Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 166 – Ella Broods

Ella

After leaving our rooms I sneak down to the kitchens, hoping the palace chef will take pity on me. My stomach is grumbling with a hunger so fierce I feel dizzy, but the last thing I want right now is to be social. I love my family and King Gabriel is growing on me by the day, but faking smiles and pretending I haven’t just had the biggest fight in the history of my relationship with Sinclair sounds absolutely dreadful.

I’m not sure why this fight feels so much worse than the ones before. After all, we got through Lydia’s attempted assault and fake pregnancy, as well as countless other small battles about Sinlcair’s overprotectiveness, my defiance, and shared communication failings. Still, this is the first time since we met that Sinclair has suggested we separate for any length of time, and maybe that’s the real reason I’m so hurt.

I probe my own feelings for fears of abandonment or doubts about his devotion, and I’d be lying if I said I came up entirely empty. Part of me, a very small and irrational part, does fear that Sinclair might not return for me if he goes away. An even larger and more ridiculous part of me wonders if he’s leaving me behind because the magic has faded now that we’re officially mated.

You’re right. That is ridiculous. Sinclair growls in my head, and I realize I accidentally projected my fears through our bond again. My mate sounds furious at the very notion, and apparently he was so affronted by this idea that he couldn’t stay silent. You know how crazy I am for you, trouble. You know I’ll always come back. You put those doubts out of your gorgeous head this instant.

Get out of my thoughts! I order bitterly, trying to imagine a great granite wall shutting over our mental link. I’m not sure if it works entirely, but Sinclair doesn’t speak again. I return my focus to my tangled emotions, and though I am a bit hurt that my mate can stand the idea of being away from me, I quickly confirm that my greatest upset is due to his lack of support. I believe I can handle the challenges of this journey and that it’s important for my wolf to get experience in the real world – so why doesn’t he? Does he really believe I’m so weak that I’ll fall apart at the first sign of trouble?

Baby, I told you it isn’t like that. Sinclair chimes in again, and I feel the full weight of his hatred for the idea of separating us, as well as his love and belief in my abilities. I just need you to be safe. If we can get through this we’ll have a lifetime of opportunities for you to-

I said get out! I repeat angrily, imagining a giant lock on the granite wall, and mentally slamming the bolt into the ground before wrapping it up in thick chains. I’m still not sure if it fixed the problem, so I decide to test my sneaky mate. Dominic, I want you to know you’re a great big dummy. You smell terrible and your wolf has fleas.

Silence. Beautiful, utter tranquility. Finally. I think in exasperation. I know blocking the bond with Sinclair will get easier the more I practice, but now it takes almost all of my strength in order to keep him out. As I pass the dining room on my way to the kitchens, I hear Roger and Cora talking in tense voices. I slow down, feeling both guilty for eavesdropping but also impossibly curious about their conversation. I haven’t had a chance to ask my sister about the tension between them yet, but it’s so palpable that you’d have to be blind to miss it.

steadier one. “So what will it be, Cora? Do you want to surrender

it this has been building for a while.” Just because you feel something, doesn’t mean I do,” Cora replies,

months ago I would have agreed with her, the word surrender used to evoke images of violence and animosity for me. Now it only evokes the blissful release of being at my mate’s mercy, of letting him take control of my body and trusting him to take

going soft and gravelly. “Haven’t you ever heard that love is a battlefield? I’m pretty sure your kind have written entire

said anything about love?” Cora gasps, sounding even more shocked

her face. “Or maybe not.” He adds in a

chair push back from the table, and then Cora’s fleeting voice. “I

off guard, but it’s not in my nature to pretend I don’t have feelings for someone when I do. I’m letting you off easy today because I know this wasn’t easy for you, but don’t expect the same lenience in the future, Cora. Pretend all you want, but I know you feel the same, and

to avoid the dining room after all. They

Cora sitting with her face in her hands, and I can see her red cheeks through her parted fingers. Her breathing is ragged and shallow, and she jumps out of her seat when I rest my hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay, it’s

on me. There’s a faint scent

to mask my features so as not to mortify my sister with this information. As soon as Cora’s surprise passes, she swats my arm. ’Where have you

I explain, “I was planning on skipping dinner entirely until I

moans, frowning deeply. “Roger is… he’s… well basically

her. “I thought

exclaims, eyes wide. ’Why didn’t you do