Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“All right,” the doctor says, sweeping into the room where Sinclair and I are resting together on my hospital bed, my head on my mate’s shoulder as we watch some daytime soap opera I perk up at the doctor’s entrance, eager to hear what he has to say. Sinclair gives a little groan as he sits up and puts his feet on the ground, standing next to the bed to hear the news. I know that he’s not

tired – instead, I think it’s the opposite. All of these days and hours cooped up here in this little room have made him terribly restless. I reach out and take Sinclair’s hand, thanking him, silently,

for all he’s done for me.

“Well?” Sinclair asks, tucking his other hand to his pocket. He looks levelly at the doctor, who has given me perhaps a hundred tests since I woke up a few days ago. Everything from blood work, CT scans, ultrasounds. I’ve been poked and measured and observed so much I feel like a science

experiment.

The doctor pauses before me, flipping through the pages on his clipboard, double- and triple- checking everything. I smile as I watch him do it. For all his cold bedside manner, he really has shown himself to be diligent and dedicated.

“You’ll be happy” the doctor says, letting the pages drop and tucking the clipboard away under his arm. “Everything has come back stable.” He looks seriously at me then before he continues. You’re well enough to go home, Ella, but I want to emphasize to you that you are by no means a healthy woman at this point in time. And your pregnancy is still extremely high risk. I want you‘ at home. In bed. Relaxing, until this baby is born. Is that clear?”

I nod eagerly, my heart beating faster with joy Home. Home. God, I can’t wait to be home…

now

Roger and others on his team which have set our new post–war world

him. We talked about potentially moving into the palace to confirm to the people that Sinclair does intend to take the throne, but we decided against it until after the baby is born. And even then, I imagine I’ll delay as long as we can. I like Sinclair’s house – I have lots of good memories there. It would take a lot to persuade me to move

mated as you are.” He takes a deep breath then and levels a glare between us. “I know that it’s awkward, but I want to be very clear about this – when I say that Ella needs to be relaxing…it’s very important that

at the blunt statement and feel Sinclair go still beside me. I try not to show my disappointment – honestly, if there’s one good thing about bedrest,

keeping our

that you practice restraint,” the doctor warns, his brows drawn down. “You’ve had surgery on your uterus, Evelyn – it’s very delicate. Even,” he sighs, putting a hand to his forehead and pausing, figuring out how to word this I smile to see how awkward he feels delivering the news “Any disturbance to your uterine or vaginal tissues Just.” He sighs and drops his hand, shaking his

let him know that I understand. “Baby comes first, doc,” I say. Sinclair says nothing, but nods

care. I’ve sent them my notes.” He starts to head out into the hall and Sinclair

almost muffled with the distance, and I lean forward to hear better. “How much do you get paid

scoffs and tells Sinclair that, quite frankly, it’s

I’ll pay you double to be Ella’s

pillows, pleased at this development. With this doctor and Cora on my side, I feel quite confident

later, Sinclair carries me over the threshold of our home, my arms wrapped around his neck. I grin up at him, pleased at the gesture. “Is this a tradition in werewolf mating

in chagrin. “If this were a traditional wolf homecoming, I’d be chasing you down in the moonlight, nipping at your heels…. He snaps his teeth at

he takes a few steps inside and kicks the door shut behind

towards the bedroom. “How’s he doing in there,” he asks quietly, glancing down

little ping of happiness and contentment back. “He