Accidental Surrogate

Ella

The sound of gunfire rings out around us and I feel Sinclair lurch to cover me in the suddenly- still car. Trembling, I try to peek out from beneath his arm as he curses vehemently, his body tense over mine.

The gunfire ends and Sinclair moves, jolting back to the driver’s seat and hitting the gas, spinning the car and heading away from the bullhorn that’s suddenly blasting words in our direction.

“What’s happening?!” I shout, begging for information, doubled over in pain as my body continues its contractions, not caring about the fact that we’re suddenly, apparently, in a war zone.

“The insurgents,” Sinclair growls, glancing over his shoulder. “Picked f**king tonight to push forward with their rebellion – god damn it –”

I glance over my shoulder as well, suddenly seeing a road block in the middle of the street with figures standing behind it, wearing masks and holding guns.

“Humans?” I ask, desperate. “Who don’t want peace?”

Sinclair nods sharply, spinning the car around the city’s center square. I look around suddenly – hadn’t known where we were my eyes fixing on the temple, the palace, these familiar places I haven’t seen in weeks – since

Quickly, I dismiss the thoughts from my mind, not letting myself go there. “Can we go back? Can we get out of it?”

“No,” he growls, speeding across the square and skidding to a stop in front of the palace. “They’ll have us boxed in by now, and they saw my face. God damn it, I should have seen this coming. They’ll come after us now – we have to get you inside.”

With that, Sinclair jumps out of the car, coming quickly to my side and pulling my door open. I step out and he lifts me quickly into his arms, charging forward to the palace. There are guards waiting at the door who look at us with shock and surprise.

“Alpha,” the guard says. “We weren’t expecting

“Let us in,” Sinclair growls, barely stopping to let his command register and ready to burst through the door if the guard doesn’t open it in time, which, fortunately, he does. “Barricade this entrance all of the entrances – get as many guards here as you can, and let no one in except at my command. Is that clear?”

The guard nods quickly, all business, ready to follow through on Sinclair’s commands. As soon as we’re in the dark palace, though, I open my mouth, letting out the sharp cry I’ve been holding back. This contraction – it’s horrible, sharper than the others, and fast –

“Sinclair,” I pant, looking up at him. “The baby is coming – we have to get to a hospital"

He shakes his head at me, looking horribly repentant as he pounds up the wide marble stairs. I’m sorry, baby,” he says. “We can’t go anywhere until we know it’s safe.””

into doors and bursting through them until, quite suddenly, we’re in a beautiful bedroom with a wide four–posted bed with blue velvet curtains hanging down

on the bed. “Well,” he says, grimacing a little, apology still in his eyes. “A King’s bedroom is as good as any a place for

wonder aloud, still panting as

by my side. “Ella,” he says urgently, taking my hand. “I need to go organize those guards, make sure that you are safe, make sure that they know to

my mate’s eyes, seeing the hesitation and doubt there. “Cora is across town – and I don’t

text Cora, tell her where to come ” Sinclair pauses now, his eyes sweeping over me. “Ella, my love, will you be

him by my side – don’t want him absent for a minute – but I know that without him to lay out his commands to the troops, this palace could be

I realize that Rafe can feel my anxiety – an anxiety beyond that which a new mother feels when she goes into labor. My poor baby – he’s already

know that he, too, feels my guilt. But he leans forward, placing a steady kiss on my forehead, and whispers “I’ll be right back. Right back, Ella.” I

pain, but I feel my breathing ratchet up anyway as

with the panic of it all, and thick fat tears squeeze themselves from my eyes. God damn it – just a few hours ago I was so

fast the

hands shaking, I pull my phone from the emergency bag and begin to text my sister, letting her know that the plans have

“Hello?”

hell is going on, Ella?” Cora’s voice furiously demands, “You need to get

I explain, my voice shuddering. “We

it, Ella, I’m going to

gasp, desperate and

of yours, for getting you into

willing to defend Sinclair to the

have troops there in a few minutes – a whole wave of them – and they’ll be able to clear those insurgents and get you to the hospital.

feel the pain rising again in me. “Um, Cora?” I ask, looking down at my stomach as the ache begins

hear her moving around, objects clattering in the background in her

here anyway?

you at the

–

Cora,” I insist.