The Mystical Attraction of Alpha
Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Chapter 208 – Isabel Comforts Ella

Ella

Four days. Four days since Sinclair’s car was bombed in West Vanara, and four days since I last heardhis voice.

I refuse to believe he’s gone. I know the others have given up hope, but they don’t know my mate like Ido, and they don’t have our bond. I don’t know where he is or why we haven’t heard from him, but Iknow he’s out there somewhere. If the doctor would just let me out of this bed I’d go replace him myself.

Unfortunately he’s keeping me under lock and key, and a roster of babysitters have been assigned towatch me. Honestly it’s insulting, but I suppose my first few escape attempts might have given himcause to worry. The first time I slipped out past my guards I made it all the way down to the secondfloor before Philippe caught up with me and hauled me back. The second time, I only made it down thehall, and the third was dead in the water before I could even finish making a rope out of my bed sheets.That was about the time the bossy wolves who seem to think they can tell me what to do now thatSinclair is… out of reach… decided I needed constant supervision.

I know everyone is trying to be patient with me, novelxo but they’re dealing with their own grief too, andthe doctor frightened them about my condition. If they would just listen, I would tell them that the bestpossible solution for my stress would be to replace Sinclair and bring him home. Nothing will help morethan having him with me… but they won’t listen, so I’m stuck here – lying around in my nest andbanned from working.

“This is stupid.” I complain, glaring at Isabel. “Shouldn’t you be in the nursery?”

‘The King thought my experience dealing with whiny babies made me ideally suited to look after you.”Isabel responds coolly. “And James is with the pups.”

I glance at her curiously. “How’s that going? You and James?”

Isabel shoots me a withering look. “Why don’t you worry about yourself, Princess.” Though manypeople now address me seriously with this title, from Isabel it’s pure derision. “You haven’t slept, youhaven’t eaten or washed your filthy hair. If you truly believe your mate is out there, then you might wantto pull yourself together so he doesn’t have to come home to a hot mess.”

She has a point, but only just. I didn’t sleep last night, but I was so rested from my long sedation thatstaying awake wasn’t even a challenge. And how can a she-wolf have an appetite or think abouthygiene when her mate is in mortal danger? novel.xo “You don’t think I’m crazy?” I ask hesitantly.

“Would it matter if I did?” Isabel arches a brow. “You don’t care that the others think you’ve lost yourmarbles.”

“No…” I confirm, staring at my lap. “But you’ve lost a mate, you know how it feels.”

‘That’s different.” Isabel snaps, “I was there when my mate died. I saw it and I felt it, there was no doubthe was gone and no room for hope.” She glances at me with an unreadable look in her eye. “If I were inyour shoes…

I expect I’d do exactly the same as you are.”

“Can I ask…” her face shutters as soon as the words leave my lips, novëxo but I’ve already begun.“How did it happen?”

At first I’m sure she won’t answer the question, but Isabel shifts in her seat and purses her lips. “It wasmore than a year ago, before any of this started.” She explains, surprising me. Still, the emotion in hervoice from sharing these basic details makes me regret asking this of her. “Our baby, Sophie, was onlya month old, and we were both exhausted and overjoyed. Daniel was absolutely besotted with her, andin a lot of ways, he was better with her than I was. I had a really difficult birth and my body was

wrecked. Nothing seemed to go right, not breastfeeding or my recovery – it was overwhelming and Iwas so worried about doing everything right that I forgot to enjoy it. I was in love with her too… I justdidn’t cope as well.”

‘Then one day we were out at the park, just having a family picnic. We heard someone scream, andthen we saw rogues racing towards us. Daniel pushed the baby into my arms and told me to run… Ididn’t realize in the moment that he meant to stay and fight, to hold them off so we could get away. Ithought he was going to be right behind us, but all my instincts were to protect Sophie, so I ran. Then Ifelt it. I felt our bond shatter and fall away, as if my own soul was slipping from my body.” Isabel shares,tears streaming down her cheeks. “And when I turned back… I saw him lying on the ground with histhroat ripped out, a rogue still standing above him, nvëlx.o goring him with his claws.”

