Accidental Surrogate

Ella

Hugo, Sinclair and I are all staring at the television with wide eyes and slack jaws,

unable to process the images flitting across the screen. It seems like every time we

manage to take a few steps forward, Lydia and the Prince find a way to send us

reeling back – and this is no exception.

“This doesn’t make any sense.” Hugo expresses, obviously overwhelmed. “Why would

he risk losing the pack’s sympathy by parading around another Woman so soon after

his wife’s death?”

“Trust me, Hugo – Damon isn’t the one calling the shots here. This is all Lydia.”

Sinclair states gruffly. “She’s going to force her way onto the throne one way or

another. Right now she’s playing the doting friend, but mark my words, by the time the

election ends she’ll be in his bed.”

“How bad is this?’ I ask, looking up at Sinclair’s handsome face, “Does she have

information that could hurt you?”

Sinclair Squeezes my shoulders, “She knows some secrets.” He relates, “but luckily

nothing I could imagine as a smoking gun. In fact most of what she knows would be

more harmful to the Prince things like my father’s attack, Things the public believes

were accidents but our private investigators proved malicious.” His mouth flattens into

a hard line. “The real danger is that she knows how we think, how we operate. Not to

mention that the Prince doesn’t have more than two brain cells to rub together, but

Lydia has plenty.”

“So what do we do?” I ask anxiously, my head replaying the news reel over and over

again. “My bed rest isn’t common knowledge, and they’re making it sound like my

absence from the public eye is suspicious. Do we tell everyone about my condition?

Or do we make an appearance?”

“I’m afraid making an appearance might play right into their hands. This could be

some sort of attempt to lure us out of hiding.” Hugo advises, looking very grim indeed.

In the distance I hear the front door open and close – a fact which comes as quite a

surprise, since my hearing has never been so sharp before.

Wheels roll over the door jam, and then Henry’s voice floats up toward us, “Good

Morning!”

“Henry!” I exclaim, both taken aback yet unsurprised we stayed in bed so long.

Sinclair’s father has been coming over almost every day since we agreed to be

invalids together, and he’s been an invaluable help, since I learned my true identity.

and disappear into the restroom to change.

deeply ingrained to allow me to

Sinclair does – and I’m definitely not changing in front of

Sinclair is also dressed, though much

Sinclair carrying me despite my

more every day, but it isn’t enough to

yet. We all gather around the breakfast table, the men analyzing

low, serious voices, and

begin to understand. It’s not that they exclude me, I just feel so

of my depth.

asks, turning

for more than half

respond to

gnaw on my lower lip thoughtfully, trying to

the nervous habit. Releasing my swollen lip, I sigh,

mean

married to some other Alpha, right?” I clarify. When the men

if he doesn’t want her anymore,

to be gallivanting around another territory with another

good point.” Henry praises, maintaining a

out false

this the wrong

motivations, we can simply leave

respond without playing into

be expecting some sort of countermove to challenge

to spin ourselves out

onto them –

them busy and distract the pack by rustling up

Hugo nods approvingly.

squeezes my hand in support, but when I

like it. I think it’s the best hope we

situation just doesn’t

Hugo scoffs, “You

you this is all fucked six ways

feel

something bothering me

on it.”

saying from the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death felt

a political scheme.”

the Prince is too unimaginative to have

imperceptibly, and then he

fist and

who isn’t too unimaginative?” Sinclair

faces.

easily. “And while Prince Damon

than a trophy, he’s not the type to impulsively destroy

But Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about getting

of the way.”

are?” I gape, both certain I’ve understood

to believe

crazy as it seems, what other explanation do we have?” Sinclair inquires,

forth behind the

and beat her to death, I wouldn’t question it. And if there

attack, you could make the case for rogues or vengeance for some

by Damon. But poison? That’s a

a political scheme you

details in a way that benefitted

Damon looking sympathetic.”

it just

it was planned, then why haven’t they