Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“Cora tell me what happened.” I demand, crossing my skinny arms over my chest. I’m eight years old, glaring down at my surrogate sister with a stern expression. It’s always been this way between us. She’s a year older, but I’ve always had the dominant personality.

“It was nothing.” She insists, averting her gaze from my own.

“You’re lying.” I counter stubbornly. “I can always tell, you know.”

“No, you think you always know.” Cora answers sullenly, though we both know I’m right. I can read my sister like a book.

“Would you just tell me?” I press, sighing with exasperation.

“Fine, it’s not even a big deal, it was just some of the big kids being jerks.” She explains gravely.

“Which ones?” I respond immediately. “Point them out.” It could be anyone, considering the fact that even children our own age tend to be bigger than us. It seems like the orphanage physician labels us undersized and undernourished every year, though nothing ever changes.

Reluctantly, Cora points toward a familiar gang of kids, ranging from age eleven to fourteen. The ringleader is a beefy thirteen year old who always wears a cruel leer, as if he’s ever on the lookout for someone to bully to tears – just for the fun of it. “You see, there’s nothing we can do about it – they run this place.”

“I beg to differ.” I answer, tilting my chin up defiantly. “We don’t have to be bigger than them – just smarter. Now tell me what they said to you?”

Cora’s voice is so low I almost can’t hear her speak. She stares at the ground, her shoulders slumped in defeat. “They called me a worthless gutter rat and said no one would ever adopt me cuz I’m too ugly.”

know what it’s like to be wanted or unconditionally loved, and the only thing that keeps us going is the hope that we might get parents one day. As far as I’m concerned, targeting my sister’s biggest sensitivity deserves a serious punishment. “I’ll kill them.” I seethe,

it is. Parents only ever

vow. I’d like to

you to say that.” Cora offers me a hesitant smile.“You adopt all the outcasts.” This isn’t the first time she’s said this to me. I do have a way of taking the most skittish and rejected of our peers under my wing, but it’s not as if I can just stand by and let them be mistreated, or leave them to fend for

mean. They’re mad that no one ever picked them and they take it

you’re going to let them off

course not, I’m just gonna remind them that we’re in this together.” I answer reasonably, trying

flash in a pearly grin. “And if they don’t

Cora trails along behind me, whispering anxiously about what a bad idea this is. I don’t listen, determined to defend her

to pick on someone your own size?” I

one who spoke. The ringleader rises to his feet,

you account for brains.” I bite back. “You shouldn’t be mean to Cora just cuz you’re unhappy. That isn’t fair and she doesn’t

small body with malicious intent. “A scrawny little thing like you? You’re even more useless than she is.” He reaches out

but something is rising up inside me, something powerful and fearless. I snarl and pounce, scrabbling up the older boy’s body and attacking him tooth and nail. He screams and flails his arms. “What

back to the present, I realize how strange my behavior had been that day. Normal human girls don’t

asks, the corners of his mouth

day I became the de facto leader of the orphanage, just by being scrappy enough to take on the big kids. When it was over I tended his wounds, and from then on they

your own pack.” Sinclair observes, massaging my tense shoulders. His words sink into my mind slowly, but I gradually recognize the truth in them – not only the wolfish group I formed, but the fact I

makes sense now.” I muse aloud. “I was able to beat him because I’m a wolf… I mean I’m sure I wouldn’t have been any match for a pup that wasn’t dormant,

of it you were a born leader, and that has nothing to do with being a wolf – not