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.

disappear into the restroom to change.

deeply ingrained

and I’m definitely not changing in

dressed, though

carrying me

is improving more and more every day, but it isn’t enough to

the breakfast

and me

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

of my depth.

think, Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning his

in circles for more than half an

to this

lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore the

he observes the nervous habit. Releasing my swollen lip, I

with Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess is dead,

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

he

her to be gallivanting around another

Henry praises,

giving out false

this the wrong

their motivations, we can simply leave

respond without playing into

expecting some sort of

to spin ourselves out

onto them –

and distract the pack

nods approvingly. “Good idea,

support, but when I look over, his features are

think it’s the

this entire situation just

Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need to convene a

this is all fucked six

feel like I’m

replies drying. “Therę’s something bothering me and I just can’t

on it.”

you’ve been saying from the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death felt off

political scheme.”

Prince is too unimaginative to

and

a fist and swearing up

know who isn’t too unimaginative?”

faces.

“And while Prince

he’s not the type to impulsively destroy one

have any reservations about getting the Princess

of the way.”

saying what I think you are?” I gape, both certain I’ve understood and

believe

what other explanation do

and pacing back and forth behind the dining

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

you could make the case for

But poison?

and if it was a political scheme you would think the

her death and spun the details in a

Damon looking sympathetic.”

agrees. “Instead it just seems…

confirms. “If it was planned, then why haven’t they jumped on