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."

"I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.I just didn’t get a chance to

away from my

"Baby, it’s okay."

not." I insist, furious with myself

always there for me and every time you need me

know Sinclair is warning

"I’ve been such

the whole world on your plate and you were still thinking of me every step of the way —

a hard time for being stressed and then run away when things got

feet now, pacing back and forth while the huge Alpha patiently waits out the storm, watching me with the bearing of

I gave 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

and I’m not going to let you smooth this over because I’m breeding or new to being a wolf! Yell at me, or walk out on

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

his arms over his chest, his expression dark

a minute I don’t think he’s going to speak to me, but then he rumbles, "Get on

aback by his

"Why?"

which has me scampering onto the

steps forward, and I don’t need to tap into our bond to feel his disapproval.It

is in charge here,

at the pure

freely, 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 all the other wolves on the continent were

and fierce, I’ve always understood that he’s clever and kind, but before now I never quite realized how much more raw power he possesses than

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

ago I might have challenged him, but now I have no option but to

are." I answer

not showing me

gets to choose whether or not

with the desperation to cease the onslaught

tail between her legs,

who gets to tell me how to deal

your

Sinclair unleashes yet another wall of power, disproving my earlier assumption that

"That's right, little wolf."

uncrossing his arms so he can grip my

"On all counts."

wordlessly, and I shiver in his

work through those feelings.But you do not get to tell me how to feel

"I'm sorry." I sniffle.