Chapter 218 – Chasing Butterflies

Ella

I hadn't been to the nursery since news of Sinclair's supposed death broke. Upon entering, I was greeted by a chorus of excited cries from the children. I knelt, opening my arms to the pups, kissing every cheek and nose I could reach. "Ella, where have you been?!" one older girl demanded, arms crossed. "It's been ages!"

"Miss Izzy said you were sick," someone else interjected before I could answer. "You can borrow my stuffy if you want; she always makes me feel better."

They all clamored for answers at once. All I could do was offer hugs and apologies. "Oh, thank you! I know, I've been gone too long—but I didn't want to stay away. That mean doctor ordered me to stay in bed. I promise I'm better now, and it's a good thing because I've missed you all so much."

More questions rained down, then Isabel's firm but loving voice cut through the noise. "Alright, pups, let's not overwhelm our Princess. Give her some space to breathe." I looked up to see Sadie strapped to a front-facing carrier on Isabel's chest. Though Isabel tried to look stern, the infant grinned and giggled, bouncing in her seat. Of course, none of us took kindly to the matron's suggestion. I bared my fangs, hugged the little ones closer, and laughed when their immature growls joined my own defensive noises.

Isabel threw her hands up in exasperation. "Suit yourselves, then." She retreated but kept a watchful eye on us as we continued to catch up.

"Is it true the Alpha is back?" a little boy asked softly, his breath fluttering against my neck. "Of course he is!" another small voice chided, smugly. "Everyone saw him carrying her through the halls." Several girls tittered excitedly, but the first pup only huffed.

"Well, I dunno!" he complained, affronted, cuddling closer. "The other day everyone was saying he was dead."

"We did have a scare," I explained carefully, "but we were wrong. Alpha Dominic is alive and he's home now."

I regretted the words almost immediately. Several pups looked suddenly hopeful. I could practically see their thoughts racing—wondering if we were wrong about Sinclair, then maybe wrong about their parents, too. "How come you were wrong?" the boy in my arms asked, confirming my suspicions.

"Well, I never believed he was dead," I admitted, unsure if transparency was better or worse with children this young. "But that's only because he's my mate. The King and the other Alphas didn't have the same connection with him, so they didn't have reason to hope." It wasn't the full story, but the best I could do. "Does that make sense?"

Several young faces fell, reflecting on their own experiences with broken bonds. My heart ached for them, even as one girl nodded glumly. "It's like when we lost our Mommies and Daddies. We felt them go—even though they didn't want to."

"That's right," I confirmed soberly. "I never felt Dominic go, so I had to believe he was still out there, fighting to get back to us. Thankfully, I was right." I was sitting on the floor with half a dozen pups in my lap, and another six gathered around me. I also noticed a few unfamiliar pups skirting the edges of our group, unable to stay away. "Now tell me what you've all been up to while I was away? I see some new faces—do we have new friends?"

A four-year-old leaning against my shoulder laughed. "They're scared 'cause they heard you're the Goddess's daughter."

"Well, that's just silliness," I said, shaking my head. "Haven't you told them how nice I am? That I'm so fat I have to waddle when I walk, and I spend all my time sleeping?"

The children laughed, and a small boy crept closer. "Hello there," I said, peering through the pups. "Would you like to join us?"

He froze, looking to the others for reassurance. I carefully shifted the boy in my arms to make room and extended my hands to the skittish toddler. "Don't be afraid, angel, you have all your brothers and sisters here to look out for you."

His face closed off. "They're not bwothers or sisters."

"Oh, but they are," I corrected gently. "When I was a little girl, I grew up in a home for pups without parents, but it wasn't anywhere near as nice as this place. There weren't lovely grown-ups like Miss Izzy to care for us, or warm beds and yummy food. All we had was each other, and we became each other's family. I had dozens of brothers and sisters who understood exactly how I felt—how lonely and sad I could get when I thought about my Mommy and Daddy." Some of the other pups stared in surprise, having never heard this story. "Family isn't just about who we're born to; it's about who we choose, and you can choose to have as many brothers and sisters as you want."

"You didn't have a Mommy and Daddy?" the tot asked, edging closer. "But they said you're a pwincess." There was accusation in his voice, and I wondered how recently he'd joined the nursery and what he'd been through.

"I didn't know I was a Princess until very recently," I explained. "In fact, I didn't even know I was a wolf because I was raised with humans."

"Wow," the boy uttered, coming close enough for me to pull him into my lap. He went very still at first, but soon relaxed against me.

"I didn't think anything bad happened to princesses," another new face, a clever little girl, said from behind me.

"Bad things happen to everyone," I said sadly, offering her my other arm. She slipped into my embrace, and I kissed her hair. "There now, you see? I'm not so bad," I crooned. "What a pair of cuddle bugs."

"You smell nice," the boy murmured, nuzzling my chest.

"So do you," I answered honestly, breathing in his scent as Rafe fluttered in my belly.

"Hey, your tummy kicked me!" the girl exclaimed, jolting slightly.

"That's my baby," I chuckled warmly, guiding her hand to my navel. "He's saying hello."

"Oh, hello baby," the pup greeted, patting my stomach and looking up at me with wide eyes. "Will he be a prince?"

"I suppose he will," I said. This was true by bloodline, but for their benefit I added, "Now that Alpha Dominic is back, he's going to make Damon pay for everything he's done. One day we'll all be able to go home, and when my pup is old enough to lead, he'll take over from his father."

The boy who'd asked about Sinclair's death gazed at me with wonder. "When I grow up, I wanna have a mate just like you," he proclaimed. "I wanna be every bit as strong as Alpha Dominic, so that no one can ever hurt me or take away the things I care about."

"Do you want to know a secret about Alpha Dominic?" I asked, exchanging mischievous looks with the others.

They nodded emphatically, leaning closer. I caught my mate's scent nearby and knew he was coming, so I altered my words for his benefit.

"Well, he's all the things you say. He's big and strong and brave, and he can be very scary when he wants to be, but deep down he's a big teddy bear," I revealed, smiling. "He loves cuddles and gooey romantic books and movies. He chases butterflies and even takes bubble baths that smell like flowers."

The pups giggled uncontrollably, and I felt Sinclair behind me before his booming voice erupted. "What on earth are you telling these pups!"

The children squealed and scattered, and I turned to face him, batting my lashes invitingly. Sinclair placed his hands on his hips, adopting a convincing scowl despite his amusement. "Such a naughty mate, telling such tales to impressionable children. What am I going to do with you?"

I was about to say I'd only spoken the truth, but the boy who'd expressed his wish to be like my mate stepped between us, mirroring Sinclair's pose. "She's not naughty, she's the nicest, prettiest she-wolf in the whole world!" The poor boy trembled, but stood proud and tall, determined to defend me.

I wanted to intervene, but Sinclair sent a warning glance and knelt before the boy. "You must feel very strongly, to challenge me this way," he remarked coolly.

The boy's lip quivered. "I do. Ella is the bestest, you should only be nice to her." Sinclair settled a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Good man," he nodded. "You're exactly right, and I'm glad Ella has you in her corner. I could use a hundred soldiers like you."

The child perked up. "Really? You mean you'd let me fight?"

"Actually, I was thinking of a much more important job," Sinclair replied. "Maybe you could help look after my mate while she's here in the nursery. She has guards, of course, but I could use an extra pair of eyes."

My jaw dropped. He was turning the pup into a spy! But then I saw the boy's pride. "I'd be honored, Alpha." "Then we have a deal," Sinclair nodded, joining me on the floor. He tugged me close, kissed his mating mark, and winked at the boy. "Besides, she was telling the truth. I love chasing butterflies."