Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“This baby is mine.” I tell him possessively. “You can’t just tell me you’re magic and expect me to take that as proof you’re the father.”

“My senses don’t lie, little human.” Sinclair declares, leaving no room for argument. “Nor do my investigators. You’re not in any position to care for this child. Your income is too low to pay off your debts in time, and no woman who claims to be responsible would ever get pregnant in such a situation.”

“My income?” I force the words out through clenched teeth, “what income? You got me fired!”

The big man… or wolf, I suppose, blinks in surprise. “You were fired?”

“Now who’s playing dumb?” I demand wryly. “You called the Graves after I asked you to help Cora, you got me fired and ruined my reputation.”

“I did no such thing.” He insists. “I didn’t even know you were no longer employed.”

“I thought your investigators were the best?” I taunt, and I can feel myself toeing the line of his temper.

“Clearly this was very recent.” He bites back. “And I don’t blame you for becoming desperate, but you have to admit the only explanation for this,” He gestures to my tummy, “is that you needed money and hoped to extort it from me in exchange for the child.”

“I wanted this child more than anything in the world!” I exclaim, surging to my feet. “I’ve been trying to get pregnant for years and when I came to Cora I didn’t know about the identity theft or that I was going to lose my job. This was my last chance and you have no idea how hard it’s been… how painful it is to think I might have to abort it because of everything that’s happened since.” I didn’t mean to tell him so much, but the words poured out of me before I could stop them. I’ve been so preoccupied with these thoughts the last few days I clearly couldn’t keep them contained.

“Abort it!?” Sinclair rises to his feet in a blur, suddenly towering over me despite the fact that I’m still standing on the exam table’s step. “So now you’re threatening me?”

said I can’t afford

precious and Cora knows that. I’m sure that’s what she was thinking

my hands into fists. “You’re impossible! How many times do I have to tell you that if this child is yours, it was an accident! Cora didn’t switch the samples on purpose and

me. “You’re a very

wouldn’t be surprised if you have scales when you shift

true growl sounds in his chest, so full of raw power that my knees go weak. “Be careful Ella, I’m showing you a lot of lenience right now

precious your pups are so I know you’re not going to hurt me.” To my horror, I feel my eyes burning

too suspicious, especially now that I know the truth about Cora’s lab. It couldn’t be easy to mix up samples of

why would Cora have ever attempted to use your sperm?” I interrogate. “She couldn’t have known it was the wrong sample. She wouldn’t have believed it would

information with a grimace. Silence stretches between us and eventually he sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’m not saying I believe you,

him warily,

your price, Ella.” He mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. “How much do you

The baby?” I sputter, “You want me to

don’t belong in my world. So how much is it going to take for you

to negotiate a price for my baby, like it’s a bag of rice or a car! Nor do I want it raised by someone who thinks of it as nothing more than a commodity!” I’m raising my voice now, feeling

“do you have any idea how long

but an heir – is that all it is to you? Some hypothetical legacy? I might not be able to prevent myself from losing this child now, but I’m not going to hand it

about.” He repeats gutturally. “I will give this baby a life you never could, it will want for absolutely nothing! With you its best chance is to scrounge and scrape in poverty, assuming you have the decency to