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.

into the restroom to change. I might

is too deeply ingrained to allow me to strut around nude

definitely not changing in front

emerge, Sinclair is also dressed, though

go downstairs together, Sinclair carrying me despite my

every day, but it isn’t enough to free me of

the breakfast

and

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

of my depth.

do you think, Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning his blazing emerald

been going around in circles for more than

to this

my lower lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore the flash of emotion

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

what happened with Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess

some other Alpha, right?” I clarify. When

all this? Even if he doesn’t want her anymore,

gallivanting around

good point.” Henry praises,

not giving out false compliments. “Maybe

the

to understand their motivations, we can simply leave it

and respond without playing into their

be expecting some sort of countermove

able to spin ourselves out of

onto them – where it

them busy and distract the pack by rustling

approvingly.

support, but when I look over, his

still don’t like it. I think it’s the

entire situation just doesn’t

“You don’t need to convene a

this is all

feel

me and I just can’t put

on it.”

from the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death

scheme.”

but one the Prince is too unimaginative to have orchestrated.” Hugo

widen almost imperceptibly, and then he clenches them shut,

fist and swearing up a

too unimaginative?”

faces.

easily. “And while Prince Damon might have seen

more than a trophy, he’s not the type to

Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about getting the

of the way.”

you are?”

to believe

what other explanation do

and pacing back and forth behind the dining table. “If the Prince

I wouldn’t question it.

case

by Damon. But poison? That’s a

was a political scheme you would think the

spun the details in a way that

Damon looking sympathetic.”

agrees. “Instead it just seems…

planned,