Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 209 – Ella Breaks Out

Ella

Isabel stares after me with her mouth gaping open in shock, not moving from the bed. I don’t pause to put on appropriate clothing or even don shoes, instead sprinting to my door and pressing my ear to the wood. After a moment Isabel recovers and comes to stand beside me. “What are you doing?” She whispers, her pretty eyes wide.

I lead her back from the doorway, pressing my finger to my lips. The feeling of my mate is growing stronger by the second, and his voice calls out again. Ella!

I hear you! I send back through our bond, praying he can hear me. I’m coming, Dominic. The baby is fluttering excitedly in my belly, and I have a feeling that when Sinclair isn’t calling to me, he’s calling to Rafe. Still, when his voice sounds again he says only my name, Ella! Through the distance I can sense his exhaustion and worry, the nearly unhinged determination of his wolf. There’s pain there too, and I know he must be injured. He’s trying to get back to us, but he’s too worn down and depleted to communicate beyond these simple calls.

“I have to get out of here.” I tell Isabel, speaking as quietly as I can.” Dominic is… I can feel him, he’s calling me. But he’s hurt, I have to reach him.”

Isabel blinks, “Are you sure?”

I cut my eyes to her, “Of course I’m sure, I know my mate better than I know myself.”

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Isabel replies, “I was just surprised. What can I do?”

“Can you distract my guards?” I request, wondering if she’ll actually agree. This feels like the first true test of our friendship, but Isabel only sets her jaw and nods.

“You exit through the sitting room. I’ll keep them

and dash to the far door, watching as Isabel slips outside. Her voice echoes down the hallway, “Excuse me, can you all help me? The Princess requires some items from

I open the door as quietly as I can, peeking

hands like the perfect damsel in distress. “Maybe just one of you could go? I’m

slink away on tiptoes while the guards puff up their chests and debate which one of them should get to be her knight in shining armor, and I have to bite back a laugh when I catch Isabel batting her eyelashes at the guards. I disappear around the corner, trying to remember which of the secret passages Gabriel described

through our bond, filling me with all the courage I need to take this

my love. I send back, moving as swiftly as I can. Suddenly I’m regretting my urgency to get out of the room without pause. I call attention on the best of days, and scampering through the daylit palace in my current state is not exactly discreet. I can only imagine how I must look:

Gabriel’s edict to keep me in the palace. I know the King is worried about my wellbeing, not to mention outside threats like the bomb that intercepted Sinclair’s delegation. Still, I don’t appreciate his high-handed orders. So I move through the

I make it outside, Sinclair feels as though he might be right around the next corner. His calls have grown loud and constant, but no matter where I look, I cannot see him. Ella, Ella, Ella. I open my heart to him and follow the path our bond illuminates, throwing caution to the wind as I reach the palace gates. The guards’ backs are facing me as they search for outside threats,

ignoring their cries of surprise, and take off into the city. Within moments I hear footsteps pounding the pavement behind me, and I smell Philippe’s familiar aroma at my back. I curse in my head, there’s no way I

footsteps sound as though they’re right on top of me. He practically tackles me, racing up behind me and gripping me as gently as he can, infinitely conscious of my delicate condition. His arms come underneath my own as he pulls me to an abrupt stop,

body easily, then scoops me up into

at bay, holding their arms outstretched and backing them out of the square. I’m not sure if it’s for my safety or to

to drag me back to the

impatiently. “Damnit Ella, this

after him!” I cry, returning his snarl with one of my own, “I will never give up, as long as he’s