Accidental Surrogate

#Chapter 174— Ella Apologizes

Ella

After my snack, I meet with the chefs to talk about menus for the summit, then ask to have dinner sent up to my rooms.I’m feeling too pensive and tired to be social tonight.

I’m still reeling from discovering how badly I handled my troubles with Sinclair, and I’m both dreading and eager to make amends.I know I won’t feel better until I do, but the prospect is more than a little daunting.I’m too much of a chicken to call him on the phone, and I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing right now anyway.So I decide to wait for our dreams, where I’ll be able to feel his touch and let my wolf take over if things get too hard.I know Sinclair probably won't be asleep for hours, but it was a long, emotionally draining day.

So as much as I want to put off our meeting I take a quick shower and climb into my nest.

It smells like Sinclair, and that blessed comfort is enough to whisk me off into my dreams.

When I arrive in the dream forest I have nothing but time to kill, and I spend it thinking about what I want to say to Sinclair when he appears.

Of course, the more I think about my mistakes, the worse I feel, and soon I’m fighting the urge to cry.

When my mate finally takes shape in the distant trees, I feel a deep pang in my chest.I can’t bring myself to look at him.I kneel at the foot of the bed, my hands resting on either side of my belly as I stare at my lap.I can perfectly picture his handsome face, rugged lines and bronze skin practically glowing in the light of the moon, his blazing wolf eyes piercing me through the darkness.

"Hello trouble."

Sinclair’s deep voice wraps around me like a warm embrace, and I can see his black-clad legs just in front of me.

Strong fingers catch my chin, and then he’s tilting my face up to his.He searches my features with lethal intensity, and his voice is husky when he speaks.

"What, no smile?" He asks, running his thumb over my lower lip, his longer fingers splayed across my cheek and delving into my hair.

"If I didn’t know any better I'd think you weren’t happy to see me."

I can feel his wolf prodding at our bond, trying to tempt my own inner animal to rise to the surface.

"What is it, little wolf? Talk to me."

"I owe you an apology." I admit, wide eyed and trying to stop my voice from quavering.

"Already?" He inquires, the corner of his lip twitching upward.

"I’ve only been gone a day, how much mischief could you possibly have made? Other than skipping lunch of course."My jaw drops, and in my surprise and outrage, I forget some of my shyness.

"He actually told you?! That rat!" Sinclair chuckles, stroking my hair back from my face.

"You missed our bedtime call, so I checked with Roger. He explained that you’d had along day and probably went to bed early."

A new stab of guilt assails me.

"I forgot."

a

from my face, his brow furrowed with concern

"Baby, it’s okay."

not." I insist,

for me and every time you need me to be there for you, I fuck it

Sinclair is warning me to stop this, but I can’t help

thick, "I’ve been such

were still thinking of me every step of the way — figuring out how

hard time for

on my feet now, pacing back and forth while the huge Alpha patiently waits out the storm, watching me with the bearing of a wolf about to pounce,

you so much flack about communicating with me, but when you tried I refused to listen because I didn’t like what you were saying.I wasted our time together and whined and complained — and even now I can tell you’re pissed that I'm being hard on myself and you’re getting ready to comfort me and tell me I’m wrong and I won't have it, Dominic!" I command, pointing my index finger at him

over because I’m breeding or

my emotions swirling out of control.I’m prepared for the worst, and I

arms over his chest, his

to speak to me, but then he rumbles, "Get on the bed,

taken aback by his stark

"Why?"

a menacing brow, one which has me scampering onto the

I’m kneeling in front of him again, he steps forward, and I don’t need to tap into our bond to feel his disapproval.It rolls off him

in charge

the pure dominance

and maybe for the first time, I feel the full force of his

the reality of exactly how much magic courses through his veins, the reason why

kind, but

how much control he must employ every second of every day in order to keep it in check,

ago I might have challenged him, but now I

are." I answer

not showing me

decides how I feel? Who gets to

the desperation to cease the onslaught

on her back, belly up with her tail between her

me

your

my defiant response when Sinclair unleashes yet another wall of power, disproving my

"That's right, little wolf."

affirms, finally uncrossing his arms so he

"On all counts."

I shiver

if you ask me nicely, I can help you work through those feelings.But you

"I'm sorry." I sniffle.