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 Sinclair. “Your home was it

also gives me a little thrill of joy, despite the fact that I know it already. Sinclair has been receiving steady reports from Roger and others on his team which have set our new post–war world in a very different

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

imagine you do need company, newly 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

not to show my disappointment – honestly, if there’s one good thing about bedrest, it’s the fact that you’re in bed the whole time. And putting aside the fact that there’s not much else to

good at keeping our hands off each other, have

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 head.

know that I understand. “Baby comes first, doc,” I say. Sinclair says

and regular doctor for continued care. I’ve sent them my notes.” He starts to head out

with the distance, and I lean

quite frankly, it’s

“Because whatever it is, I’ll pay you double to be Ella’s

sound of hands slapping together in a handshake, I smile and lean back against my pillows, pleased at this development. With this doctor and Cora on my side, I feel quite confident about my

up at him, pleased at the

human, I’m afraid,” Sinclair replies, twisting his mouth in chagrin. “If this were a traditional wolf homecoming, I’d be chasing you

be human then, for today,” I say, putting a hand over my stomach as he

bedroom. “How’s he doing in there,” he asks quietly, glancing down at me. “Angry at being

pup and receiving a little ping of happiness and contentment back. “He just says he’s angry to be missing our soaps. Wants to know what’s going on with Tatianna locked in that cell in