Accidental Surrogate

“That’s not fair, Cora,” I scold, narrowing my eyes and sitting back against my pillows as I cross my arms.

“Don’t you want it, though?” she accuses, opening her eyes wider as if she’d like to hear me deny it. “It would be very neat, wouldn’t it? Two sisters matched up with two brothers? Our kids would be so close – they wouldn’t even have another set of cousins!”

“I think that sounds amazing!” I exclaim.

“Ella!” she cries, throwing up her hands. “There can’t be any kids!”

My mouth drops open as my mind whirls and Cora glares at me as I start to put my thoughts together. To begin, Cora,” I say, holding up a finger and beginning my argument. I feel, in this moment, that my hours of television post–hospital have benefitted me here – I’ve watched a lot of law dramas, and I lay out my argument like any lawyer in a court room. “Do you even want kids? Because ever since we left the orphanage, I was always the one who was crazy to be a mom, and you were always interested in building your career

“What,” she snaps, crossing her arms, “just because I have a career means I don’t want kids?

I take a deep breath through my nose. She’s really starting to piss me off now, like a real sister which, of course, she always has been. “Obviously I don’t think that, Cora, and you’re doing me a real discredit by suggesting that I would. I’m just pointing out that it’s never seemed like children were at the top of your list of life desires! But now you’re using it as a reason to break up with Roger!?”

“There’s nothing to break up! We weren’t even going out!” She blurts out, frustrated and defensive. I just shake my head at her, waiting until she looks at me again, which she does after a moment of breathing deeply and pulling herself together.

“Even if you weren’t officially dating, Cora,” I continue. “You know that there was something between you. That there is something between you! Something big. Don’t insult my intelligence by trying to pretend that there wasn’t.”

Cora sighs, folding her hands in her lap and looking down at them. I wait, my patience running thin.

“All right, Ella,” she murmurs, still not meeting my eyes. “There is something there. Of course there is Roger he makes me…”

her know that I hear her. She looks up at me then, tears in her eyes. “I just don’t know what future there

children?”

me to my second point,” I say in a hurry, shaking my head at her in wonder. “If you’re so against dating a werewolf because of your biological differences,

drops open at

171

demand, leaning forward

and shaking her head at

“No he’s not – he’s a wolf–he is a

just laughs harder, falling back on the bed and cackling

right,” I hear, and I spin to my mate who I didn’t hear approaching the room “You didn’t know?” Sinclait asks, leaning against the door frame.

of them, apparently unable to come up with

Cora in her laughter, shaking his head at me and giving me a fond look. I turn a little red with embarrassment

are able to tell you these sorts of things?” she asks, smiling at me, I think happy to have the upper hand

I was too busy dying to get a good sniff of him,” I grumble, throwing another pillow at her and looking bashfully at Sinclair. “But seriously, if he’s human, why

taking a deep breath now. I lean forward to listen, glad that she’s not yelling or laughing at me anymore. She let him in

to the years‘ worth of study and toil that it takes to become a doctor. It’s not that we’re stupid or lazy,” he

of hoping he’d be a nice quiet nerd, so I could keep him

can break into it and are quite good at the work. And if, like Hank, you can learn the culture enough to communicate effectively with your clientele. It was helpful to me, when you were ill, that he recognized my Alpha tendencies

him a little ruefully. “Sounds like everyone is team

frowns and straightens up. “You don’t like Hank? Did he do

a hand and stopping him from chasing the poor man down and baring his fangs to demand what the he did to offend me. “He’s fine. I’m just.” I sigh, and tip my head back, staring at the ceiling. “I was just rooting for someone else.” I

says, giving me a prim little shrug. “In this case, it doesn’t matter who you root for, because I’m the referee. And