Just Like That

Ella looked down at her son and her heart swelled. No matter how many times she looks into those eyes, it feels like the first time. She couldn't believe that everything she had gone through, her beautiful baby was finally here. She takes a look around her surroundings and sighs that for the time being they both are safe. " I will always protect you Xavier," she whispers as she holds on to him tight. Ella smiles widely with Xavier in her arms and knows that every moment was worth what brought her here. She hears the door open and her eyes instantly dart to see who is coming in. Silently she sighs when she realizes it is just the nurse for what seems to be the millionth time. "ma'am we need to take him and do our checkup, " the nurse politely says to Ella. Even though she was safe where they were, her heart squeezed with fear knowing she would have to let her baby leave her side. She knew the routine it had been three days since she had Xavier but it never makes the fear any less. If it wouldn't have raised suspicion, she would have demanded to be released on day one. But she knows in her condition that would have sent red flags up immediately. Just like every moment leading up to this point, Ella had to stay calm, collected and calculated. Ella shyly smiles and hands Xavier to the nurse. As soon as the nurse and Xavier leaves, Ella begins to sob. The fear, pain, and happiness that led her to this moment finally comes crashing down on her. "Get it together Ella, he needs you to be strong." She tells herself between each sob. The flashbacks over the past year flood her consciousness one by one. Some of them good mixed with a lot of bad. The memory that sticks with her the most is his. She remembers the first time she ever met him. Ella had reluctantly gone to a night club after her friend pestered her for weeks to come with her. "Come on Ella, all you do is study. It's not healthy. You have been here for years and haven't had one normal college experience." Lilly protests as she's getting ready in a tight lime green dress. It's not that Ella didn't want to have fun, but she wanted to make the best for her life. Ella grew up poor. Her Dad had left before she was even born leaving her mom to take care of her. Her mom tried her best but after bills it left them with nothing. She pushed herself in school to get straight As so she could get the scholarships that she needed. "Helllloooooooo, Earth to Ella, " Lily says exasperated. Ella snaps out of the past and focuses on what Lilly is saying. With a sigh she reluctantly agrees. The test isn't for another week and Ella knows every inch of the material. Lilly's eyes go wide with excitement, "OMG really? Ok hold on one second," she rambles as she quickly heads to her closet. Within a minute she returns holding a dark purple off the shoulder dress."This. You have to wear this Ella, it's perfect," she says excitedly. Ella reluctantly takes the dress. Lilly practically had to force Ella to do her hair and makeup to match the beauty of the dress. Not that Ella needed any of that, she truly was a natural beauty. Lilly protested that since she is finally getting out of her shell, she needs an entire metamorphosis for this evening. After an hour of straighting, and primping Ella starts to question why she even agreed to this in the first place. Before she can back out, Lilly shouts done and they are ready to go. Well there's no backing out now, Ella thinks to herself as she grabs her purse off the nightstand. Nervously checking her surroundings, Ella feels completely out of her element at the night club. She isn't even sure what band is playing, but the melody is surprisingly pleasant. She starts to regret her decision and thinks about heading home when Lilly bounces up to her with a pink mix drink and hands it to her. She has drank before but just a simple drink with dinners, nothing crazy. Ella drinks it down and after a few moments starts to feel that warm fuzzy feeling she has heard others talk about. Before long she is drinking more and dancing to the beats. She can't believe it has taken her this long to go to one of these places. Dancing and laughing with Lilly, she starts to feel free as she lets her buzz take control. She shouts to Lilly that she's going to get another drink, as she turns around she bumps into a man. He grabs her into an embrace and she swears she hears him whisper mine. As she looks up into his eyes electricity courses through her entire body. Ella wants to blame the alcohol for the feeling she's getting, but something is telling her it goes much deeper than that.... After several moments she pushes it all to the back of her mind, something she has learned helps her survive through the days. She sits there nervously waiting for her baby to return. Each second feels like minutes and just before she is about to push the call button, Xavier arrives back in the room. Her body instantly starts to loosen back up as he returns back into her arms. She knows she must sleep to regain her strength but she is in pure awe of her beautiful baby. Xavier has olive skin, beautiful green eyes and the thickest black hair she has ever seen. She knows where he gets his looks from but pushes that thought back immediately. She knows in her heart that even if he may look like him, she has vowed to ensure his life holds so much more value. Xavier will not be used as an instrument. "You are so beautiful Xavier. Mommy loves you so much my handsome prince," Ella whispers as she kisses his forehead. Before she knows it she's falling sound asleep with Xavier in her arms. "Sir this is a private area, you can't be in here," the nurse says. Liam goes rigid with anger over what the nurse says to him. He could smell his mate and followed her scent blindly. Looking up he sees that he is in the labor and delivery ward. "You have got to be f*****g kidding me," Liam roars as realization seeps through his body. eight months, eight f*****g months he has been trying to track down his mate and this is where his tip led him. Balling his hands in fists he starts to lose his control. He snaps his head to look at the nurse who is clearly scared of the man standing in front of her. Liam closes his eyes and tries to collect his barring. " I apologize ma'am, I must have made a wrong turn," he says and with that he turns to walk out of the ward. Liam hears the woman let out a deep breath as he walks away. Liam grabs his phone after he exits the hospital and dials Carter's number. "Hey man did you find her yet?" Carter asks all chippery when he answers. "Carter I swear to God I will rip you limb from limb for this s**t, why the f**k did you not tell me the reason for her hospital stay," Liam is seething with anger and he means every word he speaks on the phone. "Woah boss I swear, all the witch told me was her locator spell pointed to St. John's Hospital. Is she ok? What happened to her? Do you think...", Liam hangs up on Carter too pissed to answer any questions. He knows Carter is a good man, that's why he picked him to be second in command. Carter has been by his side since he was fifteen, he is as loyal as they come. But at this moment Liam is blinded by pure rage. "You won't escape so easily this time Ella I can promise you that," Liam mumbles as he gets in his car to form his plan.