#Chapter 479 – Sad Farewells
Cora
“Well,” Hank says, sighing contentedly as he wraps an arm around Sarah’s shoulders. “With Ella here in the city able to patch up anyone pretty much instantly and cure a variety of diseases just by holding people’s hands, there’s not as much use for me here.”
“Oh!” Ella squeaks, and I laugh because I can tell that she feels guilty for making Hank feel a little redundant.
“No, Ella,” Hank says, grinning at her. “Sarah and I just talked about it and I think we can be of more use up in the Northern provinces. There’s a great deal of people there – both humans and wolves – who are without healthcare, and especially without a surgeon.” He shrugs. “I think we can do some good.”
“I think that’s really cool, Hank,” I say, grinning at him.
“I think it’s right,” he says, smiling at me. “But still, I’m glad we got to be here for this, and to meet Jesse.”
“I’m glad too,” I say softly, smiling at my friend. Because as much as my life is full now, and I have less and less time to spend at the clinic…I will certainly miss him.
Hank leans forward to give me a kiss on the cheek, his own quiet farewell, and then Ella walks he and Sarah from the room, murmuring something about Sinclair wanting to say goodbye.
When he leaves, Roger walks quietly over to me, his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the door. “What was that all about?”
“Well,” I say, smiling up at him, ” you’ll be glad to know that Hank is moving away – up to the northern provinces, actually.” I don’t know much about the kingdom’s territories up there, but I do know that it’s a lot of wild land and a lot of rough living. I wonder, privately, if it will suit Hank and Sarah, who don’t exactly strike me as country folk.
“Oh,” Roger says as he purses his lips and looks towards the door, nodding slowly.
I click my tongue, my face bursting into a grin.
“What?” Roger asks, turning to me.
“I can’t believe you’re not crowing with victorious joy,” I say, laughing and shaking my head at him.
“Well,” Roger says, lifting his chin, though he can’t fight his smile anymore. “My mother told me that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
I roll my eyes. “Words you’ve never lived by.”
“Yeah well,” he says, sinking onto the bed and smiling as he looks at the baby and me. “I’m a role model now. I’ve got to reform my ways.”
“Hear that, Jesse?” I whisper to my sleeping boy. “He’s going to reform for you.”
“Yup,” Roger says, leaning close to peer at the baby.
“I give him one week,” I whisper to Jesse, laughing softly.
“I give myself three days,” Roger counters, making me laugh harder. Jesse’s eyes flutter open a little and he gives a sad little mew.
“Aww, poor baby,” I murmur, holding him closer and rocking him so that he’ll go back to sleep.
“He just wants to be in on the fun,” Roger sighs, stroking a hand over my hair. “Doesn’t want to miss a single laugh.”
“Well then he’s going to have to get a lot less sleep,” I say, lifting my head to grin at my mate. “Because we laugh a lot in this family. And I don’t intend to stop anytime soon.”
Roger nods to me, confirming my thought, and leans in for a kiss.
Ella
Sinclair comes to the bottom of the stairs, Rafe tucked still sleeping in his arm, and frowns up at me as I descend with Hank and Sarah, clearly intuiting my emotions through our bond.
Hank is leaving, going to work in the northern provinces! I say to my mate mind-to-mind, genuinely upset. Make him stay!
Sinclair blinks his surprise for a second, and then he smiles. And how on earth would I make him do that?
I don’t know, I reply, scowling. Some sort of…King edict. Just command him.
My mate shakes his head at me and then turns to Hank and Sarah as they reach the ground floor.
“So,” Sinclair says, nodding to Sarah and Hank. “I hear you’re leaving. It’s a shame – you’ll be much missed here.”
“How did you…” Hank says, frowning at his King, and then he glances back at me. “You know,” he says, shaking his head, “I’ll never get used to that.”
“You might have to,” Sinclair says, raising his eyebrows. “I’ve heard the packs in the northern provinces are very tight-knit and have…strange magics.”
“I’ve heard that too,” Hank says, nodding. “Their healing practices are said to be quite unique. I’m very interested to learn from them.”
“Well, I hope you’ll share with us what you learn,” Sinclair says as I come to his side and pout at Hank and Sarah, really not wanting them to leave. “Even just so Ella has an excuse to call you back to the capital every once in a while to throw you a party and see how you’re doing.”
I nod eagerly, letting them know I want that very much.
Sarah laughs and Hank smiles at me.” Thank you both,” Hank says, looking between us. “For such incredible opportunities. And for introducing us. Sarah and I are…” he says, turning to smile at her now and making her blush, “well, we’re very happy.”
“I’m so pleased to hear that,” I say, tucking my clasped hands under my chin and beaming at them. “And you’ll keep in touch?”
“I promise we will,” Sarah says, reaching out to put a hand on my shoulder. “I owe you everything, Ella – keeping in touch is the least we can do.”
“Well, you could stay,” I say, raising my eyebrows, but Sinclair just laughs and tugs me close to him.
“Don’t listen to her,” he says, shaking his head at me even as he smiles. “Your path is your own. Though I hope you’ll let us support your work financially, if that’s appropriate.”
“I will let you do that,” Hank says, raising his eyebrows at Sinclair, his face serious. “There’s a great deal of poverty up there, which is part of why we want to go. A little bit of well- financed medical care could go a long way.”
“It’s done,” Sinclair says, his eyebrows going up as he reaches out a hand, which Hank shakes heartily. ” You’ll send me the particulars?”
“I will,” Hank promises, smiling between us.
And then I groan, because I know that’s the end of the conversation, and I hug my friends again before they go, making them promise to send me emails and pictures and texts and whatever else it is they can whenever they can.
When they finally leave the house, I slump against Sinclair’s side.
“I got one new nephew but I lost two friends,” I murmur, sad.
“And you got a new pregnancy,” he whispers into my ear, “so I think it’s actually even.”
My face bursts into a grin and I squeak a little – because, well, I didn’t precisely forget. But I did get distracted. Just for a moment.
“How’s she doing in there,” Sinclair murmurs, turning me and looking me up and down, his protective Alpha instincts coming back in full force now that I’m pregnant again.
“I have no idea,” I say, grinning up at him and stepping close. “Everything’s exactly the same as it was this morning.”
“Good,” he murmurs, stroking a hand over my hair. “Let her grow a little, our Princess.”
I smile so hard that I have to close my eyes, leaning against my mate and pressing my cheek to his chest as he wraps his free arm around me. “This is the greatest day,” I whisper with a sigh. “Even if my two stupid friends did just tell me they’re moving away – not even that can kill it for me.”
“Don’t worry, trouble,” Sinclair murmurs, continuing to stroke my hair and hold me close. “I don’t think that’s the last we’ve seen from those two.”
“Why do you think that?” I ask, lifting my head and peering up at him.
“I genuinely don’t know,” Sinclair says, shaking his head at me and frowning just a little. “Just a feeling.”
“Hmm,” I murmur, giving a little shrug. “Maybe the goddess is sending you messages now.”
“Maybe,” he says, nodding. “She gave me you, after all. Clearly, I am her favorite.”
I laugh at this and stand on my toes, begging a kiss from my mate which he gladly gives me.
“Think we should go upstairs and see them?” Sinclair asks, looking up the staircase.
“Nah,” I say, tugging him to the living room where Henry is comfortably settled with a glass of whiskey. “Let’s let them have a minute and talk to grandpa instead.”
