Ella's eyes fluttered open as a cool cloth brushed her forehead.
Her blurred vision focused on the woman above her, and she recognized her as one of the house staff.
“Miss?”
Ella mumbled. “Where's Braxton?”
“I'll go get him for you. Please, stay laying down.”
The only light in the room came from a lava lamp on Braxton's desk, not noticing the tacky decor before she ruminated on its random cuteness. Waiting in the silence made her thoughts wander from the moving goop light to her clouded memories, she wasn't even sure they had happened. They all seemed surreal, only Braxton would be able to set her straight. That came rather suddenly as he entered the room with his long stride, another woman lagging behind him.
“Daniella.” He crowded the space above her head with his own and kissed her forehead, making her stomach flutter with butterflies.
Her dazed state left him hanging for a reply.
He put a hand to her cheek. “Ella?”
She smiled silly at him. “You don't like my nickname?”
His brow furrowed. “I like everything about you.”
Her giggle was interrupted by the woman at her side, a lady she now recognized as Crest's private doctor. “Daniella, how are you feeling?”
Braxton sat down on the bed next to her, placing a hand on her stomach.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I'm a bit dizzy.”
“We've given you an IV to help with that.”
“Another IV?” She looked her wrist and noticed it attached her. It bothered her that she had been that out of it to not have felt it sooner.
“And some pain meds.” Braxton grumbled, “But nothing that can hurt the pup.”
Ella sat up quickly. “What pup?”
Braxton reached out and steadied her shoulders. “Has her brain been erased?” He hissed at the doctor as Ella groaned, leaning over into her lap.
“No.” The doctor laughed at him. “It's just likely from the shock.”
Braxton forced her to lie back down, putting his heavy hand over her chest to keep her pinned.
She mumbled at him, “I won't move.”
“Don't believe you.” He kept his hand in place, even when she tried to push it off.
With one last huff of protest, Ella gave up fighting him. “Can one of you tell me what's going on?”
“Bad news or good news first?” Braxton said in a weary tone.
It was always a dilemma and clearly it took her much longer to decide than Braxton had patience for.
“Your estranged father had the house in lock down, so we fought him and gained control back. He's dead now. Colten seems alright and Grayson is already eating again, so I think they will both make a full recovery--”
“Wait, what!” Ella grabbed the wrist of his hand that was still on her chest. “Why don't I... remember...” Blurry images came to her mind as she remembered the fight in the house. She'd been much happier before being reminded of it.
The overwhelming information made her eyes filled with tears. “There was no good news in there.”
“You didn't let me finish.” Braxton explained.
“It can't get better.”
“It can.” He said without conviction. “Our pup.”
“You're crazy, I am not pregnant!” She argued. “How many times have we done it, like two?” She held up her fingers and waved them in his unimpressed face.
“Three.” He corrected.
“Ooo, three.” She said with sarcasm. “You just told me I shot my biological asshole father dead--”
“I never said you shot Darcy.” Braxton corrected and Ella paused at her returning memory.
She cursed under her breath as Braxton gave the doctor a glance and she nodded back to him, rummaging on the floor through a medical sack.
“What are you doing?” She tried to watch but Braxton held her down.
“Your mate believes you're carrying a pup. I've created new technology that allows the supernatural heart-rate to be discovered from the outside of your stomach. Would you like to try?”
“Absolutely not!” Ella exclaimed.
“Do the test, Daniella.” He sighed, the demand in his voice subduing the wolf side of her.
“Whatever.” She stayed stiff and still in the bed as the doctor rearranged her sheets and lifted her shirt to expose her flat stomach. “If I was pregnant wouldn't there be a bump or fat or something?”
Braxton finally smiled at her with no reply, the doctor offering information instead.
“Not if you're newly pregnant. Generally speaking that knowledge is only perceived by a mate.”
“Lucky you, Brax.” Ella breathed, staring at the ceiling with boredom.
A cool gel was wiped across her belly and she wiggled in discomfort.
“Now, with any luck...”
No luck, no luck, no luck. She chanted in her head as the doctor searched her stomach for a sign of life. The thought of being pregnant terrified her, more so what her uncles would do to Braxton because she sort of liked him and wanted him kept alive.
The doctor sighed. “It doesn't want to be found.”
“That's because I'm not pregnant.” Ella said to them both.
Braxton shook his head. “Keep trying.”
“It's cold.”
“The gel on your stomach?” He tried to understand.
“Duh,” she hissed, rolling her eyes and feeling genuinely bad for being so mean to him.
“Oh!” The doctor exclaimed, moving her technology back across her belly and stopping. It was then the sputter of an erratic heart-rate crackled over the one speaker system.
