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 be a

my human modesty is too deeply ingrained to allow me to strut around

I’m definitely not

I emerge, Sinclair is also dressed, though

go downstairs together, Sinclair carrying me despite

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

We all gather around the breakfast

low, serious voices, and me feeling like an

to understand. It’s not that they

of my depth.

do you think, Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning

around in circles for more than half

respond to

lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore

observes the nervous habit. Releasing my swollen lip,

with Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess

right?” I clarify. When

is he in all this? Even if he doesn’t want her

to be gallivanting around another

a good point.” Henry praises, maintaining a straight-faced expression

out false compliments. “Maybe

this the wrong

understand their motivations, we can simply leave it at

and respond without

expecting some sort of countermove

might be able to spin ourselves out

onto them – where

distract the pack

Hugo nods approvingly.

hand in support, but when I look over,

still don’t like it. I think it’s

this entire situation just

of course not.” Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need to convene

tell you this is all fucked six ways

feel like

bothering me and

on it.”

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

a political scheme.” I contribute

too unimaginative to have

and then

fist and

who isn’t too unimaginative?”

faces.

easily. “And while Prince Damon might

not the type to

wouldn’t have any reservations about

of the way.”

I think you are?” I gape, both

to believe my

as it seems, what other explanation do

back and forth behind the

wouldn’t question it. And

the case for rogues or vengeance for

poison? That’s a woman’s

scheme you would think the

the details in a

Damon looking sympathetic.”

“Instead it just seems…

was planned, then why haven’t they jumped