Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“As happy as this is,” Sinclair says, folding his arms over his chest and looking around at the four of us. “And it is happy,” he says, looking at Cora and Roger to let them know that he’s sincere. They nod their understanding. “We do still have a problem on our hands,” he says, nodding to Rafe

in my arms.

“Yes,” I say, looking eagerly up at Cora. “Henry found out some more about the cult – I’ll tell you

all about it. It’s…not good,” I say, with a little grimace.

“Oh,” she says, drawing her brows together. “Okay – yes, I want to hear everything.” I nod, tugging at her waist so that she’ll follow me into the house. Sinclair and Roger come close behind.

“Did you find anything else out?” Sinclair asks Roger.

“No,” Roger replies, a little apologetic. “Just what we sent you from the library. Was it useful?”

“Incredibly,” Sinclair confirms, thankful. “But yes, we found out more…”

”

My mate and I take Roger and Cora into the little office and tell them everything, seating Rafe in

a little swing that we’ve placed there temporarily since we’ve been spending so much time here.

working on this issue. They’re both as horrified as we were to discover that we likely have

someone in our midst who is working for the cult, who either has already betrayed us or will soon.

Though both wrack their minds they, like us, can’t come up with a viable candidate for who it is.

“We need more information,” Sinclair growls, thoughtful, as he flips through what paperwork his

investigators have produced for the case, as if he might find something else there. I nod, agreeing,

but I look at Cora and see her fading a bit.

“You haven’t slept, have you?” I ask, concerned.

She smiles at me, apologetic, but shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Ella,” she says. “I want to help but I

think…”

“Upstairs,” I say, my voice definitive, swatting her on the rear. “Immediately, sleep.”

“I’ll take her,” Roger says, stepping forward to take Cora by the arm.

say, putting a hand on his chest and shoving him

and falling

promise,” he says, “I just want to see my mate

my eyes and then giving Cora a peck on her cheek. “We’ll figure it all out when you wake up, okay?” I say, giving her a little nudge towards the

will,” she agrees, giving me a steady look. “Really, we will.” And then she takes Roger’s hand and walks out the door

his chest and sighing contentedly. He wraps his arms around my

too,” he says, holding me tight against him. “They’re idiots for not doing

a moment, considering all the things that held them

not going to always be easy for them,” I

can feel him shake his head against the back of my neck. “You almost died like, four times since we’ve

in his arms and looking sincerely up at him.

other, and especially that I was a wolf too, then…”

it was always smooth

what you mean,” he says, looking calmly down into

nodding to me. “Like ours. They’re going

I sigh, resting my head against his chest and closing my eyes.

both of them.”

a very real

I keep making up reasons why they can’t

To see the tiny little touches he places

ear, to see the way she turns her face up to him

of his dark, wry

then, on day six, Cora takes me by the shoulders and gives

must go back to

neck and groaning.

need you!”

”

me,” she says, taking her hands back

to keep me in a little love bubble with

something.”

at her and giving her

not changing my mind, Ella. I’m in love with

life. And a boyfriend who I never broke up with. And a job that requires me to actually

to go deal with all of

my shoes. “Did you seriously never

I ask, glancing up at

raising a guilty hand to her forehead and shading her eyes, embarrassed. “I

I need to be a

say, stepping forward and rubbing her on the arm in what I hope is a comforting