Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate (PDF) novel Chapter 349

Chapter 349 – Aftermath

Cora

It’s hours, hours later when I finally have a moment to step back and breathe. And when I do, I feel my head spin and stumble back a step or two. Roger is there, instantly, his hand on my back.

“Cora,” he says, pulling me closer to him, tilting up my face so that he can study me. “Are you all right? You’re – ”

“I’m fine,” I mutter, frustrated, trying to push away and get back to work. I have a moment to breathe, but honestly there’s so much more that – needs to be done for these men –

“No,” Roger says, stubborn. “You’re pushing yourself too far – you’re pregnant, Cora -”

“Roger,” I sigh, turning to glare at him in earnest now and putting a hand on his chest. “This cannot be the refrain that I hear for the next nine – or six or however many months, all right? I am not going to stop doing my job-stop healing people – just because I’m pregnant.”

I hear Roger begin to growl in protest but I lock my teeth together, staring up at him, hard. And, slowly, I see him start to relent, to remember the person who he chose as his mate.

“This is my life, Roger,” I whisper, ” my identity. I’m a doctor – I made an oath! I’m going to help them.”

“All right,” he replies, taking a step back. “But Cora, please -”

“I know,” I say, nodding and starting to look around the room. “I’ll be careful – I’ll stop before I’m totally exhausted. I won’t put myself or the baby at risk.”

“And how close are you to exhaustion now?” he asks, looking me over from top to bottom, his eyes pausing on my stomach.

I take a moment to pause, closing my eyes and checking in with myself. Honestly, I’m not far off – but there’s still so much that these men need. Honestly the extent of the burns that they came in with some of them down to the bone – I cringe to even think of it.

“Can I…” I hear Roger ask, and then when I look up at him again I feel him place his hand against my stomach.

“Okay,” I breathe, nodding a little as I agree to stay still so he can check in on the baby. Roger closes his eyes and concentrates and I’m a little sorry as I see that it’s hard for him. I remember the way that Sinclair communicated with Rafe while Ella was pregnant it seemed…simpler.

Roger has much more connection with the baby when he’s touching me and when he concentrates, but…I do wish it was easier for him. I want him to have the full fatherhood experience, with all of its blessings. And it breaks my heart that my body – my humanness has taken a little of that away from him.

“Baby’s okay,” Roger murmurs, opening his eyes and leaning forward to press his lips against my forehead. ” Just…let’s not push, all right?”

“Okay,” I agree, nodding. And then I turn to him fully, peering at some of the red skin on his face. “How is your healing going?”

And, as much as Roger won’t want to hear it….there’s really only one person who is best going to be able to perform those surgeries. I’m still wondering how best to bring this up when Ella produces the perfect lead-in for me.

“Cora,” she says, wiping a hand across her brow. “Are you all right? Are you tired?” I fight my instinct to point out that Ella, as a nursing mother, has just at much at stake in her exhaustion as me, but instead I take up the thread.

“I can keep going for a little bit,” I say, holding her gaze. She has been such a good, stalwart little nurse today honestly, I think she missed a bit of her calling in not going into that field. ” But I’m not going to be able to keep going all night. And some of these men they’re going to need extended care.”

Ella bites her lip and nods, understanding, glancing between me and Roger. “What should we do?” she turns to Sinclair. “Should we wake him? Ask him if he has ideas?”

“No,” I say, reaching out to take Ella’s hand as she impulsively begins to move towards her mate. “Honestly, Ella,” I say, and then I turn to Roger, because my words are actually addressed to him. “We need…more help. We need more hands.”

Roger instantly sees the direction that my thoughts are heading in and his eyes go dark, narrowing at me. “No way in hell,” he snaps, starting to shake his head. “Roger,” I plead, moving close to him. “Don’t make this about jealousy – we need him – ”

“Need who?” Ella asks, confused.

“Hank,” I say, turning towards her and sighing. “We need Hank.”