Accidental Surrogate

Sinclair

I’m resolved to buy Ella a ring tomorrow, but we still have to get through tonight first.

She was distant on the ride home, sitting across from me in the back of the limo rather than tucked up against my side the way I prefer. Moreover she didn’t say a word until we got back to the house, and then her only message was that she wanted to sleep in her own rooms this evening.

“Are you angry with me?” I ask, furrowing my brow in confusion.

“No, I just think a little space would be good for us.” She answers, hugging herself in a clear defensive move.

Maybe she’s right, I think, though it’s not easy to hear my thoughts with my wolf snarling in protest. I still haven’t gotten to the bottom of her reluctance to indulge our shared desires, and I don’t want to press her if she really isn’t interested. Even if she is, I think it would be a mistake to push her too hard or fast and risk spooking her. “Okay.” I agree eventually. “I’ll notify the guards.”

My wolf is whining like a pup as I stride away from her, and I can’t believe how attached I’ve become to the sweet human in so short a time. I don’t like letting her out of my sight when I know she’s under threat, but this is so much more than that. I’ve gotten so used to sleeping with her warm little body snuggled in my arms or sprawled out on top of me, that I’m not sure I’ll be able to rest without her.

calm my wolf, I imagine that will. I pull on a t-shirt over my pajama bottoms and set off towards her rooms, knowing precisely how ridiculous I’m being and not giving a

I understand. It’s not a sound of worry, sadness or fear, but one absolutely dripping with sex. My ears sharpen towards her door and I hear more sounds: the slight rustle of the bed sheets;

doubt she wants me to hear this either, though she probably wouldn’t mind if she realized just how open shifters are about sex. Even my men weren’t embarrassed, simply nervous over my reaction to them being near Ella at an intimate moment. She might not be my mate, but she is carrying my pup, and that’s a claim every bit as powerful and sacred to our kind.

to Ella, considering the intimacies we’ve already shared. Still, I have to keep telling myself this reminder as time passes. Every time I begin to wonder if I’m using her protection as an excuse to eavesdrop, I put myself in Ella’s shoes and recall how humiliated she would feel about so many strangers hearing her in this state. Leaving her unguarded isn’t an option, so

put a stop to this immediately. I should be the one pleasuring her, she shouldn’t have to take matters into her own hands. This is a mate’s job. If she

give in. Still, she’s clearly worked up because of the kiss, my wolf reasons, she’s probably

might be the pregnancy,

a rock on my slacks, and as soon as Ella’s need

reluctance to start something romantic between us. This is only going to get harder as her pregnancy progresses, and my wolf is quickly running out of patience. I can’t understand his behavior. I’ve had sex with plenty of she-wolves over the years, and he’s only ever pushed me to claim Lydia, no matter how much I cared about the women

Ella even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to… right? It’s just my wolf going overboard because of the