Accidental Surrogate

Ella

My nightmares were worse than ever before the night after my second session with Leon, and I wake thrashing in my nest, with Phil!ppe hovering above me, shaking me vigorously. I shriek and recoil, and he backs away from me with his hands outstretched in apology. “It’s okay, I’m sorry.” He breathes, ‘I didn’t know how else to wake you.”

I gulp in a few gasps of air, trying to calm my racing heart. Rafe sends flashes of concern through our bond, and I immediately grab my phone, turning on the recording of Sinclair’s purrs.

This is getting out of hand, Ella.” Phil!ppe scolds, still standing over the bed.

I’ve got it under control.” I insist.

“You don’t.” He cuts, and I can’t, in good conscience, let this continue.”

(You’re my personal guard, Phil!ppe.” I remind him in the sternest voice I can summon, “It’s a very intimate relationship and there has to be trust between us. You hear everything I do, everything I say – whether I’m sick to my stomach or on the phone with my mate. This is a private matter which you are only privy to because of your position and I have to be able to trust you won’t betray my privacy, otherwise this arrangement won’t work”

I may be your personal guard, but I still answer to the Alpha and he wouldn’t approve of this.”

Phil!ppe counters, crossing his arms over his c.hest.

“You also agreed to help us with the hypnosis behind his back.” I remind him, Now do you want to tell him that I ordered you not to say a word about any of it and you obeyed out of respect for our relationship, or do you want to tell him you were fine with being disloyal to him only until you had reason to be disloyal to me?”

Phil!ppe narrows his eyes, I don’t like you very much right now.

‘Right back at you.” I respond, clambering to my feet. “But I appreciate your honesty.”

He growls as I move towards the door. “Where are you going?”

To find someone cuddlier than you.” I toss back over my shoulder, pulling on my robe and feeling thankful that I’d gone against Sinclair’s wishes and continued wearing pajamas while he’s away. Of course, I know he’ll be disappointed that I missed another dream date, but when I get lost in my night terrors, there’s no way to find him. I pad through the halls to Cora’s bedroom, not bothering to tap on the door before entering.

She stirs as I climb into bed with her, m0aning sleepily, Ella?”

“Can I sleep with you?” I ask, snuggling up to her and sighing as her arms come around me.

She agrees

I’m surprised you don’t want to be in

confess, “I just want

I nod pitifully, and she takes me by the hand, “Come on,

door opens again and a bleary-eyed Cora leads me back to my

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me back into my own bed and climbs in with me, and she doesn’t bat an eye when

murmur against her hair. I needed

corner of my eye, and

replies softly. “I mean I’m not happy you’re having nightmares, I just like being the one to

the time.” I

the one to Scare away the monsters in our closet.

the monsters aren’t staying in the closet anymore.” I

note of exasperation in her voice. “You don’t always have to be

think? That I enjoy playing the martyr? Sacrificing myself to

not the reason.” She answers apologetically, “but whatever your motives, you do

in her voice which tells me that she doesn’t resent me for it, at least, not the way she had the last time we

my sister, it’s my job to hog the suffering to spare

you have any idea how much I hated myself when we were growing up, how much I still do, because I wasn’t strong enough to take care of you.” I suspect Cora has done a lot of thinking since our fight earlier this year, because rather than accusing me of making her weak by

you were older. I’m a wolf.”

in

…

that I may have been destined to as well, the way things have been going with my

you lost your wolf.” Cora declares, surprising me. “Do you think I didn’t know?It’s all

couldn’t stand

to put yourself first every now and then. In fact, it’s called self-care.” Cora

thoughtlessness about the human impact of our war, my failure to see how this tumult was affecting Cora.

my b.rattiest or most needy, he guided me through it all with utter patience. But I think the time for that has passed.” I conclude, clamping my eyes shut. “I have a baby on the way, and an entire pack looking to me as