Accidental Surrogate

Ella

After hanging up with Sinclair, I return the King’s cell phone and look around at the gathered men.”

When does Leon arrive?”I inquire, forcing down a shiver.

“Within the hour.” Gabriel replies, solemn-faced.

Though they’d all agreed that the developments back home warranted accelerating my hypnosis sessions, none of them are happy about keeping them secret. I’m not happy about it either, but I’m also dreading another traumatizing visit to my past.

“Before he arrives I think we should take some bl00d samples from you, Ella.” Henry suggests. “I know the doctors in Moon Valley didn’t find any genetic matches for you, but there’s a chance that we can trace your ancestry by looking at genetic traits which have historically been doc.umented in certain bl00dlines. It won’t help us if the inherited genes aren’t expressed through ancestral phenotypes, but certain markers in your DNA might still allow us to draw important connections”

“But surely that would only work if my ancestors come from a bl00dline deemed worth doc.umenting.” I object uncertainly. “I mean if I come from a long line of nobodies then there won’t be anything to find.”

Phil!ppe, Henry, Gabriel and Roger exchange meaningful glances. They appear to have a full on silent conversation, trading shrugs and expressions as if batting the responsibility of answering back and forth between one another. “

What?” I finally prompt them, feeling exasperated.

“It’s just, Ella,” Roger sighs, “it’s highly unlikely that you come from random nobodies. It’s not impossible, but the fact that you survived having your wolf bound and have proven yourself a match for Dominic… that indicated a level of power that has to be passed down over centuries, getting stronger with every generation. It would explain why the Goddess chose you.. she blessed certain wolves with more magic than others from the beginning.”

I look between them curiously. “Does that mean that all of you have the same sort of lineage?” I inquire, “Given that you’re among the most powerful Alphas alive today?

“That’s exactly what it means.” Henry confirms, not sounding the least bit boastful. “The Sinclairs, Gabriel’s bl00dline, even Phil!ppes, they’re all incredibly distinguished and can be traced back to the first wolves.”

arms over my c.hest. “That hardly seems then what, you’re doomed to be poor and

other bl00dlines have died out because so-called weaker

of this idea. “I guess, though I don’t think I like the idea of being part of a

Roger jokes, “we’re not

power nap before Leon arrives, much good that it does me. I

drug-induced stupor of the ether, the world swirling around me in a hallucinogenic haze. Henry’s hands are warm around mine, and I try to focus on the good feelings, rather than the walls

by a couple of priests when you were a girl. I

putting it mildly.” Henry mutters under his breath, and I squeeze his hand to let him know I’m

in the starbursts dancing across my dark

ask you if you ever saw or spoke with those men again?” Leon inquires. “Can you recall meeting other men or women in similar clothing,

the feelings evoked by that particular memory. I’d been ready to say no, but the more I focus on the details of their robes and the timbres of their voices, I realize that isn’t true. “Yes.” I say, even as I realize it.

Leon inquires, as nonchalantly as if we’re talking about the

stammer, not really wanting to move deeper into the possibility – after all, if my first incident with

know it’s not easy, but we need

myself as he continues, “try to picture the setting. Where were they when you saw them again, what

into my thoughts, followed by the sound of my feet crashing through the undergrowth, my heart pounding in my ears as

the moon, and as I race away from

Ella. Who is

did you start running?” Leon prompts, in

Doctor’s a.buse, we’d lasted two whole months picking pockets and hustling to keep our bellies full. We’d slowly learned the tricks of the trade