Accidental Surrogate

Ella

I hear Sinclair’s footsteps coming up the stairs just past five, and I realize he must have left work at the earliest available opportunity. I’m not complaining, I’ve been so eager to ask him about Mike ever since the police called me, and as unbelievable as it seems I even find myself missing him the more time we spend apart. I think it must be the pup’s craving to be near its father rather than my own interest, because more often than not I’m nervous or on-edge when we’re together. The one exception is when I go to his rooms at bedtime; I haven’t had a single nightmare since he insisted we begin sleeping together, and I look forward to falling asleep in his strong arms every night.

He comes into my rooms without knocking, offering me a wide smile when he sees me cuddled up in bed. The doctor gave me strict orders to rest today, and after the exhausting ordeal at the hospital, I actually didn’t mind. “Hello trouble.” Sinclair greets me fondly, taking a seat on the edge of my mattress. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” I promise, “No more spotting.” I blush, but I figure we have to get used to speaking on such familiar terms about my body. Pregnancy does nothing if not steal one’s sense of modesty, as the most personal bodily functions must be discussed to assess the baby’s health.

“I’m glad.” Sinclair sighs with visible relief. “Have you checked your blood pressure?”

“No, I’ve been distracted.” I admit.

“Tsk, tsk,” He teases, retrieving the home monitoring device from my bedside. “Let’s have your arm, gorgeous.”

I wait while he settles the cuff around my bicep and presses the machine’s start button. Once the cuff begins to inflate and pressure increases on my arm, I say, “I got a call from the police today.”

Sinclair keeps a perfectly straight face, as if he doesn’t have the first idea what I’m about to say. “Oh?”

“It seems that Mike turned himself in this afternoon.” I share, watching him closely. “He came all the way back from the coast and signed a full confession. He’s going to stand trial.”

Sinclair is busy watching the numbers on the machine, but he manages a distracted smile, “that’s wonderful, Ella.”

I wait for him to say more, but he remains silent, avidly focused on taking my vital signs. “You’re really going to pretend like you had nothing to do with it?” I finally burst.

The machine beeps, and Sinclair frowns, loosening the cuff. “Still too high.” He murmurs, looking back up at me. Sinclair scans my features, taking my cheek in his oversized hand. “Are you still feeling stressed?”

“I’m trying to talk to you about something.” I reply, rather than answering him.

“Ella it was nothing. I would have done it for anyone.” He states simply.

getting ahead of yourself, Ella. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re special when you’re anything but. “That might be true.” I murmur, “but it’s a very big deal to me. I don’t know how

if this settles the matter. “I was happy to do it. That rat deserved a lot worse than

very least it shows that he does care, and I decide then and there that

____________

bathroom, setting up a makeshift camp on the cold tiles so that I’m not constantly running back and forth. By the afternoon I feel well enough to go out and about, and I eagerly

but when I arrive the elder Alpha greets me with so much hospitality and generosity I decide I should try and visit more often. “Come

hope you don’t mind me

darling. You’re welcome anytime.” He replies genially. “I was just about to have a late lunch,

no, I couldn’t impose.”

observes wryly. “You’re still green about the gills, dear one. Some food in your tummy

you.” I smile despite myself. “I see you’re

if he did

I chuckle, taking a seat across from him in the sitting room as a servant runs to

in your shoes I wouldn’t enjoy having someone

his father sets me completely at ease. So at ease in fact that I find the words sliding off my tongue before I can stop them. “I’m

Alpha nonsense.”

but laugh, “you and Dominic really are a pair,

warmly, “a high complement. I’m very proud of my son, you know.

stop myself from confiding, “we’re both so excited for this baby I’m not sure if we’ve even discussed whether we truly are mates. I mean we’re saying

and I know a good match when I see it. You two will get there

afraid I don’t know him well enough to know what he’d like best. I was hoping you might help me do

Henry assures me, “what kind of surprise did

anything to show him how grateful I am.” I explain, “how excited I am to be having this baby together, for all

my son is that he has a powerful sweet tooth.” Henry intones. “He doesn’t indulge it often, but the quickest way to his

terrifying Alpha wolf might have a secret