Accidental Surrogate

Sinclair

My wolf is half-mad with guilt and worry. I’ve been waiting for Ella’s call all day, but when the clock strikes four and I still haven’t heard a peep from my mate, I call my father. The line rings for what feels like ages, but then Dad’s familiar face appears on my screen. “Is she still asleep?” I inquire, before he even has a chance to greet me.

“I haven’t seen her.”‘ Dad replies, his brow crinkling in the video. The image is jostling slightly, his background shifting and changing as he wheels himself forward with one hand. But I’ve been at the airfield all day. I’m just getting back to the palace now. I’ll check on her now.”

I gnash my teeth impatiently, not really wanting to talk about anything until I know how my mate is doing. Still, I ask, “How was it today?”

More of the same, I’m afraid.” Dad reveals sadly.

The average number of refugees making the trip each day hasn’t increased, but it hasn’t decreased either.”

What about their conditions?” I ask, weary to the bone amidst so much misfortune. “Are there more injuries? More unaccompanied pups?”

“Everything seems stable.” Dad reports, but I can tell he doesn’t consider this any victory. “How did it go with the FrostFang Alpha?”)

“Well, I think.” I answer, looking out the windows of my suite in the FrostFang pack’s headquarters. A mountain range spreads out on the horizon, the majestic towers of volcanic rock covered in verdant peat moss. It’s green and glorious, but there are almost no trees. I feel a deep pang as I think about the dense forests back home, wondering how these wolves can be so content without any woodlands.

Gabriel said Alpha Aiden would be an easy sell, and so far he’s been very supportive. He hasn’t officially pledged his alliance, but I think we can count him among our friends at the summit.

“And you? How are you holding up?” My father inquires, a knowing timbre in his rich voice.

“It’s cold up here, more like back home.” I muse aloud, my train of thought momentarily derailed by my wolf’s agitated energy. If Ella’s still out I may let my wolf out for a run, he’s been bl00dy stir crazy with all the travel and the situation with Ella isn’t helping. He’s on edge and I’m not going to be able to keep a handle on him much longer.”

(You might consider doing that even if she is awake – before you two talk.” Dad advises, but despite his wisdom I’m tracking the interiors of Gabriel’s palace as he moves through the halls, measuring the distance between him and my mate. “Depending on how she’s doing, seeing her might push you over the edge.”)

can stand it. It’s one thing

around the palace is that she’s a gift from the

humor. “It seems the guards who oversaw her hypnosis couldn’t quite keep it

my breath,

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announces after a moment. He looks around, backtracking into the sitting room and switching the camera view so I can see his perspective. He lifts a

“Okay, check with the guards – then try the kitchens, the nursery, Cora’s rooms and the

minutes to find my mate, but I’d be lying if I said I bore the wait well. My mind races with the unknown. Why didn’t she call me the moment she woke? Is she alright? Maybe I should have called Phill!pe – he

the

insured my pups will be up half the night! I tried to tell her they’d

the video draws nearer and nearer to a masterful blanket fort as Dad crosses the room. And then she’s there on my screen,

she cuddles a little boy to her b.reast, lost in the tangle of limbs. My heart melts, and suddenly I don’t care why she didn’t call me. It’s one of the sweetest scenes I’ve ever seen, and

mate seems to sense my virtual presence, because she blinks her gorgeous gold eyes a moment later and stretches like

transforms her features from sleep, as if

the other adults in the room. A I can see a hundred emotions fl!ckering in the bottomless

say a word, so I continue. How are you doing,

widen imperceptibly, and then she slumps back down against the piled pillows, “They told you.” She m0ans, frustration and just

above the screen, and I can imagine my father gesturing a warning to her. A wordless rumble

take that to mean you planned on keeping

shivers at my dominant tone, “That isn’t what

moment alone.” I state, “Can you please

eyes leap to the sleeping pups, clearly worried about waking them.