Accidental Surrogate

Sinclair

Don’t shift, don’t shift, don’t shift. I think manically Ella needs you.

Listening to Ella recount her childhood always makes me furious, but this time is

worse than all the others. I’ve suspected that Ella suffered terrible traumas for some

time now, but before this night l’d been able to pacify my outrage with the hope that

I’m wrong.

No longer.

As Ella speaks, I wonder how she could ever imagine herself weak. I can’t even stand

to listen to her story, but she actually lived it. She sacrificed herself for her sister, and

she survived things I can only imagine

“When the matron realized it was me, she smiled so cruelly that my stomach turnedshe was only too glad to take, me instead of Cora.” Ella continues, shuddering with

the memory. Her unease gives my wolf the push he needed to put aside his own rage

and comfort her. I finally manage a weak purr, and Ella presses her nose to my chest,

breathing in my scent.

“She took me to her own room and put me in her bed, and then she got in with me

and.. started touching me in ways I didn’t like or understand.

She made me touch her too, and she never stopped talking She told me how pretty I

was over and over, and kept asking me if I liked it. I said no, but she just insisted that

this was a special, secret game I was lucky to play. She said everything I was feeling

might be confusing, but it was good and right and natural. She said it took practice,

but that we’d have plenty of time.. Afterwards she took me back to the dorm with a

reminder not to share our secret. Cora asked me what happened but I didn’t know

how to explain.”

“The next day I went to the doctor in residence, and I told him what the matron had

done. I’d never liked him much, but in my heart I knew what had happened was

wrong, and I didn’t know who else to tell. I thought that since it was about my body,

the doctor was the one who could help. There was no such thing as sex ed at the

orphanage and no one else ever talked to us about our bodies. At first I was relieved

to tell someone. The doctor seemed very concerned, and agreed that it sounded

strange.”

that he

words are coming in starts and stops now, and her shaking is getting

steaming around us, so I know she isn’t cold

off my clothes and put me on the exam table. and then

said, ‘now it’s very important

to, and if you move

s cheeks as she quotes

“Then he said, T know little girls can have a hard

nifty straps to help you. He pulled out restraints

the table and strapped me down. and then he asked me exactly

would touch me

I didn’t answer, if I cried or objected,

demand I tell him”

minute or so I figured out what he was about, and I didn’t

questions anymore, but if I didn’t

on my body. They were

she’d done.. So I answered. I told him how

at

she offers me a bitter smile

big bad

snarl becomes a whine, and Ella determinedy forges on.

I knew how

again, but

like Cora who weren’t

no. No, no, no tell me she didn’t!I have a horrible sick feeling in

back in time and whisk Ella away from that horrible place before

could hurt her.

that only would have meant other children would

what Ella did. My brave, brilliant little mate would never stand by and

abused… even if it meant being

I stopped hiding at night. I gave myself up so the others wouldn’t be touched..

couldn’t be ruined more than I already was, and it was better

Ella shares, confirming

her logic. “The

check ups every few weeks. I hated those

and she never tied me down or gagged

inflict pain, she seemed determined to make me like

doctor was different. He was a true sadist; he loved

hides her face

me, and that’s when Cora and

run with us, but most were more afraid of living

were of the matron. Luckily they didn’t know

to never confide in

are clamped so tightly on Ella I’m afraid I must be hurting her, but

doesn’t complain.

her muscles have

and I can only kiss and caress my sweet

everything she

still there? The matron and the doctor?” I finally ask, my

hiss.

Ella replies. “Cora and I could only

away through the first winter, but eventually the police

returned us to the orphanage. When we got back they