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.

throws his arm out to prevent me from slamming into the back of the driver’s seat. His hand catches me in the sternum, stealing the air from my

make it a few meters when the vehicle slams to a stop again, this time colliding with a deafening crash. My body

through me as understanding sets in. The battle isn’t over yet. We’ve walked into a trap, and Sinclair isn’t here to protect me this time. He’s so far 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,

on.” Gabriel instructs. “We’re not going to get out of this without a few scrapes.” He forces his foot down on the accelerator, and the car surges backward at full speed. There’s nowhere to go, so our only option is to try and push the

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 fairly helpless to do anything but try to minimize the

been in a car crash before, and I’ve heard people say that time slows down in this sort of accident. I wish time would slow down, everything is happening all at once,

the SUV on our right rams into the passenger side

to maneuver the vehicle around to give us an escape route, but the other cars have us completely surrounded. My head cracks against 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

moment, and the next thing I know, everything is still. My guards are climbing out of the car and shifting into their wolves, and Gabriel gives

do, stay inside,

me has gone very fuzzy, and I’m horrified when I look out the window 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 city I feel very nauseous all of a sudden, and it only gets worse when the fighting begins. I’ve seen more than a little violence in my life, but not like this. Never like this. Gabriel,

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

of sick bags tucked into the seat-back pocket in front of me, and I snatch one up, 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

that Gabriel wasn’t exaggerating when he told me how fierce he and his men are. It’s obvious that they truly are Sinclair’s best, because they look entirely

my mouth to try and smother my scream when I see the other wolf rip out his throat. I’ll never forget how his eyes swung to me with

for me. I’m the one they want I thìnk desperately. I have to

them, and then they

do