Accidental Surrogate

Ella

The streets were all but empty as we drove through the darkened city. I suppose everyone is still inside watching the news or waiting for more information to be released about the attack. I understand that we needed to be off the grid so no one could track us electronically, but I wish I had my phone. I wish I knew what had happened. I’m impatient to see Sinclair, to hear what happened and make sure he isn’t wounded.

My wolf is whining in my head, eager to be reunited with her mate. I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about the danger Sinclair has been facing while I was safe and sound with my guards, but now that the crisis has passed the possibilities consume me. I’m imagining returning home to find Sinclair covered in blood, his powerful shoulders crumbling under the weight of the lives he took tonight. He’s going to need me, and I’m already wondering how I can possibly comfort him when I don’t have the first clue what it’s like to go to war.

My guards are clearly focused on a very different train of thought. “Something still feels off to me.”

Gabriel grumbles, scanning the deserted streets “f the all clear is ringing, why hasn’t anyone come out yet?” He mutters, dragging a hand over his face.

“I think it feels off because it was a crazy situation to begin with.” Sean answers.

“There’s never been an attack of this size in living memory.”

“Which is precisely why this is too soon for the danger to have passed.” Gabriel shakes his head. slowing the car. “I don’t like this. I think we should go back”

Just as the words leave his mouth, the sound of screeching brakes shatters the quiet.

A black SUV with tinted windows skids to a stop in front of us, cutting off our path.

stop. The guard beside me throws his arm out to prevent me from slamming

it a few meters when the vehicle slams to a stop again, this time colliding with a deafening crash. My body is jolted and jostled, and I whip around to see what we hit. A second SUV is

away that there’s no chance he might make it back in time to help me. I have to trust that my guards will keep me safe, even if my pounding heart and the blood rushing in my ears warns me that this is all going to

at full speed. There’s nowhere to go, so our only option is to try and push the other car out of the way. It rocks and slides, nearly toppling, becoming

deafening, and I feel like a ragdoll as my body is thrown around wildly, yanked back and forth by gravity. I’m restrained by my seatbelt and the guard’s arm, but we’ll all

and I’ve heard people say that time slows down in

on our right rams into the passenger

the window when the car ramming our side slams into us right as Gabriel attempts to rèverse through the tiny opening between the rear car and the bollards protecting the footpath from errant vehicles like our

guards are climbing out of the car and shifting into their wolves, and

do, stay inside,

and see how many wolves are waiting to fight my guards. I count at least three dozen, and part of me is furious that the Prince chose to send his best fighters here, when the people he hopes to rule are facing an imminent threat. I know he’s the one who created the threat, but he could at least put on a show and pretend to care, to help defend

the pavement, and I see flesh ripped and torn, bodies tossed onto the

emptying the contents of my stomach into the plastic sack. I blink tears from my eyes, unsure whether I want to close my eyes and hide from the horrific scenes outside my window, or if I should

that they truly are Sinclair’s best, because they look entirely unharmed

the other wolf rip out his throat. I’ll never forget how his eyes swung to me with regret, even as the light winked out of them. Sobs burn in my

and let them die for me. I’m the one they want I thìnk desperately.

now you’ll distract them, and then

do their