Chapter 235


    Sinir


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    If I’d thought getting out of bed with my mate was difficult yesterday, it’s nothingpared to the


    struggle facing me today. Now that E and I have decided to undergo another separation, my wolf is


    even more on edge than before. All night I slept with my precious mate wrapped so tightly in my arms


    she couldn’t move an inch – a fact which became apparent when she pinched me awake in the middle


    of the night so that she could go pee. Of course, the moment she returned to my arms I wasted no time


    making love to her again, but it only appeased my wolf temporarily.


    Now, as I watch her snuggle closer to me in the cool morning air, I wonder if I can truly go through with


    this. Right on cue, E opens her glorious gold eyes, and I fall into the bottomless pools. “Good


    morning.” She murmurs, yawning and stretching before leaning in for a kiss. Her lips meet mine with


    familiar ease, but the taste of my delectable mate sets my wolf to howling, and fire sparks in my blood.


    It’s further proof of what I already know – that no matter how much time passes or how often wee


    together, my passion for this she-wolf will never dim.


    “I changed my mind.” I rumble when we finally part. “I can’t let you go, E.”


    My sweet mate sighs, frowning deeply as she caresses my muscr arm.” Dominic, we talked about


    this. It’s for the best.”


    “How can it be for the best when we aren’t together?” I posit stubbornly, not caring one bit that I sound


    like a lovesick pup.


    ‘The same way it was for the best for us to divide and conquer when you went visiting the Vanaran


    territories and I stayed behind.” E reminds me, kissing my shoulder and drawing my hand to her belly


    to feel our pup. Rafe is wide awake and alight with energy, though he clearly senses our tangled


    emotions. There’s an edge of confusion and anxiety in his otherwise content consciousness, and I


    know the clever minx is directing my attention to this on purpose.


    “Stop being so rational.” I huff, letting my wolf take over. “What happened to the little hellion who made


    me feel like a murderer for leaving her behind?”


    “She learned from her mistakes.” E answers steadily. “I didn’t understand then, I let my hurt feelings


    and anxiety blind me – but I know better now.” A door opens in our bond, and she lets me feel the pain


    she’s struggling to ovee herself – pain she kept hiddenst night. I suspect she did so to prevent


    me using it as an excuse to stay together, but now she shares it to let me feel how she hates this every


    bit as much as I do.


    “What about Rafe?” I demand, “you remember how angry he was with me when I finally returned? How


    abandoned he felt?”


    “And he recovered, because you’re a wonderful father and you showed him that you’ll always be there


    for him – even when he doesn’t want you to be.” E counters in the same gentle tone. “Besides, I’ll tell


    him every day that it’s my fault and if he should be angry with anyone, it’s me.”


    “No you won’t.” I reply sharply. “He can’t be missing me and cross with you at once – it’s too much


    stress.”


    “Alright.” E agrees. ‘Then I’ll tell him once we’re back together so he can retroactively hate me… and


    we will be back together, Dominic. We’re going to get through this.”


    “I don’t want him to hate you.” I grumble, running my hand over her tummy as Rafe rolls around inside


    of her, sending visible ripples over her taut skin. “I just want there to be some way for us to do it all: find


    your mother and fight this war, and have our pup without ever leaving each other’s side.”


    “It was bound to happen eventually anyway.” E reminds me, “I know you weren’t going to take us


    with you into battle. You were going to leave us here in Vanara while you went off to save the world,


    weren’t you?”


    She’s right, and the impossible creature knows it. Her beautiful face is the picture of innocence, but


    there’s a knowing glint in her shining eyes that betrays her calction. “I didn’t think it would be this


    soon.” I grumpily exin, nibbling her mating mark. “And it’s one thing for you to be under lock and key


    with Gabriel, and another entirely to send you out into the unknown without me.”


    “I know, my love.” She croons, running her fingers through my hair – soothing me against my will. I’m


    well aware that she’s giving me a taste of my own medicine, and I have to admit it’s rather infuriating.


    Clever mate, my wolf growls through our bond, though it’s not clear whether it’s intended as praise or


    comint. Naughty, incorrigible little wolf.