I’m reaching for her, and to my surprise, she comes into my arms. “At first, I didn’t want to live withouthim. I fell into a terrible depression, and nothing anyone tried could bring me out of it. It wasn’t until acouple of months later, when Sophie woke me up in the middle of the night.” Isabel sighs, “I hadn’tbeen… I’d wanted her so badly before she arrived, and then with all the difficulties and losing Daniel – Iwasn’t the mother I should have been, let’s just say that. But that night I went to feed her, and her eyeshad changed color. They were blue when she was born, but there she was looking up at me, withDaniel’s amber eyes.”

Isabel sniffs. “It was a wakeup call. A realization that I would always have a piece of Daniel as long as Ihad Sophie. And Goddess how I hated myself for neglecting her, for letting my grief make me forgetwhat a miracle she was. Everything turned around that night. I finally became the mother I was meantto be, the one who would have made Daniel proud – the one Sophie deserved.” She swipes at a tear.“She was my entire world… and then Damon took over, and we were forced to run.”

I wait for her to continue, but I fear this loss was too recent. I already know what happened anyway…Isabel made it, and her daughter did not. “I’m so sorry, Isabel.” I profess, cuddling her close, tears in my

own eyes. “No one should have to go through what you have. I wish there was some way I could makeit right.”

“You’ve done plenty.” Isabel hiccups. “You gave me the nursery. You brought all of us here.”

For a long moment we just lie there in each others arms, and then the baby kicks in my womb,thumping his foot against Isabel’s side. To my surprise Isabel smiles and reaches out to rest her handon my navel. “Hello munchkin.”

“Can I ask you something?” I inquired uncertainly.

She nods, and I confess, ‘The other day, after the phone call with Dominic, I was worried aboutupsetting the baby. So I tried to cut myself off from him.”

“We’ve all made that mistake.” Isabel replies knowingly. “It’s a lesson every parent has to learn: thathaving you is better for them, even if you’re upset.” She grimaces, “and it tells you just howtraumatizing losing a parent truly is for a pup… How much they need you, rely on you to guide andshelter them.”

“Is it possible to bond with an adopted child that way?” I ask, thinking of all the children in the nursery.

“Of course, just like chosen mates bond.” Isabel confirms. “You fall in love, and you claim them. It’s adifferent kind of mark, but it’s every bit as powerful.”

“Will you claim Sadie?” I inquire, my heart aching to think the infant has been feeling the way my ownbabe did the other day.

“When I’m ready.” Isabel reveals, looking torn. “I know it would be better for her to have it sooner, I justcan’t help feeling that it’s a betrayal of Sophie.” ‘That’s nonsense.” I tell her, knowing James already

shared this sentiment with her. “You know as well as I do that loving one child doesn’t mean you loveanother any less, or that you forget them.”

“It’s not just that… it’s that I think if the tables were turned and Sophie had lived instead of me… Iwould have felt jealous if she bonded to a new mother so quickly. I was her mother – me, not somerandom she-wolf who accidentally stumbled upon her.” Isabel relates guiltily.

“Isabel.” I murmur seriously. ‘Think about how it felt when you tried to cut yourself off from her, howafraid and unmoored she was. Would you really rather she be in that pain, than connect with someonewho will love her like only you could?”

She clamps her eyes shut, choking on her tears. “No.” She cries, gasping. ” No, I would be sad if sheforgot me, but I’d much rather she always feel safe and happy.”

“Exactly.” I say, “Don’t make Sadie wait. You already love her and there’s no use denying it.”

Before Isabel can respond, I feel a tug deep in my chest, a pang of intense love that feels very faraway. I jerk upright in my nest. I know that feeling!

A moment after I’ve thought it, I hear a familiar, beloved voice in my mind. Ella?!

I’m out of bed in an instant, dislodging a suddenly disgruntled Isabel. “It’s