Chapter 307

My guests surprise me by staying almost until noon. Well, at least, some of them – mostly those who started hitting the mimosas hard when we got back to the house and then moved to whiskey.

After the baby wakes up and has a little lunch, I come yawning back into the front of the house, where I smile to see that Sinclair has loosened his tie and is enjoying a little banter with Roger and some of the other Alphas.

Isabel and James have gone, back to their hotel to let little Sadie sleep in peace, but Cora is still here, curled up on a couch and half dozing as Henry – I laugh to see him a little tipsy as well – tells her stories of his youth. I move over to them, tired but happy to see everyone enjoying themselves.

“How are you, Ella,” Henry asks, smiling at me warmly and peeking at the baby, who looks at him curiously when I hand him over.

“I am good, happy,” I say, grinning at both of them. “Though I wouldn’t say no to sometime soon –”

“Oh my,” Henry says, glancing up at the clock. “We’ve overstayed our welcome –”

my bed “No,” I say, appalled at myself for such a rude comment, “It wasn’t a hint – I’m sorry, stay “No, Ella,” Cora says, laughing and standing up. “Henry is right, and so are you – it is late. Or early or...” she screws up her face in concentration, “whatever. Time to go home!”

We both give Henry a kiss goodbye before he hands my baby back to me and wheels towards the door. Cora leans in to give me a kiss goodbye as well, but I hold her close and whisper in her ear before she can pull away, the baby fussing a little to be smushed, just a bit, between us. “Cora, why didn’t Doctor Hank come today?”

She frowns at me, a little chagrined, as she stands straight again. “Well, did you invite him?”

“Of course I invited him,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her. But then I hesitate. “Or...” I slap my hand to my mouth, realizing...

“Cora! I thought you were going to bring him! I didn’t send him an invitation because I assumed he would come as your plus one!”

She raises an eyebrow at me, a little offended. “Ella, Hank is not my boyfriend –”

“He’s not?!” I gasp. Then I scrape a frustrated hand down my face, confused. “Cora, if he’s not your boyfriend then what is he –”

“He’s whatever he is!” she hisses, looking around the room awkwardly in the hope that no one’s listening. I note that her eyes linger on Roger and put the pieces together.

“Cora,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “Hank told me that he wants to build a life with you “What! When did he –”

“But if you’re stopping him because you’re holding a space open for someone else –“

“Ella! I thought you wanted me to –”

“I want you to be happy!” I interrupt, my voice raised in frustration. My words echo around the room a little bit and I blush, realizing that our little tiff is...well, not exactly private anymore. I take my sister by the shoulder and turn her towards the corner of the room.

“You’re starting to cross a line, Ella,” Cora says, glaring at me. “This is my life, and my business – and you’re getting in my head!

Telling me you want me to be happy, and then telling me you want me to be with Roger, and then kind of yelling at me for not bringing Hank into a literal pack of wolves for a magical moonlight baptism!” Exasperated, Cora runs her hand through her hair. “I don’t even know what I want anymore, Ella, because you’re too busy telling me what you want!”

I inhale deeply through my nose, glaring back at my sister but...well, hearing her. “I just want the best for you, Cora,” I say back to her, a little mad. “And I thought that you decided that that was Hank! But if you’re still keeping space for Roger...” I turn my glare on the back of his head now, angry again. “What happened out in those woods? Did he say something to you? Did he did he kiss you?”

“Ella,” Cora says, taking me by the shoulders and giving me a little shake, though I can see a blush on her cheeks. “Let it go.”

“Fine,” I lie, still frowning at her.

Cora sighs and shakes her head. “I’m tired, Ella,” she says, looking towards the door and then back at me. “I’m going home, but I don’t want to leave it this way. It was a great night – really ...special. Can we just tell each other we love each other, and then go take much–needed naps?”

“Yes,” I sigh, my eyes softening as I pull my sister close to me. “I’m sorry, Cora, you’re right. I’m – I must just be over–tired. It’s been a big night.”

“You did amazing,” Cora murmurs to me, and then bends to kiss the baby’s head before squeezing my hand and heading for the door, stopping to say goodbye to some people on the way out. I watch my sister go, feeling guilty for bothering her about it but...

Well. I’m still mad.

And I know exactly who to take it out on.

Conveniently, Roger backs away from the group of Alphas with whom he’s been talking, heading to the little bar we set up to refill his drink. I intercept him on the way.

“You stay away from Cora – “I say, stepping in front of him and pointing a finger in his face.”

I know what happened between you two tonight” – that’s a lie, but he doesn’t know that and I think you’re being rotten to her, Roger “What?” Roger says, blinking at me, completely shocked. “Ella, I –”

“I’m serious, Roger!” I say, my anger getting deeper when he doesn’t immediately comply with my demands. I hold my baby tight against my chest as I take another step towards him. “ That’s my sister you’re messing with, and I’m not going to let you break her heart more than you already have –”

“Ella!” Roger snaps, swatting away my finger, which, I admit, is coming dangerously close to his face. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t play dumb with me, Roger. You know she still has feelings for you – but if you have no intention of taking her seriously because she can never have your children, then you need to leave her alone. Let her go and be with someone who can appreciate her for the wonderful woman she is, whether or not she can give them children.”

I see something change on Roger’s face then. He goes a little pale, his jaw dropping, as if... well, as if I’ve spoken the inner secret that’s been nagging at his heart for weeks. I feel a little bitter, victorious smile pull at my lips.

“Ella,” Roger sighs, taking a step closer to me. “It’s more complicated than that – ”

“It’s really not,” I insist, shaking my head at him, my eyes wide. “And as someone who for years was put down by her partner because she couldn’t have his kids for no fault of her own Roger’s face drops further as I say this, the guilt written obviously on his features now. He hadn’t put it together before, I realize that what he’s doing to Cora great deal in common with how Mike treated me before I met Sinclair.

or might do has a “I’m telling you right now,” I continue, “to either love her for who she is and how she is, or leave her alone. But don’t you dare drag her along just to break her heart, Roger Sinclair. If you do that, I’ll tear you to pieces.”

The last words are uttered through my bared teeth, and I mean every word of them. I’m so worked up that I don’t even notice Sinclair come up behind me.

“Ella,” my mate says, stern. “You need to back off.”

I spin on him, glaring up at his gigantic Alpha self. “What, are you going to tell me that I’m wrong?” I ask him, righteous.

“Because if so, “I say, looking between the two of them, my newborn baby still held tight against me, “I’ll take on you both at once!”