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…

his gaze now to

steady reports from Roger and others on his team which have set our new post–war world in a very different light. “By some miracle, my personal residence went relatively untouched during the attacks on the city. The neighborhood is largely abandoned but,” he shrugs as he looks down at me.

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

that it’s awkward,

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, it’s the fact that

at keeping our hands off each other, have we?

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

let him know that I understand. “Baby comes first,

doctor says, giving us a little half smile and heading for the door. “In that case, best of luck! Check in with your OBGYN and regular doctor for continued care. I’ve sent them my notes.” He starts to head out into the hall and Sinclair surprises me by striding after him. I cock

distance, and I lean forward to hear better. “How much do you get paid here?”

and tells Sinclair that, quite frankly, it’s none of his business

Sinclair replies. “Because whatever it is, I’ll pay you double to be Ella’s personal physician for the remainder of her pregnancy. And our

back against my pillows, pleased at this development. With this doctor and Cora on my side, I feel quite confident about my chances in this pregnancy. That is, if Sinclair and I can keep our hands off each other for the next three months…

at him, pleased at the gesture.

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

as he takes a few steps inside and kicks the door shut behind him. “Safer for the

carrying me upwards towards the bedroom. “How’s he doing in

happiness and contentment back. “He just says he’s angry to be missing our soaps. Wants to know what’s going on