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.

to the bedroom door. “You exit through the sitting room. I’ll keep them occupied

nod eagerly 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 the kitchen but our phone doesn’t seem to be working. Would you mind terribly going down to fetch

but I open the door as quietly as I can, peeking my head out even as

distress. “Maybe just one of you

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 to me is closest. I know there’s

chants through our bond, filling me with all the courage I need

coming, 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: barefoot, wearing only a long silk

I don’t want them to risk their jobs by defying Gabriel’s edict to keep me in the palace. I know the King

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

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

as though they’re right on top of me. He practically tackles me, racing up behind me and gripping me as

body easily, then scoops me up

backing them out of the square. I’m not sure if it’s for my safety or to keep them from witnessing the ensuing scene, but I don’t care. novel.ebook.com They can all

thrash and fight as he tries to drag me back to the palace, wrenching his arm close

impatiently. “Damnit Ella,

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