    Just think about how wonderful our reunion will be. Her wolf answers suggestively. We’re not going to


    have any big scares this time. We’re just going to run – or waddle, in my case – into each other’s arms


    and ravish each other until we wee our little angel.


    That’s assuming he doesn’t arrive before you can find the answers we need, or before I have to go into


    battle. My wolf sulks. It’s not as if we can control his arrival.


    Dominic, I promise you that no matter what is happening or where I am, I wille to you before he


    arrives. Even if I have to turn around and leave immediately afterwards, I’m not going to let this child


    come into the world without you. A sh of fear seeps through our connection, and I understand that


    this possibility terrifies her even more than it terrifies me. I couldn’t do it on my own, even if I wanted to.


    You could. I tenderly chide, there is nothing you cannot do, E. You might not want to, but you’ll get


    through it whether I’m there or not.


    The point is that you will be there. She insists, because we’re going to make sure of it.


    I think we both know that this is wishful thinking – pretty words to give our wolves enough hope to go


    through with the separation. Children have a way of proving that even our bestid ns can and will


    go awry, and that’s when all else is normal – which our lives are certainly not. Even so, these gentle


    pacifications are enough to calm my wolf, and a few hourster we’re sharing our decision with our


    friends and family.


    Dad, Roger, Cora, Gabriel, Isabel, James and Philippe are all gathered in our sitting room, expectantly


    anticipating an exnation for our mysterious summons. The day’s summit events are about to kick off


    and I’m sure they all assume we’re here to talk about that, so ites as no small shock when E


    deres she’s leaving Vanara next Friday.


    “What do you mean, you’re leaving?” Cora demands, nervously looking back and forth between us.


    “Dominic and I have agreed that I need to find my mother, in order to understand the Goddess’s ns


    and my own power.” She exins soberly. “It wasn’t an easy decision by any means, but the more time


    that passes, the clearer it bes that I can’t fulfill my destiny unless I discover the secrets of my


    past… and if anyone has those answers, it’s Queen Reina.”


    “So you’re just going to leave?” Isabel demands, surging to her feet. “Just like that?”


    “No, not just like that.” E sighs, “I don’t want to go, especially not when everything is so tense. But I


    don’t see another way.”


    ‘What about the refugees, the children?” Isabel snaps, cradling Sadie in her arms. ‘They need you!”


    ‘They might miss me.” E concedes, too modest for her own good. “But it’s you they need, just like the


    refugees need Dominic and James.” Isabel opens her mouth to argue more, but my mate cuts her off,


    “I’m not doing this for myself Isabel! If I had my way I wouldn’t go anywhere, but the packes first –


    our futurees first.” Isabel closes her mouth then, looking decidedly sullen as James pulls her down


    into hisp.


    ‘What about the baby?” Dad inquires, “the doctor is still worried about your stress levels.”


    I growl in agreement, but E speaks over me. “I’m going to be more stressed and endangered if


    Damon wins because I didn’t do this.”


    ‘Where exactly are we going?” Philippe asks, already knowing that he’ll be guarding her on the


    expedition.


    “I’m not sure yet.” E confesses, looking towards my father. “Henry, I hoped you might have some


    insight into the Queen’s whereabouts.”


    “I’ll look into it.” Dad agrees, watching me closely. I can feel him probing my emotions through our


    bond, and I let him feel my turmoil and resignation. His wolf purrs in my head, and I’m amazed at how


    effective this is no matter how old I get.


    “I’m going with you.” Cora suddenly announces, rising to her feet.


    “I can’t ask that of you.” E replies with a sad smile, “you have your work and


    “E, I’ming with you.” Cora repeats firmly, leaving no room for argument. “If you’re going on a


    quest to find your mother, I’m not letting you do it alone.”


    Tears well in E’s eyes, and she beams at her surrogate sister. “I’d love nothing more than to have


    you with me.”


    As the women melt into a hug, my own gaze swings to my brother. Roger is staring at Cora with an


    expression I know all too well – and he is not happy