“Oh my gosh!” Ella grabbed Braxton's near thigh and dug her nails into his jeans as she froze on the bed. Their eyes met as the doctor congratulated them, keeping the tiny heart-beat playing for another minute longer.
The woman went over some ground rules for Ella but she didn't bother to listen because Braxton was doing it for her. When the bedroom door shut, Braxton leaned in to kiss her but she evaded it by sticking her palm over his lips.
“We can't tell Colten.”
Braxton mumbled through her hand and Ella finally dropped the contact in order to understand him.
“What were you saying?” she asked.
He let out an exhausted breath. “I was saying, I don't think you being pregnant is going to end Colten's life, he just lived through silver bullet tag.”
“Hey now.” Ella grumbled from the images of her injured uncle. Braxton was right, Colten was tough but she knew he wasn't this tough.
“They will find out, when your stomach grows the size of a basketball.”
“Do you know how long it took me to look this amazing in a bikini?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “What?”
She rolled her eyes and looked away. “I was joking. I've always looked good in one.”
He chuckled, taking her chin so she'd be forced to look at him. “What's the real reason?”
“Colten will kill you.” She mumbled, “He'll tie you to a tree and feed you to the wolves.”
“We're mates.”
“I'm still eighteen, Braxton. I don't even think this is legal.”
“Oh.” He perked. “I can make it legal.”
His words confused her, sometimes his humor was a bit off she found.
He finally laughed. “Everything is legal, Daniella, don't worry but if you want to get married, okay.”
“Shut up.” Trying to hide her new nervousness, she picked at the blankets beneath her hand, slowly raising her palm to her stomach and letting the truth sink in.
“I'll even buy you a ring.”
“Braxton!” She stared at him with a lip that had begun to pout.
“Oh, babe, I didn't mean to upset you.”
She shook her head. “Who's taking Colten home?”
Braxton titled his head. “We haven't thought that far ahead.”
“We should do it and once he's home, we'll tell him and run.”
Braxton smiled at her. “Okay, we'll take him home but I don't think there will be a need to run.”
#
Braxton helped her down the stairs later that night, making her first appearance since all the chaos. She was greeted to clean carpets and polished floors with even the unwanted taste of lysol to finish off the welcome wagon.
Azalea was the only one around though, sitting at the dinning room table as they walked in with a glass of red wine in front of her.
“Evening, mother.” Braxton pulled out a chair of Ella and helped her sit.
“How are you feeling, Daniella?” His mother took a sip of her alcoholic sedation, making Ella wish she could have some.
“Fine, thanks.”
Azalea's mouth formed a tight line. “You missed dinner.”
“I was going to warm her up some.”
“There's a plate I had made up for her in the fridge.”
With a nod, her mate left her with his mother and Ella sat stiff in the chair.
“So,” Azalea began, “your uncles are recovering.”
“And Mike?” Ella asked, making the woman pause.
“Yes.” Was all she answered in between the faint noises of Braxton starting the microwave.
“That's good.” Ella looked down the white linen cloth. The minutes passed heavy and silent, but when Braxton returned with a steaming hot plate of food for her, Azalea cleared her throat to speak.
“Son.”
“Oh, no.” Braxton smirked at his mother. “What's wrong now?”
Azalea almost rolled her eyes. “We need to speak.”
Ella picked up her fork, getting the hint that she wasn't part of the conversation.
“About what? At this point, I think it's all really self-explanatory.”
Azalea tapped the base of her crystal glass, mulling.
“Mom?”
Her eyes turned back up to him. “You may not care to hear it but, Mr. Donnelly and I are mates.”
Ella's eyes shot up to witness the blank confusion of Braxton. Though Ella liked to believe her mate was quicker than he was appearing to be, he didn't convince her this time.
“That beta?” Braxton growled.
Azalea gave him a nod and drank the last mouthful of her wine.
“What are you going to do about it?”
Azalea sighed as she put her glass back on the wood table. “I'm going to be with him, Braxton.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Fine.”
Ella smiled at Azalea with a new excitement. “Congratulations.”
“Daniella.” Braxton snapped.
She looked back to him. “Isn't it a good thing?”
Azalea stood, saying one last thing to him, “I understand Gail's death has upset you, but I can't be unhappy anymore. So, I'm sure you'll understand why I am leaving Crest.”
Braxton's shoulders squared but he nodded and the woman left them.
“She'll be okay, Brax.”
“I know.” His eyes locked on hers with honest contentment, “Now eat.”
She smiled, picking her fork back up and taking a bite of the well cooked meal.
#
“Why do you keep waving your hand in front of your face like that?” Braxton picked up the small suite case for their trip to Texas.
“I'm hot.” Ella knew it was her nerves, the moments with Colten in the past twenty-four hours had been almost unbearable. Though she wanted to stay by his side, she found herself trying to escape him and now they'd spend a lengthy drive just the three of them in a car.
