Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 346

Chapter 346 – Parting

Ella

I blink, surprised, when I hear a laugh tumble from Roger’s mouth. Honestly, I had expected anything else. Yelling? Yes. Begging? Sure. Stern orders? Absolutely.

Anything, really, except the low chuckle that falls from Roger’s lips as he leans back and puts his hands in his pockets. “I’m serious,” Cora says, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “I’m going with you. You need me.”

“Cora,” Roger says, shaking his head. “I need you, absolutely. But if you think for a second that I’m letting my pregnant mate climb into a sewer with me as part of an attack on an unknown enemy.

“Well if you wouldn’t let me do it, why on earth would I let you do it!” she counters, angry.

“Because I’m not pregnant!” Roger shouts back, angry, as if it’s obvious. Sinclair shifts a little, moving behind me – his arms still around my shoulders – so we can both watch.

“We’re pregnant,” Cora shouts, pointing between herself and him. “ This is not a me or a you kind of thing! I am not interested in single motherhood on what is essentially day two of this pregnancy!”

“Cora,” Roger sighs, putting an exhausted hand on his forehead. “This is my job. This is what we do. You can’t ask me to back away from it.”

“Why not, when you’re doing the same to me?” Cora counters, shaking her head at him, being stubborn. I bite my lip, torn between wanting to support my sister and frankly agreeing with Roger. There’s absolutely no way in hell that Cora should be going on this mission.

“What are you talking about?” Roger asks, frustrated. “I can help,” she says, pointing at herself, “I’m a doctor. You guys are going to get all torn up out there – you need me!”

Have we had enough of this? Sinclair asks, speaking to me mind-to-mind as I lean back against him, tense as we watch our siblings argue. When do I interrupt?

Give them another second, I reply internally, wanting them to figure this out on their own if they can. But even if it did come to something as simple as a vote? It’s three to one. Cora’s staying home. “We’re trained in field medicine.”

Roger says, waving a dismissive hand. ” It will be enough to hold us through it until we can get home – ”

“People could die!” Cora counters, you could die! And how the hell would I feel, for the rest of my life – what would I tell our child – when I remembered that I could have been there and saved you?”

Roger’s face falls at this thought and I see him falter, no knowing how to reply. And frankly I’m torn by the idea as well if Sinclair died, and I could have done something…

I don’t know if I’d survive it myself. Now? Sinclair asks me, his own inner voice dark and sad. Let me, I reply, and I step forward, putting a hand on Cora’s arm.

“Cora,” I whisper and, after a second, my sister drags her eyes away from her mate to look at me. Slowly, I shake my head, “Cora, you can’t go.”

“Why not?” she growls, stern. “Because,” I reply, with a little shrug. “Your argument goes both ways. How the hell would Roger feel if you got killed and your baby with you – and he could have kept you safe?” a

Roger audibly groans at the idea and has to turn away from us, tortured by it, raising a hand to cover his face for a moment as he collects himself. Cora turns to look at him, surprised, I think, by the rare display of intense emotion. These Sinclair brothers – they’re so steady on the surface, but we always have to remember that still waters run deep.

Cora moves towards him, placing her hands on Roger’s shoulders, turning him back towards her and wrapping her arms around his waist. She lays her head on his chest when he puts his own arms around her. “I don’t like this,” she whispers against his shirt, “I hate it, Roger.”

“I know,” he murmurs, his lips against his hair. “I’m sorry. But Cora, I promise you it will be all right.”