Accidental Surrogate

Ella

When I wake, I’m amazed to realize I’m alive. I was sure the Prince’s men were going to kill me.

My hands immediately got to my middle, running over my slight baby bump with urgency. Everything feels normal, but I wish I had Sinclair’s link with our pup. I wish I could feel what he’s feeling, know for sure that he’s unharmed. I’m sure the events of the last 12 hours or so haven’t helped my preeclampsia, and I’m worried for my son.

Even as I think this, a tiny thump meets my palm, and I clamp my eyes shut with relief. “Hello angel.” I greet him gently. “You can tell Mommy’s freaking out, huh?” Another kick flutters beneath my hand and I hiccup with unshed tears. “I love you so much.” I whisper. “I’m going to find a way out of this, I promise.”

After my baby, Sinclair is my greatest concern. Fear for my mate permeates the fog of confusion, worry and grief consuming my overwrought mind. At best he’ll be beside himself with guilt and rage that we’ve been taken. At worst he never made it out of the battle at all. I’d been anxious for his well being when the all clear rang out, but now I realize we might have lost.

I stagger to my feet, cradling my stomach and wincing as a dozen aches and pains assail me all at once. I hadn’t noticed them when I was lying down, but upright I feel as though I’ve been flattened by a steamroller. My vision blacks out as blinding pain pierces my skull, and muscles I didn’t even know I possessed are screaming at my brain, my eviscerated nerve endings begging we cease moving. I slump back onto the edge of the bed, trying to breathe through the agony.

Of course, as soon as I close my eyes, images of all my slaughtered guards fill my mind. I moan as I recall Sean’s remorse in the second before he dies, and Gabriel’s agonized howl as his insides were spilled into the pavement. I’m so lost in my thoughts that I barely hear the door open. “Oh good. You’re up.” Lydia’s familiar and wretched voice cuts through my thoughts and I crack my eyelids open to see the she-wolf prowling into the room with a smug smirk on her face. “How are you liking your rooms?”

For the first time I look around and realize I must be in the Royal Palace, because my surroundings are actually quite lovely. “What, no dungeons?” I quip snarkily, trying not to let her see how much pain I’m in.

I’m baffled at how Lydia could possibly march in here sounding like an attentive hostess when I’ve just been kidnapped, but she manages without any visible difficulty. “Don’t be silly. You’re a Luna. We have to show you due respect… even if you are a conniving little whore.” Lydia announces, sounding more and more bitter with every word out of her mouth.

he finds me.” I counter sharply. It’s mostly a test, a trick to get her to reveal Sinclair’s fate. If she tells me he’s dead, I’m not sure I’ll believe her – surely

isn’t some shoddy shake down. We’re brokering a deal,

distrust war for control in my heart, and my wolf snarls at her suggestion. “Civilized?” I grit out. “Is that

shrugs, showing so little concern for the loss of human life I wonder if she has a heart at

you expect Dominic to give up his life for mine then you’re going to be sorely disappointed.” I bluff, smothering a terrible feeling that this isn’t actually true. I”d like to think that Sinclair

course he would. Dominic has always been too noble for his own damned good. Besides – weren’t you listening. I said you’d be together. We

happened to make you this way? Don’t you care about what will happen to the pack if the Prince wins? To all the packs?” I hiss, not understanding how anyone who had been part of the Sinclair family –

should I care about a bunch of commoners – I’ll be on the

creature in front of me. “He beat

weak, she didn’t know

own husband?” I demand. “What

sight and out of mind. The Prince outranks him,

all this?” I inquire,

might understand that. But no – here you are having skated through like on your looks, everything and everyone falling at your feet because you’re perfect Ella,” She sneers, “but it doesn’t work that way for everyone.