“You need to calm down, babe.” He stepped into her side and kissed her cheek.
Her mate had provided her with hours of emotional and physical therapy that made Ella just a tad more attached to him than she had expected. She grabbed his shirt before he walked toward the bedroom door. “Maybe we shouldn't tell them when we get there.”
“No, we're telling them,” Braxton said in a firm tone, “We're mates, they'll understand.”
Her overloading anxiety made her tremble.
“Calm down, Ella.” He dropped the suitcase to the floor and pulled her in for a tender kiss that gave her some courage.
She placed her palm on his smooth cheek and found ease in his closeness.
“I love you.”
Though she was still getting used to those three words, it felt so nice to hear them. Like a part of her that had never been totally filled, was now.
“I love you too.” She kissed him, letting herself get tangled in his arms.
He stopped their hungry lips quickly. “We need to leave, don't distract me like this.”
“I don't distract you.” She pouted her lip and went to kiss him again.
“Yeah, you do and as soon as we get home you can distract me all you want but right now, we need to get your uncle home.”
Following him with a huff and drag of her feet, they made their way downstairs.
“I was about to come bust the door down.” Grayson announced as they stepped into the living room.
Ella felt her face flush. “We were just packing some clothes.”
“Uh-huh.” Griffin winked at her and something about having her cousin wink at her made her want to throw up.
“Okay, ew.” Ella made a gagging face which suddenly turned into a real gag. She put a hand over her mouth and then ran for the washroom, falling to her knees just in time to empty her stomach into the toilet.
“Ella!”
She grabbed a hand cloth and wiped her mouth, rolling her eyes. “Why do you keep calling me that?”
Braxton sighed, cocking his eyebrow as she went about cleaning up her mouth. “Getting a taste of the next few months I see.”
“You're lucky its only four, imagine if I was human.”
“That would be weird, I'm not going to even think that through.”
Ella tossed the hand-cloth into the near hamper and went to walk out past him without a glance. He caught her around the waist though and pressed his mouth to her near ear.
“The doctor may have something to settle your stomach.”
She shivered in his arms, “Let's just go.”
“Okay.” He led back into the living room when they said goodbye to Grayson and her younger cousin. Everyone else would be returning home shifted, including Peter as he took some of Forenone back home with him. However, Mike and Azalea would be staying with Crest until they got back and then after that, Ella didn't know where they'd be going but for the first time since she'd met Azalea, she witnessed the woman smiling.
Colten was waiting on the couch as Braxton and Aaron helped him to his feet. The silver in him had taken a bigger hit on his immune system than they would have liked but he would recover.
Ella followed them out into the cool winter air as she did up her coat. The black suburban waited for them and promised smooth sailing all the way to Texas.
They propped Colten with pillows and enough fuss that had her uncle almost swearing at them to leave him alone.
She tucked herself into the seat next to Braxton and they were off. It wasn't long either before she found herself cuddling into her mate like a hormone induce teen and he didn't hold off on the whispers or the tender forehead kisses either.
Colten groaned at the five hour mark. “I should be in the middle bench. Watching you two reminds me too much of being young and stupid.”
Braxton smiled as he glanced over his shoulder. “You're saying you're old?”
“Hey,” Colten pointed at him, “We're not on level enough ground for you to make fun of me.”
“My bad.” Braxton replied, now hiding his smirk.
Ella twisted around to face him. “Sorry, Colten.”
Her uncle grumbled, grabbing a blanket to tug over his face. “Should have went home shifted.”
“It would have taken days with your limp and Abigail is really worried.” Ella tried to sound sympathetic but it didn't help Colten any.
“I'm taking a nap,” Colten mumbled from beneath the blankets, soon leaving Ella and Braxton with his on and off snoring problems.
#
The truck pulled up out front of RedValley Ranch and all Ella could do was stare. Even when the front door was thrown open by a distressed Abigail.
Braxton hurried out, opening the door for her aunt. “Evening, Mrs. Redding.”
“Where is he!” Her big blue eyes searched behind Braxton's broad shoulders for a sign of her mate.
“Right here, Abi.” Colten moved slowly from the back bench seat with a wince in his expression.
“Oh my!” She gasped upon the sight of her bandaged husband, frantically reaching for him. “You silly man!”
“Such a nice greeting from my wife.” Colten steadied himself with one arm on the truck as he stepped out.
Abigail shook her head with tearing eyes and cupped his cheeks, kissing him.
Ella forced her eyes away, there'd always been something captivating about the way her aunt and uncle loved one another, something she hoped she'd have with Braxton.
Her mate leaned into the vehicle door to get her attention. “Coming, babe?”
She nodded, taking his aid to help her out onto the familiar gravel driveway.
