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.

loungewear and disappear into the restroom to

ingrained to allow me

Sinclair does – and I’m definitely

dressed, though

carrying

is improving more and more every day, but

all gather around the breakfast table, the men analyzing

serious voices, and me feeling like an outsider

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

of my depth.

think, Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning his blazing emerald eyes to

for more than half an hour,

to this

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

habit. Releasing my

happened with Lydia’s husband?I mean

Alpha, right?” I

in all this? Even if he doesn’t

gallivanting around another

point.” Henry praises, maintaining

out

the

understand their motivations, we

without playing into

some sort of countermove to challenge

we might be able to spin ourselves

–

busy and distract the pack by rustling up

approvingly. “Good idea,

when

with worry.”I still don’t like it. I think

entire situation

not.” Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need to

to tell you this is all

mean, I feel like

drying. “Therę’s something bothering me and I just

on it.”

the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death felt off

scheme.”

is too unimaginative to have orchestrated.” Hugo

eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and then

fist and swearing up

know who isn’t too unimaginative?”

faces.

Henry supplies easily. “And while Prince Damon might have

he’s not the type to impulsively destroy one of his

have any reservations about getting

of the way.”

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

believe

as it seems, what other explanation do

feet and pacing back and forth behind the dining

death, I wouldn’t question it. And if

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

But poison? That’s a

a political scheme you would think the royal

and spun the details in a way that benefitted the

Damon looking sympathetic.”

it

“If it was planned, then