Accidental Surrogate

Sinclair

“Dominic?” My beta, Hugo, stands behind me, watching me with a worried expression. “We need you in the war room.”

“I want to be here when she wakes up.” I insist, keeping my gaze locked on Ella. She’s asleep in my bed, her small body curled beneath the covers. Her arms are bandaged from shoulder to fingertip, and bruises dot her fair skin in too many places to count.

Guilt ties my insides into knots just looking at them – some of those bruises were my doing, the results of my efforts to restrain her. Ella had remained unconscious as I carried her out of the forest, but when she woke, she fought me as hard as ever. The doctor was forced to give her a strong dose of a sleeping draft in order to treat her wounds, though he promised the potion would help break her shock.

“I understand, but we’re still cleaning up the scene and we need to make sure no one finds out about this.” Hugo sighs. It was thanks to Ella’s quick thinking and endurance that the attack happened so deep in the forest, far deeper than other couples would be running on the hunt.

I was able to evacuate her on the opposite side of the park, free from the prying eyes of the pack or the media, and my men had immediately rushed in to clean up the bodies before they could be discovered. “Until we can prove the prince was behind it, rogue attacks will just make you look weak.”

“I am weak.” I state hoarsely, wallowing in more than a small amount of self-pity and loathing. “It’s my fault. I didn’t see them coming. I knew the Prince was plotting against us and I still didn’t see them coming.”

“That isn’t fair Dom.” Hugo growls, his voice very stern. “You can only prepare for so much and none of us can foresee the future. I’m sure Ella doesn’t blame you.”

“Well she should.” I bite back, emotion clogging my throat. “You know, she was so traumatized she couldn’t even recognize me? That our baby was beside itself after weathering all her fear?”

“I know.” Hugo confirms grimly. “But she’s heavily sedated. It will be some time before she wakes, and if you want to make her safe, then the best thing you can do for her is to come to the war room and deal with the fallout. Help us strategize against the Prince. We’ll place extra guards at her door.”

“Not at her door.” I correct, seeing the sense of his words even though I hate hearing logic at the moment. “I want them posted in here with her. And I’ll come to the war room, but there’s something I have to do first.”

“Dominic –”

“If anyone has an inside track on the Prince’s plans, it’s my brother.” I interrupt, scrubbing a hand over my face. “We need intel if we’re going to effectively strategize – and he has it.”

“Alright.” Hugo agrees. “Just try not to lose your temper. Murdering your brother isn’t the kind of PR we need right now.”

a humorless

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and conducting silent counting exercises to try and stay calm. In my current mood it wouldn’t

No violence. Violence is bad. Just think how disappointed Ella would be. I know it’s ironic that I’m urging myself not to resort to violence after the slaughter I committed last night,

to see me, I actually contemplate whether he might not have been involved in the attack. Then again, my brother has always been a good

owe the pleasure?” He drawls, making it clear that

him back from the doorway as I go. “Were

“what are you talking

with me, Roger.” I scowl, “I

humorless laugh.

turn up in the same back alley where Ella was being attacked in the middle of the night

you’re forgetting all your staff – your guards, your doctors, Hugo and Aileen.”

the only person who knew who also

you know of.”

killed last night.” I thunder, “I understand you hating me,

paling. “Back up,

burst from my chest in a vicious snarl, and I just barely hold onto my temper. Use your words Dominic! “I suppose you ran in to protect her the first time to try and earn her trust, but when that didn’t work you decided

Roger shouts back, losing his own temper. “On my life, Dominic, I had no idea

you?” I grumble, clenching and unclenching my

seems genuinely shaken, and I wonder if I underestimated his interest in Ella. “Look, I admit I knew about the first attack in advance. The Prince planned on killing her

fighting the urge to reel back. I’ve

lose the campaign. And yes, I told the Prince she hadn’t been claimed, but I swear

grind out, “That you would rather a tyrant take over the realm just to spite