Abigail swept her into a hug. “Are you okay?”
Ella squeezed her aunt. “I'm f-fine.”
Abigail drew back, placing a hand on Ella's forehead and looking her over. “We'll talk later.”
Ella swallowed as Abigail left her for Colten again, helping her husband to the front door of their home. Inside it smelled like freshly baked cookies and sweets and Colten got the message before anyone else. “What did you do, Abi, go a baking binge again?”
“I was very stressed out, Colten, don't start.” Abigail admitted, making Ella smile.
Colten kissed her temple. “Where's Mason? I want to hold my son.”
“He's just having a nap. I'll go get him for you.” Abigail left them to run up stairs.
“Should get you sitting down.” Braxton nodded to the living room to the left.
Colten shoed off his offer of help and got to one of the leather couches himself. He glanced around before stopping on Ella. “It's still your home, Ella, you can come in.”
Ella shook herself from her frozen stance in the entry way and pulled Braxton in with her.
They both sat to a couch rather mechanically across from Colten and waited in silence.
Abigail appeared moments later with their bundled child, his sweet button nose sticking out enough that it made Ella leaned forward to see more.
Colten's lucrative expression brightened as his mate put their baby in his arms with care.
“He's refusing to wake up.” Abigail brushed fingers against Mason's cheek.
“That's okay.” Colten's voice choked up.
Abigail sat down next to him and tucked her cheek on his shoulder. “I missed you.”
“I promise I won't let him ever come to Maine again.” Ella said.
Abigail smiled at her. “Oh, that's not fair, what about when you start having babies, then we'll come.”
“No, no, no.” Colten shook his head, “She's finishing university and then having some time to just relax and then you know, maybe one day--”
Ella gulped, pulling the sleeves of her shirt over her hands with nervousness. “Totally, yeah.”
Colten's eyes narrowed at her like they did when he knew she was lying to him.
Ella had never been any good at looking her uncle in the eye and saying anything but the truth to him. So she looked away to Braxton for reassurance on the lie.
“Truth is, sir.” Braxton started, “And we weren't sure how to tell you this...”
“Braxton, no!” Ella snapped.
“--Ella's carrying our pup.” Her mate finished the sentence and leaned back with a slight grin.
“I knew it!” Colten exploded on them, “this is why I didn't want you to mate so soon, Ella, do you get it now? I always warn you and you never listen to me!” The baby in arms began to cry and Abigail whisked the child out of his arms.
“Colten!” Abigail snapped, and it actually made him stop. “Apologize now.”
His brow creased his brow from the demand. “I'm not apologizing for being right.”
Abigail stared at him and Colten began to twitch. “You know it's near impossible to control this type of thing.”
Colten rolled his eyes and leaned back in the couch, staring across at them.
“Sorry, Colten.” Ella breathed.
Abigail shook her head at her. “Do not say sorry to your uncle because of his own poor behaviour.”
“Abigail, she's eighteen!”
Abigail lowered her voice to almost a whisper but Braxton and Ella still heard it. “Did you not try relentlessly to knock me up the first five years of our relationship?”
Colten stared at his wife, falling quiet.
“Sorry.” Abigail turned to them. “Your uncle has double standards.”
Colten rubbed his forehead. “Doesn't anyone pity me and my injuries?”
Abigail placed Mason back in his arms. “I'll go get you some cookies.”
“A whole plate, please.” Colten mumbled as she walked away.
Ella shifted on the couch. “We can leave if you want.”
“No.” Her uncle sighed. “You gotta stick around a few days, at least learn how to change a diaper and make a bottle.”
Braxton smirked. “Isn't that stuff pretty self explanatory?”
Ella nudged him with her elbow as Colten spoke.
“Now's not the time to get cocky, kid, you're gonna be a father, this isn't a game. You're responsible for someone else' life.”
Ella and Braxton stared in silence before Braxton began to nod. “Yeah, sorry, that wasn't funny.”
“No kidding.” Colten pointed to Mason in his arms. “And I'm not going to lie, this is the easy part. Unconditional love is great, wait till they start pointing out all your flaws and running away from home.”
Ella's cheeks burnt. “Sorry.”
Her uncle smiled at her with a shake of his head, “Somehow forgiven. Should also mention, the unconditional love does return at a later point.”
Ella and Braxton smiled at each-other as Abigail returned with cookies, knowing exactly how many to give her husband. It made Ella's heart swell watching them, because even if everything with Braxton and her had started off rocky and unconventional, she knew now she wanted to spend the rest of her life beside him, figuring it all out with him, just like Colten and Abigail had done.
Braxton leaned into her ear,interrupting her happy thoughts and whispering, “how many cookies you want, babe?”
She giggled from the irony and replied, “as many as you want.”
END