avocado?” As I finish changing Rafe, Cora

comes out of the closet, changed into a comfortable set of my clothes. She came to the palace today in

more formal clothing, but as soon as Sinclair let her know that she probably wouldn’t be required to

appear or speak she immediately expressed her intention to change.

I smile at her, picking up the baby, my eyes going to where her little baby bump is clearly evident under

her sweatshirt.

“I know,” she says, rolling her eyes and laughing as she comes over to me. ” I’m getting huge.” “Oh, no

you’re not,” I say, laughing as we together move into the living area through the next door and settle

onto the couch. “Trust me, you’ll know you’re huge when you can’t even see your feet.” Cora does look

down at her feet as she tucks them up beneath her on the couch, her hands going to either side of her

belly. “It just goes so fast, these wolf pregnancies,” she says, shaking her head. “Human moms get

nine months to adjust; it’s kind of crazy that wolf mothers only get two-thirds of that time.” “Or less,” I

say, raising my eyebrows. “I didn’t even make it to six months.” “I wonder how long mine will be,” she

murmurs, still studying her belly, smiling down at her little baby-to-be.” No way of knowing, with this

hybrid stuff.” “Surprises are always exciting,” I say, resting back on the couch and holding my baby

close to my chest, turning him a little so he can look at his auntie. Rafe giggles a little, the sweetest

sound in the world.

“Not when the surprise results in a pup,” Cora murmurs, and I laugh at her displeased tone. “I’d like to

know, to have a timeline.” “Timelines are just you trying to control the chaos, sis,” I murmur, resting my

head against my baby’s. ” And with children – and this family?” I shake my head a little. “Maybe it’s

better to just lean into the unknown. There’s no way of predicting or controlling what will come next.”

“Yeah, well,” Cora sighs, looking up at me now. “With war on the horizon? And Roger looking like he’s

going to be in the midst of it all?” she shakes her head.

“Forgive me, Ella, if I lean into my desire for increased control a little more instead.” I nod,

understanding her. Before I can say anything else, though, the door opens and Roger and Sinclair

come through, their hands shockingly empty of tablets, phones, paperwork – any of the usual

accoutrements of running the nation that I’m so used to seeing them carry these days.

“What,” I say, frowning up at my mate as he comes to stand behind me. ” All done work for the day?”

“Nothing more we can do,” he murmurs. “Budge over I want to sit.” I grin, scooting forward almost

halfway across the couch to make room for him to sit down behind me. Cora wordlessly makes more

room, going to sit on Roger’s lap and draping her legs over the side of the armchair on which he

settles. I lean back against my mate, pleased when he slips an arm around me.

My smile grows when I see Roger press a kiss to Cora’s jaw, and then another on the mating mark he

placed high on her neck.

“So?” I say, turning a little to look at Sinclair, finding his eyes already on me. “Is it done?” “It is,” he

replies with a little sigh. Then he reaches for the remote and presses a few buttons, turning on the

television that hangs on the far wall. The channel immediately turns to a news venue, and words

stretch across the screen.

WAR DECARED Not wanting to hear the details he already knows, Sinclair presses mute and wraps

his arms more tightly around me. I sigh, pressing myself against him, and then I dip my head again to

press another kiss to Rafe’s soft hair.

“We tried so hard to avoid it,” I murmur.

“They know they have the upper hand,” “Sinclair replies, and I can feel him shake his head, feel his

disappointment down the bond. “It’s a gamble – but if they win? The rewards will be worth it. Moon

Valley is incredibly valuable, both in land and intellectual resources.” “Which means they’ll fight very

hard to take it,” Roger sighs. “It’s going to be…a long war.” “How long?” I murmur, looking down at the

top of Rafe’s head, so glad that he’s oblivious.

“Long enough,” Sinclair says quietly behind me, “that it’s unlikely he’ll grow up knowing peace, Ella. I’m

sorry.” “Don’t be sorry,” I say, my reply instant – because it’s really, really not his fault.

And I bolster myself then, knowing that Sincliar is as worried as I am. Knowing that he needs me to be

strong for him, as he is for me. I work to put a smile on my face, to make myself feel the hope that I

know lives within me, even though my heart hurts.

“At least,” I say, turning to look up at Sinclair, letting him see that hope, ” Rafe’s got a big strong papa to

protect him.” “Oh, he doesn’t need me,” Sinclair replies, laughing a little and reaching down to take

Rafe’s tiny hands in his own giant mitts, moving Rafe’s hands in quick jabs to make it look like he’s

punching. I laugh to see it. “Our boy’s a fighter, Ella.

Born that way.” I bite my lip, because I wanted Rafe to choose his future to decide to be a fighter if he

wants to be, or an artist if that speaks to him more. Or both. Or something in between.

But, well. We all grow up in worlds that shape us beyond our own desires. And if our hearts are true…

well, they lead us to what was meant for us anyway, right?

Despite all obstacles.

“He’s going to have a beautiful life,” I murmur, stroking my baby’s hair. “No matter what Atalaxia throws

at us. We’re going to give it to him.” “That’s right,” Sinclair says, kissing my head. I turn my face up to

him and happily accept the next kiss, which he places on my mouth.

“Don’t forget about our baby,” Roger calls, frowning at us. I grin as I turn back to my sister and her

mate, curled up in their chair. “His life is going to be even better.” “Really, Roger?” Sinclair says, his

voice dry. “We have to get competitive about this too?” “Damn right we do,” Cora says, a wicked grin on

her lips that makes me laugh.

“Our kid is going to be even happier than yours.” “Challenge accepted,” I say, pretending to glare at

both of them. ” Whoever’s kid has the better life wins.” And we all laugh a little, because we know that

both boys are winners here, with a family like this to fight for them.

“Whatever happens,” Sinclair says, looking around at all of us, “we have each other. And that’s all that

matters.” “Precisely,” Cora says with a nod, her hand tracing idly over her stomach. ” Whatever this

world throws at us, we can face it.” And I hold my baby tight, and lean back against my mate, and smile

around at my family, knowing in my heart that they’re right.

Because I’ve got big plans for our future – plans I haven’t quite shared with them yet. But I’m so

grateful to have such a strong family by my side, through the good times and the bad.